Series formation of electrochemical cells

Abstract

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

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 394,341, filed 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.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The embodiments described herein relate to methods of forming electrochemical cells and electrochemical cell stacks. [Background technology]

[0003] Existing lithium-ion manufacturing systems utilize individual cell formation systems in which thousands or millions of cells are handled and processed through the formation process. The cells are then aged and degassed before installation. This process is generally inefficient. Power systems for constructing electrochemical cells often operate on 0-5V DC channels, which have very low power conversion efficiency. If the energy from discharge is not returned to the grid, 1 MWh of energy can be lost in charging each electrochemical cell. Additionally, the conversion efficiency from the building grid to the generation channel can be approximately 50-60%. Discharge system losses can also be approximately 5%. Conveyors and handling also add additional power loads. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) load to remove all the dissipated energy for cell discharge can add 1 MWh to the building's HVAC heat load, increasing the tonnage of the building system. Total losses in the generation system could be approximately 2.1 MWh for every 1 MWh generated, plus an additional 600 tons of refrigeration capacity, assuming 1 MWh of work in progress (WIP). Capital costs are also an important consideration. All the equipment and machinery required to move cells from one location to another during the formation process (e.g., conveyors, trays, baskets, fixtures, test channels, floor space for formation aging and post-testing) is a critical aspect of each cell's production. The multiple locations and movements of each cell also increase the system's process complexity and cost. System size, complexity, and cost are significant factors in the inability to efficiently manufacture battery cells. Therefore, more efficient systems and methods for storing and transporting energy for electrochemical cell production are needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004]

[0003] Embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods for forming series-connected electrochemical cells and electrochemical cell modules. In some aspects, a method of forming an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell including 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, includes 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 thermal energy dissipation into the formation system, the transferred energy being direct current (DC).

[0005] In some embodiments, 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 configured to receive energy via an energy storage system, and 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 travels 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 travels directly to the second electrochemical cell module. The system further includes a controller configured to transition 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.

[0006] In some embodiments, the system includes an energy storage system configured to receive energy from one or more power sources, and a formation system including a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series, the plurality of electrochemical cells 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 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 an AC transformer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an electrochemical cell module, according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of energy transfer within a battery manufacturing campus, according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of energy transfer within a battery manufacturing campus, according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 shows a diagram of an electrochemical cell stack formation system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 5A] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a battery manufacturing campus including an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a battery manufacturing campus including an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 shows a diagram of a station for conventional formation of individual electrochemical cells. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a series formation of electrochemical cells with an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates the interaction between a solar array, an energy storage system, and a forming power system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 9]1 is a flowchart of a method for forming an electrochemical cell module via an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart of a method for forming an electrochemical cell module via an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a flowchart of a method for providing backup power from an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] 1 is a flowchart of a method for forming an electrochemical cell via an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The embodiments described herein describe the production of electrochemical cells as part of a modular construction. Module construction can include methods for bypassing components of a battery formation system with current flow during electrochemical cell formation. High-voltage cells, modules, and packs can be constructed, and cells can then be formed within the high-voltage system block. Modules can be assembled and sent to a formation area, where they can be connected in series to achieve a higher total voltage (e.g., 500 V). However, any intermediate voltage may be selected based on the needs of the building, safety, process, grid, or battery formation tester. Limits on voltage can also be based on available DC / DC or AC / DC conversion technology based on cost or conversion efficiency. Control systems for bypassing energy (both charging and discharging) around modules, cells, or packs can ensure safe operation, preventing overcharging and allowing for the complete formation of each cell. Safety systems can monitor temperature, current, and / or voltage to prevent cell damage and thermal runaway due to overheating, overcharging, or over-discharging.

[0009] The embodiments described herein may include algorithms that use sensors to detect cell-level failures, internal shorts, and other failure modes. Sensing can be used to sense or determine cell voltage, temperature, current, module-level voltage, module-level temperature, module-level current, pack-level voltage, pack-level temperature, and / or pack-level current. Algorithms can then be used to diagnose the functional status of each cell in the system. In some cases, sensing can be achieved via a battery management system (BMS), test system sensing, a secondary sensing system, or any combination thereof. Safety systems can include area temperature (hot spots), fire detection, smoke detection, hydrogen detection, carbon monoxide (CO) detection, carbon dioxide (CO) detection, volatile organic compound (VOC) detection, or other detection methods to ensure the system is intact or to prevent damage to the system, batteries, and facility during development. Safety systems can include fire suppression systems to prevent facility damage, active ventilation systems to prevent facility damage and personal injury, and protection systems to provide propagation protection between the cells, modules, and / or battery packs during development.

[0010] In some embodiments, the energy storage system can store power and circulate it to and from the formation system. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can include a storage device. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can distribute DC power at a building or campus level. The energy storage system can also reduce parasitic losses due to transformers, power factor correction systems, and / or other AC components. Dual use of the energy storage system as a facility backup for critical systems is also applicable. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can function as a dry room backup to protect WIP from damage due to loss of system power. In some embodiments, the energy system can include bidirectional power conversion between AC and DC to share power with the building grid, either before or after the electric meter. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can include bidirectional power conversion between AC and DC to share power with the building grid at secondary or remote locations to control the total power conversion at a campus or grid scale. In some embodiments, the energy storage system may include bidirectional power conversion between AC and DC to create a secondary AC grid for distribution, share power with a building grid at a secondary or remote location, and control the total power conversion in a facility, multiple facilities, a campus, a microgrid, and / or a macrogrid.

[0011] In some embodiments, the energy storage system can include bidirectional DC-to-DC power conversion to share power with the formation system without additional AC conversion losses. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can include bidirectional DC-to-DC power conversion to share power to create a common DC distribution within a single facility. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can include bidirectional DC-to-DC power conversion to share power to create a common DC distribution between two or more facilities. In some embodiments, the energy storage system can include bidirectional DC-to-DC power conversion to share power to create a common DC distribution at a campus, microgrid, or macrogrid level. In some embodiments, renewable power can provide energy to compensate for conversion losses in the formation system to create an off-grid or low-power formation system.

[0012] In some embodiments, the energy storage system can include a grid or renewable connection to meter energy to the formation system and provide energy that accounts for efficiency losses. In some embodiments, the energy storage system with building controls can monitor facility and campus-wide power demand to provide demand load, frequency regulation, peak shaving, load leveling, and / or other grid maintenance actions. 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 (PHEVs), electric vehicles (EVs), or any other suitable implementation.

[0013] Monitoring voltage at various points throughout a cell or electrode can be an important aspect of building an energy storage system. Differences in voltage slope or inflection points can help identify problematic cells or electrodes. Identifying these defective elements during production or even operation can significantly limit downtime of the energy storage system during repair or replacement.

[0014] In some embodiments, the electrodes described herein can comprise conventional solid electrodes. In some embodiments, the solid electrodes can comprise a binder. In some embodiments, the electrodes described herein can comprise semi-solid electrodes. The semi-solid electrodes described herein can be made thicker (e.g., greater than 100 μm, up to 2,000 μm, or even greater) due to reduced tortuosity and increased conductivity of the semi-solid electrodes, (ii) with higher active material loading, and (iii) through simplified manufacturing processes utilizing less equipment. These relatively thick semi-solid electrodes reduce the volume, mass, and cost contribution of inactive components relative to the active components, thereby enhancing the commercial attractiveness of batteries made with semi-solid electrodes. In some embodiments, the semi-solid electrodes described herein are binderless and / or do not use binders used in conventional battery manufacturing. Instead, the volume of the electrode typically occupied by a binder in conventional electrodes is now occupied by: 1) the electrolyte. 1) an active material, which reduces tortuosity and increases the total salt available for ion diffusion, thereby countering the salt depletion effect inherent in thick, conventional electrodes when used at high rates; 2) an active material, which increases the charge capacity of the battery; or 3) a conductive additive, which increases the electronic conductivity of the electrode, thereby countering the high internal impedance of thick, conventional electrodes. The reduced tortuosity and increased electronic conductivity of the semi-solid electrodes described herein result in superior rate capabilities and charge capacities for electrochemical cells formed from the semi-solid electrodes. Because the semi-solid electrodes described herein can be made substantially thicker than conventional electrodes, the ratio of active material (i.e., semi-solid cathode and / or anode) to inactive material (i.e., current collector and separator) can be much higher in batteries formed from electrochemical cell stacks containing semi-solid electrodes compared to similar batteries formed from electrochemical cell stacks containing conventional electrodes. This results in a substantial increase in the overall charge capacity and energy density of batteries containing the semi-solid electrodes described herein.

[0015] 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 binderless or substantially binder-free. A flowable semi-solid electrode can include a suspension of electrochemically active material (anode or cathode particles or particulates) and, optionally, an electronically conductive material (e.g., carbon) in a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte. Stated another way, the active electrode particles and conductive particles are co-suspended in the electrolyte to produce a semi-solid electrode. Examples of battery architectures utilizing semi-solid suspensions are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022 / 0238923 (the "'923 Publication"), filed January 21, 2022, and entitled "Production of Semi-Solid Electrodes Via Addition of Electrolyte to Mixture of Active Material, Conductive Material, and Electrolyte Solvent," and U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 212,414 (the "'414 Application"), filed June 21, 2023, and entitled "Electrochemical Cells with High-Viscosity Semi-solid Electrodes, and Methods of Making the Same," the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0016] In some embodiments, the power management systems described herein can include any of the aspects described in U.S. Patent No. 10,153,651 (the "'651 Patent"), filed October 9, 2015, and entitled "Systems and Methods for Battery Charging," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the battery management systems described herein can include any of the aspects described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 743,631 (the "'631 Application"), filed November 20, 2020, and entitled "Electrochemical Cells Connected in Series in a Single Pouch and Methods of Making the Same," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0017] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, the term "element" is intended to mean a single element or a combination of elements, and "material" is intended to mean one or more materials, or a combination thereof.

[0018] The term "substantially," when used in connection with "cylindrical," "linear," and / or other geometric relationships, 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 desirable, some non-linearity may occur in the "substantially linear" portion. Such non-linearity may result from manufacturing tolerances or other practical considerations (e.g., pressure or force applied to the support member). Thus, a geometric structure modified by the term "substantially" includes such geometric characteristics within a tolerance of plus or minus 5% of the described geometric structure. For example, a "substantially linear" portion is one that defines an axis or centerline that is within plus or minus 5% of being linear.

