Electro-chemical deterioration test method and apparatus
AssigneeGuardian Link Limited
InventorNigel David Scott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable instrument capable of evaluating the electro-chemical deterioration of an object under test such as a multi-cell valve regulated battery (10) and comprising means capable of temporarily applying across a battery cell a controlled frequency electrical signal derived from an internal battery (11) within the instrument, the signal being an oscillatory current or voltage controlled injected signal, further means for detecting returned data resultant from the signal application, and utilizing the data and a tailored mathematical algorithm in dedicated computer software to derive the data required. Such an instrument may be used to test battery systems of the type required for uninterruptible back-up power supplies in large industrial installations.
Claims18
A method of deriving data concerning the electro-chemical characteristics of a plurality of individual electro-chemical cells or corrosion processes, comprising the steps of:
- providing an instrument capable of temporarily applying across a cell or a process a controlled multi-frequency electrical signal,
- detecting returned data resultant from said application, and
- utilizing the returned data with computer software algorithms to resolve the data into at least three of its electro-chemical constituents, including a series metallic resistance (RΩ). an electro-chemical resistance (Re), and a double-layer capacitance (Cdl).
A method of deriving data concerning the electro-chemical characteristics of a plurality of individual electro-chemical cells or corrosion processes, comprising the steps of:
- providing an instrument capable of temporarily applying across a cell or a process a controlled multi-frequency electrical signal derived from an internal battery of the instrument,
- applying the instrument to a plurality of sealed, valve regulated open lead-acid cells to measure the service capacity of individual cells of a multi-cell battery while in service under float charge conditions and causing an internal battery of the instrument to be recharged from the battery cells under test,
- detecting returned voltage and current data resultant from said application;
- utilizing the returned data with computer software algorithms to resolve the data into at least three of its electro-chemical constituents, including a series metallic resistance (RΩ), a parallel electro-chemical resistance (Re). and a double-layer capacitance (Cdl);
- and
- storing the data resulting from the application for subsequent analysis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.