ELECTROCHEMICAL STORAGE DEVICE HAVING A STATE DETECTOR

• US 20160141732A1
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kuhne, Michael, Schuh, Carsten
• Granted Patent: US 10,122,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/399 Cells with molten salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electrochemical storage device including a state detector, has an electrochemical storage device, which has a wall that surrounds an electrochemical storage material. The state detector has at least one ultrasonic transmitter and at least one ultrasonic receiver, which are attached to the side of the wall facing away from the electrochemical storage material. The electrochemical storage material is subject to a volume change during operation of the storage device, and the electrochemical storage material is liquid during operation of the storage device and is in direct contact with the wall and the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver are attached to the wall in such a way that the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver are acoustically coupled to the wall.

Claims

1. An electrochemical storage device having a state detector, comprising

an electrochemical storage device, which has a wall enclosing an electrochemical storage material, wherein the state detector has at least one ultrasound emitter and at least one ultrasound receiver, which are attached on the side of the wall facing away from the electrochemical storage material, and wherein the electrochemical storage material is subject to a volume change during operation of the storage device,

wherein the electrochemical storage material is provided in liquid form and is in direct contact with the wall during operation of the storage device, and the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver are attached on the wall such that they are acoustically coupled to the wall.

2. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the electrochemical storage material is a metal.

3. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the wall (5) is a metal.

4. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in the case of complete charge of the storage device defines a first fill level, and the ultrasound emitter or the ultrasound receiver is attached at a first location of the wall, the corresponding region of which on the opposite side of the wall is still located above this fill level.

5. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in the case of complete operational discharge of the storage device defines a second fill level, and the ultrasound emitter or the ultrasound receiver is attached at a second location of the wall, the corresponding region of which on the opposite side of the wall is still located below the fill level.

6. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the state detector has an ultrasound emitter, which also operates as an ultrasound receiver.

7. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the state detector is designed to be operated in chirp operation.

8. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the state detector has an ultrasound emitter and/or an ultrasound receiver, which is designed as a piezoelectric component.

9. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the electrochemical storage device is designed as a metal-metal halogenide storage device.

10. A method for operating an electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising:

output of an emission signal by the ultrasound emitter;

reception of a response signal by the ultrasound receiver;

analysis of the response signal using an analysis circuit to ascertain a state of the electrochemical storage material.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein the emission signal has a plurality of different ultrasonic frequencies.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein the analysis of the response signal relates to the time curve between emission signal and response signal, and/or the phase shift between emission signal and response signal, and/or the damping of the response signal in relation to the emission signal.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein the output of the emission signal is performed oriented in a preferred propagation direction of the emission signal.

14. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the melting point of the metal is not greater than 150°

C.

15. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 3,

wherein the wall is a metal alloy, the melting point of which is greater than 800°

C.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein the fill level of the electrochemical storage material is ascertained.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11,

wherein the emission signal is designed as a ramp over a predetermined frequency range.