[0019] As used herein, the terms "set" and "plurality" can refer to multiple features or a singular feature with multiple portions. For example, when referring to a set of electrodes, the set of electrodes can be considered one electrode with multiple portions, or the set of electrodes can be considered multiple separate electrodes. Additionally, for example, when referring to multiple electrochemical cells, the multiple electrochemical cells can be considered multiple separate electrochemical cells, or one electrochemical cell with multiple portions. Thus, a set of portions or multiple portions may include multiple portions that are contiguous or discontinuous with one another. Multiple particles or multiple materials can also be made from multiple articles that are produced separately and then joined together (e.g., by mixing, adhesive, or any suitable method).

[0020] As used herein, the term "semi-solid" refers to a material that is a mixture of liquid and solid phases, such as, for example, a particle suspension, a slurry, a colloidal suspension, an emulsion, a gel, or a micelle.

[0021] As used herein, the terms "activated carbon network" and "network carbon" refer to the general qualitative state of an electrode. For example, an electrode with an activated carbon network (or network carbon) is one in which the carbon particles within the electrode assume a discrete particle morphology and arrangement that facilitates electrical contact and conductivity between particles and throughout the thickness and length of the electrode. Conversely, the terms "non-activated carbon network" and "non-network carbon" refer to an electrode in which the carbon particles exist as individual particle islands or multi-particle agglomerate islands that may not be sufficiently connected to provide adequate electrical conduction through the electrode.

[0022] As used herein, the terms "energy density" and "volumetric energy density" refer to the amount of energy (e.g., MJ) stored in an electrochemical cell per unit volume (e.g., L) of materials included to operate the electrochemical cell, such as electrodes, separators, electrolytes, and current collectors. Specifically, materials used to package the electrochemical cell are excluded from the calculation of volumetric energy density.

[0023] As used herein, the terms "high capacity material" or "high capacity anode material" refer to materials having an irreversible capacity greater than 300 mAh / g that can be incorporated into an electrode to promote the uptake of electroactive species. Examples include tin, tin alloys such as Sn-Fe, tin monoxide, silicon, silicon alloys such as Si-Co, silicon monoxide, aluminum, aluminum alloys, metal monoxides (such as CoO, FeO), or titanium oxide.

[0024] As used herein, the term "composite high capacity electrode layer" refers to an electrode layer having both a high capacity material and a conventional anode material, for example, a silicon graphite layer.

[0025] As used herein, the term "solid high capacitance electrode layer" refers to an electrode layer having a single solid-phase high capacitance material, for example, sputtered silicon, tin, tin alloys such as Sn-Fe, tin monoxide, silicon, silicon alloys such as Si-Co, silicon monoxide, aluminum, aluminum alloys, metal monoxides (such as CoO, FeO), or titanium oxide.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an electrochemical cell module 110 (hereinafter, "battery module") according to one embodiment. 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 can include a semi-solid electrode material, such as those described above. In some embodiments, the battery module 110 can include individual electrochemical cells, modules (e.g., multiple individual electrochemical cells electrically connected, e.g., in series or parallel), or battery packs (e.g., multiple modules connected, e.g., in series or parallel). In some embodiments, the battery module 110 can include multiple electrochemical cells for charging and discharging.

[0027] Electrochemical cells and electrochemical cell modules typically undergo formation, which involves an initial round of charging and discharging, as part of the manufacturing process. A battery formation system (hereinafter, "formation system") is a system or apparatus for forming electrochemical cells. A formation system typically resides within a battery manufacturing facility, which includes various other facilities for battery manufacturing, such as an electrochemical cell assembly line, a manufacturing room, a drying room, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for cooling, and equipment for moving supplies. At a higher level, a battery manufacturing campus (hereinafter, "campus") can include a collection of battery manufacturing facilities and other resources useful for, but not limited to, battery manufacturing. Streamlining energy transfer between elements at the formation system level, manufacturing facility level, and campus level is important for significantly reducing costs and materials and improving the overall efficiency of manufacturing.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of energy transfer within campus 2000, according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, one or more power sources transfer energy to energy storage system 250. Energy storage system 250 may be configured to (1) store the received energy for later use, (2) transfer energy to formation system 220, or (3) transfer energy to additional loads 240, which may be associated with electrochemical cell manufacturing. Power source 205 may transfer energy directly to formation system 220 or directly to additional loads 240. Although not shown, energy storage system 250, formation system 220, and additional loads 240 may reside within the facility. In some embodiments, formation system 220 may be configured to transfer energy back to energy storage system 250 for later use or for backup energy for the facility.

[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of energy transfer within a battery manufacturing campus, according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, facilities 300a, 300b, and 300c are configured to receive energy from a power source 305. Power source 305, formation system 320, additional load 340, and energy storage system 350 may be substantially similar in function and / or structure to power source 205, formation system 220, additional load 240, and energy storage system 250; therefore, specific aspects of power source 305, formation system 320, additional load 340, and energy storage system 350 will not be described with reference to FIG. 3. Power source 305 may include solar energy 306, wind energy 307, and / or power grid energy 308. In some embodiments, facilities 300a, 300b, and 300c may be configured to receive energy from other power sources. In some embodiments, facilities 300b and 300c may include the same facilities and / or equipment as facility 300. In some embodiments, facilities 300b and 300c may contain different facilities and / or equipment than facility 300a and may be used for different purposes. As shown, energy is transferred from power source 305 to one or more power converters 330 in facility 300a. Power converter 330 may be a DC / DC power converter that steps an input voltage to a desired level, such as for battery formation. In particular, facilities 300a-300c may include DC / DC converters to convert solar energy to a desired voltage used to charge battery modules 310. In some embodiments, AC / DC power converters are included to convert AC power coming from wind energy source 307 and / or power grid energy source 308. After conversion, the DC energy is transferred to energy storage system 350 where it is stored, or the DC energy is transferred directly to additional loads 340, including drying room 342, manufacturing line 346, HVAC 344, and / or other loads 348, as needed. Energy storage system 350 and formation system 320 are configured to transfer DC energy bidirectionally via a DC electrical connection as needed by facility 300a.When the battery module 310 is charging, power flows from the energy storage system 350 to the battery module 310, so that the battery module 310 acts as a load on the energy storage system 350. When the battery module 310 is discharging, energy flows into the energy storage system 350 and then charges the battery module 310. During discharge of the battery module 310, the formation system 320 is configured to transfer DC energy back to the energy storage system 350 for storage via a DC connection to the DC load 328, rather than discharging excess charge through a resistor, which would result in energy loss via heat. The formation system 320 includes a battery management system 325 and switches 321-323 electrically connected to the battery module 310 for controlling the flow of current through the battery module 310 via a controller 324, described in further detail below with respect to FIG. 4 . In some embodiments, the DC load 328 and a DC charger 327 can be connected in parallel to the formation system 320.

[0030] In some embodiments, energy storage system 350 may provide energy for facility, campus, or macro-grid level DC power sources having low voltages (i.e., voltages between about 0 V and about 100 V). Energy storage system 350 may provide a voltage source of about 400 V or less, about 350 V or less, about 300 V or less, about 250 V or less, about 200 V or less, about 150 V or less, about 100 V or less, about 95 V or less, about 90 V or less, about 85 V or less, about 80 V or less, about 75 V or less, about 70 V or less, about 65 V or less, about 60 V or less, about 55 V or less, about 50 V or less, about 45 V or less, about 40 V or less, about 35 V or less, about 30 V or less, about 25 V or less, about 20 V or less, about 15 V or less, or about 10 V or less.

[0031] In some embodiments, energy storage system 350 may provide energy for facility, campus, or macro-grid level DC power sources having high voltages (greater than about 250 V). Energy storage system 250 may provide a voltage source 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.

[0032] In some embodiments, the energy storage system 350 may allocate 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. This energy storage system 350 stores DC energy, which reduces the number of transformers used at the facility 300a, thereby reducing overall energy consumption. In other words, the energy storage system 350 may transfer DC energy to the formation system 320 without an AC transformer. The energy storage system may receive and store energy from renewable or sustainable sources to reduce total grid power requirements, enabling lower-cost renewable energy offsets and mitigating the grid's overall carbon footprint. Additionally, the facilities 300a-c may operate by drawing less energy from the power grid at a given time. Energy losses due to AC-DC conversion increase when a larger starting voltage is converted. Therefore, reducing the voltage transferred to the facilities 300a-300c at a given time reduces energy losses due to AC-DC conversion, thereby reducing the overall energy consumption of the facilities and campus.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a diagram of an electrochemical cell stack formation system, according to one embodiment. Energy storage system 450 and formation system 420 may be substantially similar in function and / or structure to energy storage systems 250, 350 and formation systems 220, 320, and therefore, certain aspects of energy storage system 450 and formation system 420 will not be described with respect to FIG. 4. As shown, energy storage system 450 transfers DC energy to formation system 420 via a DC electrical connection to a DC charger 427. In some embodiments, the DC charger is configured to receive a signal (e.g., via an electrical connection) from controller 424 to draw a desired amount of current into formation system 420. DC charger 427 is electrically connected in series with main switch 422. Main switch 422 allows current to flow through battery modules 410a, 410b, ... 410n when in a first configuration and blocks current from flowing through battery modules 410a-410n when in a second configuration. The main switch 422 may transition from a first configuration (closed, or on) to a second configuration (open, or off) in response to a signal from the controller 424 via a relay control line 426 .

[0034] The forming system 420 may also include switches 421a, 421b, ... 421n, 423a, 423b, ... 423n (e.g., contactors, relays, transistors, etc.) corresponding to each battery module 410a-n and configured to control current through each battery module 410a, 410b, ... 410n. For example, a first switch 421a may be connected in series with the first battery module 410a, and a second switch 423a may be connected in parallel with the first battery module 410a, such that when the first switch 421a is closed and the second switch 423a is open, current travels through the first battery module 410a toward the subsequent battery module 410b-n in the series. In contrast, when the first switch 421a is open and the second switch 423a is closed, current is directed away from the first battery module 410a and to different battery modules 410b-n in the forming system that may require charging. In some embodiments, both the first switch 421a and the second switch 423a may be closed, thereby blocking current from flowing to the first battery module 410a and any subsequent battery modules 410b-n in series. In some embodiments, both the first switch 421a and the second switch 423a may be open, thereby allowing current to flow to the first battery module 410a and any subsequent battery modules 410b-n in series. The switches 421a-n, 422a-n may switch between open and closed configurations in response to a signal from the controller 424 via a relay control line 426. Each battery module 410a-n is connected to a battery management system 429a, 429b, ... 429n to monitor the voltage and battery health of the battery module. The battery management system 429a-n is coupled to a current source 425a, 425b, ... 425n to control the current through each battery module 410a-n. Although the switches 421-423 are shown in this configuration, the switches 421-423 may be arranged in any suitable arrangement such that the flow of current may be directed away from the battery module 410 as desired.

