Design of a large battery pack for a hybrid locomotive

• US 7,507,500 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Railpower, LLC
• Original Assignee: Railpower Technologies Corp.
• Inventors: Donnelly, Frank Wegner, Swan, David Herman, Watson, John David
• Primary Examiner(s): Crepeau; Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/131,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20050269995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/99
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• 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 10/6557 : arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 : with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/574 : Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/578 : in response to pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 : in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 : using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 : in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• 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

The present invention is directed to systems for prolonging battery life, such as maintaining battery cell temperatures in battery packs within specified limits, providing vibration and shock resistance, and/or electrically isolating groups of batteries from nearby conductive surfaces.

Claims

1. A battery pack assembly, comprising:

a plurality of battery cells;

a battery rack; and

a plurality of isolation containers supportably mounted on and movably engaging the battery rack, each isolation container comprising a plurality of battery cells, wherein each isolation container comprises a vibration resistant clamp engaging at least one surface of a battery cell to substantially maintain shock and vibration levels within predetermined maximum values, said clamp comprising a gas flow channel in fluid communication with at least one gas vent of the battery cells to direct vented gas into the isolation container, wherein the clamp is configured to center each of the battery cells in the isolation container, and wherein each isolation container comprises at least one of the following features;

(i) an airflow path passing through the isolation container to remove thermal energy from the enclosed battery cells; and

(ii) an electrical isolation assembly to substantially inhibit contact of at least a portion of each battery cell with a conductive surface of at least one of the isolation container and battery rack.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein each isolation container includes feature (i) and a surface of the airflow path is provided by a surface of the outer casings of the enclosed battery cells.

3. The battery park of claim 2, wherein each isolation container includes an air input and output and wherein the air input and output are located on differing surfaces of the isolation container to provide the airflow path.

4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein the isolation container comprises a fan positioned in the airflow path.

5. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein in each battery cell the outer case casings house a plurality of plate pairs and wherein the airflow path is defined by a plurality of interlocking ducts molded into the outer casings of a number of adjacent plate pairs.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein each isolation container includes feature (ii).

7. The battery pack of claim 6, wherein the electrical isolation assembly is the vibration resistant clamp and wherein the vibration resistant clamp is electrically insulative.

8. The battery pack of claim 7, wherein the clamp further comprises at least one of polyurethane, polyethylene, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, and mixtures thereof.

9. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein each isolation container is an enclosure comprising end surfaces, top and bottom surfaces, and side surfaces, wherein each isolation container moves outwardly in a drawer-like manner, and wherein the top surfaces comprise at least one inspection door for accessing the enclosed battery cells when the isolation container is displaced outwardly from the battery rack.

10. A battery pack assembly, comprising:

a plurality of battery cells;

a battery rack; and

a plurality of isolation containers supportably mounted on and movably engaging the battery rack, each isolation container comprising a plurality of battery cells, wherein each isolation container is an enclosure comprising end surfaces, top and bottom surfaces, and side surfaces, wherein each isolation container moves outwardly in a drawer-like manner, and wherein the top surfaces comprise at least one inspection door for accessing the enclosed battery cells when the isolation container is displaced outwardly from the battery rack.