Two stage energy storage device
AssigneeEcosol Solar Technologies Inc.
InventorsAndrew Kular, Zuohang Zhu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic device, which captures and accumulates varying levels of electrical energy in suitable short-term storage means until the energy is of such a level that it can be efficiently transferred to at least one long-term storage device means, such as electro-chemical batteries. The invention further permits simultaneous transfer to a variety of electro-chemical batteries, which can possess different storage chemistries.
Claims20
An electronic device which captures and accumulates variable levels of electrical energy in a soft storage means until the accumulated energy is of such a level that it can be efficiently transferred to a hard storage means, said device comprising:
- a) a source of variable and intermittent energy;
- b) a first stage energy storage means suitable for capturing and accumulating the energy from the source;
- c) a second stage energy storage means, which is capable of receiving a charge and storing this charge for later use;
- and,
- d) an electronic means which senses and monitors the energy accumulated in the first stage storage means and then activating a charge management electronics means when there is sufficient energy in the first stage storage to efficiently charge the second stage energy storage means.
A method for capturing and accumulating variable levels of electrical energy in a first stage energy storage means until the accumulated energy is of such a level that it can be transferred to a second stage energy storage means, said method comprising:
- a) capturing and accumulating the energy into the first stage energy storage means;
- b) sensing and monitoring the energy accumulated in the first stage storage means;
- and,
- c) activating a charge management electronics means when there is sufficient energy in the first stage storage to efficiently charge the second stage energy storage means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.