Hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system

• US 6,837,321 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chevron Texaco Corporation (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Ovonic Battery Company, Inc (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Stempel, Robert C., Ovshinsky, Stanford R.
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/408,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20030188901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/68.5, 429/62, 429/71, 429/101, 429/211, 429/220, 429/223, 429/245, 428/550, 428/552
• US Class Current: 180/65.245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/00 Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/635 based on ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/651 characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/652 characterised by gradients for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/654 : located inside the innermost case of the cells, e.g. mandrels, electrodes or electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 : Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 : arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 : arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 : with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 : Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 : Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 : by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/24 : Electrodes for alkaline accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/242 : Hydrogen storage electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/383 : Hydrogen absorbing alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/625 : Carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/626 : Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 : Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/667 : in the form of layers, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/80 : Porous plates, e.g. sintered carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/801 : Sintered carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/803 : of only powdered material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/805 : of powdered and fibrous material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/808 : Foamed, spongy materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 : adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 : Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 : specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/423 : Polyamide resins
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/534 : characterised by the material of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/536 : characterised by the method of fixing the leads to the electrodes, e.g. by welding
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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: Y10S 903/907 : Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A hybrid electric vehicle drive system comprising a combustion engine, an electric motor and at least one nickel metal hydride battery module forming a power source for providing electric power to the electric motor, the at least one nickel metal battery module having a peak power density in relation to energy density as defined by:
P>1,375−15E

• • where P is the peak power density as measured in Watts/kilogram and E is the energy density as measured in Watt-hours/kilogram.

Claims

1. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system, comprising:

a combustion engine;

an electric motor; and

at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module providing electric power to said electric motor, said at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module having an internal resistance effective to provide a peak power density P of at least 800 Watts/kilogram and an energy density E of at least 40 Watt-hours/kilogram.

2. The drive system of claim 1, wherein said peak power density is at least 1000 Watts/kilogram.

3. The drive system of claim 1, wherein said energy density is at least 45 Watt-hours/kilogram.

4. The drive system of claim 1, wherein said at least one battery module includes negative electrodes having porous metal substrates formed substantially of copper.

5. A hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:

a power system comprising;

a combustion engine, and

an electric motor; and

at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module coupled to said power system and providing electric power to said electric motor, said battery module having an internal resistance effective to provide a peak power density P of at least 800 Watts/kilogram and an energy density E of at least 40 watt-hours/kilogram.

6. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein said peak power density is at least 1000 Watts /kilogram.

7. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein said energy density is at least 45 Watt-hours/kilogram.

8. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a regenerative braking system providing charging current for said at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module.

9. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a cooling system for cooling said at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module.

10. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein said cooling system includes:

a battery-pack case, said case including at least one coolant inlet means and at least one coolant outlet means, said at least one battery module disposed within said case, said at least one battery module being positioned within said case such that said battery module and said case, and/or said battery module and another battery module form coolant flow channels along at least one surface of said battery module; and

at least one coolant transport means, said coolant transport means causing said coolant to enter said coolant inlet means of said case, to flow through said coolant flow channels and to exit said coolant outlet means of said case.

11. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the width of said coolant flow channels is sized so that said cooling system maintains the temperature of said at least one battery module below 65°

C.

12. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the width of said coolant flow channels is sized so that said cooling system maintains the temperature difference between said at least one battery module below 8°

C.

13. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein said cooling system uses a liquid coolant.

14. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein said at least one nickel-metal hybride battery module includes negative electrodes and positive electrodes.

15. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein said negative electrodes include porous metal substrates formed substantially of copper.

16. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein said negative electrodes include a hydrogen storage alloy comprising the following composition:

(Base Alloy)_aCo_bMn_cAl_dFe_eLa_fMo_g

were

Base Alloy represents a disordered multicomponent alloy having at least one structure selected from the group consisting of amorphous, microcrystalline, polycrystalline, and any combination of these structures;

b is 0 to 7.5 atomic percent;

c is 0 to 8.5 atomic percent;

d is 0 to 2.5 atomic percent;

e is 0 to 6 atomic percent;

f is 0 to 4.5 atomic percent;

g is 0 to 6.5 atomic percent;

b+c+d+e+f+g>

0; and

a+b+c+d+e+f+g=100 atomic percent.

17. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein said negative electrodes include an AB₂ type hydrogen storage alloy.

18. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein said negative electrodes include an AB₅ type hydrogen storage alloy.

19. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein said positive electrodes include disordered γ

-phase nickel hydroxide active material.

20. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein said positive electrodes include a conductive material added to a nickel hydroxide active material, said conductive material selected from the group consisting of nickel particles, nickel fibers, graphite particles, nickel plated graphite particles, nickel plated copper particles, nickel plated copper fibers, nickel flakes, and nickel plated copper flakes.

21. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system, comprising:

a combustion engine;

an electric motor; and

at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module providing electric power to said electric motor, said at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module having an internal resistance effective to provide a peak power density P of at least 1000 Watts/kilogram and an energy density E of at least 30 Watt-hours/kilogram.

22. The drive system of claim 21, wherein said energy density is at least 35 Watt-hours/kilogram.

23. The drive system of claim 21, wherein said energy density is at least 40 Watt-hours/kilogram.

24. The drive system of claim 21, wherein said at least one battery module includes negative electrodes having porous metal substrates formed substantially of copper.

25. A hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a power system comprising;

a combustion engine, and

an electric motor; and

at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module coupled to said power system and providing electric power to said electric motor, said battery module having an internal resistance effective to provide a peak power density P of at least 1000 Watts/kilogram and an energy density E of at least 30 Watt-hours/kilogram.

26. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 25, wherein said peak power density is at least 35 Watts/kilogram.

27. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 25, wherein said energy density is at least 40 Watt-hours/kilogram.

28. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a regenerative braking system providing charging current for said at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module.

29. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a cooling system for cooling said at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module.

30. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 29, wherein said cooling system includes:

a battery-pack case, said case including at least one coolant inlet means and at least one coolant outlet means, said at least one battery module disposed within said case, said at least one batter module being positioned within said case such that said battery module and said case, and/or said battery module and another battery module form coolant flow channels along at least one surface of said battery module; and

at least one coolant transport means, said coolant transport means causing said coolant to enter said coolant inlet means of said case, to flow through said coolant flow channels and to exit said coolant outlet means of said case.

31. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 30, wherein the width of said coolant flow channels is sized so that said cooling system maintains the temperature of said at least one battery module below 65°

C.

32. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 31, therein the width of said coolant flow channels is sized so that said cooling system maintains the temperature difference between said at least one battery module below 8°

C.

33. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 29, wherein said cooling system uses a liquid coolant.

34. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 25, wherein said at least one nickel-metal hydride battery module includes negative electrodes and positive electrodes.

35. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 34, wherein said negative electrodes include porous metal substrates formed substantially of copper.

36. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 34, wherein said negative electrodes include a hydrogen storage alloy comprising the following composition:

(Base Alloy)_aCo_bMn_cAl_dFe_eLa_fMo_g

were

Base Alloy represents a disordered multicomponent alloy having at least one structure selected from the group consisting of amorphous, microcrystalline, polycrystalline, and any combination of these structures;

b is 0 to 7.5 atomic percent;

c is 0 to 8.5 atomic percent;

d is 0 to 2.5 atomic percent;

e is 0 to 6 atomic percent;

f is 0 to 4.5 atomic percent;

g is 0 to 6.5 atomic percent;

b+c+d+e+f+g>

0; and

a+b+c+d+e+f+g=100 atomic percent.

37. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 34, wherein said negative electrodes include n AB₂ type hydrogen storage alloy.

38. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 34, wherein said negative electrodes include a AB₅ type hydrogen storage alloy.

39. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 34, wherein said positive electrodes include a disordered γ

-phase nickel hydroxide active material.

40. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 34, wherein said positive electrodes include a conductive material added to a nickel hydroxide active material, said conductive material selected from the group consisting of nickel particles, nickel fibers, graphite particles, nickel plated graphite particles, nickel plated copper particles, nickel plated copper fibers, nickel flakes, and nickel plated copper flakes.