Lithium-Oxygen Battery Oxygen Recycling for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems do not efficiently utilize oxygen, leading to inefficiencies and increased space requirements, particularly in environments with limited oxygen availability or space constraints.
Innovation Solution
A battery system that recycles and compresses oxygen released during charging, storing it for reuse in lithium-oxygen batteries, incorporating a compressor and storage unit to manage internal pressure and temperature, and includes a blowing fan to supply oxygen to the batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If oxygen is not compressed and stored for reuse, then the system structure is simpler, but oxygen utilization efficiency is poor and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers oxygen that is released during battery charging and reuses it during discharging. The oxygen compression unit compresses the released oxygen into a storage unit, and the oxygen supply unit supplies it back to the battery, eliminating waste and improving utilization efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a compression unit and storage unit as intermediary components between the battery's charge and discharge processes. These intermediaries enable the oxygen to be captured, stored, and delivered when needed, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and efficiency.
2Productivity
If oxygen compression and storage units are added, then oxygen utilization efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls the compression unit during charging, manages the storage unit, and controls the supply unit during discharging. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control mechanisms for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the oxygen compression, storage, and supply functions into an integrated system managed by a single control unit. This merging of functions achieves high oxygen utilization while minimizing the number of independent control systems.
3Volume of moving object
If oxygen is stored in compressed state, then space requirements are reduced, but internal pressure control becomes more critical
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit monitors the internal pressure of the storage unit and adjusts the compression and supply operations accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that pressure remains within safe limits while maximizing storage density.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the compression ratio and supply rate based on real-time pressure conditions. The control unit modulates the operation of the compression and supply units to maintain pressure stability while optimizing space utilization.
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
Enhances battery performance, reduces space requirements, and maintains efficient operation under varying environmental conditions, enabling use in environments with limited oxygen or space, such as stratospheric platforms and submarines.
Implementation Method 1
an oxygen compressing unit configured to compress oxygen released from the lithium-oxygen battery
Implementation Method 2
a blowing fan disposed in the enclosure case and configured to blow oxygen supplied by the oxygen supplying unit toward the lithium-oxygen battery
Data Source
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AI summary
While lithium-air batteries have been known, in which oxygen in the air is used as a positive electrode active material and lithium is used as a negative electrode active material, it is desired to provide a battery system capable of efficient utilization of oxygen. A battery system is provided, including: a lithium-oxygen battery; an oxygen compressing unit configured to compress oxygen released from the lithium-oxygen battery; a storage unit configured to store oxygen compressed by the oxygen compressing unit; and an oxygen supplying unit configured to supply oxygen stored in the storage unit to the lithium-oxygen battery.