Tandem formation of electrochemical cells

Abstract

In some aspects, a method of monitoring an electrochemical cell stack may include: measuring an anode voltage difference between a first anode tab from a plurality of anode tabs and a second anode tab from the plurality of anode tabs; measuring a cathode voltage difference between a first cathode tab from the plurality of cathode tabs and a second cathode tab from the plurality of cathode tabs; and calculating a difference between the cathode voltage and the anode voltage. In some embodiments, the first cathode tab and the first anode tab may be located at a proximal end of the electrochemical cell. In some embodiments, a distance between the first anode tab and the second anode tab is within about 5% of a distance between the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 394,341, filed on August 2, 2022, entitled “Electrochemical Cells and Electrochemical Cell Stacks with Series Connections and Methods of Producing, Operating, and Monitoring the Same”; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Embodiments described herein relate to electrochemical cells and methods of formation of electrochemical cell stacks. Background Art

[0004] Existing lithium-ion manufacturing systems utilize a single cell formation system, in which thousands or millions of cells are processed and processed via a formation process. The cells are then aged and degassed before installation. This processing is usually inefficient. The power system used to construct electrochemical cells usually operates at very low power conversion efficiency at a 0V-5V DC channel. If the energy from the discharge is not incorporated back into the grid, 1MWh of energy may be lost during the charging process of each electrochemical cell. In addition, the conversion efficiency from the construction grid to the production channel can be about 50% to 60%. The discharge system loss can also be about 5%. Conveyors and handling also add additional power loads. The HVAC load used to remove all dissipated energy for the discharge of the battery cell can add 1MWh to the HVAC heat load for the building, thereby increasing the tonnage of the building system. For every 1MWh produced, the total loss of the production system can be about 2.1MWh, plus each additional 600 tons of refrigeration capacity may be necessary, assuming 1MWh of work in progress (WIP). Capital cost is also an important consideration. All equipment and machinery that moves battery cells from one location to another during the formation process (e.g., conveyors, trays, baskets, fixtures, test lanes, floor space for formation aging and post-testing) are important aspects of each battery cell manufacturing. The multiple locations and movements of each battery cell also increase the process complexity of the system and the cost of the system. System size, complexity, and cost are important drivers of the inability to efficiently manufacture battery cells. Therefore, more efficient systems and methods are needed to store and transfer energy used to manufacture electrochemical battery cells. Summary of the invention

[0005] Embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods for forming electrochemical cells and electrochemical cell modules connected in series. In some aspects, a method of forming an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell comprising an anode material disposed on an anode current collector, a cathode material disposed on a cathode current collector, and a separator disposed between the anode material and the cathode material, the method comprising transferring energy from an energy storage system to a battery formation system to charge the electrochemical cell, and transferring energy from the electrochemical cell to the energy storage system to prevent heat energy from being dissipated into the formation system, wherein the transferred energy is direct current (DC).

[0006] In some aspects, a system for forming an electrochemical cell module includes: a first electrochemical cell module and a second electrochemical cell module connected in series, the first electrochemical cell module and the second electrochemical cell module being configured to receive energy via an energy storage system; a first switch connected in series with the first electrochemical cell module and a second switch connected in parallel with the first electrochemical cell module. The first switch and the second switch have: (1) a first configuration in which the first switch is closed and the second switch is open so that current moves through the first electrochemical cell module; and (2) a second configuration in which the first switch is open and the second switch is closed so that current bypasses the first electrochemical cell module and moves directly to the second electrochemical cell module. The system further includes a controller configured to switch the first switch and the second switch between the first configuration and the second configuration, thereby directing current flow to charge and discharge the first electrochemical cell module and the second electrochemical cell module.

[0007] In some aspects, the system includes an energy storage system configured to receive energy from one or more power sources, and the formation system includes a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series and configured to control the flow of current through the plurality of electrochemical cells via a controller electrically coupled to a plurality of switches. The plurality of electrochemical cells are connected to the energy storage system via a DC electrical connection so that energy is transferred between the plurality of electrochemical cells and the energy storage system without an AC transformer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of an electrochemical cell according to an embodiment is shown.

[0009] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram illustrating energy transfer within a battery manufacturing park according to an embodiment.

[0010] Figure 3A schematic block diagram illustrating energy transfer within a battery manufacturing park according to an embodiment.

[0011] Figure 4 A diagram showing an electrochemical cell stack formation system according to an embodiment is shown.

[0012] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B A diagram showing a battery manufacturing park including an energy storage system according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 A diagram showing a station for conventional formation of a single electrochemical cell.

[0014] Figure 7 A diagram showing a series connection of electrochemical cells with an energy storage system according to an embodiment.

[0015] Figure 8 The interaction between a solar array, an energy storage system, and a generated power system is shown according to an embodiment.

[0016] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of a method for forming an electrochemical battery cell module via an energy storage system according to an embodiment.

[0017] Fig.10 is a flow chart of a method for forming an electrochemical battery cell module via an energy storage system according to an embodiment.

[0018] Fig.11 is a flow chart of a method for providing backup power from an energy storage system according to an embodiment.

[0019] Fig.12 is a flow chart of a method for forming an electrochemical battery cell via an energy storage system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The embodiments described herein describe the production of electrochemical cells as a part of module construction. Module construction can include a method for bypassing the components of the battery formation system with current flow during the formation of the electrochemical cell. High voltage cells, modules and groups can be constructed, and then the cells can be formed into higher voltage system blocks. The modules can be assembled and sent to the formation area, where they are connected in series to obtain a higher total voltage (e.g., 500V). However, any intermediate voltage can be selected based on the needs of construction, safety, process, power grid or battery formation test machine. The limitation of voltage can also be based on available DC / DC or AC / DC conversion technology (which is based on cost or conversion efficiency). The control system for bypassing the energy (both charging and discharging) around the module, cell or battery pack can ensure safe operation, prevent overcharging and allow the complete formation of each cell. The safety system can monitor temperature, current and / or voltage to prevent damage to the cell and thermal runaway caused by overheating, overcharging or overdischarging.

[0021] The embodiments described herein may include algorithms for detecting cell-level faults, internal short circuits, and other fault modes using sensors. Sensing may be used to sense or determine cell voltage, temperature, current, module-level voltage, module-level temperature, module-level current, battery pack-level voltage, battery pack-level temperature, and / or battery pack-level current. The algorithm may then be used to diagnose the functional state of each battery cell in the system. In some cases, sensing may be accomplished via a battery management system (BMS), test system sensing, auxiliary sensing systems, or any combination thereof. The safety system may include regional temperature (hotspots), fire detection, smoke detection, hydrogen detection, carbon monoxide (CO) detection, carbon dioxide (CO2) detection, volatile organic compound (VOC) detection, or other detection methods to ensure that the system is not damaged or to prevent damage to the system, battery, and facility during formation. The safety system may include a fire extinguishing system for preventing facility damage, an active ventilation system for preventing facility damage and personal injury, and a protection system for providing transmission protection between cells, modules, and / or battery packs in formation.

[0022] In some embodiments, the energy storage system can store power and circulate power to and from the formation system. In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include a storage device. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can distribute DC power at the building or park level. The energy storage system can also reduce parasitic losses caused by transformers, power factor correction systems, and / or other AC components. The dual purpose of the energy storage system as a facility backup for critical systems is also applicable. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can be used as a dry room backup to protect WIP from damage caused by system power loss. In some embodiments, the energy system may include bidirectional power conversion between AC and DC to share power to and from the building grid in front of or behind the meter. In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include bidirectional power conversion between AC and DC to share power to and from the building grid in an auxiliary or remote location, thereby controlling the total power conversion at the park or grid scale. In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include bidirectional power conversion between AC and DC to share power to and from the building grid in an auxiliary or remote location, thereby controlling the total power conversion at a facility, multiple facilities, a park, a microgrid, and / or a macrogrid to form an auxiliary AC grid for power distribution.

[0023] In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include bidirectional power conversion between DC and DC, so as to share power to and from the formation system, without additional AC conversion losses. In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include bidirectional power conversion between DC and DC, so as to share power to form a shared DC power distribution in a single facility. In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include bidirectional power conversion between DC and DC, so as to share power to form a shared DC power distribution between two or more facilities. In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include bidirectional power conversion between DC and DC, so as to share power to form a shared DC distribution at a park, microgrid or macro grid level. In some embodiments, renewable electricity can provide energy to make up for the conversion losses in the formation system, thereby producing an off-grid formation system or a low-power formation system.

[0024] In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include a grid or renewable connection for metering the energy of the formation layer system and providing energy to make up for efficiency losses. In some embodiments, the energy storage system with built-in control can monitor the power demand of the entire facility and park to provide demand load, frequency regulation, peak shaving, load balancing and / or other grid stabilization operations. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can serve the formation system and / or other secondary renewable uses, such as charging station power for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), electric vehicles (EV), or any other suitable specific implementation.

[0025] Monitoring the voltage at various points throughout a battery cell or electrode can be an important aspect of building an energy storage system. Differences in voltage gradients or inflection points can help identify problematic battery cells or electrodes. Identifying these faulty elements during production or even during operation can significantly limit energy storage system downtime during repair or replacement.

[0026] In some embodiments, the electrodes described herein may include conventional solid electrodes. In some embodiments, the solid electrodes may include a binder. In some embodiments, the electrodes described herein may include semi-solid electrodes. The semi-solid electrodes described herein may be made: (i) thicker (e.g., greater than 100 μm to up to 2,000 μm or even greater) due to the reduced tortuosity and higher electronic conductivity of the semi-solid electrodes, (ii) with a higher active material load, and (iii) with a simplified manufacturing process using less equipment. These relatively thick semi-solid electrodes reduce the volume, mass, and cost contribution of inactive components relative to active components, thereby enhancing the commercial appeal of batteries made from semi-solid electrodes. In some embodiments, the semi-solid electrodes described herein are binder-free and / or do not use binders used in conventional battery manufacturing. Instead, the volume of the electrode that is typically occupied by the binder in a conventional electrode is now occupied by: 1) electrolyte, which has the effect of reducing tortuosity and increasing the total salt available for ion diffusion, thereby offsetting the typical salt depletion effect of thick conventional electrodes when used at high rates, 2) active material, which has the effect of increasing the charge capacity of the battery, or 3) conductive additive, which has the effect of increasing the electronic conductivity of the electrode, thereby offsetting the high internal impedance of thick conventional electrodes. The reduced tortuosity and higher electronic conductivity of the semi-solid electrodes described herein produce excellent rate performance and charge capacity of electrochemical cells formed by semi-solid electrodes. Since the semi-solid electrodes described herein can be made much thicker than conventional electrodes, the ratio of active materials (i.e., semi-solid cathodes and / or anodes) to inactive materials (i.e., current collectors and separators) in the battery formed by the electrochemical cell stack including the semi-solid electrodes can be much higher relative to similar batteries formed by the electrochemical cell stack including conventional electrodes. This significantly increases the total charge capacity and energy density of the battery including the semi-solid electrodes described herein.

[0027] In some embodiments, the electrode materials described herein can be flowable semi-solid or condensed liquid compositions. In some embodiments, the electrode materials described herein can be binder-free or substantially binder-free. A flowable semi-solid electrode can include a suspension of an electrochemically active material (anode or cathode particles or microparticles) and an optional electronically conductive material (e.g., carbon) in a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte. In other words, the active electrode particles and the conductive particles are co-suspended in an electrolyte to produce a semi-solid electrode. Examples of cell architectures utilizing semisolid suspensions are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022 / 0238923, filed on January 21, 2022, and entitled “Production of Semi-Solid Electrodes Via Addition of Electrolyte to Mixture of Active Material, Conductive Material, and Electrolyte Solvent” (“the '923 Publication”) and U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 212,414, filed on June 21, 2023, and entitled “Electrochemical Cells with High-Viscosity Semi-solid Electrodes, and Methods of Making the Same” (“the '414 Application”), the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0028] In some embodiments, the power management system described herein may include any of the aspects described in: U.S. Patent No. 10,153,651, filed on October 9, 2015 and entitled “Systems and Methods for Battery Charging” (“the '651 patent”), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the battery management system described herein may include any of the aspects described in: U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 743,631, filed on November 20, 2020 and entitled “Electrochemical Cells Connected in Series in a Single Pouch and Methods of Making the Same” (“the '631 application”), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0029] As used in this specification, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, the term "member" is intended to mean a single member or a combination of members, and "material" is intended to mean one or more materials or a combination thereof.

[0030] When used in conjunction with "cylindrical," "linear," and / or other geometric relationships, the term "substantially" is intended to convey that the structure so defined is nominally cylindrical, linear, etc. As an example, a portion of a support member described as "substantially linear" is intended to convey that while linearity of the portion is desired, some nonlinearity may occur in the "substantially linear" portion. Such nonlinearity may result from manufacturing tolerances or other practical considerations, such as, for example, pressure or forces applied to the support member. Thus, a geometric structure modified by the term "substantially" includes such geometric properties within a tolerance range of plus or minus 5% of the geometric structure. For example, a "substantially linear" portion is a portion that defines an axis or centerline whose linearity error is within plus or minus 5%.

