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US 8,298,692 B2Granted
Collection, storage and use of metal-air battery pack effluent
AssigneeTesla Motors, Inc.
InventorWeston Arthur Hermann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for collecting, storing and using the oxygen-rich effluent generated when charging a metal-air battery pack is provided.
Claims25
A battery pack optimization system, comprising:
- a battery pack comprised of at least one metal-air cell and further comprised of a battery pack air outlet and a battery pack air inlet, wherein said battery pack is configured for use within an electric vehicle and to provide power to said electric vehicle;
- a gas tank mounted within said electric vehicle, wherein said battery pack air outlet is coupled to a tank inlet of said gas tank, and wherein said battery pack air inlet is coupled to a tank outlet of said gas tank;
- and
- a compressor interposed between said battery pack air outlet and said tank inlet, said compressor configured to compress oxygen-rich effluent from said battery pack air outlet prior to filling said gas tank with said oxygen-rich effluent.
1 more element
A method of operating a metal-air battery pack mounted within an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- coupling a battery pack outlet to a tank inlet of a gas tank mounted within said electric vehicle, wherein a compressor is interposed between said battery pack outlet and said tank inlet;
- coupling a battery pack inlet to a tank outlet of said gas tank;
- compressing oxygen-rich effluent passing through said battery pack outlet with said compressor, wherein said oxygen-rich effluent is at least partially generated by said metal-air battery pack, and wherein said compressing step is performed during a battery pack charge cycle;
- storing said oxygen-rich effluent compressed by said compressor during said battery pack charge cycle in said gas tank;
- and
- transferring said oxygen-rich effluent through said tank outlet of said gas tank to said battery pack inlet of said metal-air battery pack during a battery pack discharge cycle.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.