Electrical power generation system having means for managing the discharging and recharging of metal fuel contained within a network of metal-air fuel cell battery subsystems

• US 6,239,508 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Inventors: Faris, Sadeg M., Tsai, Tsepin
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US09/164,063
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.7, 307/43, 307/48, 307/80, 307/150, 320/124, 320/126, 320/120, 429/13, 429/61, 429/150, 180/65.1, 180/65.3, 180/65.8, 318/139, 701/22, 324/434
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/54 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4214 Arrangements for moving electrodes or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/024 Insertable electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0085 Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/42 Alloys based on zinc
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5011 for several cells simultaneously or successively
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/184 Regeneration by electrochemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/186 by electrolytic decomposition of the electrolytic solution or the formed water product
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/22 Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising carbon or oxygen or hydrogen and other elements; Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising only elements other than carbon, oxygen or hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Disclosed is an electrical power generation system comprised of a network of metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) subsystems connected to an output power bus structure and controlled by a network control subsystem. The operation of each metal-air FCB subsystem is controlled so that, on the average, the amount of metal-fuel in each of the FCB subsystem is substantially the same, regardless of the total amount of metal-fuel remaining within the system available for electrical power generation. The electrical power generation system can be used as an electrical power plant that can be installed in virtually any system, device or environment in which there is a need to satisfy the peak power demand of an electrical load (e.g. motor, appliance, machinery, tools, etc.) independent of the total amount of metal-fuel remaining within the system. The system is provided with a network-based metal-fuel management subsystem adapted for use in managing the discharging and recharging of metal-fuel in the system in an efficient manner. In the illustrative embodiment, the electrical power generation system is embedded within an automotive vehicle that is provided with hybrid types of electrical power generating sources, as well as an auxiliary power source, for providing electrical power to the input bus structure for carrying out recharging operations.

Claims

1. An electrical power generation system comprising:

a power bus structure to which one or more electrical loads are connected;

a plurality of metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) subsystems connected to said power bus structure, each having a supply of metal fuel, and capable of producing and delivering electrical power to said power bus structure;

a metal-fuel management subsystem for generating data representative of available metal fuel in each metal-air FCB subsystem; and

a control subsystem for controlling the operation of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems based upon said data so that electrical power is supplied to said power bus structure.

2. The electrical power generation system of claim 1, wherein said control subsystem controls the electrical power produced from said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems and delivered to said power bus structure by enabling a selected set of said metal-air FCB subsystems to supply electrical power to said power bus structure.

5. The electrical power generation system of claim 1, further comprising a load sensing subsystem that senses loading conditions along said power bus structure to identify requirements of said electrical loads, and wherein said control subsystem controls the operation of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems so that electrical power is supplied to said power bus structure in sufficient amounts to satisfy the requirements of said electrical loads.

6. The electrical power generation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein said control subsystem controls the electrical power produced from said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems and delivered to said power bus structure by enabling discharge of a selective set of metal-fuel tracks within a selected set of said metal-air FCB subsystems to supply electrical power to said power bus structure.

7. The electrical power generation system of claim 6, wherein said control subsystem selectively recharges said metal-fuel tracks within said metal-air FCB subsystems so that metal-fuel availability within said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems is substantially equalized on a time-average basis.

8. The electrical power generation system of claim 1, wherein said control subsystem controls the electrical power produced from said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems and delivered to said power bus structure based upon discharging parameters associated with each of said metal-air FCB subsystems stored in persistent storage.

9. The electrical power generation system of claim 8, wherein said discharging parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

voltages produced across cathode and anode structures during discharging operations, electric currents flowing across cathode and anode structures during discharging operations, oxygen saturation levels within cathode structures during discharging operations, moisture levels near cathode-electrolyte interfaces during discharging operations, and time of the state of any of these discharging parameters.

10. The electrical power generation system of claim 9, wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein said discharging parameters include discharging parameters associated with individual metal-fuel tracks during discharging operations.

11. The electrical power generation system of claim 10, wherein said discharging parameters comprise speed of said metal-fuel tracks.

12. The electrical power generation system of claim 10, wherein each metal-fuel track is identified by an identifying symbol associated with said metal-fuel track.

13. The electrical power generation system of claim 12, wherein said identifying symbol is positioned alongside its associated metal-fuel track.

14. The electrical power generation system of claim 12, wherein said identifying symbol is disposed in a strip positioned near an edge of said metal-fuel tracks.

15. The electrical power generation system of claim 1, wherein said control subsystem controls recharging of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems based upon recharging parameters associated with each of said metal-air FCB subsystems stored in persistent storage.

16. The electrical power generation system of claim 15, wherein said recharging parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

voltages produced across cathode and anode structures during recharging operations, electric currents flowing across cathode and anode structures during recharging operations, oxygen saturation levels within cathode structures during recharging operations, moisture levels near cathode-electrolyte interfaces during recharging operations, and time of the state of any of these recharging parameters.

17. The electrical power generation system of claim 16, wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein said recharging parameters include recharging parameters associated with individual metal-fuel tracks during recharging operations.

18. The electrical power generation system of claim 17, wherein said recharging parameters comprise speed of said metal-fuel tracks.

19. The electrical power generation system of claim 17, wherein each metal-fuel track is identified by an identifying symbol associated with said metal-fuel track.

20. The electrical power generation system of claim 19, wherein said identifying symbol is positioned alongside its associated metal-fuel track.