[0031] As used herein, the terms "group" and "plurality" may refer to multiple features or a single feature having multiple parts. For example, when referring to a group of electrodes, the group of electrodes may be considered to be one electrode having multiple parts, or the group of electrodes may be considered to be multiple different electrodes. In addition, for example, when referring to multiple electrochemical cells, the multiple electrochemical cells may be considered to be multiple different electrochemical cells or to be one electrochemical cell having multiple parts. Thus, a group of parts or multiple parts may include multiple parts that are continuous or discontinuous with each other. Multiple particles or multiple materials may also be made from multiple items that are produced separately and subsequently joined together (e.g., via mixing, adhesives, or any suitable method).

[0032] As used herein, the term "semisolid" refers to a material that is a mixture of a liquid phase and a solid phase, such as, for example, a particle suspension, a slurry, a colloidal suspension, an emulsion, a gel, or a micelle.

[0033] As used herein, the terms "activated carbon network" and "networked carbon" refer to the general qualitative state of an electrode. For example, an electrode having an activated carbon network (or networked carbon) causes the carbon particles within the electrode to present individual particle morphology and arrangement relative to each other, which promotes electrical contact and conductivity between particles and across the thickness and length of the electrode. In contrast, the terms "unactivated carbon network" and "unnetworked carbon" refer to electrodes in which carbon particles exist as individual particle islands or multi-particle aggregate islands, which may not be sufficiently connected to provide sufficient electrical conduction through the electrode.

[0034] As used herein, the terms "energy density" and "volume energy density" refer to the amount of energy (e.g., MJ) stored in an electrochemical cell per unit volume (e.g., L) of materials (such as electrodes, separators, electrolytes, and current collectors) included for the operation of the electrochemical cell. Specifically, the materials used to package the electrochemical cell are excluded from the calculation of volumetric energy density.

[0035] As used herein, the term "high capacity material" or "high capacity anode material" refers to a material with an irreversible capacity greater than 300 mAh / g, which can be incorporated into an electrode to promote the absorption of electroactive species. Examples include tin, tin alloys such as Sn-Fe, tin oxide, silicon, silicon alloys such as Si-Co, silicon oxide, aluminum, aluminum alloys, metal oxides (CoO, FeO, etc.) or titanium oxide.

[0036] As used herein, the term "composite high capacity electrode layer" refers to an electrode layer having both a high capacity material and a traditional anode material (eg, a silicon-graphite layer).

[0037] As used herein, the term "solid high-capacity electrode layer" refers to an electrode layer having a single solid phase high-capacity material, such as sputtered silicon, tin, tin alloys such as Sn-Fe, tin oxide, silicon, silicon alloys such as Si-Co, silicon monoxide, aluminum, aluminum alloys, metal oxides (CoO, FeO, etc.) or titanium oxide.

[0038] Figure 1 A block diagram of an electrochemical cell module 110 (hereinafter "battery module") according to an embodiment is shown. As shown, the battery module 110 includes electrochemical cells 10a, 10b, ... 10n electrically connected in series. Each electrochemical cell 10a-10n includes an anode material 11a, 11b, ... 11n disposed on an anode current collector 12a, 12b, ... 12n, a cathode material 13a, 13b, ... 13n disposed on a cathode current collector 14a, 14b, ... 14n, and a separator 15a, 15b, ... 15n disposed between the anode material 11a-11n and the cathode material 13a-13n. In some embodiments, the anode material 11a-11n and / or the cathode material 13a-13n may include a semi-solid electrode material, as described above. In some embodiments, the battery module 110 may include a single electrochemical cell, a module (e.g., a plurality of single electrochemical cells electrically connected in series or in parallel), or a battery pack (e.g., a plurality of modules electrically connected in series or in parallel). In some embodiments, the battery module 110 may include a plurality of electrochemical cells for charging and discharging.

[0039] As part of the manufacturing process, electrochemical cells and electrochemical cell modules will typically undergo formation, which involves an initial round of charging and discharging. Battery formation system (hereinafter " formation system ") is a system or device for forming electrochemical cells. Formation system is typically resident in a battery manufacturing facility, which includes various other conveniences for battery manufacturing, such as, for example, electrochemical cell assembly lines, manufacturing chambers, drying chambers, HVAC (HVAC) systems for cooling, equipment for moving materials, etc. At a higher level, a battery manufacturing park (hereinafter " park ") can include a collection of battery manufacturing facilities and other resources useful to battery manufacturing (but not limited to battery manufacturing). The streamlined transfer of energy between each element at the formation system level, manufacturing facility level, and park level is very important for significantly reducing costs and materials and improving the overall efficiency of manufacturing.

[0040] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing energy transfer within the park 2000 according to an embodiment. Figure 2 As shown, one or more power sources transfer energy to energy storage system 250. Energy storage system 250 can be configured to any of the following: (1) store received energy for later use; (2) transfer energy to formation system 220; or (3) transfer energy to additional load 240 that may be associated with electrochemical cell manufacturing. Power source 205 can transfer energy directly to formation system 220 or directly to additional load 240. Although not shown, energy storage system 250, formation system 220 and additional load 240 can reside in the facility. In some embodiments, formation system 220 can be configured to transfer energy back to energy storage system 250 for later use or for backup energy for the facility.

