Thermal interconnection for capacitor systems

• US 7,511,942 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2007
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UCAP Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maxwell Technologies Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Thrap, Guy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha; Nguyen T
• Application Number:
  US11/697,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 361/502, 361503-504, 361508-512, 361523-528, 361302-305
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/14 Protection against electric or thermal overload by cooling H01G2/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/0003 Protection against electric or thermal overload; cooling arrangements; means for avoiding the formation of cathode films H01G9/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/26 Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices, light-sensitive or temperature-sensitive devices with each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Thermal protection is provided in systems utilizing high-current double-layer capacitors.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one double-layer capacitor; and

an interconnection comprising a low temperature melting point alloy, the interconnection coupled to the at least one double-layer capacitor for carrying capacitor current to or from the least one double-layer capacitor, the interconnection functionally coupled to the at least one double-layer capacitor to reduce a temperature of the at least one double-layer capacitor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature is above about 85 degrees Celsius.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature is reduced independent of the current.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interconnection comprises an increased surface area.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the low temperature melting point alloy is selected from a group consisting of Bismuth-Lead, Tin, Cadmium, and Indium.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the current comprises a current of at least 275 amps.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one double-layer capacitor is coupled to an electrical device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the electrical device is a vehicular electrical device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the electrical device comprises an engine.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system utilizes a voltage above 40 volts.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the system utilizes a voltage above 40 volts.

12. A system, comprising:

at least one double-layer capacitor; and

an interconnection coupled to the at least one double-layer capacitor for carrying capacitor current to or from the a least one double-layer capacitor, the interconnection functionally coupled to the at least one double-layer capacitor to reduce a temperature of the at least one double-layer capacitor, wherein the interconnection comprises a thermal fuse for interrupting the current to or from the at least one double-layer capacitor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the thermal fuse comprises a bus bar.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the thermal fuse comprises a low temperature melting point alloy.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the low temperature melting point alloy is selected from a group consisting of Bismuth-Lead, Tin, Cadmium, and Indium.

16. A system, comprising:

at least one double-layer capacitor; and

an interconnection coupled to the at least one double-layer capacitor for carrying capacitor current to or from the a least one double-layer capacitor, the interconnection functionally coupled to the at least one double-layer capacitor to reduce a temperature of the at least one double-layer capacitor, wherein the interconnection comprises a thermal contactor for bypassing current around the at least one double-layer capacitor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the thermal contactor comprises a low temperature melting point alloy.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the low temperature melting point alloy is selected from a group consisting of Bismuth-Lead, Tin, Cadmium, and Indium.

19. A system, comprising:

a first double-layer capacitor comprising a first terminal and a second terminal;

a second double-layer capacitor comprising a third terminal and a fourth terminal;

an interconnection coupled to the second terminal of the first double-layer capacitor and the third terminal of the second double-layer capacitor for carrying capacitor current to or from the first double-layer capacitor, the interconnection functionally coupled to the first double-layer capacitor to reduce a temperature of the first double-layer capacitor; and

a balancing circuit connected to the first terminal of the first double-layer capacitor and the fourth terminal of the second double-layer capacitor.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one double-layer capacitor is coupled to an electrical device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the electrical device is a vehicular electrical device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the electrical device comprises an engine.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the system utilizes a voltage above 40 volts.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the interconnection comprises a low temperature melting point alloy.