Integrated energy storage unit

• US 8,481,203 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bren-Tronics Batteries International, LLC, Nettforsk AS
• Original Assignee: Bren-Tronies Batteries International LLC
• Inventors: Reis, Antonio, Whitmer, David K., Muthu, Milburn Ebenezer Jacob, Korutla, Shanthi K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sultana, Nahida
• Application Number:
  US12/699,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20110189533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 429/9, 429/178, 429/7, 429/163, 429/188, 361/500
• US Class Current: 429/178
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/08 Structural combinations, e.g. assembly or connection, of hybrid or EDL capacitors with other electric components, at least one hybrid or EDL capacitor being the main component
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/58 Liquid electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/76 specially adapted for integration in multiple or stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/82 Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/28 Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices with other electric components not covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5825 Oxygenated metallic salts or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/512 Connection only in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An integrated energy storage unit includes a container and a battery housed within the container. The battery includes a positive battery terminal, a negative battery terminal, and a battery electrolyte. A capacitor is housed within the container, separate from the battery. The capacitor includes a positive capacitor terminal, a negative capacitor terminal, and a capacitor electrolyte. A plurality of connectors electrically couple the battery and the capacitor in parallel. A positive lead is electrically coupled to the positive battery terminal and the positive capacitor terminal. The positive lead extends from the container. A negative lead is electrically coupled to the negative battery terminal and the negative capacitor terminal. The negative lead extends from the container.

Claims

1. An integrated energy storage unit comprising:

a container electrically coupled to an energy storage management system;

a rechargeable battery housed within a battery pouch within the container, the battery comprising;

one or more positive battery plates coupled to a positive battery terminal;

one or more negative battery plates coupled to a negative battery terminal;

a battery electrolyte;

a capacitor housed within a capacitor pouch within the container, separate from the battery, the capacitor having a higher voltage rating than the voltage rating of the battery and the capacitor having an internal resistance less than one half of the internal resistance of the battery comprising;

a positive capacitor terminal;

a negative capacitor terminal;

a capacitor electrolyte different from said battery electrolyte;

a plurality of connectors electrically coupling the battery and the capacitor in parallel;

a positive lead electrically coupled to the positive battery terminal and the positive capacitor terminal, the positive lead extending from the container; and

a negative lead electrically coupled to the negative battery terminal and the negative capacitor terminal, the negative lead extending from the container.

2. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a plurality of batteries electrically coupled to each other in parallel.

3. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor comprises a plurality of capacitors electrically coupled to each other in series.

4. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said capacitor includes at least one positive capacitor plate and at least one negative capacitor plate.

5. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said capacitor plates has a coating thereon which includes a nanofoam powder with a porosity and a binder that exhibits limited occluding of the porosity the nanofoam.

6. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 5, wherein said nanofoam powder has a surface area in the range of about 2,000 to about 2,400 m²/g.

7. An integrated energy storage unit comprising:

a container electrically coupled to an energy storage management system;

a rechargeable battery assembly comprising a plurality of batteries housed within the container, the plurality of batteries electrically coupled together in parallel, each battery having plates housed within a battery pouch which contains a battery electrolyte; and

a capacitor assembly comprising a plurality of capacitors housed within the container, each capacitor being housed within a capacitor pouch containing a capacitor electrolyte different from the battery electrolyte, the plurality of capacitors electrically coupled together in series, the plurality of capacitors in the aggregate having a higher voltage rating than the plurality of batteries and the plurality of capacitors in the aggregate having an internal resistance less than one half of the internal resistance of the plurality of the batteries,

wherein the battery assembly and the capacitor assembly are electrically coupled to each other in parallel.

8. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 7, wherein said capacitor includes at least one positive capacitor plate and at least one negative capacitor plate.

9. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said capacitor plates has a coating thereon which includes:

a nanofoam powder with a surface area in the range of about 2,000 to about 2,400 m²/g and a porosity; and

a binder that exhibits limited occluding of the porosity the nanofoam.

10. An integrated energy storage unit comprising:

a plurality of rechargeable batteries electrically coupled together in parallel, each of the plurality of batteries having plates housed in its own battery pouch which contains a battery electrolyte; and

a plurality of capacitors electrically coupled together in series, each of the plurality of capacitors being housed in its own capacitor pouch containing a capacitor electrolyte different from the battery electrolyte, the plurality of capacitors in the aggregate having a higher voltage rating than the plurality of batteries and the plurality of capacitors in the aggregate having an internal resistance less than one half of the internal resistance of the plurality of the batteries;

wherein the plurality of batteries are electrically coupled to the plurality of capacitors in parallel and the combination of the plurality of batteries and plurality of capacitors electrically coupled to an energy storage management system.

11. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of capacitors in series have a total capacitor voltage capacity, and wherein the plurality of batteries in parallel have a total battery voltage capacity equal to or less than the total capacitor voltage capacity.

12. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 10, wherein said capacitor includes at least one positive capacitor plate and at least one negative capacitor plate .

13. The integrated energy storage unit according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said capacitor plates has a coating thereon which includes:

a nanofoam powder with a surface area in the range of about 2,000 to about 2,400 m²/g and a porosity; and

a binder that exhibits limited occluding of the porosity the nanofoam.