[0041] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing energy transfer within a battery manufacturing park according to an embodiment. Figure 3 As shown, facilities 300a, 300b, 300c are configured to receive energy from power source 305. Power source 305, formation system 320, parasitic load 340, and energy storage system 350 may be substantially similar in function and / or structure to power source 205, formation system 220, parasitic load 240, and energy storage system 250, and thus certain aspects of power source 305, formation system 320, parasitic load 340, and energy storage system 350 will not be referenced. Figure 3Described. Power supply 305 may include solar energy 306, wind energy 307 and / or grid energy 308. In some embodiments, facilities 300a, 300b, 300c may be configured to receive energy from other power sources. In some embodiments, facilities 300b and 300c may include the same convenience facilities and / or equipment as facility 300. In some embodiments, facilities 300b and 300c may include different convenience facilities and / or equipment and may be used for purposes different from facility 300a. As shown, energy is transferred from power supply 305 to one or more power converters 330 in facility 300a. Power converter 330 may be a DC / DC power converter to step the input voltage to a desired level, such as for battery formation. In particular, facilities 300a-300c may include a DC / DC converter for converting solar energy into a desired voltage for charging battery module 310. In some embodiments, an AC / DC power converter is included to convert AC power from wind energy 307 and / or grid energy 308. After conversion, the DC energy is either transferred to the energy storage system 350 where it is stored, or the DC energy is directly transferred to the additional load 340, which includes the drying room 342, the manufacturing line 346, the HVAC 344, and / or other loads 348 as needed. The energy storage system 350 and the formation system 320 are configured to transfer DC energy via a DC electrical connection in both directions according to the needs of the facility 300a. When the battery module 310 is charging, as power flows from the energy storage system 350 to the battery module 310, the battery module 310 acts as a load for the energy storage system 350. When the battery module 310 is discharging, energy flows into the energy storage system 350, and then the energy storage system is charging relative to the battery module 310. During the discharge of the battery module 310, the formation system 320 is configured to transfer the DC energy back to the energy storage system 350 via a DC connection to the DC load 328 for storage, rather than releasing excess charge through a resistor, which causes energy loss via heat. The formation system 320 includes a battery management system 325 and switches 321-323, which are electrically connected to the battery module 310 to control the flow of current through the battery module 310 via the controller 324, which will be referred to below. Figure 4 In some embodiments, a DC load 328 and a DC charging device 327 may be connected to the formation system 320 in parallel.

[0042] In some embodiments, the energy storage system 350 can provide energy for a facility, campus, or macrogrid level DC power supply at a low voltage (i.e., a voltage of about 0 V to about 100 V). The energy storage system 350 can provide a voltage supply of no more than about 400 V, no more than about 350 V, no more than about 300 V, no more than about 250 V, no more than about 200 V, no more than about 150 V, no more than about 100 V, no more than about 95 V, no more than about 90 V, no more than about 85 V, no more than about 80 V, no more than about 75 V, no more than about 70 V, no more than about 65 V, no more than about 60 V, no more than about 55 V, no more than about 50 V, no more than about 45 V, no more than about 40 V, no more than about 35 V, no more than about 30 V, no more than about 25 V, no more than about 20 V, no more than about 15 V, or no more than about 10 V.

[0043] In some embodiments, the energy storage system 350 can provide energy at a high voltage (voltage greater than about 250 V) for a facility, campus, or macrogrid level DC power supply. The energy storage system 250 can provide a voltage supply of at least about 200 V, at least about 250 V, at least about 300 V, at least about 350 V, at least about 400 V, at least about 410 V, at least about 420 V, at least about 430 V, at least about 440 V, at least about 450 V, at least about 460 V, at least about 470 V, at least about 480 V, at least about 490 V, at least about 500 V, at least about 510 V, at least about 520 V, at least about 530 V, at least about 540 V, at least about 550 V, at least about 600 V, at least about 700 V, or at least about 800 V.

[0044] In some embodiments, the energy storage system 350 can distribute stored energy (such as excess energy generated by the formation of the battery module 310) to power one or more of the additional loads 340. Using the energy storage system 350, DC energy is stored, which reduces the number of transformers used in the facility 300a, thereby reducing overall energy consumption. In other words, the energy storage system 350 can transfer DC energy to the formation system 320 without the need for an AC transformer. The energy storage system can receive and store energy from a renewable or sustainable power source, reducing the total grid power demand to achieve lower-cost renewable energy compensation and reduce the carbon footprint of the total grid. In addition, the facilities 300a-300c can operate by taking less energy from the grid at a given time. When converting a larger starting voltage, the energy loss from the AC / DC conversion increases; therefore, reducing the voltage transferred to the facilities 300a-300c at a given time reduces the energy loss caused by the AC / DC conversion, thereby reducing the overall energy consumption of the facilities and the park.

[0045] Figure 4A diagram showing an electrochemical cell stack formation system according to an embodiment. Energy storage system 450 and formation system 420 may be substantially similar in function and / or structure to energy storage system 250, 350 and formation system 220, 320, and thus certain aspects of energy storage system 450 and formation system 420 will not be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 4 Described. As shown, the energy storage system 450 transfers DC energy to the formation system 420 via a DC electrical connection to a DC charging device 427. In some embodiments, the DC charging device is configured to receive a signal (e.g., via an electrical connection) from a controller 424 to introduce a desired amount of current into the formation system 420. The DC charging device 427 is electrically connected in series to a main switch 422. The main switch 422 allows current to flow through battery modules 410a, 410b, ... 410n when in a first configuration, and blocks the current flow through battery modules 410a-410n when in a second configuration. The main switch 422 can be converted to a second configuration (disconnected or cut off) from a first configuration (closed or connected) in response to a signal from a controller 424 via a relay control line 426.

[0046] The formation system 420 may also include switches 421a, 421b, ... 421n, 423a, 423b, ... 423n (e.g., contactors, relays, transistors, etc.), which correspond to each battery module 410a-410n and are configured to control the current through each battery module 410a, 410b, ... 410n. For example, the first switch 421a may be connected in series with the first battery module 410a and the second switch 423a may be connected in parallel with the first battery module 410a, so that when the first switch 421a is closed and the second switch 423a is disconnected, the current moves through the first battery module 410a toward the subsequent battery modules 410b-410n in series. On the contrary, when the first switch 421a is disconnected and the second switch 423a is closed, the current is guided away from the first battery module 410a and is guided to the different battery modules 410b-410n that may need to be charged in the formation system. In some embodiments, both the first switch 421a and the second switch 423a can be closed so that current is prevented from flowing through the first battery module 410a and any subsequent battery modules 410b-410n in series. In some embodiments, both the first switch 421a and the second switch 423a can be opened so that current can flow through the first battery module 410a and the subsequent battery modules 410b-410n in series. Switches 421a-421n, 422a-422n can switch between an open configuration and a closed configuration in response to a signal from a controller 424 via a relay control line 426. The battery modules 410a-410n are each connected to a battery management system 429a, 429b, ... 429n for monitoring the voltage and battery health of the battery modules. The battery management system 429a-429n is coupled to a current source 425a, 425b, ... 425n to control the current through the corresponding battery modules 410a-410n. Although switches 421 - 423 are shown in this configuration, switches 421 - 423 may be arranged in any suitable arrangement such that current flow may be directed away from battery module 410 if desired.

