Method of charging alkali metal polymer batteries
First Claim
1. A method of charging an electrochemical generator connected to a load application having a pre-set voltage limit, the electrochemical generator having a plurality of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell being characterized by a respective voltage and including at least one cathode, at least one anode and at least one electrolyte separator therebetween, the electrochemical generator being characterized by a total voltage substantially corresponding to a sum of the voltages the plurality of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell being chargeable to a respective maximum voltage at which each of its at least one cathode is restored to a respective original chemical state, said method comprising:
- a) charging the plurality of electrochemical cells such that the total voltage of the electrochemical generator reaches a predetermined voltage level;
b) selecting a particular electrochemical cell of the electrochemical generator;
c) charging the particular electrochemical cell to its respective maximum voltage, thereby restoring each of the at least one cathode of the particular electrochemical cell to its respective original state;
d) controllably discharging the particular electrochemical cell from its respective maximum voltage to a nominal voltage that is less than its respective maximum voltage to prevent the sum of the voltages of the plurality of electrochemical cells from exceeding the pre-set voltage limit of the load application;
e) selecting a second particular electrochemical cell of the electrochemical generator and applying steps c) through d) to the second particular electrochemical cell; and
f) applying steps b) and d) to each of the plurality of electrochemical cells of the generator in turn, according to a selection sequence, until each electrochemical cell of the generator has been restored.
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Abstract
A method of charging an electrochemical generator having a plurality of electrochemical cells. The method includes the step of charging the plurality of electrochemical cells such that the total voltage of the generator reaches a predetermined voltage level, followed by the steps of selecting a particular electrochemical cell and charging the particular electrochemical cell to its respective maximum voltage, such that the cathode(s) of the particular electrochemical cell is(are) restored to a fully-charged state. Once it has been restored to its fully-charged state, the particular electrochemical cell is allowed to discharge itself down to a nominal voltage. Each of the plurality of electrochemical cells of the generator is selected and charged to its respective maximum voltage in turn, according to a predetermined selection sequence.
24 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of charging an electrochemical generator connected to a load application having a pre-set voltage limit, the electrochemical generator having a plurality of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell being characterized by a respective voltage and including at least one cathode, at least one anode and at least one electrolyte separator therebetween, the electrochemical generator being characterized by a total voltage substantially corresponding to a sum of the voltages the plurality of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell being chargeable to a respective maximum voltage at which each of its at least one cathode is restored to a respective original chemical state, said method comprising:
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a) charging the plurality of electrochemical cells such that the total voltage of the electrochemical generator reaches a predetermined voltage level; b) selecting a particular electrochemical cell of the electrochemical generator; c) charging the particular electrochemical cell to its respective maximum voltage, thereby restoring each of the at least one cathode of the particular electrochemical cell to its respective original state; d) controllably discharging the particular electrochemical cell from its respective maximum voltage to a nominal voltage that is less than its respective maximum voltage to prevent the sum of the voltages of the plurality of electrochemical cells from exceeding the pre-set voltage limit of the load application; e) selecting a second particular electrochemical cell of the electrochemical generator and applying steps c) through d) to the second particular electrochemical cell; and f) applying steps b) and d) to each of the plurality of electrochemical cells of the generator in turn, according to a selection sequence, until each electrochemical cell of the generator has been restored. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification