2218results about "Lead-acid accumulators" patented technology

A method and apparatus for efficiently charging lead-acid batteries applies small voltage steps to probe the charging efficiency of a battery being charged. The application of a voltage step causes the current to change from a base current to a surge current immediately after the voltage step, and to decay asymptotically to a plateau current after the surge current. A current ratio, defined as the difference between the plateau current and the base current divided by the difference between the surge current and the base current, is used as an indicator of the charging efficiency. The output voltage of the power supply charging the battery is then adjusted according to the measured current ratio. A current-voltage slope, defined as the difference between the plateau current and the base current divided by the magnitude of the voltage step, may also be used as an indicator of the charging efficiency for controlling the charging process. Alternatively, in a current-controlled charging process, small current steps are used to probe the charging efficiency. For a current step, the induced voltage changes are measured, and a transient-plateau voltage ratio is calculated. The charging current is then adjusted according to the calculated voltage ratio.

A battery pack is provided including universal battery modules and a master control module. By selecting proper rated universal battery modules and connecting them either in series and / or parallel, a high performance and long life battery pack is assembled that is suitable for high power applications such as electrical vehicles whereby the master control module acts as the battery pack control and interface module.

A battery charger that includes a primary switching-mode power supply, a secondary switching-mode power supply and a capacitor that is electrically connected to these two power supplies. In operation, this battery charger may be used to reverse the sulfation process in a battery. Also, a battery charging method that may be used to reverse the sulfation process in a battery.

An energy storage device comprising at least one negative electrode, wherein each negative electrode is individually selected from (i) an electrode comprising negative battery electrode material; (ii) an electrode comprising capacitor electrode material; (iii) a mixed electrode comprising either—a mixture of battery and capacitor electrode material or—a region of battery electrode material and a region of capacitor electrode material, or—a combination thereof, and wherein the energy storage device either comprises at least one electrode of type (iii), or comprises at least one electrode of each of types (i) and (ii),—at least one positive electrode, wherein the positive electrode comprises positive battery electrode material and a charging ability-increasing additive, such as one or a mixture of: (a) carbon nanomaterial, vapour grown carbon fibre, fullerene, or a mixture thereof, and (b) tin dioxide conductive materials.

A battery state monitoring portion intermittently monitors the low voltage battery for supplying power to electrical components arranged in a vehicle while the power supply to the low voltage system load other than a +B load is stopped, a DCDC converter is stopped, and a +B power supply mode in which the vehicle cannot travel is set. A charging control portion starts up the DCDC converter and charges the low voltage battery with the power of a high voltage battery as a power source of the vehicle through the DCDC converter when the voltage of the low voltage battery becomes lower than or equal to a charging start voltage when the +B power supply mode is set. The present invention can be applied to a charging device of a battery of an electric vehicle.

The present application is generally directed to ultrapure synthetic carbon materials having both high surface area and high porosity, ultrapure polymer gels and devices containing the same. The disclosed ultrapure synthetic carbon materials find utility in any number of devices, for example, in electric double layer capacitance devices and batteries. Methods for making ultrapure synthetic carbon materials and ultrapure polymer gels are also disclosed.

The present application is generally directed to ultrapure synthetic carbon materials having both high surface area and high porosity, ultrapure polymer gels and devices containing the same. The disclosed ultrapure synthetic carbon materials find utility in any number of devices, for example, in electric double layer capacitance devices and batteries. Methods for making ultrapure synthetic carbon materials and ultrapure polymer gels are also disclosed.

The present application is directed to carbon materials comprising an electrochemical modifier. The carbon materials find utility in any number of electrical devices, for example, in lead acid batteries. Methods for making the disclosed carbon materials are also disclosed.

A battery pack is provided including universal battery modules and a master control module. By selecting proper rated universal battery modules and connecting them either in series and / or parallel, a high performance and long life battery pack is assembled that is suitable for high power applications such as electrical vehicles whereby the master control module acts as the battery pack control and interface module.

System and method for predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of a rechargeable battery, such as a lithium-ion rechargeable battery. In a method, the capacity of the battery is determined based on at least changes of state of charge values estimated at a first and second time and a net charge flow of the battery and applying a particle filter to a capacity degradation formula using the determined capacity to form a capacity degradation model and determining the RUL using the capacity degradation model using a pre-defined end of service threshold. The system and method may be used to predict the RUL of a rechargeable battery in an implantable medical device.

