Hybrid rechargeable battery having high power and high energy density lithium cells

• US 7,399,554 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lithdyne, LLC, Smith, W. Novis
• Original Assignee: Lithdyne, LLC
• Inventors: Kejha, Joseph B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTIN, ANGELA J
• Application Number:
  US11/081,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 429/231.95, 429/218.1, 429/220, 429/329, 429/330, 429/337, 429/338
• US Class Current: 429/231.95
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A hybrid rechargeable lithium battery, which includes a plurality of high power rechargeable cells, having nano-particles therein, and high energy density rechargeable cells, with the high energy cells recharging the high power cells. The battery preferably includes a low volt parallel charger to simultaneously and individually charge both the high power and high energy cells, through a protective device. All cells are then discharged in series at high voltage, and are individually protected from over discharge. A rechargeable battery having both high power and high energy density cells is thus provided.

Claims

1. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery which comprises:

at least two high power lithium-ion cells connected into a series string said cells each having an anode electrode layer, a metal current collector in contact with said anode electrode layer, with a collector terminal extending therefrom, at least one microporous separator in contact with said anode electrode layer, at least one cathode electrode layer in contact with said at least one separator, a metal current collector in contact with said cathode electrode layer, and a collector terminal extending from said cathode current collector, and at least two high energy density lithium-ion cells connected into a separate series string, said cells having an anode electrode layer, a metal current collector in contact with said anode electrode layer, with a collector terminal extending therefrom, at least one microporous separator in contact with said anode electrode layer, at least one cathode electrode layer in contact with said at least one separator, a metal current collector in contact with said cathode layer having a collector terminal extending therefrom, said electrodes of said lithium-ion high energy density cells are substantially thicker than the electrodes of said high power density lithium-ion cells, wherein said high power cells string is discharged in series, and is continuously recharged in series by said high energy density cell string.

2. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 1, wherein;

at least one of said lithium-ion cells is replaced with a rechargeable lithium cell having a lithium metal based anode.

3. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 1, or 2, which has a charger connectable to said series cell strings of said battery, and wherein;

said high power cell strings are electrically connected to said charger, and all cells are charged in series, and all cells are individually monitored for voltage by said interface circuitry, and said high power series string is disconnected from charging when any cell of this string is charged to a predetermined limit, and in which said high power series cell string and said high energy density series string are electrically connected and discharged in parallel through said interface circuitry, and each series string is individually disconnected from discharging by said interface circuitry, when any of its cells is discharged to a predetermined limit.

19. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 3, wherein said interface circuitry is disconnectable from said battery.

4. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery which comprises:

at least one high power density lithium-ion cell, said cell having an anode electrode layer, a metal current collector in contact with said anode electrode layer, with a collector terminal extending therefrom, at least one microporous separator in contact with said anode electrode layer, at least one cathode electrode layer in contact with said at least one separator, a metal current collector in contact with said cathode electrode layer, and a collector terminal extending from said cathode current collector,

at least one high energy density lithium-ion cell, said cell having an anode electrode layer, a metal current collector in contact with said anode electrode layer, with a collector terminal extending therefrom, at least one microporous separator in contact with said anode electrode layer, at least one cathode electrode layer in contact with said at least one separator, a metal current collector in contact with said cathode layer having a collector terminal extending therefrom, said electrodes of said lithium-ion high energy density cell are substantially thicker than the electrodes of said high power density lithium-ion cell, wherein said high energy density cell is connected in parallel to said high power density lithium-ion cell, whereby said high power density cell is discharged, and is continuously recharged in parallel by said high energy density lithium-ion cell.

5. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery which comprises:

at least two hybrid rechargeable lithium-ion batteries as defined in claim 4, connected in series, wherein said high power density cells are discharged in series, and are continuously and individually recharged in parallel by said high energy density cells.

6. A multicell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 4 in which:

said electrodes of said lithium-ion high energy density cell are at least 100% thicker than the electrodes of said high power densitylithium-ion cell.

7. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 5 wherein at least one of said lithium-ion cells is replaced with a rechargeable lithium cell having a lithium metal based anode.

8. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 6 wherein at least one of said lithium-ion cells is replaced with a rechargeable lithium cell having a lithium metal based anode.

9. A multi-cellhybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, in which the cathode materials of said high power density cells are selected from the group comprising LiMn₂0₄, LiCo0₂, LiNiCo0₂, LiMnNiCo0₂, and their mixtures.

10. A (multi-cell) hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, in which the cathode materials of said high energy density cells are selected from the group comprising LiMn₂0₄, LiCo0₂, LiNiCo0₂, LiFeS₂, LiS, FeS₂, S and their mixtures.

11. A (multi-cell) hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4,or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, in which the electrodes of said high power cells have active materials of nanoparticles.

12. A (multicell) hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, in which the anode materials of said cells are selected from the group comprising lithium metal, lithium metal alloy, graphite, micro MCMBs. and Li₄Ti₅0₁₂.

13. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4, 5, or 6, wherein at least one of said lithium-ion cells is replaced with a rechargeable lithium cell having a lithium metal based anode.

14. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8 which has

a charger connectable to said cells of said battery, and which charger charges said high power cells, and said high energy density cells in series, and in which, said battery is electrically connected to an interface circuitry between said battery and an electrical load, and wherein;

all said high power cells are electrically connected to said charger in series, and all cells are charged in series and individually monitored for voltage by said interface circuitry, and all said cells are disconnected from charging when any cell is charged to a predetermined limit,

and in which said high power cells and said high energy density cells are connected and discharged in series through said interface circuitry, and are individually monitored for voltage, and all said cells are disconnected from discharging by said interface circuitry, when any cell is discharged to a predetermined limit.

15. A multicell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 14, wherein said interface circuitry is disconnectable from said battery.

16. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, or 15 which has a low volt multiple parallel charger connectable to said cells of said battery and,

in which said battery is electrically connected to an interface circuitry between said battery and an electrical load, and wherein all cells are electrically connected in parallel to said charger, and said cells are charged in parallel, and are disconnected from charging by said interface circuitry when charged to predetermined limits, and in which said high power cells are electrically connected together and discharged in series through said interface circuitry, and all cells are disconnected from discharging by said interface circuitry when any cell is discharged to a predetermined limit.

17. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claims 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, which has at least one of said cells of prismatic construction, with collector terminal tabs of full width.

18. A multi-cell hybrid rechargeable battery as defined in claim 16, wherein said interface circuitry is disconnectable from said battery.