Method and Apparatus for Controlling Energy Flow Between Dissimilar Energy Storage Devices

• Main Authors: Coad Nathan, Laubenstein Thomas A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.03.2017
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC,OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWERSUPPLY SYSTEMS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTINGELECTRIC POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUTPOWER; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRICITY; GENERATION; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY

The present invention provides an energy storage system that utilizes batteries of multiple compositions and provides improved load sharing between the different types of batteries is disclosed. The energy storage system includes at least two batteries, where each battery has a different chemical composition for storing energy. One battery is configured for rapid charging/discharging and the other batter is configured for slower charging/discharging. Each battery is connected to a common connection via an energy regulator. The regulators are initially configured such that the energy regulator connected between the common connection and the battery configured for rapid charging/discharging responds initially to changes in power demand at the common connection. If power demand continues, the first regulator decreases the amount of energy transferred between the first battery and the common connection while the second regulator begins transferring energy between the second battery and the common connection.