A method for producing a microporous material comprising the steps of: providing an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); providing a filler; providing a processing plasticizer; adding the filler to the UHMWPE in a mixture being in the range of from about 1:9 to about 15:1 filler to UHMWPE by weight; adding the processing plasticizer to the mixture; extruding the mixture to form a sheet from the mixture; calendering the sheet; extracting the processing plasticizer from the sheet to produce a matrix comprising UHMWPE and the filler distributed throughout the matrix; stretching the microporous material in at least one direction to a stretch ratio of at least about 1.5 to produce a stretched microporous matrix; and subsequently calendering the stretched microporous matrix to produce a microporous material which exhibits improved physical and dimensional stability properties over the stretched microporous matrix.

The present application is directed to carbon materials comprising an optimized pore structure. The carbon materials comprise enhanced electrochemical properties and find utility in any number of electrical devices, for example, as electrode material in ultracapacitors. Methods for making the disclosed carbon materials are also disclosed.

The present application is directed to methods for preparation of carbon materials. The carbon materials comprise enhanced electrochemical properties and find utility in any number of electrical devices, for example, as electrode material in ultracapacitors or batteries.

The present invention provides electrochemical cells capable of good electronic performance, particularly high specific energies, useful discharge rate capabilities and good cycle life. Electrochemical cells of the present invention are versatile and include primary and secondary cells useful for a range of important applications including use in portable electronic devices. Electrochemical cells of the present invention also exhibit enhanced safety and stability relative to conventional state of the art primary lithium batteries and lithium ion secondary batteries. For example, electrochemical cells of the present invention include secondary electrochemical cells using anion charge carriers capable of accommodation by positive and negative electrodes comprising anion host materials, which entirely eliminate the need for metallic lithium or dissolved lithium ion in these systems.

The present application is directed to carbon materials comprising an optimized pore structure. The carbon materials comprise enhanced electrochemical properties and find utility in any number of electrical devices, for example, as electrode material in ultracapacitors. Methods for making the disclosed carbon materials are also disclosed.

To learn a parameter of a simulation model of a battery efficiently. A battery internal state estimating apparatus, estimating an internal state of a battery based on a simulation model of the battery, includes a storing section (RAM10c) that stores a plurality of parameters of the simulation model, a detecting section (I / F10d) that detects a discharge current flowing from the battery to a load, a selecting section (CPU 10a) that selects a parameter to be subjected to adaptive learning based on a value of the discharge current detected by the detecting section, and an adaptive learning section (CPU 10a) that performs adapting learning on a parameter selected by the selecting section.

A rechargeable battery or cell is disclosed in which the electrode active material consists of at least one nonmetallic compound or salt of the electropositive species on which the cell is based, and the electrolyte or electrolyte solvent consists predominantly of a halogen-bearing or chalcogen-bearing covalent compound such as SOCl2 or SO2Cl2. Also disclosed are cell component materials which include electrodes that consist primarily of salts of the cell electropositive species and chemically compatible electrolytes. These latter electrolytes include several newly discovered ambient temperature molten salt systems based on the AlCl3-PCl5 binary and the AlCl3-PCl5-PCl3 ternaries.

An electrical energy storage device for storing electrical energy and supplying the electrical energy to a driving motor at different power levels is disclosed. The electrical storage device has an energy battery connected to a power battery. The energy battery has a higher energy density than the power battery. However, the power battery can provide electrical power to the electrical motor at different power rates, thereby ensuring that the motor has sufficient power and current when needed. The power battery can be recharged by the energy storage battery. In this way, the power battery temporarily stores electrical energy received from the energy battery and both batteries can provide electrical energy at the different power rates as required by the motor. The energy storage device can be releasably connected to an external power source in order to recharge both batteries. Both batteries can be recharged independently to optimize the recharging and lifetime characteristics of the batteries.

A process for recovering lead oxides from the spent paste of exhausted lead acid batteries. The process provides heating the spent paste with an alkali hydroxide solution at elevated temperatures prior to calcinations. Calcination is at various temperatures so that either lead mono-oxide, lead dioxide or red lead is obtained as the principal product. There is also provided the use of the lead oxide to prepare the paste for positive and negative electrodes or other lead compounds.

An expander formulation used in battery paste compositions. The expander formulation incorporates effective amounts, or elevated concentrations of up to 6% of graphite and mixtures of carbon black and graphite to lessen or minimize the accumulation of lead sulfate on the surface of the negative plate during high rate PSOC battery operation, and / or to increase the electrochemical efficiency, the reserve capacity, the cold cranking performance and the cycle life of lead-acid batteries.

In accordance with at least certain embodiments of the present invention, a novel concept of utilizing PIMS minerals as a filler component within a microporous lead-acid battery separator is provided. In accordance with more particular embodiments or examples, the PIMS mineral (preferably fish meal, a bio-mineral) is provided as at least a partial substitution for the silica filler component in a silica filled lead acid battery separator (preferably a polyethylene / silica separator formulation). In accordance with at least selected embodiments, the present invention is directed to new or improved batteries, separators, components, and / or compositions having heavy metal removal capabilities and / or methods of manufacture and / or methods of use thereof.

An electrical battery for multi-cellular interconnection in series, parallel or series and parallel has a protrusion and a recess, such as a tongue and a groove, extending on outer surfaces of the sidewalls of the battery case such that when a protrusion of one battery is slid into a recess of another, the two batteries are electrically connected by the portions of the protrusion and the recess that are made of electrically conductive materials connected to the voltage producing elements inside the case. The battery further includes hollow plug-in posts and plug-in pins at the top and the bottom of the case that are connected to the voltage producing elements of the battery so that when the plug-in pins of one battery are inserted into the plug-in posts of another, the two batteries are in electrical interconnection. The battery also includes an electrolyte recirculation, gas purging, and automatic watering systems.

A module for a battery system supporting batteries during seismic stress comprising a pair of side panels, each panel formed of material such as steel shaped to define a generally rectangular face and top and bottom flanges extending generally perpendicularly to the face along top and bottom edges thereof and side flanges formed integrally with the face and top and bottom flanges, a base plate having means for mounting the module to a support surface having a generally U-shaped channel formed integrally along the front and rear edges of the base plate, a rear panel extending between and nested in the side panels and secured thereto and the base plate, at least one pair of front and rear support channels extending between the side panels, a shelf for batteries supported on the base plate and support channels, a support channel extending vertically between the top and bottom flanges, and means for securing modules stacked one on top of another along the top and bottom flanges.

A telescopically adjustable holddown (10) is disclosed including first and second brackets (16,18) and drawing elements (12) adapted to extend between a battery tray (14) and the brackets for drawing the brackets toward the battery tray to hold a battery (2). The brackets each include a generally L-shaped clamp (20) having top (22) and side members (24) for abutting the top (3) and sides (4) of the battery. An ear (26) extends from each side member and includes an aperture (36) for receiving a bolt (12) extending from the battery tray. Each bracket includes a cross rod (17,19) with second cross rod (19) having a cavity (46) for slidably receiving the first cross rod (17). The cavity requires that relative movement of the first and second brackets be substantially along the cavity axis (50) to allow telescopic assembly of the first and second brackets. The brackets are drawn toward the battery tray by tightening nuts (13) on the bolts to prevent relative movement of the brackets.

The construction of an electrically conductive terminal of a lead-acid battery seals a terminal post from the acid in the battery box interior by an collar that is mounted on the exterior of the terminal and that sandwiches a seal between the collar and a plate strap of the battery in the interior of the battery box. The collar is sealed to the battery casing.

A compound battery device having a lithium battery and a lead-acid battery includes at least one lithium battery unit, at least one lead-acid battery unit and a control circuit. The lithium and lead-acid battery units are electrically connected in parallel and can have various combinations to meet actual demands of an output voltage. The control circuit is electrically connected to the lithium and lead-acid battery units separately and further comprises a voltage-boosting unit, a voltage-detecting unit, a lithium battery unit management unit and a logic control unit. Thereby, two complementary battery units are connected in parallel, with a control circuit to adjust a voltage thereof, allowing the two battery units to work together to make use of their respective advantages while providing mutual power support. Thus, the compound battery device is capable of more efficient power supply and higher loading, and effectively prevents over-discharge that shortens the battery service life.

A battery includes a battery case including battery chemistry for supplying electricity, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end; a first positive terminal, a first negative terminal, and a first insulator therebetween at the first end that together form a first positive terminal and negative terminal configuration; a second positive terminal, a second negative terminal, and a second insulator therebetween at the second end that together form a second positive terminal and negative terminal configuration, wherein the second positive terminal and the second negative terminal configuration is a mirror image of the first positive terminal and the first negative terminal configuration.