[0047] The arrangement of switches 421a-421n, 423a-423n allows the removal of faulty battery modules 410a-410n from the flow path of the current, so that the formation of healthy battery modules can continue, thereby improving the formation efficiency. In addition, if necessary, the fully charged battery module can be removed from the flow path of the current. For example, the controller 424 can detect the faulty battery module 410a-410n based on the voltage measurement received from the battery management system 429a-429n. The controller 424 can then send a signal to disconnect the first switch 421a-421n so that the current is prevented from flowing through the faulty battery module and instead directly moves to the second battery module 410a-410n. The controller 424 can also sense (via the battery management system 429a-429n) that one of the battery modules 410a-410n no longer needs to be charged. The controller 424 can then send a signal to configure the switches 421a-421n, 423a-423n so that the charge is drawn from the charged battery module and the charge is redirected to the different battery modules 410a-410n that need to be charged. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 automatically blocks the current flow through the faulty battery modules 410a-410n. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 automatically blocks the current flow through the fully charged battery modules 410a-410n. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 automatically draws current from the fully charged battery modules 410a-410n. Energy can be transferred back to the energy storage system 450 from the formation system 420 via the DC electrical connection to the DC load 428.

[0048] In some embodiments, the formation system 420 may include a range of about 1 to about 1000 battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 may include at least about 2, at least about 3, at least about 4, at least about 5, at least about 6, at least about 7, at least about 8, at least about 9, at least about 10, at least about 20, at least about 30, at least about 40, at least about 50, at least about 60, at least about 70, at least about 80, at least about 90, at least about 100, at least about 200, at least about 300, at least about 400, at least about 500, at least about 600, at least about 700, at least about 800, at least about 90, at least about 100, at least about 200, at least about 300, at least about 400, at least about 500, at least about 600, at least about 700, at least about 800, or at least about 900 multiple battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 may include no more than about 1,000, no more than about 900, no more than about 800, no more than about 700, no more than about 600, no more than about 500, no more than about 400, no more than about 300, no more than about 200, no more than about 100, no more than about 90, no more than about 80, no more than about 70, no more than about 60, no more than about 50, no more than about 40, no more than about 30, no more than about 20, no more than about 10, no more than about 9, no more than about 8, no more than about 7, no more than about 6, no more than about 5, no more than about 4, no more than about 3 multiple battery modules 410. Combinations of the above numbers of battery modules 410 are also possible (e.g., at least about 2 and no more than about 1,000 or at least about 4 and no more than about 50), including all values ​​and ranges therebetween. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 may include about 2, about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8, about 9, about 10, about 20, about 30, about 40, about 50, about 60, about 70, about 80, about 90, about 100, about 200, about 300, about 400, about 500, about 600, about 700, about 800, about 900, about 100, about 200, about 300, about 400, about 500, about 600, about 700, about 800, about 900 or about 1,000 battery modules 420.

[0049] In some embodiments, the formation system 420 may include a range of about 1 to about 1000 battery management systems 429. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 may include a range of about 1 to about 1000 current sources 425. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 has the same number of battery management systems 429 as the battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 has the same number of current sources 425 as the battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 may include a range of about 1 to about 3000 switches 421, 422, 423. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 can have at least about 2, at least about 4, at least about 6, at least about 8, at least about 10, at least about 20, at least about 40, at least about 60, at least about 80, at least about 100, at least about 200, at least about 400, at least about 600, at least about 800, at least about 1000, at least about 2000, at least about 2200, at least about 2400 switches 421, 422, 423. In some embodiments, the formation system 620 may include no more than about 3000, no more than about 2400, no more than about 2200, no more than about 2000, no more than about 1000, no more than about 800, no more than about 600, no more than about 400, no more than about 200, no more than about 100, no more than about 80, no more than about 60, no more than about 40, no more than about 20, no more than about 10, no more than about 8, no more than about 6, or no more than about 4 switches 421, 422, 423. Combinations of the above numbers of cell switches 421, 422, 423 are also possible (e.g., at least about 2 and no more than about 1,000 or at least about 4 and no more than about 50), including all values ​​and ranges therebetween.

[0050] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B A diagram of a battery manufacturing park including an energy storage system is shown according to an embodiment. Facilities 500a, 500b, 500c; power sources 506, 507, 508; formation system 520; additional loads 542, 544, 546, 548; and energy storage system 550 can be substantially similar in function and / or structure to power sources 205, 305; formation system 220, 320, 420; additional loads 240, 340; and energy storage system 250, 350, 450, and therefore certain aspects of facilities 500a, 500b, 500c; power sources 506, 507, 508; formation system 520; additional loads 542, 544, 546, 548; and energy storage system 550 will not be referred to again. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B Give a description.

[0051] As shown, solar generator 506 delivers DC energy to facilities 500a, 500b, 500c. Facility 500a includes one or more energy storage systems 550a, 550b, ... 550n (collectively referred to as energy storage system 550), which can transfer energy to DC charging device 527 through DC / DC power converter 536, and the DC charging device delivers current to formation system 520. As shown, formation system 520 includes four battery modules 510a, 510b, 510c, 510d connected in series and electrically coupled to corresponding battery management systems 529a, 529b, 529c, 529d and current sources 525a, 525b, 525c and 525d. The formation system 520 includes main switches 522a and 522b and switches 521a, 521b, 521c, 521d and switches 523a, 523b, 523c, 523d ​​controlled by a controller 524 and a relay control line 526. The battery modules 510a-510d, the battery management system 520a-520d, the current sources 525a-525d, the main switches 522a-522b, the switches 521a-521d and 523a-523d, the controller 524 and the relay control line 526 may be functionally and / or structurally identical to the battery modules 410a-410n, the battery management system 420a-420n, the current sources 425a-425n, the main switches The switch 422, switches 421a-421d and 423a-423n, controller 424 and relay control line 426 are substantially similar, and thus the battery modules 510a-510d, battery management system 520a-520d, current sources 525a-525d, main switches 522a-522b, switches 521a-521d and 523a-523d, controller 524 and relay control line 526 will not be referred to again. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B Give a description.

[0052] In some embodiments, the solar generator can transfer energy to the distribution control station 580. As shown, the wind generator 507 transfers energy to the distribution control station 580. The energy from the wind generator 507 can be either: (1) transferred from the distribution control center 580 through the load transfer switch 560 to power the additional loads of the facility 500a (including the drying room 542, the manufacturing line 544, the HVAC system 546 or other loads 548); or (2) transferred through the AC / DC power converter 535 through the energy storage system 550 for later use. The park grid connection 508 can provide energy to the facilities 500a-500c. In the facility 500a, the energy from the park grid connection 508 is transferred through the facility meter 590 and then through the load transfer switch 560. Then, the energy can be either: (1) used to power the additional loads; or (2) sent through the AC / DC power converter 535 and stored in the energy storage system 550 for later use. If backup AC energy (i.e., flexible AC) is needed to power additional loads, the energy stored in the energy storage system 550 can be transferred to the load transfer switch 560 through the DC / AC converter 535 and then transferred to the additional load. If necessary, the flexible AC can also be transferred to other facilities in the park 500b, 500c. The distribution control center 580, the facility meter 590, the load transfer switch 560 and the energy storage system 550 can be configured to communicate to regulate the energy flow of the entire park 5000.