21. The electrical power generation system of claim 19, wherein said identifying symbol is disposed in a strip positioned near an edge of said metal-fuel tracks.

22. The electrical power generation system of claim 15, wherein said control subsystem controls recharging of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems based upon data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems.

23. The electrical power generation system of claim 16, wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems is generated by applying a test voltage across cathode and anode structures and measuring a response current.

24. The electrical power generation system of claim 23, wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems comprises data representing said test voltage and said response current.

25. The electrical power generation system of claim 23, wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems comprises data representing ratio of said test voltage over said response current.

26. The electrical power generation system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems represents metal-oxide levels in individual metal-fuel tracks of said at least one metal-air FCB subsystem.

27. The electrical power generation system of claim 1, wherein said metal-fuel is in the form of a tape.

28. The electrical power generation system of claim 27, wherein said tape is stored in a cassette device and loaded into the metal-air FCB subsystem for discharging and/or recharging operations.

29. The electrical power generation system of claim 27, wherein said metal-fuel is in the form of a card.

30. The electrical power generation system of claim 29, wherein said card is stored in a cassette device and loaded into the metal-air FCB subsystem for discharging and/or recharging operations.

3. An electrical power generation system comprising:

a network of metal-air FCB subsystems connected to a power bus structure and controlled by a network control subsystem associated with a network-based metal-fuel management subsystem;

wherein the metal-fuel within each of said FCB subsystems is managed by said network control subsystem so that, on the average, each such FCB subsystem has substantially the same amount of metal-fuel available power production at any instant in time.

4. A method of operating a network of metal-air FCB subsystems comprising the steps of:

managing the discharging of metal-fuel available within each said metal-air FCB subsystem according to a metal-fuel equalization principle whereby, on the average, the amount of metal-fuel available for discharge at any instant of time is substantially equal in each said metal-air FCB subsystem.

31. A method for controlling operation of a metal-air FCB subsystem including a power bus structure to which one or more electrical loads are connected, and a plurality of metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) subsystems connected to said power bus structure, each having a supply of metal fuel, and capable of producing and delivering electrical power to said power bus structure, said method comprising the steps of:

generating data representative of available metal fuel in each metal-air FCB subsystem; and

controlling the operation of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems based upon said data so that electrical power is supplied to said power bus structure.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the electrical power produced from said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems and delivered to said power bus structure is control led by enabling a selected set of said metal-air FCB subsystems to supply electrical power to said power bus structure.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising sensing loading conditions along said power bus structure to identify requirements of said electrical loads, and wherein said control subsystem controls the operation of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems so that electrical power is supplied to said power bus structure in sufficient amounts to satisfy the requirements of said electrical loads.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein the controlling step controls the electrical power produced from said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems and delivered to said power bus structure by enabling discharge of a selective set of metal-fuel tracks within a selected set of said metal-air FCB subsystems to supply electrical power to said power bus structure.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising selectively recharging said metal-fuel tracks within said metal-air FCB subsystems so that metal-fuel availability within said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems is substantially equalized on a time-average basis.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said controlling step is based upon discharging parameters associated with each of said metal-air FCB subsystems stored in persistent storage.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said discharging parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

voltages produced across cathode and anode structures during discharging operations, electric currents flowing across cathode and anode structures during discharging operations, oxygen saturation levels within cathode structures during discharging operations, moisture levels near cathode-electrolyte interfaces during discharging operations, and time of the state of any of these discharging parameters.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein said discharging parameters include discharging parameters associated with individual metal-fuel tracks during discharging operations.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said discharging parameters comprise speed of said metal-fuel tracks.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein each metal-fuel track is identified by an identifying symbol associated with said metal-fuel track.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said identifying symbol is positioned alongside its associated metal-fuel track.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein said identifying symbol is disposed in a strip positioned near an edge of said metal-fuel tracks.

43. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of recharging said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems based upon recharging parameters associated with each of said metal-air FCB subsystems stored in persistent storage.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said recharging parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

voltages produced across cathode and anode structures during recharging operations, electric currents flowing across cathode and anode structures during recharging operations, oxygen saturation levels within cathode structures during recharging operations, moisture levels near cathode-electrolyte interfaces during recharging operations, and time of the state of any of these recharging parameters.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein said recharging parameters include recharging parameters associated with individual metal-fuel tracks during recharging operations.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said recharging parameters comprise speed of said metal-fuel tracks.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein each metal-fuel track is identified by an identifying symbol associated with said metal-fuel track.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said identifying symbol is positioned alongside its associated metal-fuel track.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein said identifying symbol is disposed in a strip positioned near an edge of said metal-fuel tracks.

50. The method of claim 43, wherein recharging of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems is based upon data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems is generated by applying a test voltage ac ross cathode and anode structures and measuring a response current.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems comprises data representing said test voltage and said response current.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems comprises data representing ratio of said test voltage over said response current.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein at least one of said plurality of metal-air FCB subsystems has a plurality of metal-fuel tracks, and wherein said data representative of metal-oxide levels in said metal-air FCB subsystems represents metal-oxide levels in individual metal-fuel tracks of said at least one metal-air FCB subsystem.

55. The method of claim 31, wherein said metal-fuel is in the form of a tape.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said tape is stored in a cassette device and loaded into the metal-air FCB subsystem for discharging and/or recharging operations.

57. The method of claim 31, wherein said metal-fuel is in the form of a card.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said card is stored in a cassette device and loaded into the metal-air FCB subsystem for discharging and/or recharging operations.