IP Library Granted Patent US 8,119,276
Granted Patent B2
US 8,119,276 · App. 12/409,866 · Granted Feb 21, 2012

In parallel hybrid power source comprising a lithium/oxyhalide electrochemical cell coupled with a lithium ion cell

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,119,276
App. No.
12/409,866
Granted
Feb 21, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lithium oxyhalide cell electrically connected in parallel with a lithium ion cell is described. Importantly, the open circuit voltage of the freshly built primary lithium oxyhalide cell is equal to or less that the open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in a fully charged state. This provides a power system that combines the high capacity of the primary cell with the high pulse power of the secondary cell. This hybrid power system exhibits increased rate capability, higher capacity and improved safety in addition to elimination of voltage delay in comparison to a comparable lithium oxyhalide cell discharge alone.

Claims (43)

1. An electrochemical power system, which consists of:

a) a first primary cell comprising:

i) a first casing;

ii) an anode comprising lithium;

iii) a cathode current collector; and

iv) a catholyte comprising an inorganic depolarizer solvent provided with a halogen or an interhalogen dissolved therein to activate the anode and cathode current collector housed inside the first casing;

b) a second lithium ion cell comprising:

i) a second casing;

ii) a negative electrode of an anode material that intercalates and deintercalates with lithium and is contacted to an anode current collector;

iii) a positive electrode comprising a cathode active material that intercalates and deintercalates with lithium and that is contacted to a cathode current collector; and

iv) an electrolyte activating the negative and positive electrodes of the second rechargeable cell, housed inside the second casing; and

c) wherein the first and second cells are electrically connected in parallel, and

d) wherein a first open circuit voltage of the first primary cell in a freshly built state is greater than a second open circuit voltage of the second lithium ion cell in a fully charged state.

2. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the second open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in the fully charged state is from about 1.0 volts to about 4.5 volts.

3. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the second open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in the fully charged state is from about 0.05 volts to about 0.8 volts less than the first open circuit voltage of the freshly built first primary cell.

4. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the interhalogen of the first cell is selected from the group consisting of CIF, ClF 3 , ICL, ICl 3 , IBr, IF 3 , IF 5 , BrCl, BrF, BrF 3 , BrF 5 , and mixtures thereof.

5. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the halogen of the first cell is selected from the group consisting of iodine, bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and mixtures thereof.

6. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the inorganic solvent of the first cell is selected from the group consisting of thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, selenium oxychloride, chromyl. chloride, phosphoryl chloride, phosphorous sulfur trichloride, and mixtures thereof.

7. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the cathode current collector of the first cell is a carbonaceos material.

8. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the cathode current collector of the first cell is selected from the group consisting of graphite, coke, acetylene black, carbon black, glassy carbon, pitch carbon, synthetic carbon, mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB), carbon monofluoride, and mixtures thereof, contacted to a metal substrate.

9. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the catholyte of the first cell includes at least one salt selected from the group consisting of LiCl, LiBr, LiPF 6 , LiBF 4 , LiAsF 6 , LiSbF 6 , LiClO 4 , LiAlCl 4 , LiGaCl 4 , LiC(SO 2 CF 3 ) 3 , LiN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 , LiSCN, LiO 3 SCF 2 CF 3 , LiC 6 F 5 SO 3 , LiO 2 , LiO 2 CCF 3 , LiSO 3 F, LiB(C 6 H 5 ) 4 , LiCF 3 SO 3 , and mixtures thereof.

10. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the anode material of the negative electrode for the lithium ion cell is selected from the group consisting of coke, carbon black, graphite, acetylene black, carbon fibers, glassy carbon, and mixtures thereof.

11. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the cathode active material of the lithium ion cell is selected from the group consisting of lithiated oxides, lithiated sulfides, lithiated selenides, and lithiated tellurides of the group selected from vanadium, titanium, chromium, copper, molybdenum, niobium, iron, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and mixtures thereof.

12. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the cathode active material of the lithium ion cell is selected from the group consisting of LiNiO 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , LiCoO 2 , LiCo 0.92 Sn 0.08 O 2 , LiCO 1-x Ni x O 2 , LiNi x Co y Mn z O 2 , LiNi 1-x Al x O 2 , LiMn 1-x Al x O 2 , LiFePO 4 , and mixtures thereof.

13. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte for the lithium ion cell comprises at least one relatively low viscosity solvent selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofuran, methyl acetate, diglyme, trigylme, tetragylme, dimethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, 1,2-dimethoxyethane, diisopropylether, 1,2-diethoxyethane, 1-ethoxy, 2-methoxyethane, dipropyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, methyl propyl carbonate, ethyl propyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, and at least one relatively high permittivity solvent selected from the group consisting of propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, γ-butyrolactone, γ-valerolactone, N-methyl-pyrrolidinone.

14. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte of the second cell includes at least one salt selected from the group consisting of LiCl, LiBr, LiPF 6 , LiBF 4 , LiAsF 6 , LiSbF 6 , LiClO 4 , LiAlCl 4 , LiGaCl 4 , LiC(SO 2 CF 3 ) 3 , LiN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 , LiSCN, LiO 3 SCF 2 CF 3 , LiC 6 F 5 SO 3 , LiO 2 , LiO 2 CCF 3 , LiSO 3 F, LiB(C 6 H 5 ) 4 , LiCF 3 SO 3 , and mixtures thereof.

15. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein the first and second cells each include a separator to prevent direct physical contact between the opposite polarity electrodes.

16. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein a diode is electrically connected in series between the first primary cell and the second lithium ion cell.

17. The electrochemical power system of claim 1 wherein a voltage drop across a diode electrically connected in series between the first primary cell and the second lithium ion cell ranges from about 0.1 volts to about 0.7 volts

18. An electrochemical power system, which consists of:

a) a first primary cell comprising a Li/BCX couple;

b) a second lithium ion cell comprising a carbonaceous anode electrochemically coupled with a cathode of LiFePO 4 ; and

c) wherein the first and second cells are electrically connected in parallel, and d) wherein a first open circuit voltage of the first primary cell in a freshly built state is greater than a second open circuit voltage of the second. lithium ion cell in a fully charged state.

19. The electrochemical power system of claim 18 wherein the second open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in the fully charged state is from about 1.0 volts to about 4.5 volts.

20. The electrochemical power system of claim 18 wherein the second open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in the fully charged state is from about 0.05 volts to about 0.8 volts less than the first open circuit voltage of the freshly built first primary cell.

21. The electrochemical power system of claim 18 wherein a diode is electrically connected in series between the first primary cell and the second lithium ion cell.

22. A method for providing an electrochemical power system, consisting of the steps of:

a) providing a lithium/oxyhalide cell;

b) providing a lithium ion cell;

c) electrically connecting the lithium/oxyhalide cell to the lithium ion cell in parallel,

d) wherein a first open circuit voltage of the lithium/oxyhalide cell in a freshly built, state is greater than a second open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in a fully charged state.

23. The method of claim 22 including providing the second open circuit voltage of the lithium ion cell in the fully charged state being from about 0.05 volts to about 0.8 volts less than the first open circuit voltage of the freshly built lithium/oxyhalide cell.

24. The method of claim 22 including electrically connecting a diode in series between the lithium/oxyhalide cell and the lithium ion cell.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: ULTRALIFE CORPORATION; SOUTHWEST ELECTRONIC ENERGY CORPORATION - AN ULTRALIFE COMPANY; ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 069301/0144 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069096/0055 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2022
From: MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY (AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT)
To: GREATBATCH, INC.; GREATBATCH LTD.; ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.; NEURONEXUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GREATBATCH-GLOBE TOOL, INC.; PRECIMED INC.; MICRO POWER ELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061659/0858 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2022
From: MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY (AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT)
To: GREATBATCH, LTD; ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.; NEURONEXUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; MICRO POWER ELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058649/0728 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2022
From: MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY (AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT)
To: GREATBATCH, INC.; GREATBATCH LTD.; ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.; NEURONEXUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GREATBATCH-GLOBE TOOL, INC.; PRECIMED INC.; MICRO POWER ELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060938/0069 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2021
From: GREATBATCH LTD.; ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.; LAKE REGION MEDICAL, INC.; LAKE REGION MANUFACTURING, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 057468/0056 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2015
From: GREATBATCH, INC.; GREATBATCH LTD.; ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.; NEURONEXUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GREATBATCH-GLOBE TOOL, INC.; PRECIMED INC.; MICRO POWER ELECTRONICS, INC.
To: MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 036980/0482 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2013
From: GREATBATCH LTD; ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.; NEURONEXUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; MICRO POWER ELECTRONICS, INC.
To: MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY (AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES)
Reel/Frame 031290/0278 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2009
From: JOHNSON, ARDEN P.; TIKHONOV, KONSTANTIN; WOODNORTH, DOUGLAS; CARROLL, JON J.
To: ELECTROCHEM SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022724/0042 →