[0053] The load transfer switch 560 includes an AC transformer. Because the formation system 520 is powered by DC energy stored in the energy storage system 550, the load transfer switch 560 can include fewer AC transformers. For example, the facility 500a can only include the AC transformers required to support the drying room 542, the manufacturing line 544, the HVAC system 546, and / or other loads 548. Therefore, the facility 500a can include a smaller number of AC transformers, which reduces the overall energy consumption of the facility 500a. In some embodiments, the facilities 500b and 500c can also include energy storage systems that allow the use of fewer AC transformers.

[0054] Figure 6A diagram of a station for the traditional formation of an electrochemical cell is shown. As shown, energy losses occur in the cell via AC / DC conversion losses, battery efficiency losses, discharge energy, cell charging, and SEI layer formation. Cell manufacturing capacity represents the energy drawn from the formation of an electrochemical cell and can be measured in gigawatt hours (GWh). The capacity of each GWh of electrochemical cell should charge 1GWh of energy. In the system shown, all the energy required for the formation of the electrochemical cell is transferred and converted by an AC / DC power converter, which results in an energy usage of about 50% of the electrochemical cell capacity. Energy losses also occur due to cell efficiency losses. Energy losses due to battery efficiency are typically about 20% of the electrochemical cell capacity. Some energy losses are specific to charging, including cell capacity (e.g., battery charging) and SEI layer formation. When charging the electrochemical cell in the system, all energy comes from the power grid, meaning that about 100% of the capacity of the electrochemical cell is used. SEI layer formation results in energy losses through ion consumption, which results in a loss of about 10% of the capacity of the electrochemical cell. During the discharge of the electrochemical cell, about 100% of the capacity of the electrochemical cell is consumed (during full discharge). Due to the waste heat generated during discharge, the energy is used to power the HVAC system to cool the facility to a suitable temperature. The additional energy loss caused by running the HVAC system can be calculated using the formula f(x)=0.3x, where x represents the total discharge energy. In some embodiments, the energy loss caused by running the HVAC system may vary depending on environmental factors such as ambient temperature. In general, conventional stations for forming electrochemical cells result in a total power usage of at least about 200% of the capacity of the electrochemical cell.

[0055] Figure 7 A diagram showing the series formation of electrochemical cells with an energy storage system and a formation system according to an embodiment. In the system shown, the charging and discharging of the electrochemical cells relies on energy stored in the energy storage system rather than from the power grid, meaning that energy losses due to charging / discharging are reduced to approximately 0% of the capacity of each electrochemical cell. In addition, because DC energy is used directly, energy losses due to AC / DC conversion are reduced to approximately 8% of the capacity of each electrochemical cell. Therefore, in this system, only approximately 25% of the capacity of each electrochemical cell is used during formation. In some embodiments, the use of an energy storage system reduces energy losses due to running the HVAC system because the energy from discharging the electrochemical cells is transferred back to the energy storage system for storage rather than dissipated as heat.

[0056] In some embodiments, energy losses from formation of a plurality of electrochemical cells are reduced by at least about 50%, at least about 75%, at least about 100%, at least about 125%, at least about 150%, at least about 175%, at least about 200%, at least about 225%, or at least about 250% of the total capacity of each electrochemical cell as compared to formation of a single electrochemical cell.

[0057] Figure 8 The interaction between the solar array 607, the energy storage system 650 and the formation power system 627 according to an embodiment is shown. As shown, the energy storage system 650 receives the DC energy input from the solar array 607 through the DC / DC converter 636. The formation power system 627 receives energy from the energy storage system 650 through the DC / DC converter 636. The formation system can be electrically coupled to the energy storage system 650. The energy storage system 650 includes an energy system controller 655 to regulate the energy transfer between the energy storage system 650 and the formation power system 627. The energy storage system controller 655 and the formation system controller 624 can communicate directly to control the energy transfer therebetween. The formation system 620 can include a formation power system 627 electrically connected to a group of electrochemical battery cell modules 610a, 610b, 610c, 610d, 610e, 610f connected in series. The electrochemical battery cell modules 610a-610f can be controlled via the formation system controller 624. Each electrochemical cell module 610a-610f is coupled to a control and interface system 625a, 625b, 625c, 625d, 625e, 625f for controlling the flow of current through the electrochemical cell module 610a-610f during charging and discharging. The control and interface system 625a-625f can be similar in structure and / or function to the battery management system 425a-425n, 525a-525d; switches 421a-421n, 521a-521d, 422, 522a-522b, 423a-423n, 523a-523d and / or current sources 429a-429n, 529a-529d, as described above with respect to Figure 4 and FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B 625a-625f are described, and therefore the control and interface systems 625a-625f are not further described herein. Although the transfer voltage between the energy storage system 650 and the formation power system 627 is shown as 500V, the transfer voltage can be any suitable voltage for forming the electrochemical cells 625a-625f. In some embodiments, the transfer voltage between the energy storage system 650 and the formation power system 627 can be at least about 200V, at least about 250V, at least about 300V, at least about 350V, at least about 400V, at least about 450V, or at least about 500V, including all values ​​and ranges therebetween.

[0058] In some embodiments, the energy storage system 650 can provide building power backup energy. As shown, the energy storage system 650 can transfer energy through the DC / AC converter 635 to provide AC backup energy. In some embodiments, the energy storage system 650 can also provide DC backup energy.

[0059] Fig. 9 8 is a flow chart of a method 800 for forming an electrochemical cell or battery module via an energy storage system according to an embodiment. At step 802, an electrochemical cell is provided for formation. In some embodiments, a battery module including a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series may be used. At step 804, the electrochemical cell is charged using energy provided by the energy storage system. At step 806, the electrochemical cell is discharged via the energy storage system to prevent heat from being dissipated into the formation system. In some embodiments, the charge leaving the electrochemical cell during discharge can be used to directly charge other electrochemical cells or battery modules connected in series.

[0060] In some embodiments, the electrochemical cell system, battery module, energy storage system, and formation system may be substantially similar and / or identical to any of the electrochemical cells, battery modules, energy storage systems, and formation systems described above. Therefore, the electrochemical cells, battery modules, energy storage systems, and formation systems are not further described herein.

