Metal air battery having air purification module and and method of operating the metal air battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016344080-A1
Application number	US-201615132720-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 19, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metal air battery having an air purification module and a method of operating the metal air battery, the metal air battery including: a battery cell module configured to generate electricity using oxidation of a metal and reduction of oxygen; an air purification module including a first adsorption unit and being configured to supply air purified by the first adsorption unit to the battery cell module, the first adsorption unit being configured to adsorb an impurity; and a detection module configured to detect a concentration of the impurity, wherein the air purification module further includes a recycling unit configured to desorbs the impurity adsorbed into the first adsorption unit;
and a controller configured to control an operation of the recycling unit based on the concentration of the impurity detected by the detection module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A metal air battery comprising:
a battery cell module configured to generate electricity based on oxidation of a metal and reduction of oxygen; an air purification module comprising a first adsorption unit and being configured to supply air purified by the first adsorption unit to the battery cell module, the first adsorption unit being configured to adsorb an impurity; and a detection module configured to detect a concentration of the impurity, wherein the air purification module further comprises
a recycling unit configured to desorb the impurity adsorbed into the first adsorption unit; and
a controller configured to control an operation of the recycling unit based on the concentration of the impurity detected by the detection module.

2 . The metal air battery of claim 1 , wherein the impurity comprises water.

3 . The metal air battery of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the recycling unit when charging of the battery cell module is performed, by comparing a concentration of water detected by the detection module with a first reference concentration.

4 . The metal air battery of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the recycling unit when discharging of the battery cell module is performed, by comparing the concentration of water detected by the detection module with a second reference concentration which is greater than the first reference concentration.

5 . The metal air battery of claim 4 , wherein
the adsorption unit comprises a plurality of adsorption chambers disposed in parallel, and when discharging of the battery cell module is performed, a first adsorption chamber of the plurality of adsorption chambers adsorbs water and supplies purified air to the battery cell module, and a second adsorption chamber of the plurality of adsorption chambers desorbs water via the recycling unit and discharges water to an outside of the metal air battery.

6 . The metal air battery of claim 2 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to operate the recycling unit when charging of the battery cell module is performed, by comparing a content of water accumulated in the air purification module to a first reference content, wherein the content of water accumulated in the air purification module is determined from a concentration of water detected by the detection module, and wherein the first reference content is 50% to 99% of a total capacity of the air purification module.

7 . The metal air battery of claim 1 , wherein the recycling unit is further configured to heat the first adsorption unit.

8 . The metal air battery of claim 1 , wherein the air purification module further comprises a second adsorption unit in series with the first adsorption unit, the second adsorption unit being configured to purify air that passes through the first adsorption unit and supply the purified air to the battery cell module.

9 . The metal air battery of claim 1 , wherein the air purification module further comprises an auxiliary adsorption unit in parallel to the adsorption unit and having an adsorption capacity less than that of the adsorption unit.

10 . The metal air battery of claim 1 , wherein the detection module is placed in at least one position of an upstream and a downstream of the air purification module.

11 . The metal air battery of claim 1 , wherein the first adsorption unit is further configured to operate by at least one method selected from pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, pressure temperature swing adsorption, and vacuum swing adsorption.

12 . The metal air battery of claim 1 , wherein the metal of the battery cell module is lithium.

13 . A method of operating the metal air battery of claim 1 , the method comprising:
operating the battery cell module by charging or discharging the battery cell module; detecting a concentration of an impurity in air; and desorbing and recycling the impurity adsorbed into the first adsorption unit with the recycling unit, based on the detected concentration of the impurity detected by the detection module in the air, to operate the metal air battery.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the impurity comprises water.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the recycling unit is operated when charging of the battery cell module is performed, by comparing a concentration of water detected by the detection module with a first reference concentration.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the recycling unit is operated when discharging of the battery cell module is performed, by comparing the concentration of water detected by the detection module with a second reference concentration which is greater than the first reference concentration.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first adsorption unit comprises a plurality of adsorption chambers in parallel, and when discharging of the battery cell module is performed, a first adsorption chamber of the plurality of adsorption chambers adsorbs water and supplies purified air to the battery cell module, and a second adsorption chamber of the plurality of adsorption chambers desorbs water via the recycling unit and discharges water to the outside.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the recycling comprises heating the first adsorption unit to desorb water adsorbed into the first adsorption unit.

19 . A method of operating a metal air battery, the method comprising:
purifying air with an air purification module of the metal air battery to provide purified air; detecting a concentration of water in the purified air with a detection module of the metal air battery; comparing the concentration of water in the purified air to a reference concentration; saving an instruction to operate a recycling unit of the metal air battery, which recycles an adsorption unit of the air purification module when the concentration of water in the purified air is greater than a reference concentration; and supplying the purified air to a battery cell to operate the metal air battery.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising determining if the instruction to operate a recycling unit is present, and
operating the recycling unit to recycle the air purification module when the instruction to operate a recycling unit is present.

21 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a battery cell module configured to generate electricity using a chemical reaction; an air purification module comprising an adsorption unit and being configured to supply air purified by the adsorption unit to the battery cell module, the adsorption unit configured to adsorb an impurity; and a detection module configured to detect concentration of the impurity. wherein the air purification module further comprises:
a recycling unit configured to desorb the impurity adsorbed into the adsorption unit; and
a controller configured to control an operation of the recycling unit based on the concentration of the impurity detected by the detection module.

22 . The electrochemical cell of claim 21 , wherein the impurity comprises water.

23 . The electrochemical cell of claim 22 , wherein
the controller is further configured to operate the recycling unit when charging of the battery cell module is performed, by comparing a concentration of water detected by the detection module with a first reference concentration and to operate the recycling unit when dischar

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ko Jeongsik
• Kwon Hyukjae
• Im Dongmin

Classifications

• H01M2300/0017

  Non-aqueous electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M10/44

  Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) · CPC title

• H01M12/02

  Details (of electrodes H01M4/00; of non-active parts H01M50/00) · CPC title

• H01M12/08 Primary

  composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title