Systems and methods for monitoring temperatures of batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016195437-A1
Application number	US-201514591310-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 7, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for monitoring a temperature of a battery is provided. The method includes applying a thermochromatic coating to a surface of the battery. The method additionally includes directing electromagnetic radiation towards the thermochromatic coating, observing a thermochromatic response of the thermochromatic coating to the electromagnetic radiation, and identifying at least one portion of the battery that has experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature, based on the thermochromatic response.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for monitoring a temperature of a battery, said method comprising:
applying a thermochromatic coating to a surface of a battery; directing electromagnetic radiation towards the thermochromatic coating; observing a thermochromatic response of the coating to the electromagnetic radiation; and identifying at least one portion of the battery that has experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature, based on the thermochromatic response.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the thermochromatic coating further comprises applying the thermochromatic coating to the surface of at least one of a battery container and a cell of the battery.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the thermochromatic coating further comprises applying at least one of a thermochromatic paint and a thermochromatic tape to the surface of the battery.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the thermochromatic coating further comprises applying a thermochromatic coating that includes first probes that fluoresce in association with a first threshold temperature and second probes that fluoresce in association with a second threshold temperature that is different from the first threshold temperature.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein directing electromagnetic radiation further comprises directing ultraviolet light towards the thermochromatic coating.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein observing the thermochromatic response further comprises generating an image of the surface using an imaging device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing a plurality of images of the surface over a time period; and identifying a heating pattern in the stored plurality of images.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein observing the thermochromatic response further comprises detecting a change in a color or an intensity of the thermochromatic response.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the portion of the battery experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature; and replacing at least the portion of the battery in response to the determination.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising installing the battery in an aircraft.

11 . A system for use in monitoring temperatures experienced by a battery, said system comprising:
a battery including at least one cell; a container containing said battery; a thermochromatic coating applied to at least one of said battery, said at least one cell, and said container, wherein said thermochromatic coating includes a plurality of probes that, when exposed to a predefined frequency range of electromagnetic radiation, emit a thermochromatic response that indicates a temperature that each respective probe reached during a predefined time period.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said probes include first probes that are configured to fluoresce with a first color in association with a first threshold temperature and second probes that are configured to fluoresce with a second color in association with a second threshold temperature, wherein the first color is different from the second color and the first threshold temperature is different from the second threshold temperature.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said battery is installed in an aircraft.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said battery is a lithium ion battery.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said coating includes at least one of a thermochromatic paint and a thermochromatic tape.

16 . A system for monitoring temperatures experienced by a battery, said system comprising:
a monitoring computing device including a processor, said monitoring computing device configured to:
receive one or more images of a thermochromatic coating of at least one of a battery container, a battery, and a battery cell, wherein the thermochromatic coating is emitting a thermochromatic response;
identify, in the one or more images, at least one of a color and an intensity of a portion of the thermochromatic coating; and
determine, from the at least one of the color and the intensity, that the portion experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to generate a heating history based at least in part on the one or more images.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to identify at least one pattern in the heating history.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to:
display the one or more images using an output device; and visually identify in the one or more images that the portion experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to generate a recommendation to replace the portion in response to determining that the portion experienced the temperature above the predefined threshold temperature.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Georgeson Gary E
• Safai Morteza

Classifications

• H01M10/488

  Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density · CPC title

• H01M10/486 Primary

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• G01K11/12 Primary

  using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title