Claims
- 1. A device for indicating malfunction of at least one voltage cell in a plurality of voltage cells connected in series comprising:
- means for adding the voltage magnitudes of two adjacent voltage cells of said plurality of voltage cells connected in series at upper and lower voltage points to obtain a sum voltage;
- means for comparing said sum voltage with a central voltage between said two adjacent voltage cells to obtain an error voltage proportional to the difference between said sum voltage and said central voltage; and
- switching means for providing an output whenever said error voltage exceeds a predetermined magnitude indicative of a malfunction of at least one of said voltage cells, said switching means having a first transistor connected to conduct whenever said error signal exceeds a predetermined positive voltage and a second transistor connected to conduct whenever said error signal exceeds a predetermined negative voltage.
- 2. An automatic voltage imbalance detector comprising:
- a plurality of voltage cells connected in series such that each two adjacent voltage cells have lower, middle and upper voltage points at connection points in said series;
- means for combining the voltage magnitudes at said upper and lower voltage points to obtain a sum voltage;
- operational amplifier means for comparing said sum voltage with the voltage magnitude at said middle voltage point to produce an error signal proportional to the difference between said sum voltage and the voltage magnitude at said middle voltage point; and
- switching means for producing an output signal whenever said comparison signal exceeds a predetermined error voltage, said switching means having a first transistor connected to conduct whenever said error signal exceeds a predetermined positive voltage and a second transistor connected to conduct whenever said error signal exceeds a predetermined negative voltage.
- 3. A device for preventing damage to series connected voltage cells due to excessive discharge comprising:
- means for detecting voltage levels between said series connected voltage cells during discharge;
- means for comparing adjacent voltage levels to produce difference voltage signals;
- means for comparing adjacent difference voltage signals to produce an error voltage signal proportional to the difference between said difference voltage signals; and
- switching means for producing an output voltage switching signal whenever said error voltage signal exceeds a predetermined absolute magnitude indicative of potential damage to said voltage cells, said switching means having a first transistor connected to produce an output switching signal whenever said error voltage signal exceeds a predetermined positive voltage and a second transistor connected to produce an output switching signal whenever said error voltage signal exceeds a predetermined negative voltage.
Government Interests
This invention is the result of a contract with the Department of Energy (Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36).
US Referenced Citations (3)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
"Fill it up with Methyl," Atom, Jan./Feb. 1980, pp. 3-7, Los Alamos National Laboratory. |