INTELLIGENT MONITORING SYSTEMS FOR LIQUID ELECTROLYTE BATTERIES

• US 20170279164A1
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flow-Rite Controls Limited
• Original Assignee: Flow-Rite Controls Limited
• Inventors: Herrema, Mark, Earl, Ron D., Kloote, Scott, Fox, Jason L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,326,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• 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 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/609 Arrangements or processes for filling with liquid, e.g. electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An improved battery monitoring system for liquid electrolyte batteries is provided. The battery monitoring system includes a network of sensors for monitoring the condition or performance of a plurality of liquid electrolyte batteries, for example lead-acid batteries. The sensors are adapted to share data regarding battery condition or battery performance to a standalone device over a wireless local area network. A server in electrical communication with the standalone device receives some or all of the data for analysis, which can result in maintenance alerts and other alerts being sent to the standalone device. The improved battery monitoring system can reduce or eliminate the manual inspection of lead-acid batteries and can improve battery operation and longevity by ensuring an appropriate level of maintenance for each lead-acid battery.

Claims

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

a battery monitoring unit including a control module and a plurality of sensors, wherein the battery monitoring unit is joined to the liquid electrolyte battery;

a local standalone device in communication with the control module for the battery monitoring unit over a network; and

a remote server in communication with the standalone device, wherein the server receives sensor data from the standalone device for the liquid electrolyte battery, and wherein the remote server performs an analysis of the sensor data and transmits a battery notification to the standalone device.

2. The battery monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the control module includes a communications circuit for transmitting over the network, the network being a wireless personal area network.

3. The battery monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the sensor data relates to battery liquid level, battery refilling volume, battery half voltage, or battery orientation.

4. The battery monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes an accelerometer, a liquid level sensor, a flow rate sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a dirty battery sensor.

5. The battery monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the battery notification indicates a recommended action item including refilling a battery, replacing a battery, inspecting a battery, returning a battery to an upright orientation, equalization, charging a battery, repairing a battery, temperature single point watering system repair, or state of charge.

6. A battery monitoring system comprising:

a feed tube for directing a fluid to within a battery;

a flow rate sensor to detect the flow rate of fluid moving through the feed tube, the flow rate sensor providing an output;

a pressure sensor to detect the pressure of fluid moving through the feed tube, the pressure sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to the output of the flow rate sensor and to the output of the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is operable to;

measure the flow rate of fluid moving through the feed tube based on the output of the flow rate sensor,

measure the pressure of fluid moving through the feed tube based on the output of the pressure sensor, and

determine an amount of fluid directed to within the battery during a period in which the measured flow rate exceeds a predetermined minimum flow rate.

7. The battery monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the controller is further operable to output the determined amount of fluid for an application program hosted on a standalone device.

8. The battery monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the controller is adapted to communicate with the standalone device over a personal area network.

9. The battery monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the standalone device includes a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop computer, an on-board vehicle computer, a wireless access point, a cellular system, or a mesh network.

10. The battery monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the pressure sensor is an in-line pressure sensor in communication with the feed tube.

11. A battery monitoring system comprising:

a feed tube for directing a fluid to within a battery;

a flow rate sensor to detect the flow rate of fluid moving through the feed tube, the flow rate sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to the output of the flow rate sensor, wherein the controller is operable to;

determine the amount of the fluid directed to within the battery based on the output of the flow rate sensor, and

output the determined amount of fluid for an application program hosted on a standalone device or on-board vehicle computer.

12. The battery monitoring system of claim 11 further including a communications module electrically connected to the controller.

13. The battery monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the communications module is adapted to communicate with the standalone device over a personal area network.

14. The battery monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the flow rate sensor is an in-line flow rate sensor having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the feed tube.

15. A battery monitoring system for a liquid electrolyte battery having a battery housing, the battery monitoring system comprising:

a control module joined to the battery housing and including;

a multi-axis accelerometer, the multi-axis accelerometer providing an output, and

a controller electrically coupled to the accelerometer output, the controller being operable to determine an impact to the battery housing and an orientation of the battery housing based on the accelerometer output.

16. The battery monitoring system of claim 15 further including a standalone device in electrical communication with the controller over a wireless network, wherein the controller is adapted to output battery impact data and battery orientation data to the standalone device over the wireless network to alert a user of an unsafe battery condition.

17. The battery monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the unsafe battery condition indicates the battery housing includes an unsafe orientation or was subject to a predetermined impact.

18. The battery monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the controller includes an integrated communications circuit for sharing data over the wireless network.

19. A battery monitoring system comprising:

a feed tube for directing a fluid to within a battery;

a pressure sensor to detect the pressure of the fluid moving through the feed tube, the pressure sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to the output of the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is operable to;

measure the pressure of the fluid moving through the feed tube based on the output of the pressure sensor, and

determine the time period water is added to the battery based on the measured pressure.

20. The battery monitoring system of claim 19 wherein the controller is further operable to output an alert for an application program hosted on a standalone device if the battery has not been watered.

21. The battery monitoring system of claim 19 further including a communications module electrically connected to the controller, wherein the communications module is adapted to communicate with the standalone device over a personal area network.