CN-122000509-A - Charge-discharge control system for zinc-air battery

Abstract

The invention discloses a charge and discharge control system for a zinc-air battery, which comprises a plurality of electrochemical cells, a charge switch circuit and a discharge switch circuit. The charge switch circuit and the discharge switch circuit may be controlled to substantially isolate charging and discharging of the plurality of cells.

Inventors

• R. W. ALEXANDER
• D.K.Lu
• P. T. De Koning
• M receives and steps on
• X.G.Zhang

Assignees

• 锌能公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20251103

Priority Date

20241101

Claims (20)

1. 1. An electrochemical cell system, the system comprising: A first cell and a second cell each comprising a negative charge terminal and a positive charge terminal and a negative discharge terminal and a positive discharge terminal, the electrochemical cell system being adapted to discharge power to a current sink and charge based on power from a current source; a first discharge switch circuit operatively coupled to the positive discharge terminal of the first cell, the first discharge switch circuit operable to selectively provide current from the first cell to the current sink; A second discharge switch circuit operatively coupled to the positive discharge terminal of the second cell and the negative discharge terminal of the first cell, the second discharge switch circuit being operable to selectively provide current from the second cell to the current sink, and A controller configured to direct operation of the first and second discharge switch circuits to substantially isolate charging and discharging of the first and second cells.
2. 2. The electrochemical cell system of claim 1, comprising: A first charge switch circuit operatively coupled to the positive charge terminal of the first cell, the first charge switch circuit being operable to selectively provide current output from the current source to the positive charge terminal of the first cell, and A second charge switch circuit operatively coupled to the positive charge terminal of the second cell, the second charge switch circuit operable to selectively provide current output from the current source to the positive charge terminal of the second cell, wherein the second charge switch circuit receives current output from the current source via at least one of the first cell and the first charge switch circuit.
3. 3. The electrochemical cell system of claim 2, wherein receiving the current output from the first cell into the second charge switch circuit comprises receiving the current output from the current source via a negative charge terminal of the first cell, and wherein receiving the current output from the first charge switch circuit comprises receiving the current output from the current source via at least one of a direct connection to the first charge switch circuit and an indirect connection to the first charge switch circuit at a positive charge terminal of the first cell.
4. 4. The electrochemical cell system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second charge switch circuits is operable to selectively bypass current flowing into a positive charge terminal of the first cell, thereby providing current from the current source to the second charge switch circuit.
5. 5. The electrochemical cell system of claim 4, wherein: A first charge switch circuit selectively bypasses current flowing into a positive charge terminal of the first cell by directing current to a node of the first cell connected to a negative charge terminal of the first cell and the second charge switch circuit, or The second charge switch circuit selectively bypasses current flowing into the positive charge terminal of the first cell by disconnecting from and connecting to the negative charge terminal of the first cell.
6. 6. The electrochemical cell system of claim 2, wherein the controller is operable to selectively discharge power from one or both of the first and second cells, and wherein the controller is operable to selectively charge one or both of the first and second cells.
7. 7. The electrochemical cell system of claim 6, wherein the controller is operable to: Controlling whether one or both of the first and second cells are discharged by selectively bypassing the first and second cells through operation of the first and second discharge switch circuits, or Whether one or both of the first and second cells are charged is controlled by selectively bypassing the first and second cells through operation of the first and second charge switch circuits.
8. 8. The electrochemical cell system of claim 1, wherein the first discharge switch circuit is operable to selectively provide current from the first cell to the current sink via a positive discharge terminal of the first cell, and wherein the second discharge switch circuit is operable to selectively provide current from the second cell to the current sink via a positive discharge terminal of the second cell.
9. 9. The electrochemical cell system of claim 1, wherein the current sink is a boost converter operable to convert power from the electrochemical cell system to power an external load.
10. 10. The electrochemical cell system of claim 1, wherein the current source is a buck converter operable to convert external power to charge the electrochemical system.
11. 11. The electrochemical cell system of claim 1, wherein the first discharge switching circuit is operable to selectively bypass current flow from the positive discharge terminal of the first cell by coupling the negative discharge terminal of the first cell to the current sink instead of coupling to the positive discharge terminal of the first cell.
12. 12. The electrochemical cell system of claim 1, wherein the second discharge switching circuit is operable to selectively bypass current flow from the positive discharge terminal of the first cell by disconnecting the negative discharge terminal of the first cell.
13. 13. The electrochemical cell system of claim 2, wherein the first charge switching circuit comprises a first single-sided MOSFET having a first body diode configured to substantially block current flow from a positive charge terminal of the second cell to a negative charge terminal of the first cell.
14. 14. The electrochemical cell system of claim 13, wherein a sensor is coupled to the first single-sided MOSFET to provide an output that confirms the first single-sided MOSFET is operating to avoid conduction through the first body diode when the first cell is charged.
15. 15. The electrochemical cell system of claim 13, wherein the first and second cells are configured to substantially limit current flow from a negative charge terminal of the first cell to a positive charge terminal of the second cell through the first body diode.
16. 16. The electrochemical cell system of claim 13, wherein the first charging switch circuit comprises a second single-sided MOSFET configured to selectively bypass charging of the first cell.
17. 17. The electrochemical cell system of claim 13, wherein the first charging switch circuit comprises a first double-sided MOSFET operable to selectively control charging of the first cell.
18. 18. A switching circuit for an electrochemical cell system, the electrochemical cell system comprising a first cell and a second cell, the first cell and the second cell each comprising a negative charge terminal and a positive charge terminal and a negative discharge terminal and a positive discharge terminal, the electrochemical cell system adapted to discharge power to a current sink and charge based on power from a current source, the switching circuit comprising: a first MOSFET including a first body diode connected between the negative charge terminal of the first cell and the positive charge terminal of the second cell, the first MOSFET operable to selectively control charging of the first cell based on power from the current source, the first body diode of the first MOSFET configured to substantially block current flow from the positive charge terminal of the second cell to the negative charge terminal of the first cell, and A second MOSFET connected between the positive charge terminal of the first cell and the positive charge terminal of the second cell, the second MOSFET operable to selectively bypass charging of the first cell.
19. 19. The switching circuit of claim 18 wherein a sensor is coupled to the first MOSFET to provide an output that confirms the first MOSFET operation to avoid conduction through the first body diode when the first battery cell is charged.
20. 20. The switching circuit of claim 18 wherein the first and second cells are configured to substantially limit current flow from the negative charge terminal of the first cell to the positive charge terminal of the second cell through the first body diode.

