Method and apparatus using oscillatory magnetic field to determine state of charge of an electrolytic storage cell
First Claim
1. A method of determining the state of charge of an electrolytic storage cell, comprising the steps of:
- generating an oscillatory magnetic field from a circulating current that penetrates a predetermined volumeof a storage cell having a plurality of metallic electrodes immersed in electrolyte that vary their metallic volume in proportion to the state of charge of said storage cell;
adjusting the frequency of said oscillatory magnetic field to induce oscillatory currents in said electrolyte and in each of said plurality of electrodes of said storage cell; and
measuring the change of energy of said magnetic field within said predetermined volume due to the change in said induced oscillatory currents in said plurality of electrodes that is caused by the change in metallic volume of said plurality of metallic electrodes to determine the state of charge of said storage cell.
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Abstract
Nonintrusive sensors capable of measuring various storage cell parameters such as voltage, state-of-charge, electrolyte level, internal resistance, and temperature are attached to a monitoring module which gathers and processes signals representative of information concerning the condition of electrolytic storage cells and transmits the information to a central computer for further processing. In response to commands issued by the central computer, appropriate maintenance and/or repair operations can be initiated. Alternatively, the system described can be used to automatically perform such maintenance tasks as checking and adding electrolyte levels, reducing the voltage in cells whose output voltage is too high, and leveling the state-of-charge of each cell in an array of electrolytic storage cells. The system can monitor other functions of the electrolytic storage cells, including the evolution of hydrogen gas and the accumulation of sediments in individual electrolytic storage cells.
44 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of determining the state of charge of an electrolytic storage cell, comprising the steps of:
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generating an oscillatory magnetic field from a circulating current that penetrates a predetermined volume of a storage cell having a plurality of metallic electrodes immersed in electrolyte that vary their metallic volume in proportion to the state of charge of said storage cell; adjusting the frequency of said oscillatory magnetic field to induce oscillatory currents in said electrolyte and in each of said plurality of electrodes of said storage cell; and measuring the change of energy of said magnetic field within said predetermined volume due to the change in said induced oscillatory currents in said plurality of electrodes that is caused by the change in metallic volume of said plurality of metallic electrodes to determine the state of charge of said storage cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. Apparatus for determining the state of charge of an electrolytic storage cell, comprising:
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means for generating an oscillatory magnetic field from a circulating current that penetrates a predetermined volume of a storage cell having a plurality of metallic electrodes immersed in electrolyte that vary their metallic volume in proportion to the state of charge of said storage cell; means for adjusting the frequency of said oscillatory magnetic field to induce oscillatory currents in said electrolyte and in each of said plurality of electrodes of said storage cell; and means for measuring the change of energy of said magnetic field within said predetermined volume due to the change in said induced oscillatory currents in said plurality of electrodes that is caused by the change in metallic volume of said plurality of metallic electrodes to determine the state of charge of said storage cell. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification