Apparatus for destructive event testing of chemical energy systems using adaptive heat flow testing systems and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10288497-B2
Application number	US-201615226604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2016
Priority date	Aug 11, 2014
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for providing flexible and repairable testing capabilities, including destructive testing, for systems that generate or absorb heat such as energy storage systems. One embodiment can include a temperature bath structure adapted to contain and maintain a fluid bath at a predetermined temperature, an outer containment structure adapted to insert into the temperature bath structure, heat sinks, thermal sensor assemblies, and an internal containment structure where the thermal sensor assemblies, heat sinks removeably attach to different sections of the inner containment structure so as to measure heat flow into or out of the inner containment structure's different sections, and a test cell enclosure which is adapted to contain forces and output from destructive testing of samples. Embodiments of the invention enable rapid insertion/removal of samples as well as replacement of sections of the system including thermal sensor assemblies as well as enabling separate thermal measurements associated with different sections of a sample under test.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A testing system comprising:
a temperature calibration bath structure having an interior section adapted to contain and thermally control a thermally conductive fluid, wherein said calibration bath is adapted to accept or donate thermal energy;
an outer containment structure formed to fit within said interior section and be disposed within said fluid, said outer containment structure is further formed having a plurality of outer containment structure sections comprising first side sections, a first top section and a first bottom section, wherein at least one outer containment structure section is selectively removable or operable to permit access to an interior section of said outer containment structure, wherein said outer containment structure is formed so as to prevent said fluid from passing into said interior section, said outer containment structure is formed from heat conductive material;
a plurality of heat sinks having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein said first side is facing said outer containment structure, wherein each said heat sink is thermally coupled along thermal conductive paths along a plurality of lateral axis where one of each said plurality of lateral axis passes respectively through each of said heat sinks extending orthogonally away from a vertical axis through a center of said outer containment structure that is parallel to at least one side of said outer containment structure, said thermally conductive paths including thermally conductive bolts and finally through the outer containment structure, wherein each of said plurality of heat sinks are thermally isolated from adjacent said heat sinks that are not along said respective plurality of lateral axis;
a plurality of thermal sensor assemblies having a first and second side, each of said plurality of thermal sensor assemblies are respectively thermally and removably coupled on said first side to the second side of said heat sinks, wherein each of said thermal sensor assemblies is physically separated from each other, wherein each of said thermal sensor assemblies comprises a first and second heat sink wall section and a plurality of thermopiles, wherein said first and second heat sink wall sections are thermally separated by said thermopiles to form a thermoconductive path through each said thermopile;
an inner containment structure operable to removably receive a test cell enclosure operable to receive a sample for thermal testing, wherein said plurality of thermal sensor assemblies are respectively thermally and removably coupled to said second sides of said inner containment structure, wherein said inner containment structure comprises a plurality of wall sections, including second side sections, a second top section and second bottom section, as well as a plurality of thermal isolation barriers, one of said plurality of thermal isolation barriers are each disposed between areas of said wall sections that couple with each other so as to thermally isolate each said wall section from another adjacent wall section, wherein each of said wall sections are selectively and removably coupled together with thermally non-conductive fasteners such as non-conductive screws formed to screw through a face of a wall section, through said respective thermal isolation barrier, and into an edge of an adjacent wall section in contact with the adjacent wall section, wherein said plurality of thermal sensor assemblies are formed so as their heat sink wall sections are substantially of the same length and width of respective surfaces of said inner containment structure wall sections they are facing;
wherein said test cell enclosure is formed to fit within said inner containment structure and facilitate heat transfer, said test cell enclosure further comprises a lid and a test cell enclosure body said lid couples with to prevent pressure of a force up to a first force from escaping, wherein said lid is further formed with a plurality of lid apertures that pass through the lid, said test cell enclosure further comprises a plurality of interface structures that coupled with the lid apertures, said interface structures comprise a pressure sensor and a plurality of pressure sealing wiring interface structures that permit test cell enclosure instrumentation wires to pass through the lid into the test cell enclosure, said test cell enclosure further comprises a plurality of test cell enclosure thermocouples which are disposed within the test cell enclosure structure, some of said test cell enclosure structures are physically coupled to a sample in a plurality of locations, wherein at least one test cell enclosure thermocouples are disposed spaced-apart from said sample but not touching said sample, wherein said interface structures further comprise an exhaust port configured to selectively release pressure contained within said test cell enclosure body accumulated after a destructive test event of said sample, one of said instrumentation wires comprise an electrical source wire configured to pass electrical current to said sample for destructive testing.

2. The testing system of claim 1 wherein said temperature calibration bath further comprises a stirrer or pump operable to circulate said fluid to facilitate a desired temperature of said fluid.

3. The testing system of claim 1 wherein said temperature calibration bath further comprises a temperature control mechanism comprising an integrated heater in a bottom plate of said temperature calibration bath and a cooling element at the top of said temperature calibration bath.

4. The testing system of claim 1 wherein each of said thermal sensor assemblies output separate measurement data to measure heat flow from respective faces of said sample oriented towards a respective wall section facing said sample, wherein said thermal sensor assemblies comprise thermopiles arranged as parallel thermal pathways but electrically connected in series to sum and amplify a generated signal from said thermopiles.

5. The testing system of claim 1 wherein said thermal sensor assemblies are configured to output separate measurements to independently measure heat flow from each side of said inner containment structure, wherein said thermal sensor assemblies comprise thermopiles arranged as parallel thermal pathways but electrically connected in series to sum and amplify a generated signal from said thermopiles.

6. The testing system of claim 1 wherein at least one thermal sensor assembly further comprises one or more non-heat conductive bolts or couplers that goes through said first and second heat sink wall sections and attaching to said inner containment structure so as to thermally couple said at least one thermal sensor assembly to said inner containment structure.

7. The testing system of claim 1 wherein at least one thermal sensor assembly further comprises a spacer adapted to prevent contact between said first and second heat sink wall section and thereby permit thermal energy to only pass between said heat sink wall sections through one or more said thermopiles disposed there between.

8. The testing system of claim 7 wherein said spacer is made from a non-thermally conductive material.

9. A method of repair of a testing system providing an assembly comprising:
providing a testing system comprising:
a temperature bath housing structure adapted to contain and maintain a fluid bath at a predetermined temperature;
an outer containment structure adapted to insert into the temperature bath housing structure in immersive contact with said fluid bath through an aperture;
an outer cover over said aperture in said outer containment structure;
an internal containment structure formed as a thermal sensor assembly enclosure

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Ubelhor Ryan
• Ellison Daniel
• Pierce Cecilia

Classifications

• G01N25/20

  by investigating the development of heat, i.e. calorimetry, e.g. by measuring specific heat, by measuring thermal conductivity (calorimeters per se G01K) · CPC title

• G01N25/32

  using thermoelectric elements · CPC title

• G01K17/00

  Measuring quantity of heat (measuring temperature by calorimetry G01K3/00 - G01K11/00; specially adapted for measuring thermal properties of materials, e.g. specific heat, heat of combustion G01N) · CPC title

• G01K19/00 Primary

  Testing or calibrating calorimeters · CPC title