[0035] The arrangement of the switches 421a-n, 423a-n allows for the removal of a faulty battery module 410a-n from the current flow path so that the formation of healthy battery modules can continue, thereby increasing formation efficiency. Additionally, fully charged battery modules may be removed from the current flow path as needed. For example, the controller 424 may detect the faulty battery module 410a-n from voltage measurements received from the battery management system 429a-n. The controller 424 may then send a signal to open the first switch 421a-n, thereby blocking current from flowing through the faulty battery module and instead directing it directly to the second battery module 410a-n. The controller 424 may also sense (via the battery management system 429a-n) that one of the battery modules 410a-n no longer requires charging. The controller 424 may then send a signal to configure the switches 421 a-n, 423 a-n so that charge is drawn from the charged battery module and redirected toward a different battery module 410 a-n requiring charging. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 automatically cuts off current from flowing through the failed battery module 410 a-n. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 automatically cuts off current from flowing through a fully charged battery module 410 a-n. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 automatically draws current from a fully charged battery module 410 a-n. Energy may be transferred from the formation system 420 to a DC load 428 via DC electricity and returned to the energy storage system 450.

[0036] In some embodiments, the forming system 420 can include in the range of about 1 to about 1000 battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the forming system 420 can 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, or at least about 900 battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the forming system 420 can include about 1,000 or less, about 900 or less, about 800 or less, about 700 or less, about 600 or less, about 500 or less, about 400 or less, about 300 or less, about 200 or less, about 100 or less, about 90 or less, about 80 or less, about 70 or less, about 60 or less, about 50 or less, about 40 or less, about 30 or less, about 20 or less, about 10 or less, about 9 or less, about 8 or less, about 7 or less, about 6 or less, about 5 or less, about 4 or less, or about 3 or less battery modules 410. Combinations of the above numbers of battery modules 410 are also possible (e.g., at least about 2 and less than about 1,000, or at least about 4 and less than about 50), including all values and ranges therebetween. In some embodiments, the forming system 420 can 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, or about 1,000 battery modules 420.

[0037] In some embodiments, the formation system 420 can include between about 1 and about 1000 battery management systems 429. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 can include between about 1 and about 1000 current sources 425. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 has the same number of battery management systems 429 as there are battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 has the same number of current sources 425 as there are battery modules 410. In some embodiments, the formation system 420 can include between about 1 and about 3000 switches 421, 422, 423. In some embodiments, the forming system 420 can include 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, or at least about 2400 switches 421, 422, 423. In some embodiments, the forming system 620 can include about 3000 or less, about 2400 or less, about 2200 or less, about 2000 or less, about 1000 or less, about 800 or less, about 600 or less, about 400 or less, about 200 or less, about 100 or less, about 80 or less, about 60 or less, about 40 or less, about 20 or less, about 10 or less, about 8 or less, about 6 or less, or about 4 or less. Combinations of the above numbers of battery switches 421, 422, 423 are also possible (e.g., at least about 2 to about 1,000, or at least about 4 to about 50), including all values and ranges therebetween.

[0038] 5A-5B show diagrams of a battery manufacturing campus including an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. Facilities 500a, 500b, 500c, power sources 506, 507, 508, forming system 520, additional loads 542, 544, 546, 548, and energy storage system(s) 550 may be substantially similar in function and / or structure to power sources 205, 305, forming systems 220, 320, 420, additional loads 240, 340, and energy storage systems 250, 350, 450, and therefore certain aspects of facilities 500a, 500b, 500c, power sources 506, 507, 508, forming system 520, additional loads 542, 544, 546, 548, and energy storage system 550 will not be described with respect to FIGS. 5A-5B.

[0039] As shown, solar generator 506 delivers DC energy to facilities 500a, 500b, and 500c. Facility 500a includes one or more energy storage systems 550a, 550b, ... 550n (collectively referred to as energy storage systems 550), which may transfer energy through a DC / DC power converter 536 to a DC charger 527, which delivers current to formation system 520. As shown, formation system 520 includes four battery modules 510a, 510b, 510c, and 510d connected in series and electrically coupled to respective battery management systems 529a, 529b, 529c, and 529d and current sources 525a, 525b, 525c, and 525d. The forming system 520 includes main switches 522 a and 522 b , as well as switches 521 a , 521 b , 521 c , 521 d , and switches 523 a , 523 b , 523 c , 523 d controlled by a controller 524 and relay control lines 526 . The battery modules 510a-d, battery management systems 520a-d, current sources 525a-d, main switches 522a-b, switches 521a-d and 523a-d, controller 524, and relay control line 526 may be substantially similar in function and / or structure to the battery modules 410a-n, battery management systems 420a-n, current sources 425a-n, main switch 422, switches 421a-d and 423a-n, controller 424, and relay control line 426, and therefore certain aspects of the battery modules 510a-d, battery management systems 520a-d, current sources 525a-d, main switches 522a-b, switches 521a-d and 523a-d, controller 524, and relay control line 526 will not be described with respect to Figures 5A-5B.

