Method and device for regenerating batteries

• US 7,786,734 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bengt Arrestad Fastighets Aktiebolag
• Original Assignee: Bengt Arrestad Fastighets Aktiebolag
• Inventors: Andersson, Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US11/577,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 324/433, 324/435
• US Class Current: 324/433
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Method for treatment, in the form of regeneration, of an accumulator (160) having at least one cell, preferably lead batteries, in which a varying direct current from a power source (130) is applied in intermittent current supply periods, which are interrupted by pauses of substantially less current, preferably current free, the direct current being sufficient to generate gas in the accumulator. During the treatment process, process data is registered, which process data is used in order to control the treatment process.

Claims

1. Method for treatment of accumulators having at least one cell in which a varying direct current from a power unit is applied in intermittent current supply periods, which are interrupted by pauses of substantially less current, the direct current being sufficient to generate gas in the accumulator, wherein said treatment constitutes a regeneration process, wherein said current supply periods have a length of between 0.01 and 1.5 seconds, a current level during said current supply periods amounting to between 80 and 1000 A, said pauses have a length of 1-20 seconds, and wherein process data, for at least one cell in the accumulator, is registered during the treatment process, which process data is used in order to control the treatment process, in the following steps:

a) measuring available capacity of the accumulator to be treated by means of a capacity test;

b) adapting parameters of said treatment in accordance with the result in step a); and

c) using a first set of starting parameters if said capacity is above 80%, using a second set of parameters if said capacity is below 60% and using a further criteria to chose between said first and second starting parameters if said capacity is between 60%-80%, wherein what is controlled during the treatment process is a length of said current supply periods and a length of said pauses and wherein the length of said current supply periods is between 0.15 and 0.4 seconds and the length of said pauses is between 1-10 seconds.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the accumulator is a lead battery.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the pauses of substantially less current are current free.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the length of said pauses in said first set of starting parameters are shorter than in said second set of starting parameters.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment process is performed in a number of cycles, each cycle consisting of a regeneration part of 1-12 hours, wherein said regeneration part when using said first set of starting parameters is longer than when using said second set of starting parameters.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the treatment process is performed in 1-30 cycles.

7. Method according to claim 5, wherein each cycle includes a regeneration part and a charge part, which charge part is about 0.5-2 hours.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the charge part is about 1 hour.

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein a variable current supply is used during charging.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the current level during charging is less than half of the current level during said current supply periods.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the length of said current supply periods is 0.25 seconds at most and the length of said pauses is between 1-5 seconds.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the current supply periods are shorter than the pauses.

13. Method according to claim 1, wherein a current is applied during the current supply periods, which current is strong enough in order for most of the cells in the accumulator to reach a voltage of at least 2.5 V during the current supply period.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein a current is applied during the current supply periods, which current is strong enough in order for most of the cells in the accumulator to reach a voltage of at least 2.5 V during the current supply period and less than 3 V per cell.

15. Method according to claims 14, wherein the voltage achieved during a current supply periods is measured immediately after termination of a supply period and if this measurement shows that a voltage of 3 V per cell is reached, a decrease of the current level and/or increase of the pause is performed in a subsequent supply period.

16. Method according to claim 1, wherein said current level during at least some of said current supply periods is 110 A to 1000 A.

17. Method according to claim 1, wherein said current level during at least some of said current supply periods is 250 A to 1000 A.

18. Method according to claim 1, wherein said current level during at least some of said current supply periods is 350 A to 1000 A.

19. Method according to claim 1, wherein at least one thyristor, or equivalent device, is used to control supply of current and voltage in said treatment.

20. Method for treatment of accumulators having at least one cell in which a varying direct current from a power unit is applied in intermittent current supply periods, which are interrupted by pauses of substantially less current, the direct current being sufficient to generate gas in the accumulator, wherein said treatment constitutes a regeneration process, wherein said current supply periods have a length of between 0.01 and 1.5 seconds, a current level during said current supply periods amounting to between 80 and 1000 A, said pauses have a length of 1-20 seconds, and wherein process data, for at least one cell in the accumulator, is registered during the treatment process, which process data is used in order to control the treatment process, in the following steps:

a) measuring available capacity of the accumulator to be treated by means of a capacity test;

b) adapting parameters of said treatment in accordance with the result in step a); and

c) using a first set of starting parameters if said capacity is above 80%, using a second set of parameters if said capacity is below 60% and using a further criteria to chose between said first and second starting parameters if said capacity is between 60%-80%, wherein a current is applied during the current supply periods, which current is strong enough in order for most of the cells in the accumulator to reach a voltage of at least 2.5 V during the current supply period and less than 3 V per cell.

