Combination and modified electrolyte to reduce risk of premature lithium ion battery failure, including in aircraft applications

• US 9,112,361 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooke Schumm Jr
• Original Assignee: Brooke Schumm Jr
• Inventors: Schumm, Brooke Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIBENEDETTO, MICHAEL N
• Application Number:
  US14/116,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20140239918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 320/152
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0568 characterised by the solutes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A combined system reinforces the safety of lithium ion batteries by redesign of electrolyte and the charging current a) modifying the electrolyte to inhibit or prevent dendrite growth preferably by the addition of lithiated polyphenoxy polyethylene glycol and/or a second surface active compound chosen from the family of fluorosurfactants, and/or a modest amount of lithium or sodium borate, b) modifying the charging cycle by a so-called ripple current in order to inhibit or prevent dendrite growth (ripple current meaning oscillation in the amount of amperage or voltage in the charging cycle), c) programmable battery management systems with temperature and electrical limits integrated in order to eliminate from the circuit and bypass malfunctioning cells based on past performance of the charging cycle and voltage endpoints achieved, d) minimizing any transient currents and voltages into or out of the battery system and e) maintaining a cool atmosphere in the battery space.

Claims

1. A lithium battery system, including a lithium ion battery system, having a battery with at least one lithium electrode having at least one cell, and having electrolyte, comprising:

said electrolyte having at least one of a compound selected from the PPPG Group or selected from the group of fluorosurfactants;

said electrolyte having lithium borate, calcium borate, or having compounds added to said electrolyte having ions in molar equivalents to form at least one of lithium borate or calcium borate;

said battery having a charging cycle having a continuous oscillating ripple effect, said charging cycle having an optimal charge which has an optimal charging voltage or charging current during each portion of said charging cycle, said ripple effect having a charging cycle variance which varies at least the charging voltage or the charging amperage within a range of above 0% to not more than 30% of the optimal charge;

said charging cycle having a continuous oscillating ripple effect further having a battery management system to compare cell voltages intermittently with prior optimal charging voltages, and to compare cell voltages with each other to determine if any one cell varies by more than 100 mV from any other cell;

a battery management system having the capability to cut out cells exceeding designated parameters of temperature, voltage or amperage input into said battery management system.

2. The lithium battery system, according to claim 1 further comprising:

said lithium battery system having an integrated cooling system having heat transfer fluid, and a means for circulation of said heat transfer fluid.

3. The lithium battery system according to claim 1 further comprising;

said lithium battery system having polysiloxated fluid between batteries.

4. The lithium battery system according to claim 1 further comprising;

said lithium battery system having a means for voltage regulation upon load transition to and from said system, and having protection of any parallel battery circuit by said battery management system and said means for voltage regulation from cutout of any cell in any series of batteries connected to said parallel battery circuit.

5. The lithium battery system according to claim 1 further comprising;

a cooling system to maintain said lithium battery system at ambient temperatures under 80 degrees C.