[0040] In some embodiments, solar generators may transfer energy into distribution control station 580. As shown, wind generators 507 transfer energy to distribution control station 580. Energy from wind generators 507 may be transferred (1) from distribution control center 580 through load transfer switch 560 to power additional loads in facility 500a, including drying room 542, manufacturing line 544, HVAC system 546, or other loads 548, or (2) through AC / DC power converter 535 to energy storage system 550 for later use. Campus grid connection 508 may provide energy to facilities 500a-c. At facility 500a, energy from campus grid connection 508 is transferred through facility meter 590 and then through load transfer switch 560. The energy may then be (1) used to power additional loads or (2) sent through AC / DC power converter 535 and stored in energy storage system 550 for later use. When backup AC energy (i.e., resilient AC) is needed to power additional loads, the energy stored in energy storage system 550 may be transferred through DC / AC converter 535 to load transfer switch 560 and then to the additional loads. The resilient AC may also be transferred to other facilities 500b, 500c on the campus as needed. Distribution control center 580, facility meters 590, load transfer switch 560, and energy storage system 550 may be configured to communicate to regulate energy flow throughout campus 5000.

[0041] Load transfer switch 560 includes an AC transformer. Because forming system 520 is powered by DC energy stored in energy storage system 550, load transfer switch 560 may include fewer AC transformers. For example, facility 500a may include only the AC transformers necessary to support drying room 542, manufacturing line 544, HVAC system 546, and / or other loads 548. Thus, facility 500a may include fewer AC transformers, which lowers the overall energy consumption of facility 500a. In some embodiments, facilities 500b and 500c may also include energy storage systems that enable the use of fewer AC transformers.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a station for conventional formation of electrochemical cells. As shown, energy loss is likely to occur in the cell through AC / DC conversion losses, cell efficiency losses, discharge energy, cell charging, and SEI layer formation. Cell production capacity represents the energy drawn for electrochemical cell formation and can be measured in gigawatt-hours (GWh). Each GWh of electrochemical cell capacity must be charged with GWh of energy. In the illustrated system, all of the energy required for electrochemical cell formation is transferred through and converted by an AC / DC power converter, resulting in an energy usage of approximately 50% of the electrochemical cell's capacity. Energy loss also occurs through cell efficiency losses. Energy loss due to cell efficiency is typically approximately 20% of the electrochemical cell's capacity. Some energy loss is inherent to charging, including cell capacity (e.g., cell charge) and SEI layer formation. When charging an electrochemical cell in this system, all of the energy comes from the power grid, meaning approximately 100% of the electrochemical cell's capacity is used. The SEI layer formation causes energy loss due to ion consumption, resulting in a loss of approximately 10% of the electrochemical cell's capacity. During the discharge of the electrochemical cell, approximately 100% of the electrochemical cell's capacity is expelled (during full discharge). Due to the waste heat produced during discharge, energy is used to power the HVAC system and cool the facility to a suitable temperature. Additional energy loss resulting from the operation of the HVAC system can be calculated by using the formula f(x) = 0.3x (where x represents the total discharge energy). In some embodiments, the energy loss resulting from the operation of the HVAC system may vary depending on environmental factors such as ambient temperature. Overall, conventional stations for the formation of electrochemical cells result in a total power usage of at least approximately 200% of the electrochemical cell's capacity.

[0043] FIG. 7 shows a diagram of serial formation of electrochemical cells using an energy storage system and a formation system, according to one embodiment. In the illustrated system, 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 loss due to charging / discharging is reduced to approximately 0% of the capacity of each electrochemical cell. Additionally, because DC energy is used directly, energy loss due to AC / DC conversion is 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 loss from running an HVAC system because energy from discharging the electrochemical cells is transferred back to the energy storage system for storage rather than being dissipated as heat.

[0044] In some embodiments, the energy loss from forming the electrochemical cells is 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 compared to forming the individual electrochemical cells.

[0045] 8 illustrates the interaction between the solar array 607, the energy storage system 650, and the formation power system 627, according to one embodiment. As shown, the energy storage system 650 receives input DC energy from the solar array 607 through a 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 620 can be electrically coupled to the energy storage system 650. The energy storage system 650 includes an energy system controller 655 that regulates the transfer of energy 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 be in direct communication to control the transfer of energy therebetween. The formation system 620 can include the formation power system 627 electrically connected to a collection of series-connected electrochemical cell modules 610a, 610b, 610c, 610d, 610e, and 610f. The electrochemical cell modules 610a-f may be controlled via a formation system controller 624. Each electrochemical cell module 610a-f is coupled to a control and interface system 625a, 625b, 625c, 625d, 625e, 625f used to control the flow of current through the electrochemical cell module 610a-f during charging and discharging. The control and interface systems 625a-f may be structurally and / or functionally similar to the battery management systems 425a-n, 525a-d, switches 421a-n, 521a-d, 422, 522a-b, 423a-n, 523a-d, and / or current sources 429a-n, 529a-d, as described above with respect to Figures 4 and 5A-5B, and therefore the control and interface systems 625a-f will not be 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 the formation of the electrochemical cells 625a-f.In some embodiments, the transfer voltage between the energy storage system 650 and the forming 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.

