System and method for monitoring electrolyte levels in a battery

• US 20050001628A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philadelphia Scientific LLC (Philadelphia Scientific)
• Original Assignee: Philadelphia Scientific
• Inventors: Worthingdon, John, Jones, Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/432
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/80 Arrangements for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A measuring device is used in conjunction with a programmable controller for monitoring electrolyte levels in the battery. According to one implementation, the measuring device is located in a battery and is configured to detect when the electrolyte level in the battery falls below a particular level. The controller is in electrical communication with the electrolyte detection device. The controller is configured to: (i) receive a signal from the electrolyte level detection device indicating when the electrolyte level in the battery has fallen below the particular level; (ii) introduce a wait-period after the signal is received; and (iii) enable an indicator to indicate that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled when the wait-period expires.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the electrolyte level in a battery, comprising:

a measuring device, located in the battery, configured to detect when the electrolyte level in the battery falls below a particular level; and

a controller, in electrical communication with the measuring device, configured to (i) receive a signal from the measuring device indicating when the electrolyte level in the battery has fallen below the particular level, (ii) introduce a wait-period after the signal is received, and (iii) enable an indicator to indicate that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled after the wait-period expires.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein during the wait-period the controller is further configured to enable the indicator to indicate that the electrolyte level in the battery is approaching a lowest recommended electrolyte level as a forewarning to actually providing the indication that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the wait-period is a programmable period of time.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a counter configured to countdown a programmable period of time to determine the wait-period.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a charging-cycle module, configured to monitor how many cycles of charging the battery experiences as a function of determining the wait-period.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a water-loss estimation module, configured to estimate a rate of electrolyte loss for the battery as a function of the age of the battery, and adjust the wait-period accordingly.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicator is one or more lights that are deactivated when enabled to signify that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular level is even with and/or above one or more separators in the battery.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein when the indicator is enabled to indicate that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled, the electrolyte level is below the particular level as well as one or more separators in the battery.

10. A battery, comprising:

a probe, located in a cell of the battery, configured to detect when electrolyte level in the battery falls below a particular level; and

a controller, in electrical communication with the probe, configured (i) to receive a signal from the probe indicating when the electrolyte level in the battery has fallen below the particular level, (ii) introduce a wait-period after the signal is received, and (iii) enable an indicator to signify that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled when the wait-period expires.

11. The battery as recited in claim 10, further comprising a positive plate, a negative plate, and a separator between the plates, wherein the probe comprises a sensor tip that is positioned above tops of the positive plate, the negative plate, and the separator plate.

12. The battery as recited in claim 10, further comprising a positive plate, a negative plate, and a separator between the plates, wherein the particular level is above the top of the positive plate, the top of the negative plate, and the top of the separator plate, and below a maximum electrolyte level for the cell.

13. The battery as recited in claim 10, further comprising an electrical circuit connecting the controller to the probe, the electrical circuit configured to enable the signal to be sent to the controller when the probe detects that the electrolyte level is below the particular level.

14. A method of monitoring electrolyte levels in a battery, comprising:

detecting when the electrolyte level in the battery falls below a particular level;

introducing a wait-period when the electrolyte level in the battery is detected to have fallen below the particular level, and

indicating that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled after the wait-period expires.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the electrolyte level at the particular level is above a lowest safe level before the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising determining the wait-period by counting down a programmable-countdown-time after the electrolyte level in the battery falls below the particular level.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising determining the wait-period by monitoring how many charging cycles the battery experiences after the electrolyte level in the battery falls below the particular level.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising determining the wait-period by estimating a rate of electrolyte loss for the battery as a function of the age of the battery, after the electrolyte level in the battery falls below the particular level.

20. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the means for detecting is performed by a probe and the refill-wait-period is programmable duration to account for accidental splashing of fluids on the probe when refilling the battery with electrolyte.

19. A system of monitoring electrolyte levels in a battery, comprising:

means for monitoring the electrolyte level when the electrolyte level in the battery is being refilled;

means for introducing a refill-wait-period when the electrolyte in the battery rises to the particular level;

means for detecting whether the electrolyte level remains at the particular level after the refill-wait-period expires; and

means for enabling an indicator indicating that the electrolyte level in the battery has reached a safe operational level, if the electrolyte level remains at the particular for the duration the refill-wait-period.

21. A method of monitoring electrolyte levels in a battery, comprising:

detecting when the electrolyte level in the battery falls below a particular level;

introducing a first wait-period when the electrolyte level in the battery is detected to have fallen below the particular level;

detecting whether the electrolyte level in the battery rises above the particular level during the first wait-period; and

resetting the first wait-period if the electrolyte level in the battery rises above the particular level during the first wait-period.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

introducing a second wait-period, after the first wait-period expires, if the electrolyte level in the battery does not rise above the particular level during the first wait-period.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

introducing a second wait-period, after the first wait-period expires, if the electrolyte level in the battery does not rise above the particular level during the first wait-period; and

indicating that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled, after the second wait-period expires.

