Battery Electrolyte Intermixing via Acceleration-Driven Flow Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lead-acid batteries experience stratification of electrolyte, leading to uneven acid concentration, which results in electrode corrosion and reduced battery life, especially in high-construction batteries used in vehicles, where energy for intermixing is limited by vehicle acceleration.
Innovation Solution
A battery design featuring a flow channel and mixing trough system where acid of different densities is intermixed during vehicle acceleration, with the denser acid flowing through a vertical channel and lighter acid entering through a bottom opening, ensuring thorough mixing and recirculation, enhanced by additional mixing troughs and turbulence-inducing features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If acid is pressed upward through a long vertical channel during acceleration, then intermixing of electrolyte is achieved, but a rather large amount of energy is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a horizontal mixing channel that connects to the vertical flow channel at an angle (preferably 90 degrees). This dimensional transition allows the electrolyte to change from vertical upward flow to horizontal flow, utilizing the kinetic energy already present in the accelerated fluid to achieve mixing without requiring additional energy input for further vertical lifting.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing channel is designed to be dynamically responsive to acceleration forces. During vehicle acceleration, the electrolyte naturally flows through the vertical channel and into the horizontal mixing channel due to inertial forces. The system adapts its mixing action based on the acceleration profile, requiring no external energy input beyond what is already present in the moving vehicle.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the flow channel plate extends to the lower third portion of the acid volume, then denser acid is guided into the mixing trough, but the channel length increases requiring more energy
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing the horizontal mixing channel that connects at an angle to the vertical flow channel, the patent effectively shortens the required vertical channel length. The angled connection allows the system to tap into the denser acid layer without requiring the vertical channel to extend as deeply, thereby reducing the overall channel length and energy requirements while still achieving effective density-based separation and mixing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves more efficient intermixing of electrolytes, extending battery life, improving power delivery and uptake capacity, and facilitating faster temperature adjustment within the battery cell.
Implementation Method 1
acid some intermixing devices that exploit the mass inertia of the acid at acceleration movements
Implementation Method 2
the acid present in an ascending channel, must be pressed upwards from below through acceleration over a long distance
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a battery comprising liquid electrolyte, used in moving vehicles, wherein the battery includes a battery housing comprising side walls, a housing floor and a cover, a liquid electrolyte, the level of which is within predetermined tolerance limits, electrodes, a flow channel plate arranged at least on one side wall so as to form a flow channel, wherein the upper end of said flow channel serves as exhaust port, a mixing vessel comprising a mixing vessel floor and mixing vessel side walls being arranged above the electrodes wherein the mixing vessel side wall adjoining the exhaust port is formed as an overflow the mixing vessel floor being located below the minimum level for the liquid electrolyte, which minimum level is provided for operational reasons, and at least one floor opening being provided in the mixing vessel floor.