Advanced battery charging on modular levels of energy storage systems
AssigneeTae Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRainer FASCHING, Roozbeh NADERI, Mikhail SLEPCHENKOV, Ghyrn LOVENESS
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Abstract
Embodiments that provide advanced charging of energy source arrangements for energy storage applications are disclosed. The embodiments can be used within energy storage systems having a cascaded arrangement of converter modules. The embodiments can include the application of pulses to an energy source of each module of the system. The pulses can be applied for a duration sufficient to initiate an electrochemical reaction. Feedback based pulse control embodiments are also disclosed.
Claims21
(canceled)
A modular energy storage system, comprising:
- a plurality of converter modules coupled together in at least one array, each converter module comprising a battery cell, switch circuitry, and a local control device, wherein in a discharge state the at least one array is configured to generate at least one voltage comprising output voltages from the plurality of converter modules;
- wherein, in a charge state, each local control device is configured to control application of charge pulses to the battery cell of its associated converter module;
- wherein each charge pulse has a duration longer than a reaction time constant of a primary electrochemical storage reaction of the battery cell and shorter than a reaction time constant of at least one side reaction, wherein the primary electrochemical storage reaction is initiated without initiating the at least one side reaction;
- and
- wherein each local control device is further configured to terminate application of charge pulses based on at least a first measured parameter of the battery cell.
A method of charging a modular energy storage system comprising a plurality of converter modules coupled together in at least one array, each converter module comprising a battery cell, switch circuitry, and a local control device, the method comprising:
- applying, to a battery cell as controlled by the local control device associated with the battery cell, charge pulses, wherein a charge pulse is applied for a duration longer than a reaction time constant of a primary electrochemical storage reaction and shorter than a reaction time constant of at least one side reaction, wherein the primary electrochemical storage reaction is initiated without initiating the at least one side reaction;
- measuring, by the local control device, at least a first parameter of the battery cell during application of the charge pulse;
- and
- terminating, by the local control device and based on the first parameter of the battery cell measured, the charge pulses.
A modular energy storage system, comprising:
- a plurality of converter modules coupled together in at least one array, each converter module comprising a battery cell, switch circuitry, measurement circuitry, and a local control device;
- wherein, in a charge state, each local control device is configured to control application of charge pulses to the battery cell of its associated converter module;
- wherein each charge pulse has a duration longer than a reaction time constant of a primary electrochemical storage reaction of the battery cell and shorter than a reaction time constant of at least one side reaction, wherein the primary electrochemical storage reaction is initiated without initiating the at least one side reaction;
- wherein the measurement circuitry is configured to sample voltage responses and current responses of the battery cell to the charge pulses;
- wherein each local control device is further configured to control application of charge pulses to the battery cell based on the voltage responses and current responses sampled;
- and
- wherein each local control device is further configured to control charge pulse termination based on at least the voltage responses and current responses sampled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.