Ultrasonic Electrolyte Sensor for Battery Cell Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring electrolyte levels in battery cells are invasive, expensive, and often fail to detect low electrolyte levels until they become severe, posing a risk of battery failure.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive ultrasonic sensor system that uses a microcontroller, ultrasonic transmit and receive circuits, and piezo electric transducers to transmit and receive signals, constructing calibration and test signatures to detect when the electrolyte level drops below a predetermined acceptable level, allowing for real-time monitoring and fault indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If intrusive monitoring devices are installed within battery cells, then electrolyte level monitoring is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase due to corrosive environment requirements and cell-specific mechanical designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ultrasonic waves as an intermediary to indirectly measure electrolyte level without placing sensors inside the corrosive battery environment. The ultrasonic transducer is positioned externally, and electrolyte level is determined by analyzing the reflection characteristics of ultrasonic waves at the electrolyte-meniscus interface, eliminating the need for intrusive devices while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/intrusive monitoring devices with an acoustic field-based ultrasonic measurement system. Instead of physically inserting sensors into the battery cell, the system uses ultrasonic wave propagation and reflection characteristics to detect electrolyte level, substituting a mechanical measurement approach with a non-contact acoustic field approach that avoids corrosion and simplifies device structure
2Device complexity
If ohmic measurements are used to detect dry out, then simplicity is maintained, but detection precision deteriorates as severe dry out must occur before detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple ohmic electrical measurements with ultrasonic acoustic field measurements. The ultrasonic method detects changes in the acoustic impedance and reflection characteristics at the electrolyte interface, providing early detection of low electrolyte levels before severe dry out occurs, while maintaining relative system simplicity through the use of standard ultrasonic transducers and signal processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent monitors changes in ultrasonic wave reflection parameters (amplitude, time of flight, frequency content) as the electrolyte level changes. By tracking these acoustic parameter variations, the system achieves precise detection of early dry out conditions, contrasting with ohmic measurements that only detect severe dry out through large changes in electrical resistance
3Measurement precision
If capacity testing is performed to determine dry out, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to expensive equipment and time-consuming processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic ultrasonic pulse transmission and rapid echo analysis to continuously or frequently monitor electrolyte level. This periodic acoustic measurement approach provides precise dry out detection capability comparable to capacity testing but executes much faster with simple, low-cost ultrasonic transducers, eliminating the need for expensive, time-consuming capacity test equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes complex electrochemical capacity testing with simple ultrasonic acoustic measurements. The ultrasonic method achieves comparable precision in detecting dry out conditions but with dramatically improved productivity through rapid measurement cycles and minimal equipment requirements, replacing expensive battery chargers and capacity test systems with affordable ultrasonic transducers
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
The system effectively monitors electrolyte levels in battery cells, providing timely alerts and preventing battery failure by detecting low levels before they become severe, while being cost-effective and non-invasive.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic transmit circuit for transmitting an ultrasonic signal into an interior area of the battery cell, and an ultrasonic receive circuit. The ultrasonic receive circuit may be used for receiving the ultrasonic signal after it has been reflected from the interior area of the battery cell
Implementation Method 2
A non-invasive ultrasonic sensor system that uses a microcontroller, ultrasonic transmit and receive circuits, and piezo electric transducers to transmit and receive signals
Data Source
AI summary
A system is disclosed for monitoring an electrolyte level in a battery cell and generating an indication of a fault condition when the electrolyte level drops below a predetermined acceptable level. The system may make use of a controller, an ultrasonic transmit circuit for transmitting an ultrasonic signal into an interior area of the battery cell, and an ultrasonic receive circuit for receiving the ultrasonic signal after it has been reflected from the interior area of the battery cell. The controller may use the reflected ultrasonic signal and a predetermined calibration signal representing the predetermined acceptable level of the electrolyte to determine when the electrolyte level has dropped below the predetermined acceptable level.