System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series
Abstract
A battery charging system capable of equalizing the charge of each individual cell at a selected full charge voltage includes means for regulating charger current to first increase current at a constant rate until a bulk charging level is achieved or until any cell reaches a safe reference voltage. A system controller then begins to decrease the charging rate as long as any cell exceeds the reference voltage until an equalization current level is reached. At this point, the system controller activates a plurality of shunt modules to permit shunting of current around any cell having a voltage exceeding the reference voltage. Leads extending between the battery of cells and shunt modules are time shared to permit alternate shunting of current and voltage monitoring without the voltage drop caused by the shunt current. After each cell has at one time exceeded the reference voltage, the charging current is terminated.
- Inventors:
-
- Naperville, IL
- (St. Charles, IL)
- Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
- Manhattan Beach, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863744
- Patent Number(s):
- 4238721
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02J - CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; charging; electrochemical; cells; series; battery; capable; equalizing; charge; individual; cell; selected; voltage; means; regulating; charger; current; increase; constant; rate; bulk; level; achieved; reaches; safe; reference; controller; begins; decrease; exceeds; equalization; reached; activates; plurality; shunt; modules; permit; shunting; exceeding; leads; extending; time; shared; alternate; monitoring; drop; caused; exceeded; terminated; voltage monitor; electrochemical cells; electrochemical cell; reference voltage; voltage drop; individual cell; shunt current; charge voltage; constant rate; charging current; current level; voltage monitoring; increase current; battery charging; /320/
Citation Formats
DeLuca, William H, Hornstra, Jr, Fred, Gelb, George H, Berman, Baruch, and Moede, Larry W. System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
DeLuca, William H, Hornstra, Jr, Fred, Gelb, George H, Berman, Baruch, & Moede, Larry W. System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series. United States.
DeLuca, William H, Hornstra, Jr, Fred, Gelb, George H, Berman, Baruch, and Moede, Larry W. Tue .
"System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863744.
@article{osti_863744,
title = {System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series},
author = {DeLuca, William H and Hornstra, Jr, Fred and Gelb, George H and Berman, Baruch and Moede, Larry W},
abstractNote = {A battery charging system capable of equalizing the charge of each individual cell at a selected full charge voltage includes means for regulating charger current to first increase current at a constant rate until a bulk charging level is achieved or until any cell reaches a safe reference voltage. A system controller then begins to decrease the charging rate as long as any cell exceeds the reference voltage until an equalization current level is reached. At this point, the system controller activates a plurality of shunt modules to permit shunting of current around any cell having a voltage exceeding the reference voltage. Leads extending between the battery of cells and shunt modules are time shared to permit alternate shunting of current and voltage monitoring without the voltage drop caused by the shunt current. After each cell has at one time exceeded the reference voltage, the charging current is terminated.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}