Active cathode temperature control for metal-air batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10164274-B2
Application number	US-201615081529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2016
Priority date	Jul 17, 2013
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A metal-air battery is disclosed, including a cathode temperature controller that identifies a power-boosted operating temperature at which a projected power boost exceeds a projected battery lifetime penalty and a temperature regulator that adjusts the cathode temperature to the power-boosted operating temperature using power generated by the metal-air battery when the metal-air battery is in a discharge state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting power generation by a metal-air battery using current generated by the battery during battery discharge, the metal-air battery having a cathode containing an oxygen-reduction catalyst and an anode separated from the cathode by an electrolyte-permeable insulating battery separator, the method comprising:
placing the metal-air battery in a discharge state;
determining a cathode temperature for the cathode;
during the discharge state, collecting current from the battery; and
responsive to a difference between the cathode temperature and a reference temperature and using current collected from the battery, adjusting the cathode temperature to alter catalytic activity of the oxygen-reduction catalyst.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which putting the metal-air battery into the discharge state includes:
transporting metal cations from the anode through the battery separator to the cathode; and
at the cathode, catalytically processing the metal cations with the oxygen-reduction catalyst.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which obtaining the cathode temperature includes sensing the cathode temperature using a cathode temperature sensor in thermal communication with the cathode.

4. The method of claim 3 , in which the cathode temperature sensor includes a thermocouple.

5. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes heating the cathode using a resistive heater thermally coupled to the cathode.

6. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes resistively heating the cathode by supplying current directly to the cathode.

7. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes heating the cathode using a solid phase thermal conductor thermally connecting the cathode with a temperature regulator supplied with current from the battery.

8. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes heating the cathode using a heat pipe thermally connecting the cathode with a temperature regulator supplied with current from the battery.

9. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes heating the cathode with a non-electrolyte fluid thermally coupling the cathode with a temperature regulator supplied with current from the battery.

10. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes cooling the cathode using a thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to the cathode.

11. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes cooling the cathode using a refrigeration unit thermally coupled to the cathode.

12. The method of claim 1 , in which the reference temperature corresponds to a catalyst deactivation temperature.

13. The method of claim 1 , in which the reference temperature corresponds to a battery deactivation temperature.

14. The method of claim 1 , in which the reference temperature corresponds to a battery over temperature condition.

15. The method of claim 1 , in which the reference temperature corresponds to a catalyst runaway condition.

16. The method of claim 1 , in which the reference temperature corresponds to a catalyst activation temperature.

17. The method of claim 1 , in which the reference temperature corresponds to an ambient temperature.

18. The method of claim 1 , in which the reference temperature corresponds to a battery target temperature.

19. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes also adjusting the cathode temperature responsive to a difference between a battery operational parameter and a reference value for the battery operational parameter.

20. The method of claim 19 , in which the battery operational parameter includes the battery current.

21. The method of claim 19 , in which the battery operational parameter includes the battery discharge rate.

22. The method of claim 19 , in which the battery operational parameter includes the electrical potential difference between the anode and the cathode.

23. The method of claim 1 , in which adjusting the cathode temperature includes also adjusting the cathode temperature responsive to a predetermined relationship between catalyst performance and cathode temperature.

24. The method of claim 1 , in which the anode includes an alkali metal.

25. The method of claim 1 , in which the anode includes lithium.

26. The method of claim 1 , in which the anode includes sodium.

27. The method of claim 1 , in which the anode includes a transition metal.

28. The method of claim 1 , in which the anode includes zinc.

29. The method of claim 1 , in which the anode includes a Group 13 metal.

30. The method of claim 1 , in which the anode includes aluminum.

31. The method of claim 1 , in which the cathode includes a porous catalyst support.

32. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes a metal catalyst.

33. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes a transition metal.

34. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes manganese.

35. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes cobalt.

36. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes ruthenium.

37. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes platinum.

38. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes silver.

39. The method of claim 1 , in which the oxygen-reduction catalyst includes gold.

40. A method for adjusting power generation by a metal-air battery using current generated by the battery during battery discharge, the metal-air battery having a cathode containing an oxygen-reduction catalyst and an anode separated from the cathode by an electrolyte-permeable insulating battery separator, the method comprising:
placing the metal-air battery in a discharge state;
during the discharge state, collecting current from the battery;
determining a present temperature for the cathode;
identifying a power-boosted temperature at which a projected power boost, relative to a present battery power, exceeds a projected battery penalty;
adjusting the temperature of the cathode to the power-boosted temperature using current collected from the battery to alter catalytic activity of the oxygen-reduction catalyst.

41. A method for adjusting power generation by a metal-air battery using current generated by the battery during battery discharge, the metal-air battery having a cathode containing an oxygen-reduction catalyst and an anode separated from the cathode by an electrolyte-permeable insulating battery separator, the method comprising:
placing the metal-air battery in a discharge state;
during the discharge state, collecting current from the battery;
determining a present temperature for the cathode;
identifying a power-boosted temperature at which the metal-air battery generates a selected power boost relative to a present battery power;
adjusting the temperature of the cathode to the power-boosted temperature using current collected from the battery to alter cata

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Duncan William David
• Hyde Roderick A

Classifications

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M4/381

  Alkaline or alkaline earth metals elements (H01M4/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/04731 Primary

  of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M4/42

  Alloys based on zinc · CPC title

• H01M8/04067

  Heat exchange or temperature measuring elements, thermal insulation, e.g. heat pipes, heat pumps, fins · CPC title