Description

Charge-discharge control system for zinc-air battery Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority from USSN 63/715,308 submitted at 1 of 11 of 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to the field of zinc-air batteries, and more particularly to a charge-discharge configuration for a zinc-air battery. Background Zinc air cells have been known for over 100 years, but have not been successfully commercialized. In a conventional charging cycle, an electrolyte containing zinc hydroxide releases metallic zinc in a charging portion, which precipitates as a solid and accumulates in a discharging portion. During discharge, the solid metallic zinc is converted back to zinc hydroxide, thereby releasing electrons in the process. The charge and discharge modes of operation of zinc-air batteries can be operated via separate terminals, which constitutes an obstacle to the use of commercially available charge and discharge platforms for other battery technologies. Disclosure of Invention In general, one innovative aspect of the subject matter described herein can be implemented in an electrochemical cell system. The system may include a first cell and a second cell, each cell having a negative charge terminal and a positive charge terminal and a negative discharge terminal and a positive discharge terminal. The electrochemical cell system may be adapted to discharge power to the current sink and charge based on power from the current source, and may include a first discharge switching circuit operatively coupled to the positive discharge terminal of the first cell. The first discharge switching circuit may be operable to selectively provide current from the first cell to the current sink. The electrochemical cell system may include a second discharge switching circuit operatively coupled to the positive discharge terminal of the second cell and the negative discharge terminal of the first cell. The second discharge switching circuit may be operable to selectively provide current from the second cell to the current sink. The electrochemical cell system may include a controller configured to direct operation of the first and second discharge circuits to substantially isolate charging and discharging of the first and second cells. For example, the first and second discharge circuits may prevent the first and second cells from being charged and discharged simultaneously. The foregoing and other embodiments may each optionally include one or more of the following features, alone or in combination. In particular, one embodiment includes all of the following features in combination. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell system may include a first charge switch circuit operatively coupled to a positive charge terminal of a first cell. The first charge switch circuit may be operable to selectively provide current output from the current source to the positive charge terminal of the first cell. The electrochemical cell system may include a second charging switch circuit operatively coupled to the positive charging terminal of the second cell. The second charging switch circuit may be operable to selectively provide current output from the current source to the positive charging terminal of the second battery cell, wherein the second charging switch circuit may receive current output from the current source via at least one of the first battery cell and the first charging switch circuit. In some embodiments, receiving the current output from the first battery cell into the second charging switch circuit may include receiving the current output from the current source via a negative charging terminal of the first battery cell, and wherein receiving the current output from the first charging switch circuit may include receiving the current output from the current source via at least one of a direct connection to the first charging switch circuit and an indirect connection to the first charging switch circuit at a positive charging terminal of the first battery cell. In some embodiments, at least one of the first and second charge switch circuits may be operable to selectively bypass current flowing into the positive charge terminal of the first cell, thereby providing current from the current source to the second charge switch circuit. In some embodiments, the first charging switch circuit may selectively bypass current flowing into the positive charging terminal of the first cell by directing current to a node of the first cell connected to the negative charging terminal of the first cell and the second charging switch circuit. In some embodiments, the second charging switch circuit may selectively bypass current flowing into the positive charging terminal of the first cell by disconnecting from the negative charging terminal of the first cell and connecting to the positive charging terminal of the first cell. In some embod