[0061] Fig.10900 is a flow chart of a method 900 for forming a battery module via backup power from an energy storage system according to an embodiment. In the method 900, at step 902, a power source is used to transfer startup energy to the energy storage system to start a battery formation procedure. At step 904, the energy storage system charges one or more battery modules, each of which may include multiple batteries. The charge state of the battery module can be monitored and controlled by a controller, thereby allowing a determination of whether the battery is fully charged, as in step 906. If the battery is not fully charged, the energy storage system can continue to charge the battery module. If the battery is fully charged, the controller then determines in step 908 whether the battery needs to be discharged due to, for example, battery formation or testing requirements. If discharge is not required, the fully charged battery can be transferred to the next step, such as battery grading or classification at step 912. If discharge is required, the battery can be discharged at step 910, wherein the discharged energy is transferred back to the energy storage system. After discharge, the controller can determine whether recharging is required for battery formation or testing based on, for example, the health state (SOH) of the battery at step 912. If so, the battery may be processed again via step 904, where the energy storage system charges the battery using energy from the battery discharge in step 910. If the battery recharging is not required, the battery may be processed for grading or classification via step 914. In some embodiments, the controller may be substantially similar and / or identical to any of the controllers described above. Therefore, the controller is not described in further detail herein.

[0062] In some embodiments, the power source can transfer energy to the energy storage system during battery charging or discharging. For example, if the controller detects that the amount of energy in the energy storage system drops below a threshold, the power source can provide supplemental power to the energy storage system. In another example, during discharge, the controller can estimate the amount of energy released from the discharge and determine whether the amount of energy is sufficient for the next round of battery charging. If not, the controller can direct the power source to transfer supplemental energy to the energy storage system.

[0063] Fig.111 is a flow chart of a method 1000 for forming a battery module via an energy storage system according to an embodiment. At step 1002, a power source is used to transfer energy to the energy storage system to start a charging procedure. Then, at step 1004, the energy storage system can charge the battery module. During charging, at step 1006, a controller can be used to monitor the charge state of the battery and any control signals from an external facility. If backup power is required due to, for example, an unexpected power outage or a low power generation rate of a solar power plant (for example, on a cloudy day), the controller can direct the battery module to discharge the battery and store the discharged energy in the energy storage system, as in step 1008. Then, at step 1010, the energy storage system can supplement the power supply to power the external facility by transferring the stored energy to the power source. In some embodiments, as long as the amount of energy stored in the energy storage system is sufficient, the battery charging at step 1004 and the energy transfer to the power source at step 1010 can occur simultaneously. For example, the power source can be a solar power plant, which can produce abundant energy during the day, while the demand is relatively low. The power source can store excess energy in an energy storage system for both battery charging and power backup.

[0064] Fig.12 1 is a flow chart of a method 1100 for forming a battery module via an energy storage system according to an embodiment. In the method, first, a power source is used at step 1102 to transfer energy to the energy storage system to start the formation procedure, and then the energy storage system is used at step 1104 to charge multiple battery modules. At step 1106, a controller is used to monitor the charging state of each battery module and determine whether any battery module is fully charged. When, for example, the voltage is higher than a preset value, the battery module can be considered to be fully charged. If no fully charged module is found in step 1106, the energy storage system can continue to charge the battery module. On the other hand, if one or more modules are fully charged, the controller then determines whether all modules are fully charged at step 1108. If so, the controller can direct the battery module to discharge the battery and store the discharged energy in the energy storage system, as in step 1110. In step 1112, if some battery modules are fully charged and other battery modules are not fully charged, the controller can direct the battery modules to discharge those fully charged battery modules and store the discharged energy in the energy storage system, which can simultaneously charge those battery modules that are not fully charged. In some embodiments, at step 1110 and / or step 1112, the controller can selectively discharge and / or charge some fully charged battery modules. For example, the controller can monitor the capacity of the batteries in each battery module and terminate the charge / discharge cycle of those battery modules whose capacity is greater than a preset value.

[0065] Various concepts can be implemented as one or more methods, wherein at least one example has been provided. The actions performed as part of the method can be ordered in any suitable manner. Therefore, such an embodiment can be constructed in which the actions are performed in an order different from the order shown, which may include performing some actions simultaneously, even if the action is shown as a continuous action in the illustrative embodiment. In other words, it should be understood that such features are not necessarily limited to a specific execution order, but any number of threads, processes, services, servers and / or etc. that can be performed in series, asynchronously, concurrently, in parallel, simultaneously, synchronously and / or in a manner consistent with the present disclosure. Therefore, some of these features may contradict each other because these features cannot exist in a single embodiment at the same time. Similarly, some features are applicable to one aspect of the innovation and are not applicable to other aspects.

[0066] In addition, the present disclosure may include other innovations not currently described. Applicants reserve all rights to such innovations, including the right to embody such innovations, submit additional applications, continuations, partial continuations, divisions, and / or the like. Therefore, it should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, logic, operations, organizations, structures, topologies, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be considered as limitations on the present disclosure as defined by the embodiments or limitations on the equivalents of the embodiments. Depending on the specific expectations and / or characteristics of individual and / or enterprise users, database configurations and / or relational models, data types, data transmissions, and / or network architectures, grammatical structures, and / or the like, the various embodiments of the technology disclosed herein can be implemented in a manner that realizes a large amount of flexibility and customization as described herein.

[0067] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and / or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0068] As used herein, in particular embodiments, the term "about" or "approximately" when preceding a numerical value represents a range of plus or minus 10% of the value. Where a range of values ​​is provided, it is understood that, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each intermediate value (to one-tenth of the unit of the lower limit) between the upper and lower limits of the range and any other stated values ​​or intermediate values ​​within the range are included in the present disclosure. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges can be independently included in smaller ranges and are also included in the present disclosure, subject to any specific exclusion limits within the range. Where the stated range includes one or two of the limits, the range excluding any one or two of the included limits is also included in the present disclosure.

