Method and apparatus for determining the health of an energy storage system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for testing the health of battery blocks, said method comprising:
- coupling a load to a first and a second battery block, the first and second battery blocks are coupled in series;
activating a switch coupled between the first and second battery blocks and the load to channel electrical energy from the load to the first and second battery blocks;
activating a delay circuit to facilitate delaying the closing of the switch;
determining a voltage of the first and second battery blocks; and
utilizing the determined voltage to determine the health of the first and second battery blocks.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for testing the health of locomotive battery blocks includes coupling a load to a first and a second battery block, the first and second battery blocks are coupled in series, activating a contactor coupled between the first and second battery blocks and the load to channel electrical energy from the load to the first and second battery blocks, and determining a voltage of the first and second battery blocks to determine the health of the locomotive battery blocks. A portable battery block health tester and a locomotive including a battery block health tester are also described herein.
27 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method for testing the health of battery blocks, said method comprising:
-
coupling a load to a first and a second battery block, the first and second battery blocks are coupled in series; activating a switch coupled between the first and second battery blocks and the load to channel electrical energy from the load to the first and second battery blocks; activating a delay circuit to facilitate delaying the closing of the switch; determining a voltage of the first and second battery blocks; and utilizing the determined voltage to determine the health of the first and second battery blocks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A battery block health tester comprising:
-
a portable skid; a load mounted on said portable skid; a switch coupled between a pair of battery blocks and said load, said switch utilized to channel electrical energy from said load to said pair of battery blocks to facilitate testing the pair of battery blocks; and a timer coupled between said load and said switch, said timer configured to open said switch after a predetermined quantity of time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A train locomotive comprising:
-
a first battery block; a second battery block coupled in series with said first battery block; a resistive grid coupled to said first and second battery blocks; and a battery block health tester configured to utilize said resistive grid to determine the health of said first and second battery blocks wherein said resistive grid is configured to dissipate heat when said locomotive is operated in a dynamic braking mode and to channel electrical energy to said first and second battery blocks when testing the health of said first and second battery blocks. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification