# US 10,122,051 B2 · Electrochemical storage device having a state detector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,051 B2 - Document ID: US10122051B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/898,132 - Filed: 2014-03-05 - Published: 2016-05-19 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-17 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Michael Kuhne; Carsten Schuh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122051B2 ## CPC - G01F 23/296: Acoustic waves - H01M 10/399: {Cells with molten salts} - 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) - H01M 10/484: {for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity} - H01M 50/119: Metals - 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) - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## 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 ### Claim 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 an exterior side of the wall, 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 a 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, wherein the ultrasound emitter is configured to output an emission signal in a direction extending along the side of the wall, wherein the direction is either towards a top or a bottom of the electrochemical storage device, wherein the ultrasound receiver is configured to receive a response signal and wherein the state detector further includes an analysis circuit configured to analyze the response signal to ascertain a state of the electrochemical storage material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrochemical storage material is a metal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a melting point of the metal is not greater than 150° C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall is a metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wall is a metal alloy, and wherein a melting point of the metal alloy is greater than 800° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) 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 a 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, wherein the first location of the wall is located above the first fill level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) 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 a 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, wherein the second location of the wall is located below the second fill level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver are unified in one component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the state detector is designed to be operated in chirp operation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver is designed as a piezoelectric component. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrochemical storage device is designed as a metal-metal halogenide storage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the direction is in a direction towards the ultrasound receiver attached on the side of the wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver are unified in one component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method for operating an electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising: output of the emission signal by the ultrasound emitter; reception of the response signal by the ultrasound receiver; analysis of the response signal using the analysis circuit to ascertain the state of the electrochemical storage material in the liquid form. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the emission signal has a plurality of different ultrasonic frequencies. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the emission signal is designed as a ramp over a predetermined frequency range. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the analysis of the response signal relates to at least one of a time curve between the emission signal and the response signal, a phase shift between the emission signal and the response signal, and a damping of the response signal in relation to the emission signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the state of the electrochemical storage material is the fill level of the electrochemical storage material. ### Claim 19 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 an exterior side of the wall, 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 a 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, wherein the ultrasound emitter is configured to output an emission signal in a direction along the side of the wall, wherein the direction is either towards a top or a bottom of the electrochemical storage device, wherein the ultrasound receiver is configured to receive a response signal and wherein the state detector further includes an analysis circuit configured to analyze the response signal to ascertain a fill level electrochemical storage material in the storage device; and wherein the analysis circuit is configured to analyze a first response signal to ascertain a first fill level of the electrochemical storage material and wherein the analysis circuit is further configured to analyze a second response signal different than the first response signal to ascertain a second fill level different than the first fill level of the electrochemical storage material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 19, wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in a case of complete charge of the storage device defines the first fill level, and wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in a case of complete operational discharge of the storage device defines the second fill level.