21. Method according to claim 20, wherein the accumulator is a lead battery.

22. Method according to claim 20, wherein the pauses of substantially less current are current free.

23. Method according to claim 20, wherein the length of said pauses in said first set of starting parameters are shorter than in said second set of starting parameters.

24. Method according to claim 20, wherein the treatment process is performed in a number of cycles, each cycle consisting of a regeneration part of 1-12 hours, wherein said regeneration part when using said first set of starting parameters is longer than when using said second set of starting parameters.

25. Method according to claim 24, wherein the treatment process is performed in 1-30 cycles.

26. Method according to claim 24, wherein each cycle includes a regeneration part and a charge part, which charge part is about 0.5-2 hours.

27. Method according to claim 26, wherein the charge part is about 1 hour.

28. Method according to claim 26, wherein a variable current supply is used during charging.

29. Method according to claim 28, wherein the current level during charging is less than half of the current level during said current supply periods.

30. Method according to claim 20, wherein what is controlled during the treatment process is a length of said current supply periods and a length of said pauses.

31. Method according to claim 30, wherein the length of said current supply periods is between 0.01 and 0.5 seconds and the length of said pauses is between 1-20 seconds.

32. Method according to claim 30, wherein the length of said current supply periods is between 0.15 and 0.4 seconds and the length of said pauses is between 1-10 seconds.

33. Method according to claim 30, wherein the length of said current supply periods is 0.25 seconds at most and the length of said pauses is between 1-5 seconds.

34. Method according to claim 30, wherein the current supply periods are shorter than the pauses.

35. Method according to claims 20, wherein the voltage achieved during a current supply periods is measured immediately after termination of a supply period and if this measurement shows that a voltage of 3 V per cell is reached, a decrease of the current level and/or increase of the pause is performed in a subsequent supply period.

36. Method according to claim 20, wherein said current level during at least some of said current supply periods is 110 A to 1000 A.

37. Method according to claim 20, wherein said current level during at least some of said current supply periods is 250 A to 1000 A.

38. Method according to claim 20, wherein said current level during at least some of said current supply periods is 350 A to 1000 A.

39. Method according to claim 20, wherein at least one thyristor, or equivalent device, is used to control supply of current and voltage in said treatment.

40. Method for treatment of accumulators having at least one cell in which a varying direct current from a power unit is applied in intermittent current supply periods, which are interrupted by pauses of substantially less current, the direct current being sufficient to generate gas in the accumulator, wherein said treatment constitutes a regeneration process, wherein said current supply periods have a length of between 0.01 and 1.5 seconds, a current level during said current supply periods amounting to between 80 and 1000 A, said pauses have a length of 1-20 seconds, and wherein process data, for at least one cell in the accumulator, is registered during the treatment process, which process data is used in order to control the treatment process, in the following steps:

a) measuring the available capacity of the accumulator to be treated by means of a capacity test;

b) adapting the parameters of said treatment in accordance with the result in step a); and

c) using a first set of starting parameters if said capacity is above 80%, using a second set of parameters if said capacity is below 60% and using a further criteria to chose between said first and second starting parameters if said capacity is between 60%-80%, wherein a current is applied during the current supply periods, which current is strong enough in order for most of the cells in the accumulator to reach a voltage of at least 2.5 V during the current supply period and less than 3 V per cell, wherein said current level during at least some of said current supply periods is 350 A to 1000 A.

41. Method for treatment of accumulators having at least one cell in which a varying direct current from a power unit is applied in intermittent current supply periods, which are interrupted by pauses of substantially less current, the direct current being sufficient to generate gas in the accumulator, wherein said treatment constitutes a regeneration process, wherein said current supply periods have a length of between 0.01 and 1.5 seconds, a current level during said current supply periods amounting to between 80 and 1000 A, said pauses have a length of 1-20 seconds, and wherein process data, for at least one cell in the accumulator, is registered during the treatment process, which process data is used in order to control the treatment process, in the following steps:

a) measuring the available capacity of the accumulator to be treated by means of a capacity test;

b) adapting the parameters of said treatment in accordance with the result in step a); and

c) using a first set of starting parameters if said capacity is above 80%, using a second set of parameters if said capacity is below 60% and using a further criteria to chose between said first and second starting parameters if said capacity is between 60%-80%, wherein the treatment process is performed in a number of cycles, each cycle includes a regeneration part of 1-12 hours and a charge part, which charge part of about 0.5-2 hours, wherein said regeneration part when using said first set of starting parameters is longer than when using said second set of starting parameters, a variable current supply is used during charging, and the current level during charging is less than half of the current level during said current supply periods.