Temperature maintained battery system

• US 4,229,687 A
• Filed: 05/07/1979
• Issued: 10/21/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Utah Research & Development Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Utah Research & Development Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Newman, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US06/036,363
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/35, 361/379, 361/381, 361/383, 361/384, 361/386, 361/388, 174/15, 429/120
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/34 Robot, hybrid, recreational or emergency vehicle

Abstract

A chassis contains a battery charger connected to a multi-cell battery. The charger receives direct current from an external direct current power source and has means to automatically selectively charge the battery in accordance with a preselected charging program relating to temperature adjusted state of discharge of the battery. A heater device is positioned within the chassis which includes heater elements and a thermal switch which activates the heater elements to maintain the battery above a certain predetermined temperature in accordance with preselected temperature conditions occurring within the chassis. A cooling device within the chassis includes a cooler regulator, a temperature sensor, and peltier effect cooler elements. The cooler regulator activates and deactivates the peltier cooler elements in accordance with preselected temperature conditions within the chassis sensed by the temperature sensor. Various vehicle function circuitry may also be positioned within the chassis. The contents of the chassis are positioned to form a passage proximate the battery in communication with an inlet and outlet in the chassis to receive air for cooling purposes from an external source.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a chassis;

a battery positioned within said chassis and removably conductively connectable to an external direct current load;

a battery charger positioned within said chassis and removably conductively connectable to an external source of direct current power and conductively connected to said battery, said charger having means to automatically selectively charge said battery when said battery is in a preselected state of discharge;

heater means positioned within said chassis and removably conductively connectable to an external source of power, said heater means including heater element means and switch means, said switch means being conductively connected to said external AC source and said heater element means and operative between conductive and nonconductive conditions to activate and deactivate said heater element means in accordance with preselected temperature conditions within said chassis;

cooling means positioned within said chassis comprising;

a cooler regulator removably conductively connectable to receive power from an external source,

first temperature sensing means conductively connected to said cooler regulator to supply chassis interior temperature reflective signals thereto,

at least one peltier effect cooler element positioned within said chassis and conductively connected to said cooler regulator, wherein

said cooler regulator activates and deactivates said cooler element in accordance with preselected temperature conditions within said chassis sensed by said temperature sensing means, and

heat removal means associated with said cooler element to transfer heat from interior to exterior said chassis.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said switch means of said heater means is a thermal switch which is conductive below a first preselected temperature and nonconductive above a second preselected temperature, said first and second preselected temperatures being selected so that said heater element means is energized to generate heat within said chassis and in turn heat said battery and to substantially maintain it above a preselected minimum temperature.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said heater means has a plurality of heater element means which are electrical resistance heaters connected in series.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said first preselected temperature is about 50°

F. and said second preselected temperature is about 60°

F.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein heat removal means includes forming said chassis to be enclosed with an air inlet and an air outlet, to receive an airflow from an external source and to exhaust said air flow and positioning the contents of said chassis therewithin to form an air passage passing proximate said battery in communication with said inlet and outlet.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said heat removal means further includes cooling fins adapted external to said chassis and wherein said peltier effect coolers are positioned to transfer heat to said fins.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said cooling means has a plurality of peltier effect coolers electrically connected in series.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said first temperature sensing means of said cooling means is an electrical thermistor and wherein said cooler regulator activates said cooler element above a third preselected temperature and deactivates said cooler element below a fourth preselected temperature to in turn cool said battery to and substantially maintain it below a preselected maximum temperature.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said thrid preselected temperature is from about 65°

F. to about 70°

F. and said fourth preselected temperature is about 65°

F.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said battery charger is comprised of:

switch means conductively connected to receive power from said external source of direct current power;

a boost regulator circuit conductively connected to said switch means to receive power therefrom and conductively connected to said battery to supply charging signals thereto;

second temperature sensing means positioned within said chassis to sense temperature and to generate a battery temperature reflective signal;

a voltage control circuit conductively connected (1) to said temperature sensing means to receive said temperature reflective signal, (2) to said switch means to supply a switching signal thereto, (3) to said battery to receive a battery voltage signal therefrom, and (4) to said boost regulator to supply a control signal thereto wherein said voltage control circuit determines the temperature adjusted state of charge of said battery from the temperature reflective signal and said battery voltage signal and supplies said switching signal and control signal to cause said battery to be charged in accordance with a preselected charging program related to the temperature adjusted state of discharge of said battery.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said battery charger has a safety circuit which includes:

a hot battery detector conductively connected to said second temperature sensing means to receive said temperature reflective signal therefrom and to said switch to supply a safety signal thereto to stop battery charging when said temperature reflective signal indicates that said battery has reached a preselected temperature; and

a cell balance detector conductively connected to said battery to sense the voltage across portions thereof and to said switch to supply a safety signal to stop charging when the voltage across said portions indicates a preselected condition of imbalance.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said safety circuit further includes a low battery detector conductively connected to said battery to detect battery capacity and to external indicator means to indicate the existence of a preselected low battery state of charge.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said low battery detector has means to receive a battery voltage signal from said battery, third temperature sensing means to supply a battery temperature reflective signal to said low voltage detector and means to determine a temperature adjusted state of charge signal and supply a low battery signal when the battery state of charge is below a preselected level.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said hot battery detector has means to detect the existence of a shorted second temperature sensing means and supplies a safety signal to stop charging to said switching means when such is detected.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said hot battery detector supplies said safety signal when said temperature reflective signal indicates the existence of a temperature of about 115°

F.

