Power delivery system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020112040-A1
Application number	US-201816153447-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 5, 2018
Priority date	Oct 5, 2018
Publication date	Apr 9, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating an electric energy storage device are described. The systems and methods may reduce a voltage potential between a ground reference and terminals of an electric energy storage device. By lowering the voltage potential, a possibility of unintentionally discharging the electrical energy storage device to ground may be reduced.

First claim

1 . An electrical power system, comprising:
an electric energy storage cell including a positive reactor, a negative reactor, a barrier providing fluidic isolation between the positive reactor and the negative reactor, a first portion of a first electrolyte, and a first portion of a second electrolyte that is not in fluidic communication with the first electrolyte; a first fluidic passage housing a second portion of the first electrolyte that is in fluidic communication with the positive reactor; a second fluidic passage housing a second portion of the second electrolyte that is in fluidic communication with the negative reactor; and a metallic device that is in electrical communication with the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte, the metallic device electrically coupled to a reference electrical potential.

2 . The electric power system of claim 1 , where the reference electrical potential is an earth ground potential, and further comprising:
at least one pump that is in fluidic communication with the first fluidic passage.

3 . The electric power system of claim 2 , further comprising at least one pump that is in fluidic communication with the second fluidic passage.

4 . The electric power system of claim 1 , where the metallic device is positioned along the first and second fluidic passages.

5 . The electric power system of claim 1 , where the metallic device is a fluid manifold that directs the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte to a plurality of electric energy storage cells.

6 . The electric power system of claim 1 , where the metallic device is a heating element.

7 . The electric power system of claim 1 , where the metallic device is a housing of a pump.

8 . The electric power system of claim 1 , where the metallic device is an impeller of a pump.

9 . An electrical power system, comprising:
a plurality of electric energy storage cells, each of the plurality of electric energy storage cells including a positive reactor, a negative reactor, a barrier providing fluidic isolation between the positive reactor and the negative reactor, a first portion of a first electrolyte, and a first portion of a second electrolyte that is not in fluidic communication with the first electrolyte; a manifold including a plurality of passages including the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte; one or more pumps configured to deliver the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte to the plurality of electric energy storage cells; and a metallic device that is in electrical communication with the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte, the metallic device electrically coupled to a reference electrical potential.

10 . The electric power system of claim 9 , where the reference electrical potential is an earth ground potential, and where the metallic device is directly electrically coupled to the earth ground potential.

11 . The electric power system of claim 9 , where the reference electrical potential is an earth ground potential, and where the metallic device is electrically coupled to the earth ground potential via a current sensing device.

12 . The electrical power system of claim 11 , further comprising a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory for deactivating the electrical power system in response to an electrical current that is greater than a threshold current flowing through the current sensing device.

13 . The electrical power system of claim 12 , where deactivating the electrical power system includes deactivating the one or more pumps.

14 . The electrical power system of claim 9 , where the metallic device is a heating element.

15 . A method for an electric power system, comprising:
supplying a first electrolyte a positive reactor of an electric energy storage device and a second electrolyte to a negative reactor of the electric energy storage device, the first electrolyte not in fluidic communication with the second electrolyte; and electrically coupling the first electrolyte to the second electrolyte via a metallic device, the metallic device in physical contact with the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising electrically coupling the metallic device to an earth ground potential.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising deactivating the electric energy storage device in response to an electrical current flowing between the earth ground potential and the metallic device being greater than a threshold electrical current.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising heating the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte via the metallic device.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising supplying the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte via a single pump that includes the metallic device.

20 . The method of claim 19 , where the metallic device is an impeller of the single pump.

Assignees

• Ess Technology Inc

Inventors

• Walker-Stern Isaac
• Vanderzanden Aaron

Classifications

• H01M8/04276

  Arrangements for managing the electrolyte stream, e.g. heat exchange · CPC title

• H01M8/04186 Primary

  of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04574

  Current · CPC title

• H01M8/04955

  Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

  by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries · CPC title