Energy storage device configured to discharge energy in response to unsafe conditions

• US 7,592,776 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Original Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Inventors: Comarow, David, Tsukamoto, Hisashi, Kishiyama, Clay
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US10/935,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20050029990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 320/134, 320/136, 320/147, 320/150, 320/153, 320/154
• US Class Current: 320/136
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/446 Initial charging measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method, device and system is disclosed for rapidly and safely discharging remaining energy stored in an electrochemical battery 104 in the event of an internal short circuit or other fault. In its best mode of implementation, if a sensor 116 detects one or more parameters such as battery temperature 204 or pressure 206, exceeding a predetermined threshold value 334, the terminals 144 of the battery or cell are intentionally short-circuited external to the battery through a low or near zero resistance load 150 which rapidly drains energy from the battery 104. Heat generated by such rapid drain is absorbed by a heat absorbing material 151 such as an endothermic phase-change material like paraffin. The rate energy is drained via the external discharge load 150 may be controlled with an electronic circuit 136 responsive to factors such as state of charge and battery temperature. Devices such as inductive charging coils 160, piezoelectric and Peltier devices 300, may also be used as emergency energy discharge loads. Heat absorption material 163 may be used to protect adjacent issue in medically-implanted devices.

Claims

1. A method for discharging a battery, comprising:

employing electronics to electronically monitor an output from a sensor,

the output indicating one or more operating states of a battery,

the electronics and the sensor being different components; and

employing the electronics to initiate a discharge of energy stored in the battery in response to the one or more operating states failing to meet one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an operating state failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state crossing a threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the operating states to one or more of the parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein discharging the energy stored in the battery includes converting the stored energy from one form of energy into another form of energy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the discharge of energy stored in the battery includes converting the stored energy from electrical to one or more of the following energy forms:

heat, electromagnetic radiation, kinetic, potential, and chemical.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more parameters is a function of at least one of the following:

voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature, rate of change in temperature, impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in amount of bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of amount of bulging of battery enclosure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is discharged from the battery in direct proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is discharged from the battery in inverse proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is pulsed during discharge of the energy from the battery.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the discharge of energy stored in the battery includes adjusting resistance of a resistor, the resistor being configured to control the rate of energy discharge from the battery.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a notification signal after the one or more operating states fail to meet the one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is discharged to an energy discharge device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy discharge device includes a heat absorption material (HAM).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy discharge device includes a coil.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically monitoring the one or more operating states is performed by an electronic circuit.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor a condition selected from a group consisting of voltage of the battery, current output by the battery, charge of the battery, temperature of the battery, impedance of the battery, pressure of the battery.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein increasing the electrical current output by the battery includes substantially short-circuiting the battery.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor provides an electrical output that indicates at least one condition selected from a group consisting of voltage of the battery, current output by the battery, charge of the battery, temperature of the battery, impedance of the battery, pressure of the battery.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein employing the electronics to initiate the discharge of energy stored in the battery includes increasing an electrical current output by the battery.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the electrical current is increased such that the electrical current generates heat that causes a phase change in a phase-change material.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the phase-change material is selected from a group consisting of paraffin polypropylene, polyethylene, SiO.sub.2, and water.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making a determination whether the one or more operating states fail to meet the one or more parameters.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the parameters includes a threshold and making the determination includes comparing a value for one or more of the operating states to the threshold

24. The method of claim 1, wherein employing the electronics to initiate a discharge of energy includes using the electronics to engage a circuit that causes the discharge of energy and wherein the circuit the electronics, and the sensor each being different components.

25. An energy discharge system, comprising:

electronics configured to monitor an output from a sensor,

the output indicating one or more operating states of a battery,

the electronics and the sensor being different components, and

the electronics also being configured to initiate discharge of energy stored in the battery in response to the one or more operating states failing to meet one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein initiate discharging the energy stored in the battery includes engaging a circuit tat causes the discharge of energy,

wherein the circuit, the electronics, and the sensor are different components.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state crossing a threshold.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein an operating state failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state rising above a threshold.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein an operating state failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state falling below a threshold.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the electronics are further configured to compare at least one of the operating states to the one or more of the parameters.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the one or more parameters is a function of at least one of the following:

voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature or rate of change in temperature.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the one or more parameters is a function of at least one of the following:

impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of amount of bulging of battery enclosure.

33. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

an energy discharge device configured to receive the energy discharged from the battery.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the energy discharge device is configured to convert the energy from electrical energy into another form of energy.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the energy discharge device is configured to convert the energy from electrical energy into one or more of the following energy forms:

heat, electromagnetic radiation, kinetic, potential, and chemical.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the energy discharge device includes a heat absorption material (HAM).

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the energy discharge device includes a coil.

38. The system of claim 25, wherein the electronics are configured to discharge the energy from the battery in direct proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

39. The system of claim 25, wherein the electronics are configured to discharge the energy from the battery in inverse proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

40. The system of claim 25, wherein the electronics are configured to pulse the energy during discharge of the energy from the battery.

41. The system of claim 25, wherein the electronics are configured to adjust resistance of a resistor during discharge of the energy from the battery, the resistor being configured to control the rate of energy discharge from the battery.

42. The system of claim 25, wherein the electronics are configured to initiate a notification signal after the one or more operating states fail to meet the one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.

43. The system of claim 25, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor a condition selected from a group consisting of voltage of the battery, current output by the battery, charge of the battery, temperature of the battery, impedance of the battery, pressure of the battery.

44. The system of claim 25, wherein sensor provides an electrical output that indicates at least one condition selected from a group consisting of voltage of the battery, current output by the battery, charge of the battery, temperature of the battery, impedance of the battery, pressure of the battery.

45. The system of claim 25, wherein the sensor is positioned outside of the battery.

46. The system of claim 25, wherein employing the electronics to initiate a discharge of initiating discharge of the energy stored in the battery includes increasing an electrical current output by the battery.

47. The system of claim 46. wherein a phase-change material is positioned to receive heat generated by the increased electrical current.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the phase-change material has a melting point in a range of 42°

C. and 80°

C.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein the electronics are configured to increase the electrical current such tat the electrical current generates heat that causes a phase change in a phase-change material.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the phase-change material has a melting point in a range of 42°

C. and 80°

C.,

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the phase-change material is selected from a group consisting of paraffin, polypropylene, polyethylene, SiO.sub.2, and water.

52. The system of claim 46, wherein increasing the electrical current output by the battery includes substantially short-circuiting the battery.

53. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

electronics configured to make a determination whether the one or more operating states fail to meet the one or more parameters.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein at least one of the parameters includes a threshold and making the determination includes comparing a value for one or more of the operating states to the threshold.

55. The system of claim 25, wherein

the sensors is positioned outside of the battery and is configured to monitor a condition selected from a group consisting of voltage of the battery, current output by the battery, charge of the battery, temperature of the battery, impedance of the battery, pressure of the battery, the one or more sensors are positioned outside of the battery;

initiating discharge of the energy stored in the battery includes increasing an electrical current output by the battery,

a phase-change material is positioned to receive heat generated by the increased electrical current, the phase-change material has a melting point in a range of 42°

C. and 80°

C.,

the electronics being configured to increase the electrical current such that the electrical current generates heat that causes a phase change in the phase-change material.