Optical gas imaging system for leak detection during battery manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025044181-A1
Application number	US-202318364731-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2023
Priority date	Aug 3, 2023
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A leak detection system for a battery enclosure for one of a rechargeable energy storage system, a battery cell, a battery module, and/or a battery pack includes a gas delivery system configured to selectively provide a trace gas to the battery enclosure. A first optical gas imaging sensor is configured to generate images of a surface of the battery enclosure after the gas delivery system charges the battery enclosure with trace gas. The images are used to selectively detect a gas cloud adjacent to the surface of the of the battery enclosure. The gas cloud is used to determine a location of a gas leak on the surface of the battery enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A leak detection system for an enclosure, comprising:
a gas delivery system configured to selectively provide a trace gas to the enclosure; and a first optical gas imaging sensor configured to generate images of a surface of the enclosure after the gas delivery system charges the enclosure with trace gas, wherein the images are used to selectively detect a gas cloud adjacent to the surface of the of the enclosure, and wherein the gas cloud is used to determine a location of a gas leak on the surface of the enclosure.

2 . The leak detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a positioning device configured to position one of the first optical gas imaging sensor and the enclosure relative to the other of the first optical gas imaging sensor and the enclosure.

3 . The leak detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature-controlled screen, wherein the surface of the enclosure is arranged between the first optical gas imaging sensor and the temperature-controlled screen.

4 . The leak detection system of claim 3 , wherein an outer surface of the temperature-controlled screen is black.

5 . The leak detection system of claim 3 , wherein the temperature-controlled screen is heated to a temperature in a range from 10° F. to 100° F. above an ambient temperature.

6 . The leak detection system of claim 1 , wherein the gas delivery system includes a trace gas source and a valve fluidly connecting the trace gas source to the enclosure.

7 . The leak detection system of claim 6 , wherein the gas delivery system includes a pump and a valve fluidly connecting the pump to the enclosure.

8 . The leak detection system of claim 1 , wherein the gas delivery system supplies a trace gas selected from a group consisting of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a hydrocarbon, a volatile organic compound (VOC), methane, carbon monoxide (CO), helium (He), molecular hydrogen (H 2 ), and/or combinations thereof.

9 . The leak detection system of claim 1 , wherein the first optical gas imaging sensor includes a gas filter having a predetermined pass band around an absorption wavelength of the trace gas.

10 . The leak detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to communicate with the first optical gas imaging sensor, to detect the gas cloud adjacent to the surface of the enclosure, and to determine a position of a gas leak in response to the gas cloud.

11 . The leak detection system of claim 1 , wherein the first optical gas imaging sensor is configured to take a first image of the surface of the enclosure before the trace gas is supplied by the gas delivery system, and to take a second image of the surface of the enclosure after the trace gas is supplied to the enclosure.

12 . The leak detection system of claim 11 , wherein the first optical gas imaging sensor is configured to reduce a field of view of the first optical gas imaging sensor after the second image in response to the gas cloud being identified and to take a third image using the reduced field of view, wherein the location of the gas leak is based on the third image.

13 . The leak detection system of claim 12 , wherein the first optical gas imaging sensor generates the images from a first portion of the surface of the enclosure and further comprising a second optical gas imaging sensor configured to generate images of the surface of the enclosure.

14 . A method for detecting a gas leak in an enclosure, comprising:
selectively providing a trace gas to the enclosure; generating images of a surface of the enclosure using a first optical gas imaging sensor after the enclosure is charged with trace gas; selectively detecting a gas cloud adjacent to the surface of the of the enclosure; and in response to detecting the gas cloud, determining a location of a gas leak on the surface of the enclosure.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising positioning one of the first optical gas imaging sensor and the enclosure relative to the other of the first optical gas imaging sensor and the enclosure.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising arranging the enclosure between a temperature-controlled screen and the first optical gas imaging sensor.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
an outer surface of the temperature-controlled screen is black, and the temperature-controlled screen is heated to a temperature in a range from 10° F. to 100° F. above an ambient temperature.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the trace gas is selected from a group consisting of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a hydrocarbon, a volatile organic compound (VOC), methane, carbon monoxide (CO), helium (He), molecular hydrogen (H 2 ), and/or combinations thereof.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising using a gas filter having a predetermined pass band around an absorption wavelength of the trace gas.

20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
taking a first image of the surface of the enclosure before the trace gas is supplied using the first optical gas imaging sensor; taking a second image of the surface of the enclosure after the trace gas is supplied to the enclosure using the first optical gas imaging sensor; reducing a field of view after the second image in response to the gas cloud being identified; and taking a third image using the reduced field of view using the first optical gas imaging sensor, wherein the location of the gas leak is determined in response to the third image.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Ghassemi-Armaki Hassan
• Ghosh Ranajit
• Ma Junjie
• James Robin
• Carlson Blair E

Classifications

• G01M3/38 Primary

  by using light (G01M3/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01M3/22 Primary

  for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; {for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators} · CPC title

• H01M10/4228

  Leak testing of cells or batteries · CPC title

• G01M3/226

  for containers, e.g. radiators · CPC title

• G01M3/002

  by using thermal means · CPC title