SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING FLUID TO A BATTERY

• US 20120058369A1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trojan Battery Company
• Original Assignee: Trojan Battery Company
• Inventors: Beckley, Gordon C., Snyder, Charles E., Ho, Marvin C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,546,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4242 Regeneration of electrolyte or reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/609 Arrangements or processes for filling with liquid, e.g. electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/673 Containers for storing liquids; Delivery conduits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system for delivering water to a fluid electrolyte battery comprising at least one battery cell. Such a system includes a tank adapted to hold the fluid, a pump adapted to pump the fluid from the tank when the pump is turned on, at least one conduit adapted to transfer the fluid from the tank to the at least one battery cell, and a controller adapted to control the pump. The controller turns the pump on after an interval so that the fluid is transferred to the at least one battery cell.

Claims

1. A system for delivering a fluid to a fluid electrolyte rechargeable battery string comprising at least one battery cell, the system comprising:

a tank adapted to hold the fluid;

at least one conduit adapted to transfer the fluid from the tank to the at least one battery cell; and

a pump adapted to pump the fluid through the at least one conduit;

a controller adapted to monitor the performance of the battery string and operate the pump based on the battery performance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a sensor adapted to determine battery string voltage, wherein the controller periodically determines battery voltage readings after an interval, and wherein when at least a first percentage of consecutive battery voltage readings are greater than a first threshold voltage, the controller turns on the pump after a first delay period.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein, if less than a first percentage of battery voltage readings are greater than a first threshold voltage over a first measurement period, then when at least a second percentage of consecutive battery voltage readings are greater than a second threshold voltage, the controller turns on the pump after a second delay period, and wherein the absolute value of the second threshold voltage is less than the absolute value of the first threshold voltage.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein, if less than a second percentage of battery voltage readings are greater than a second threshold voltage over a second measurement period, then the controller activates an alarm.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a back pressure at the pump, and wherein the controller turns the pump off when the back pressure at the pump exceeds a threshold back pressure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller and the pump are powered by the battery.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a voltage regulator adapted to regulate a voltage supplied to the controller and the pump.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller turns on the pump after a gassing phase of a charging cycle of the battery after the interval.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the interval is about four weeks.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first measurement period and the second measurement period are each about 10 days.

11. A method of delivering a fluid to a fluid electrolyte rechargeable battery string comprising at least one battery cell, the method comprising:

providing a tank adapted to hold the fluid;

providing at least one conduit adapted to transfer the fluid through the conduit to the at least one battery cell;

providing a pump adapted to pump the fluid from the tank when the pump is turned on;

providing a controller adapted to monitor the performance of the battery string and operate the pump based on the battery performance; and

turning on the pump after an interval.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller comprises a sensor adapted to determine battery voltage, and the method further comprises:

periodically determining battery voltage readings after the interval; and

turning on the pump when at least a first percentage of consecutive battery voltage readings are greater than a first threshold voltage, wherein the pump is turned on after a first delay period.

13. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising turning on the pump when at least a second percentage of consecutive battery voltage readings are greater than a second threshold voltage if less than the first percentage of consecutive battery voltage readings over a first measurement period are greater than the first threshold voltage, wherein the pump is turned on after a second delay period, and wherein the absolute value of second threshold voltage is less than the absolute value of the first threshold voltage.

14. The method of claim 13, the method further comprising activating an alarm if less than the second percentage of consecutive battery voltage readings are greater than the second threshold voltage over a second measurement period.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a back pressure at the pump, and the method further comprises turning off the pump when the back pressure at the pump exceeds a threshold back pressure.

16. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising powering the controller and the pump via the battery.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller further comprises a voltage regulator, and the method further comprises regulating a voltage supplied to the controller and the pump via the voltage regulator.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the pump is turned on after a gassing phase of a charging cycle of the battery.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the interval is about four weeks.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the first measurement period and the second measurement period are each about 10 days.