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US 2024/0006901 A1Published application
Systems and methods for extending battery life
AssigneeStored Energy Systems
InventorsWilliam KAEWERT, Sam COLEMAN, Kyle MILLER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system generally comprising a charger with an integrated battery is provided that may be associated with a generator starter. The system is configured to maintain battery charge with the charger that monitors battery temperature before initiating a boost charge. Battery charge is thereafter maintained with the charger supplying a float or eco-float current to the battery, which maximizes system life.
Claims20
A battery charging system configured to selectively transfer current from a charger to at least one interconnected battery, comprising:
- a monitoring component configured to measure:
- an existing charge status of the at least one interconnected battery,
- a direct current (DC) output current delivered by the charger to at least one interconnected battery, wherein the DC output current is a function of the existing charge status of the battery, and
- the temperature of the at least one interconnected battery;
- a control system in communication with the monitoring component and a timing component, the control system configured to initiate charging of the at least one interconnected battery based on battery temperature, wherein the control system obtains a time measurement from the timing component and/or a charge measurement from the monitoring component;
- wherein based on the time measurement and/or the charge measurement, defining at least one of a time to complete a charge mode cycle and a charge required to complete a charge mode cycle that are tailored to achieve a desired charge status of the battery;
- based on at least one of the determined time and the determined charge to complete the charge mode cycle, transitioning to a select one of a number of DC output voltage settings until the determined time to complete the determined charge mode cycle has passed or the charge to complete the charge mode cycle has been provided, wherein the DC output voltage settings include a boost output voltage setting and an eco-float output voltage setting;
- and
- wherein the eco-float output voltage setting is associated with a voltage equal to or nominally higher than an open-circuit voltage of the at least one interconnected battery, and wherein voltage is transitioned from the boost output voltage setting to the eco-float voltage setting in a series of incremental voltage reductions or increases.
6 more elements
A method of charging a battery comprising:
- obtaining a charge measurement associated with a battery via a monitoring component of a battery charger, the charge measurement reflecting a direct current DC output current delivered by the battery charger to the battery;
- obtaining a time measurement associated with the battery via a timing component of the battery charger;
- obtaining a temperature measurement associated with the battery;
- transmitting at least one of the charge measurement, the time measurement, and the temperature measurement to a battery charge control system of the battery charger;
- determining, by the battery charge control system and based on at least one of the charge measurement, the time measurement, and the battery temperature at least one of a charge to complete a charge mode cycle and a time to complete the charge mode cycle, the charge mode cycle is tailored to achieve a desired charge status of the battery;
- selectively regulating, by a voltage regulator in communication with the battery charge control system, a DC output voltage of the battery charger to one of a number of pre-set DC output voltages until the time to complete the charge mode cycle has passed or the charge to complete the charge mode cycle has been provided, the pre-set DC output voltages comprising a boost output voltage setting and an eco-float output voltage setting;
- and
- wherein the eco-float output voltage setting is associated with a voltage equal to or nominally higher than an open-circuit voltage of the battery, and wherein voltage is transitioned from the boost output voltage setting to the eco-float voltage setting in a series of incremental voltage reductions or increases.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.