Device and method for mechanically detecting anomalous battery operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017294686-A1
Application number	US-201715480576-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 6, 2017
Priority date	Apr 6, 2016
Publication date	Oct 12, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An anomalous battery operating detection device, which includes a sensing unit capable of measuring mechanical properties of a battery, coupled to a processor for determining whether anomalous behavior has been detected. These devices measure a mechanical property, identifying a difference in the property, and based on that difference, making a determination of anomalous behavior. Non-mechanical properties may also be utilized when making the determination. Responsive actions can be taken once the anomalous behavior is detected. The battery can be intercalated, and may be a lithium-ion battery cell. Alternatively, the sensing unit may measure strain. In addition, more than one sensing unit may be utilized, or a separate light source may be introduced. The system may be configured to allow the processor to determine the potential for failure before the battery fails.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device for mechanically detecting anomalous battery behavior, comprising:
a sensing unit comprising at least one of a mechanical transducer or optical sensor, the sensing unit operationally coupled to at least one battery cell so as to be capable of measuring at least one mechanical property related to the at least one battery cell; and a processor, coupled to the sensing unit, capable of receiving input from the sensing unit and making a determination of anomalous battery operation based on the at least one mechanical property.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the battery cell is an intercalated battery cell.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the intercalated battery cell is a lithium ion battery cell.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mechanical property is strain.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a first mechanical transducer or optical sensor and at least one additional mechanical transducer or optical sensor.

6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a light source.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the light source utilizes light having a wavelength of between about 390 nm and about 1 mm.

8 . The device of claim 1 , configured such that the processor is capable of identifying anomalous battery behavior of the at least one battery cell before a failure event occurs.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the identified at least one battery cell can be removed without removing the sensing unit.

10 . The device of claim 8 , further configured to allow the use of the identified at least one battery cell to be modified following the identification of anomalous battery behavior.

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit is capable of detecting at least one of lithium metal plating, lithium dendrite growth, internal short-circuiting, separator degradation, or gas evolution.

12 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a battery management system capable of measuring non-mechanical properties related to the at least one battery cell is coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to make a determination of anomalous battery operation based on both mechanical and non-mechanical properties.

13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein non-mechanical properties comprise at least one of voltage, current, or temperature.

14 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the identified at least one battery cell can be removed without removing the sensing unit.

15 . The device of claim 12 , further configured to allow the use of the identified at least one battery cell to be modified following the identification of anomalous battery behavior.

16 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the determination of anomalous battery operation comprises detecting at least one of a decrease in strain while the battery is charging, or an increase in strain while the battery is discharging.

17 . A method for mechanically detecting anomalous battery behavior, comprising the steps of:
measuring a mechanical property of a battery cell at a first point in time; identifying at least one difference in the at least one mechanical property based on the comparison by comparing the measurement of the mechanical property with at least one of a measurement of the mechanical property at a second point in time or a prediction of the mechanical property at the first point in time; and determining whether there is anomalous battery operation based upon the identification of the at least one change in the at least one mechanical property.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of detecting battery controller faults by utilizing a plurality of measurements of the mechanical property and cross-referencing with at least one of a voltage or current measurement of at least one of a battery cell or battery controller.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of comparing the identified at least one change in the at least one mechanical property with at least one change in at least one non-mechanical property.

20 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of taking a responsive action selected from the group of: displaying a warning on a user interface, emitting a warning sound, shutting down a device associated with the battery, or modifying the use of the battery cell.

Assignees

• Arnold Craig
• Cannarella John
• Liu Xinyi M
• Univ Princeton

Inventors

• Arnold Craig
• Cannarella John
• Liu Xinyi M

Classifications

• H01M10/486

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• 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

• H01M10/425 Primary

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• G01B11/16

  for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge · CPC title