[0069] The phrase "and / or" used herein in the specification and examples should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so combined, i.e., elements that exist jointly in some cases and separately in other cases. Multiple elements listed with "and / or" should be understood in the same way, i.e., "one or more" of the elements so combined. In addition to the elements specifically identified by the "and / or" clause, other elements may optionally be present, whether related or unrelated to those specifically identified. Therefore, as a non-limiting example, when used in conjunction with open language such as "including", reference to "A and / or B" may refer to only A (optionally including elements other than B) in one embodiment; in another embodiment, only B (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0070] As used herein in the specification and in the embodiments, "or" should be understood to have the same meaning as the meaning of "and / or" as defined above. For example, when the items in the list are separated, "or" or "and / or" should be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including at least one element in multiple elements or element lists, but also including more than one element, and optionally other unlisted items. Only explicitly point out the opposite terms such as "only one of ..." or "exactly one of ..." or when used in the embodiments, "consisting of ..." will refer to including exactly one element in many elements or element lists. In general, when there are exclusive terms before, such as "any one", "one of ...", "only one of ..." or "exactly one of ...", the term "or" as used herein should only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (that is, "one or other one, not two"). When used in the embodiments, "essentially consisting of ..." should have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0071] As used herein in the specification and in the examples, the phrase "at least one" of a list of one or more elements is understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more elements in the list of elements, but does not necessarily include at least one of each element specifically listed in the list of elements, and does not exclude any combination of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows for the optional presence of elements in addition to the elements specifically identified in the list of elements to which the phrase "at least one" refers, whether related to or unrelated to the specifically identified elements. Thus, as a non-limiting example, "at least one of A and B" (or equivalently, "at least one of A or B", or equivalently, "at least one of A and / or B") can refer to at least one in one embodiment, optionally including more than one A, without B (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, refers to at least one, optionally including more than one B, without A (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, refers to at least one, optionally including more than one A, and at least one, optionally including more than one B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0072] In the examples and in the above description, all transitional phrases such as "comprising", "including", "carrying", "having", "containing", "involving", "holding", "comprising", etc. should be understood as open-ended, i.e., meaning including but not limited to. As described in Section 2111.03 of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedures of the United States Patent Office, only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" should be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

[0073] Although specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been summarized above, many substitutions, modifications and variations are apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the embodiments set forth herein are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Where the above methods and steps indicate specific events occurring in a particular order, those of ordinary skill in the art who benefit from the present disclosure will recognize that the order of specific steps may be modified, and such modifications are variations according to the present invention. In addition, as described above, certain steps in the steps may be performed simultaneously in a parallel process, as well as sequentially, where possible. Embodiments have been specifically shown and described, but it will be appreciated that various changes in form and detail may be made.

Claims

1. A method for forming an electrochemical cell in a battery formation system, the electrochemical cell comprising an anode material disposed on an anode current collector, a cathode material disposed on a cathode current collector, and a separator disposed between the anode material and the cathode material, the method comprising: transferring energy from an energy storage system to the battery formation system to charge the electrochemical cells; Energy is transferred from the electrochemical cell to the energy storage system to prevent heat energy from being dissipated into the formation system, wherein the transferred energy is direct current (DC).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring energy from the energy storage system to the battery formation system is performed at a voltage of at least about 400V.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is transferred between the formation system and the energy storage system without an alternating current (AC) transformer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein energy losses from formation of the electrochemical cell are reduced by at least about 100% of the full capacity of the electrochemical cell as compared to formation of a single electrochemical cell without using the energy storage system.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Backup energy is provided to the building via the energy storage system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system provides energy to at least one of a facility, campus, or macrogrid-level DC power supply at a voltage of at least about 400V.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system provides energy to at least one of a facility, campus, or macrogrid-level DC power supply at a voltage of less than about 100V.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system provides power to at least one of a facility, campus, or grid-level AC power source and backup.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: transferring energy from a renewable power source to the energy storage system; as well as The energy from the renewable power source is stored in the energy storage system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the renewable power source comprises a solar array.

11. A system for forming an electrochemical cell module, the system comprising: a first electrochemical cell module and a second electrochemical cell module connected in series, the first electrochemical cell module and the second electrochemical cell module being configured to receive energy via an energy storage system; A first switch connected in series with the first electrochemical cell module and a second switch connected in parallel with the first electrochemical cell module, the first switch and the second switch having: a first configuration in which the first switch is closed and the second switch is open, causing electrical current to move through the first electrochemical cell module; and a second configuration in which the first switch is open and the second switch is closed such that current bypasses the first electrochemical cell module and moves directly to the second electrochemical cell module; as well as A controller is configured to switch the first switch and the second switch between the first configuration and the second configuration to direct current flow to charge and discharge the first electrochemical cell module and the second electrochemical cell module.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a third switch connected in series with the second electrochemical cell module and a fourth switch connected in parallel with the second electrochemical cell module, The third switch and the fourth switch are configured to open and close in response to a signal received from the controller.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising: A DC load and a DC charging device are electrically connected in parallel with the energy storage system and the first and second electrochemical cell modules.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising: a first electronic circuit electrically coupled to the first electrochemical cell module; as well as a second electronic circuit electrically coupled to the second electrochemical cell module, The first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit are configured to measure voltages of the first electrochemical cell module and the second electrochemical cell module, respectively, to detect a faulty electrochemical cell module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein upon detecting a faulty electrochemical cell module, the controller directs current away from the faulty electrochemical cell module and through healthy electrochemical cell modules, allowing the healthy electrochemical cell modules to continue to form.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises a plurality of electrochemical cell modules electrically connected to a plurality of switches configured to control the flow of current through the plurality of electrochemical cell modules.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the energy storage system stores energy generated by formation of the plurality of electrochemical cell modules for alternative use to prevent thermal energy dissipation.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of electrochemical cell modules have a DC electrical connection to the energy storage system such that energy is transferred between the plurality of electrochemical cells and the energy storage system without an AC transformer.

19. A system comprising: an energy storage system configured to receive energy from one or more power sources; a formation system comprising a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series and configured to control a flow of current through the plurality of electrochemical cells via a controller electrically coupled to a plurality of switches, The plurality of electrochemical cells are connected to the energy storage system via a DC electrical connection such that energy is transferred between the plurality of electrochemical cells and the energy storage system without the need for an AC transformer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the energy storage system stores energy generated by formation of the plurality of electrochemical cells for alternative use to prevent thermal energy dissipation.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the energy storage system provides energy to at least one of a facility, campus, or macrogrid-level DC power supply at a voltage of at least about 400V.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the energy storage system provides energy to at least one of a facility, campus, or macrogrid-level DC power supply at a voltage of less than about 100V.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the energy storage system provides power to at least one of a facility, campus, or grid-level AC power source and backup.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the energy storage system provides backup energy for a battery manufacturing facility.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the energy storage system provides backup energy to at least one of a drying room, a manufacturing line, or an HVAC system.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more power sources include a renewable power source.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more power sources include a solar array providing DC energy.

Images