16. The system of claim 1 further including a testing circuit conductively connected to external indicator means through said chassis and selectively conductively connected to said battery charger, said cooling means and said heater means, wherein said circuit monitors the functioning of said charger and supplies signals indicative thereof to said external indicator.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said battery is comprised of a plurality of closed cell nickel-cadmium battery cells.

18. In combination with a vehicle having a direct current bus operative to act selectively as a source of direct current power and to act as a direct current load and having a source of alternating current power and vehicle controls,

a battery system comprising:

a chassis;

a battery positioned within said chassis and removably conductively connectable to said bus to supply power thereto when said bus is a load;

a battery charger positioned within said chassis and removably conductively connectable to said bus to receive power therefrom when said bus is an external source of direct current power and conductively connected to said battery, said charger having means to automatically selectively charge said battery when said battery is in a preselected state of discharge;

heater means positioned within said chassis and removably conductively connectable to said source of alternating current (AC) power, said heater means including heater element means and switch means, said switch means being conductively connected to said external AC source and said heater element means, and said switch means being operative between conductive and nonconductive conditions to activate and deactivate said heater element means in accordance with preselected temperature conditions within said chassis;

cooling means positioned within said chassis comprising;

a cooler regulator removably conductively connectable to receive power from an external source of direct current power,

first temperature sensing means conductively connected to said cooler regulator to supply chassis interior temperature reflective signals thereto,

at least one peltier effect cooler element positioned within said chassis and conductively connected to said cooler regulator, wherein

said cooler regulator activates and deactivates said cooler element in accordance with preselected temperature conditions within said chassis sensed by said temperature sensing means, and

heat removal means associated with said cooler element to transfer heat from interior to exterior said chassis.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein said switch means of said heater means is a thermal switch which is conductive below a first preselected temperature and nonconductive above a second preselected temperature, said first and second preselected temperatures being selected so that said heater element means is energized to generate heat within said chassis and in turn heat said battery and to substantially maintain it above a preselected minimum temperature, and wherein said heater means has a plurality of heater element means which are electrical resistance heaters connected in series.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein heat removal means includes forming said chassis to be enclosed with an air inlet and an air outlet, to receive an airflow from an external source and to exhaust said air flow and positioning the contents of said chassis therewithin to form an air passage passing proximate said battery in communication with said inlet and outlet, and wherein said heat removal means further includes cooling fans adapted external to said chassis and wherein said peltier effect coolers are positioned to transfer heat to said fins.

21. The combination of claim 20 wherein said cooling means has a plurality of peltier effect coolers electrically connected in series, and wherein said first temperature sensing means of said cooling means is an electrical thermistor and wherein said cooler regulator activates said cooler element above a third preselected temperature and deactivates said cooler element below a fourth preselected temperature to in turn cool said battery to and substantially maintain it below a preselected maximum temperature.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein said battery charger is comprised of:

switch means conductively connected to receive power from said external souce of direct current power;

a boost regulator circuit conductively connected to said switch means to receive power therefrom and conductively connected to said battery to supply charging signals thereto;

second temperature sensing means positioned within said chassis to sense temperature and to generate a battery temperature reflective signal;

a voltage control circuit conductively connected (1) to said temperature sensing means to receive said temperature reflective signal, (2) to said switch means to supply a switching signal thereto, (3) to said battery to receive a battery voltage signal therefrom, and (4) to said boost regulator to supply a control signal thereto wherein said voltage control circuit determines the temperature adjusted state of charge of said battery from the temperature reflective signal and said battery voltage signal and supplies said switching signal and control signal to cause said battery to be charged in accordance with a preselected charging program related to the temperature adjusted state of discharge of said battery.

23. The combination of claim 22 wherein said battery charger has a safety circuit which includes:

a hot battery detector conductively connected to said second temperature sensing means to receive said temperature reflective signal therefrom and to said switch to supply a safety signal thereto to stop battery charging when said temperature reflective signal indicates that said battery has reached a preselected temperature;

a cell balance detector conductively connected to said battery to sense the voltage across portions thereof and to said switch to supply a safety signal to stop charging when the voltage across said portions indicates a preselected condition of imbalance; and

wherein

said safety circuit further includes a low battery detector conductively connected to said battery to detect battery capacity and to external indicator means to indicate the existence of a preselected low battery state of charge.

24. The combination of claim 18 wherein said vehicle is an aircraft which has vehicle controls including a battery system, cockpit switch and canopy controls and which has a plurality of said battery systems, each of which includes:

a vehicle function circuit having a battery switch conductively connected to said bus, the battery of each of said systems connected to said battery system cockpit switch, said battery switch receiving voltage signals from said cockpit switch to connect a charged battery to said bus when said bus voltage signal is below a preselected level.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said vehicle function circuit includes a canopy control circuit connected to said canopy controls and to said battery to supply power to said canopy controls when said battery is above a preselected voltage.