Technique for rapid battery capacity testing
First Claim
1. A method of testing the discharge capacity of a battery comprising the steps of:
- discharging the battery at a first discharge rate until a first cutoff potential of the battery is reached;
allowing the battery to relax during a first relaxation period;
discharging the battery at a second discharge rate lower than the first rate until a second cutoff potential of the battery is reached;
allowing the battery to relax during a second relaxation period the same or longer than the first relaxation period;
discharging the battery at a third discharge rate lower than the second rate until a third cutoff potential is reached;
allowing the battery to relax during a third relaxation period the same or longer than the second relaxation period;
and continuing with further discharges of the battery at successively lower discharge rates with at least some increasingly longer relaxation periods following the further discharges until the battery is substantially exhausted;
wherein a cumulative value of all of the discharges is taken as a tested capacity of the battery.
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Abstract
A method of rapidly testing the discharge capacity of a battery comprises discharging the battery at a first discharge rate until a first cutoff potential is reached, relaxing the battery during a first period, discharging the battery at a lower discharge rate until a second cutoff potential is reached and relaxing the battery during a second, longer period. The process is repeated with successively lower discharge rates and successively longer relaxation periods until the battery is substantially exhausted. The cumulative value of all of the discharges is taken as a tested capacity of the battery. Optionally, cleanup charges can be sent to the battery during the relaxation periods and a low-frequency, low-amplitude current can be supplied throughout testing in order to shorten testing time.
15 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of testing the discharge capacity of a battery comprising the steps of:
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discharging the battery at a first discharge rate until a first cutoff potential of the battery is reached; allowing the battery to relax during a first relaxation period; discharging the battery at a second discharge rate lower than the first rate until a second cutoff potential of the battery is reached; allowing the battery to relax during a second relaxation period the same or longer than the first relaxation period; discharging the battery at a third discharge rate lower than the second rate until a third cutoff potential is reached; allowing the battery to relax during a third relaxation period the same or longer than the second relaxation period; and continuing with further discharges of the battery at successively lower discharge rates with at least some increasingly longer relaxation periods following the further discharges until the battery is substantially exhausted; wherein a cumulative value of all of the discharges is taken as a tested capacity of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of rapidly testing the discharge capacity of a battery comprising the steps of:
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charging the battery to full capacity; discharging the battery at a first rate until a first cutoff potential of the battery is reached; allowing the battery to relax during a first relaxation period; discharging the battery at a second rate lower than the first rate until a second cutoff potential of the battery is reached, allowing the battery to relax during a second relaxation period longer than the first relaxation period; discharging the battery at a third rate lower than the second rate until a third cutoff potential is reached; allowing the battery to relax during a third relaxation period longer than the second relaxation period; and continuing with further discharges of the battery at successively lower rates with increasingly longer relaxation periods following the further discharges until the battery is substantially exhausted; supplying a bipolar waveform current to the battery continuously during testing of the battery; wherein a cumulative value of all of the discharges is taken as a tested capacity of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of testing the discharge capacity of a battery comprising the steps of:
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charging the battery to full capacity; discharging the battery at a first discharge rate until a first cutoff potential of the battery is reached; allowing the battery to relax during a first relaxation period; discharging the battery at a second discharge rate lower than the first rate until a second cutoff potential of the battery is reached, the second cutoff potential being lower than the first cutoff potential; allowing the battery to relax during a second relaxation period longer than the first relaxation period; discharging the battery at a third discharge rate lower than the second rate until a third cutoff potential is reached, the third cutoff potential being lower than the second cutoff potential; allowing the battery to relax during a third relaxation period longer than the second relaxation period; and continuing with further discharges of the battery at successively lower discharge rates until reaching successively lower cutoff potentials with increasingly longer relaxation periods following the further discharges, the further discharges being continued until the battery is substantially exhausted; wherein a cumulative value of all of the discharges is taken as a tested capacity of the battery; and wherein the method follows an open loop test procedure. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification