RAPID CHARGING OF BATTERIES
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Abstract
A BATTERY IS CHARGED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, FOR EXAMPLE LESS THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES, BY APPLYING A CHARGING CURRENT THAT IS IN EXCESS OF THE NOMINAL ONE-HOUR RATE OF THE BATTERY WITH DISCHARGE PULSE SANDWICHED BETWEEN CHARGE PULSES, WITH OR WITHOUT A REST PERIOD BETWEEN THE END OF THE CHARGE PULSE AND THE BEGINNING OF A DISCHARGE PULSE AND THE END OF THE DISCHARGE PULSE AND THE BEGINNING OF A CHARGE PULSE. THE DISCHARGE PULSE HAS A PEAK VALUE IN EXCESS OF THE NOMINAL ONE-HOUR RATE OF THE BATTERY AND THE PULSE HAS A SHORT PERIOD, FOR EXAMPLE ONE TO FOUR MICROSECONDS, WHICH TIME MAY BE RELATED TO THE TIME ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTROCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CELL OR CELLS OF THE BATTERY BEING CHARGE. THE FREQUENCY OF THE INTERRUPTIONS IS INCREASED AS THE TERMINAL VOLTAGE AND CHARGE OF THE BATTERY INCREASES. THE CHARGING AT THE HIGH RATE IS TERMINATED OR CONVERTED TO A TRICKLE CHARGE WHEN THE TERMINAL VOLTAGE OF THE BATTERY EXCEEDS A SELECTED VOLTAGE LEVEL ASSOCIATED WITH THE DESIRED LEVEL OF CHARGE IN THE BATTERY. THE DISCLOSURE RELATES TO BOTH THE METHOD OF RAPID CHARGE AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID CHARGING.
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