[0046] In some embodiments, energy storage system 650 can provide power backup energy for the building. As shown, energy storage system 650 can transfer energy through DC / AC converter 635 to provide AC backup energy. In some embodiments, energy storage system 650 can also provide DC backup energy.

[0047] 9 is a flowchart of a method 800 for forming an electrochemical cell or battery module via an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. In step 802, an electrochemical cell is provided for formation. In some embodiments, a battery module including multiple electrochemical cells in series may be used. The electrochemical cell is charged in step 804 using energy provided by the energy storage system. In step 806, the electrochemical cell is discharged through the energy storage system to prevent heat dissipation into the formation system. In some embodiments, the charge leaving the electrochemical cell during discharge may be used to directly charge other electrochemical cells or battery modules connected in series.

[0048] In some embodiments, the electrochemical cell systems, battery modules, energy storage systems, and formation systems can be substantially similar and / or the same as any of the electrochemical cells, battery modules, energy storage systems, and formation systems described above, and therefore, the electrochemical cells, battery modules, energy storage systems, and formation systems will not be described in further detail herein.

[0049] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method 900 for forming a battery module via backup power from an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. In this method 900, a battery formation procedure begins in step 902 by transferring startup energy to the energy storage system using a power source. In step 904, the energy storage system charges a battery module or a plurality of battery modules, each of which may include a plurality of batteries. The charge state of the battery modules may be monitored and controlled by a controller, thus enabling determination of whether the batteries are fully charged, as in step 906. If the batteries are not fully charged, the energy storage system may continue charging the battery modules. If the batteries are fully charged, the controller then determines in step 908 whether battery discharge is required, for example, due to requirements from battery formation or testing. If discharge is not required, the fully charged batteries may be transported to the next step, such as battery grading or sorting, in step 912. If discharge is required, the batteries may be discharged in step 910, and the discharged energy is transferred back to the energy storage system. After discharging, the controller may determine whether recharging is required for battery formation or testing, for example, based on the battery's state of health (SOH), in 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 battery recharging is not required, the battery may be processed via step 914 for grading or sorting. In some embodiments, the controller may be substantially similar and / or the same as any of the controllers described above. Accordingly, the controller will not be described in further detail herein.

[0050] In some embodiments, the power source can transfer energy to the energy storage system while the battery is charging or discharging. For example, if the controller detects that the amount of energy in the energy storage system is 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 cause the power source to transfer supplemental energy to the energy storage system.

[0051] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method 1000 for forming a battery module via an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. A charging procedure is initiated by transferring energy to the energy storage system using a power source in step 1002. The energy storage system can then charge the battery module in step 1004. During charging, a controller can monitor the battery's state of charge as well as any control signals from an external utility in step 1006. If backup power is needed, for example, due to an unexpected power outage or a low energy production rate of a solar power plant (e.g., a cloudy day), the controller can cause the battery module to discharge its batteries and store the discharged energy in the energy storage system, as in step 1008. The energy storage system can then supplement the power source and supply power to the external utility by transferring the stored energy to the power source in step 1010. In some embodiments, if the amount of energy stored in the energy storage system is sufficient, the battery charging in step 1004 and the energy transfer to the power source in step 1010 can occur simultaneously. For example, the power source can be a solar power plant, which can generate abundant energy during the daytime when demand is relatively low. The power supply can store excess energy in an energy storage system for both battery charging and power backup.

[0052] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method 1100 for forming battery modules via an energy storage system, according to one embodiment. In this method, a power source is first used to transfer energy to an energy storage system to begin the forming procedure in step 1102, followed by charging a plurality of battery modules using the energy storage system in step 1104. A controller is used to monitor the charge state of each battery module and determine whether any battery module is fully charged in step 1106. A battery module can be considered fully charged if, for example, its voltage is above a preset value. If no fully charged module is found in step 1106, the energy storage system can continue charging the battery modules. On the other hand, if one or more modules are fully charged, then in step 1108, the controller determines whether all modules are fully charged. If all modules are fully charged, the controller can cause the battery modules to discharge their batteries and store the discharged energy in the energy storage system, as in step 1110. If some battery modules are fully charged while others are not, the controller may then cause the battery modules to discharge those fully charged battery modules and store the discharged energy in the energy storage system at step 1112, thereby simultaneously charging the battery modules that are not fully charged. In some embodiments, the controller may selectively discharge and / or charge particular fully charged battery modules at step 1110 and / or step 1112. For example, the controller may monitor the capacity of the batteries in each battery module and terminate the charge / discharge cycle of those battery modules that have a capacity greater than a preset value.

[0053] Various concepts may be embodied as one or more methods, at least one example of which is provided. Acts performed as part of a method may be ordered in any suitable manner. Thus, although shown as sequential acts in an exemplary embodiment, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different from that illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously. In other words, it should be understood that such features may not necessarily be limited to a particular order of execution, but rather, any number of threads, processes, services, servers, etc. may be executed sequentially, asynchronously, concurrently, in parallel, simultaneously, and / or synchronously in a manner consistent with this disclosure. Thus, some of these features may be mutually inconsistent, in that they cannot exist simultaneously in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features may be applicable to certain aspects of the invention and inapplicable to other aspects.