24. A system for monitoring electrolyte levels in a battery, comprising:

an electrolyte detection device, located in a cell of the battery, configured to detect when the electrolyte level in the battery falls below a particular level; and

a controller, coupled to the electrolyte detection device, configured to (i) introduce a first wait-period when the electrolyte level in the battery is detected to have fallen below the particular level;

(ii) monitor, as indicated by the electrolyte detection device, whether the electrolyte level in the battery rises above the particular level during the first wait-period; and

(iii) reset the first wait-period if the electrolyte level in the battery rises above the particular level, as indicated by the electrolyte detection device, during the first wait-period.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to (iv) introduce a second wait-period, after the first wait-period expires, if the electrolyte level in the battery does not rise above the particular level, as indicated by the electrolyte detection device, during the first wait-period;

and (v) indicate that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled, after the second wait-period expires.

26. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the system is resident with the battery.

27. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a battery monitoring system to:

receive a signal indicating when an electrolyte level in a battery falls below a particular level;

introduce a wait-period after the signal is received; and

enable an indicator to activate signifying that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled, after the wait-period expires.

28. A controller, comprising:

an input terminal, configured to receive a signal indicating when an electrolyte level in a battery falls below a particular level;

a wait module, configured to introduce a wait-period after the signal indicating when the electrolyte level in the battery has fallen below the particular level is received; and

an output terminal, configured to send a signal to an indicator, the signal indicating that the electrolyte level in the battery should be refilled after the wait-period expires.

29. The controller as recited in claim 28, a wherein the wait-period is a programmable period of time.

30. The controller as recited in claim 28, wherein the wait module comprises a counter configured to countdown a programmable period of time to determine the wait-period.

31. The controller as recited in claim 28, wherein the wait module comprises a charging-cycle module, configured to monitor how many cycles of charging the battery experiences as a function of determining the wait-period.

32. The controller as recited in claim 28, wherein the wait module comprises a water-loss estimation module, configured to estimate a rate of electrolyte loss for the battery as a function of the age of the battery, and adjust the wait-period accordingly.

33. A system for monitoring the electrolyte level in a battery, comprising:

a measuring device for sensing whether the electrolyte level in the battery is above or below the electrolyte detection device; and

a controller, in electrical communication with the probe, operable in one of a selectable test mode and non-test mode, wherein when the test mode is selected the controller enables the measuring device to be energized for sensing whether the electrolyte level in the battery is above or below the electrolyte detection device, and wherein when the non-test mode is selected the controller enables the measuring device to be de-energized.

34. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein the controller is further configured to repetitively switch between the test mode and the non-test mode and consequently cause the measuring device to be energized and de-energized repetitively over time.

35. The system as recited in claim 33, further comprising a switch and a power supply, wherein the controller is configured to cause the switch to couple the power supply to the measuring device when the controller is in the test mode.

36. The system as recited in claim 33, further comprising a switch and a power supply, wherein the controller is configured to cause the switch to decuple the power supply from the measuring device when the controller is in the non-test mode.

37. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein when the controller causes the measuring device to be energized, a high current is supplied to the electrolyte detection device.

38. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein when the controller causes the measuring device to be energized, a high current is supplied to the electrolyte detection device, wherein the high current is approximately 100 milliamperes.

39. A power management system for managing current usage of a probe, the probe used for sensing the electrolyte level in a battery, comprising:

means for enabling the probe to be energized;

means for receiving a signal from the probe indicating whether the electrolyte level in the battery is above or below the probe when the probe is energized;

means for enabling the probe to be de-energized; and

means for enabling the probe to be repetitively energized and de-energized over time.

40. The power management system as recited in claim 39, wherein the means for enabling the probe to be repetitively energized and de-energized over time comprises a programmable controller.

41. The power management system as recited in claim 39, wherein the means for means for receiving the signal is an input terminal of a programmable controller.

42. The power management system as recited in claim 39, wherein when the probe is enabled to be energized, a high current is supplied to the probe.

43. A battery, comprising:

a system for monitoring the electrolyte level in a battery, the system comprising;

a probe for sensing the electrolyte level in the battery; and

a controller, in electrical communication with the probe, operable in one of a selectable test mode and non-test mode, wherein when the test mode is selected the controller enables the probe to be energized for sensing whether the electrolyte level in the battery is above or below the probe, and wherein when the non-test mode is selected the controller enables the probe to be de-energized