US 12,347,908 B2
Redox flow battery with floating power module under imbalanced charge conditions
Jonathan Hamel, Cambridge, MA (US); Kyra Coffey Holmquest, Somerville, MA (US); and Kevin Hartley Beverage, Sterling, MA (US)
Assigned to Lockheed Martin Energy, LLC, Bethesda, MD (US)
Filed by LOCKHEED MARTIN ENERGY, LLC, Bethesda, MD (US)
Filed on Feb. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/680,594.
Prior Publication US 2023/0275250 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 8/18 (2006.01); H01M 8/0289 (2016.01); H01M 8/04537 (2016.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/02 (2016.01)
CPC H01M 8/188 (2013.01) [H01M 8/0289 (2013.01); H01M 8/04574 (2013.01); H02J 7/0048 (2020.01); H02J 7/0068 (2013.01); H02J 7/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flow cell battery system, comprising:
an AC/DC inverter;
a first power module comprising:
a first positive terminal electronically coupled to a positive bus connected to a positive side of the AC/DC inverter;
a first negative terminal electronically coupled to a first negative-side switch, the first negative-side switch operable to:
when closed, allow flow of electrical current from the first negative terminal of the first power module to electrical ground; and
when open, prevent flow of electrical current from the first negative terminal of the first power module to electrical ground;
a second power module located adjacent to the first power module, the second power module comprising:
a second positive terminal electronically coupled to the positive bus connected to the positive side of the AC/DC inverter;
a second negative terminal electronically coupled to a second negative-side switch, the second negative-side switch operable to:
when closed, allow flow of electrical current from the second negative terminal of the second power module to electrical ground; and
when open, prevent flow of electrical current from the second negative terminal of the second power module to electrical ground; and
a battery management system comprising a hardware processor configured to:
detect that the first and second power modules are operating at a different state of charge;
determine that the second power module is at a lower state of charge than the first power module,
after determining that the second power module is at the lower state of charge than the first power module, adjust the second negative-side switch to the open position.