Battery characteristic evaluation device and battery characteristic evaluating method

• US 20050001588A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dowa Electronics Materials Co. Ltd. (DOWA Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dowa Mining Company Limited
• Inventors: Kitamura, Toshiya, Harigae, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,279,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/50 of manganese
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/04 Cells with aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5044 Cells or batteries structurally combined with cell condition indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5088 Initial activation; predischarge; Stabilisation of initial voltage

Abstract

To provide a battery characteristic evaluation device and a battery characteristic evaluation method capable of precisely measuring a potential difference between a positive and negative electrode materials, without largely breaking the original battery shape of a sealed battery such as a sealed alkaline-manganese battery. A cylindrical alkaline-manganese battery sample 30 is prepared, wherein a bore hole of 1 mm diameter and 0.5 mm depth is provided in approximately the center of the side face of a can body, lead wires are provided in the positive and negative electrodes, a sealing material made of a resin is applied on the negative electrode so as not to come into contact with an electrolytic solution. The battery sample is dipped into a measuring cell 10 in which an electrolytic solution 11 is filled. A tip 23 of a Luggin tube 21 constructing a reference electrode 20 is placed near the bore hole 40, a prescribed load is applied on the battery sample 30, and a voltage between positive and negative electrodes per discharging time, and a voltage between a positive electrode and a reference electrode is measured, and from the values obtained, the voltage between the negative electrode and the reference electrode is calculated, thereby precisely measuring the potential difference between the positive and negative electrode materials.

Claims

1. A battery characteristic evaluation device of a sealed battery, comprising:

an electrolyte solution outside the sealed battery and contacting the electrolyte solution contained in the sealed battery;

an electrode dipped into the electrolyte solution outside the sealed battery; and

a load for discharging the sealed battery under a prescribed condition.

2. A battery characteristic evaluation device of a sealed battery, comprising:

an electrolyte solution outside the sealed battery and contacting the electrolyte solution contained in the sealed battery;

an electrode dipped into the electrolyte solution outside the sealed battery;

a load for discharging the sealed battery under a prescribed condition; and

a voltage measuring device measuring at least two voltages selected from a voltage between positive and negative electrodes of the sealed battery, a voltage between a positive electrode material used in the positive electrode of the sealed battery and the dipped electrode, and a voltage between a negative electrode material used in a negative electrode of the sealed battery and the dipped electrode.

3. A battery characteristic evaluation method of a sealed battery, comprising a load for discharging the sealed battery under a prescribed condition, a voltage measuring device, an electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery, and an electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery, wherein

the voltage measuring device measures a voltage during discharge between positive and negative electrodes of the sealed battery, and a voltage between an electrode on the side of a can body of the sealed battery and an electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution, and

the electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery is placed near the can body of the sealed battery.

4. A battery characteristic evaluation method of a sealed battery, comprising:

bringing an electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery into contact with an electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery, and

measuring at least two voltages selected from three voltages such as a voltage between positive and negative electrodes of the sealed battery, a voltage between a positive electrode material used in a positive electrode of the sealed battery and an electrode dipped into an electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery, and a voltage between a negative electrode material used in a negative electrode of the sealed battery and the electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery.

5. A battery characteristic evaluation method of a sealed battery, comprising:

providing a bore hole on a can body of the sealed battery so as not to impair the battery characteristic of the sealed battery;

through the bore hole, bringing an electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery into contact with the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery having the same composition and concentration with the electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery;

dipping an electrode into the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery, and

during discharge of the sealed battery under a prescribed condition, measuring a voltage between an electrode of the sealed battery provided with a bore hole and an electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution, and measuring a potential difference between an electrode material of the sealed battery on the side of a can body provided with a bore hole and the electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution.

6. A battery characteristic evaluation method of a sealed battery, comprising:

providing a bore hole on a can body of the sealed battery so as not to impair the battery characteristic of the sealed battery;

through the bore hole, bringing an electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery into contact with the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery having the same composition and concentration with the electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery;

dipping an electrode into the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery; and

during discharge of the sealed battery under a prescribed condition, measuring a voltage between positive and negative electrodes of the sealed battery, a voltage between a can body of the sealed battery provided with a bore hole and an electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution, and from the both voltages thus obtained, calculating a potential difference between an electrode material of the electrode which is not on the side of a can body provided with a bore hole and the electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution.

7. A battery evaluation method of a sealed battery, comprising:

providing a bore hole on a can body of the sealed battery so as not to impair the battery characteristic of the sealed battery;

through the bore hole, bringing an electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery into contact with the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery having the same composition and concentration with the electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery;

dipping an electrode into the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery; and

during discharge of the sealed battery under a prescribed condition, measuring a voltage between positive and negative electrodes of the sealed battery, and a voltage between a can body of the sealed battery provided with a bore hole and an electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution; and

from the both voltages thus obtained, measuring a potential difference between an electrode material of the electrode of the sealed battery on the side of a can body provided with a bore hole and the electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution, a potential difference between an electrode material of the electrode which is not on the side of a can body provided with a bore hole and the electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution, and a voltage between positive and negative electrodes.