ENERGY BANKING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING RAPIDLY RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES

• US 20150295452A1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lightening Energy
• Original Assignee: Lightening Energy
• Inventors: Dyer, Christopher K., Epstein, Michael L., Culver, Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 10,110,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems

Abstract

A system for banking energy is provided. The system includes a rechargeable battery and a controller selectively controlling a supply of electricity from the rechargeable battery and from at least one additional energy source to a plurality of electrically powered devices of a facility. The controller directs electricity from the at least one additional energy source to the rechargeable battery at selective times when the rechargeable battery is not supplying electricity to the plurality of electrically powered devices.

Claims

1. A system for banking energy comprising:

a rechargeable battery; and

a controller selectively controlling a supply of electricity from the rechargeable battery and from at least one additional energy source to a plurality of electrically powered devices of a facility, the controller directing electricity from the at least one additional energy source to the rechargeable battery at selective times when the rechargeable battery is not supplying electricity to the plurality of electrically powered devices.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a cooling apparatus supplying coolant to the rechargeable battery when the at least one additional energy source is supplying electricity to the plurality of electrically powered devices.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein the controller controls a rate of coolant supply from the cooling apparatus to the rechargeable battery and a rate of electricity supplied to the rechargeable battery.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one additional energy source includes a power grid and the controller controls the supply of electricity such that the rechargeable battery supplies energy to the plurality of electrically powered devices during a peak period of demand of the power grid and the power grid supplies energy to the plurality of electrically powered devices during an off-peak period of demand of the power grid.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein the controller directs electricity from the power grid to the rechargeable battery during an off-peak period of demand of the power grid.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one energy source includes a renewable energy source.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the controller selectively controls the rechargeable battery and the at least one energy source such that both the rechargeable battery and the at least one energy source supply energy to the plurality of electrically powered devices on a daily basis.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the controller selectively controls the rechargeable battery and the at least one energy source such that the rechargeable battery supplies energy to the plurality of electrically powered devices during emergencies when the at least one additional energy source is out of service.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the controller selectively controls the supply of electricity from the rechargeable battery and from at least one additional energy source to a plurality of electrically powered devices by alternately electrically connecting and electrically disconnecting the at least one energy source and the rechargeable battery to and from the plurality of electrically powered devices.

16. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the facility is a military base.

17. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the facility includes at least one residence or building.

18. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the facility is a government facility.

19. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the rechargeable battery and the controller are formed as a movable node.

20. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a cooling apparatus supplying coolant to the rechargeable battery when the at least one additional energy source is supplying electricity to the plurality of electrically powered devices, the cooling apparatus being included in the movable node.

10. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the controller alternately electrically connects and electrically disconnects the at least one energy source and the rechargeable battery to and from the plurality of electrically powered devices based on data inputs and dynamic management models of at least one parameter.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one parameter is cost.

12. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one consideration includes operational parameters for the facility including real-time operating conditions.

13. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one parameter includes at least one of current or predicted weather parameters, military parameters and homeland security parameters.

14. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one parameter includes an optimal balance of residual charge capacity of the rechargeable battery.

15. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one energy source includes a power grid and the at least one parameter includes at least one of real-time information on demand frequency inputs for the facility and demand frequency inputs for the power grid.