[0054] Additionally, the present disclosure may include other innovations not currently described. The applicants retain all rights in such inventions, including any rights to practice such inventions and to any additional applications, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisions, and / or the like. As such, it should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, logical, operational, organizational, structural, topological, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be construed as limitations of the present disclosure defined by the embodiments or limitations of equivalents of the embodiments. Depending on the particular desires and / or characteristics of individual and / or business users, database organization and / or relational models, data types, data transmission and / or network frameworks, syntactic structures, etc., various embodiments of the technology disclosed herein may be implemented in a manner that allows for great flexibility and customization, as described herein.

[0055] 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.

[0056] As used herein, in certain embodiments, the term "about" or "approximately," when preceding a numerical value, indicates a range of plus or minus 10% of the value. When a range of values is provided, it is understood that, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit, each intervening value between the upper and lower limit of that range, and any other stated or intervening value within that stated range, is encompassed within the disclosure, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges, and are subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range, also encompassed within the disclosure. Where a stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included within the disclosure.

[0057] As used herein in the specification and embodiments, the term "and / or" should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are present conjunctively in some cases and disjunctively in other cases. Multiple elements listed with "and / or" should be construed in the same manner, i.e., "one or more" of the elements so conjoined. Other elements other than the elements specifically identified by the "and / or" clause may optionally be present, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to "A and / or B," when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as "comprising," can refer in one embodiment to A only (optionally including elements other than B), in another embodiment to B only (optionally including elements other than A), or in yet another embodiment to both A and B (optionally including other elements), etc.

[0058] As used herein in the specification and embodiments, "or" should be understood to have the same meaning as "and / or" as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, "or" or "and / or" should be interpreted as inclusive, i.e., including at least one of a number or list of elements, but including more than one, and optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as "only one of" or "exactly one of," or, when used in embodiments, "consisting of," will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. Generally, as used herein, the term "or" should be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e., "one or the other, but not both") only when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as "either," "one of," "only one of," or "exactly one of." "Consisting essentially of," when used in embodiments, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0059] As used herein in the specification and embodiments, the phrase "at least one," in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of every element specifically listed in the list of elements and excluding any combination of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows for elements other than those specifically identified in the list of elements to which the phrase "at least one" refers, whether related to the specifically identified elements or not, may optionally be present. 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, in one embodiment, at least one, optionally, two or more A, and no B (and, optionally, including elements other than B); in another embodiment, at least one, optionally, two or more B, and no A (and, optionally, including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, at least one, optionally, two or more A, and at least one, optionally, two or more B (and, optionally, including other elements); etc.

[0060] In embodiments, as well as in the above specification, all transitional phrases such as "comprising," "including," "carrying," "having," "containing," "involving," "holding," "consisting of," and the like, are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean "including, but not limited to." As set forth in Section 2111.03 of the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" must be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

[0061] While specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been outlined above, many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiments, as described herein, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. While the methods and steps described above indicate certain events occurring in a certain order, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will recognize that the order of certain steps may be changed, and that such changes are in accordance with variations of the present invention. Additionally, some steps may be performed simultaneously in parallel processing, where possible, rather than simply sequentially as described above. While embodiments have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that various changes in form and detail may be made.

Claims

1. 1. A method of forming an electrochemical cell in a battery-forming system, the electrochemical cell including 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 cell; transferring energy from the electrochemical cell to the energy storage system to prevent thermal energy dissipation into the formation system, wherein the transferred energy is direct current (DC).

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

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

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein energy loss from the formation of the electrochemical cells is reduced by at least about 100% of the total capacity of the electrochemical cells compared to formation of the individual electrochemical cells without the use of the energy storage system.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing backup energy for a building via the energy storage system.

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

7. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system provides energy to at least one of a facility, a campus, or a macro-grid level DC power source at a voltage 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 a backup.

9. transferring energy from a renewable power source to the energy storage system; 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the energy from the renewable power source in the energy storage system.

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

11. 1. A system for forming an electrochemical cell module, 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 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, a first configuration in which the first switch is closed and the second switch is open so that current travels through the first electrochemical cell module; a first switch and a second switch having 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 passes directly to the second electrochemical cell module; a controller configured to transition 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.

12. 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 system of claim 11 , wherein the third and fourth switches are configured to open and close in response to signals received from the controller.

13. 12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a DC load and a DC charger electrically connected in parallel with the energy storage system and the first and second electrochemical cell modules.

14. a first electronic circuit electrically coupled to the first electrochemical cell module; a second electronic circuit electrically coupled to the second electrochemical cell module; 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit are configured to measure the voltages of the first electrochemical cell module and the second electrochemical cell module, respectively, to detect a faulty electrochemical cell module.

15. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein upon detecting a failed electrochemical cell module, the controller directs current away from the failed electrochemical cell module and through the healthy electrochemical cell module so that the healthy electrochemical cell module can continue formation.

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

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

18. 20. 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. 1. A system comprising: an energy storage system configured to receive energy from one or more power sources; a formation system including a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series, the plurality of electrochemical cells 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 an AC transformer.

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

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

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

23. 20. 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 a backup.

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

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

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

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

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