Claims
- 1. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system comprising
a combustion engine, an electric motor, and at least one nickel metal hydride battery module forming a power source for providing electric power to said electric motor, said at least one nickel metal battery module having a peak power density in relation to energy density as defined by: P>1,420−16E where P is the peak power density as measured in Watts/kilogram and E is the energy density as measured in Watt-hours/kilogram.
- 2. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 1 including means for connecting and disconnecting said combustion engine and: said electric motor in driving relationship to said electric vehicle.
- 3. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 2 including control means for operating said battery power module in a charge depleting mode.
- 4. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 2 including control means for operating said battery power module in a charge sustaining mode.
- 5. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said peak power density is at least 600 W/Kg for an energy density of least 70 Wh/Kg.
- 6. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said peak power density is at least 550 W/Kg for an energy density of least 55 Wh/Kg.
- 7. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said peak power density is at least 600 W/Kg for an energy density of least 50 Wh/Kg.
- 8. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said battery modules comprise electrodes of high electrical conductivity.
- 9. A hybrid electric vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said high electrical conductivity electrodes are formed substantially of copper.
- 10. A hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system comprising:
a power system comprising a combustion engine and an electric motor, nickel metal hydride batteries configured for maximum peak power density and high energy density coupled to said power system, and power controlling means governing said power system and configured for optimum operation of said combustion engine and said electric motor.
- 11. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 10, further comprising:
a regenerative braking system coupled to said power controlling means and providing charging current for said nickel metal hydride batteries.
- 12. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 10, where said nickel-metal hydride batteries have negative electrodes, or positive electrodes, or negative and positive electrodes comprising:
powdered active materials pressed into a porous metal substrate, said porous metal substrate selected from the group consisting of copper, copper alloy, nickel coated with copper, and nickel coated with copper alloy.
- 13. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 10, where said nickel-metal hydride batteries have a power density of ≧1500 W/L.
- 14. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 10, where said nickel-metal hydride batteries have a specific power of >600 W/kg at an energy density of at least 70 Wh/Kg.
- 15. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 10, where said nickel-metal hydride batteries have an energy density≧150 Wh/L.
- 16. The integrated propulsion system for a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein said negative electrodes, positive electrodes, or negative and positive electrodes have at least one electrode tab attached to thereto and said electrode tab is directly attached to said porous metal substrate via a low electrical-resistance connection.
- 17. The integrated propulsion system for a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 16, wherein said low electrical-resistance connection is formed by welding, brazing, or soldering.
- 18. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 12, where said negative electrodes are sintered negative electrodes formed from Ovonic alloys.
- 19. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 12, where said negative electrodes are formed from an Ovonic alloy comprising the following composition:
- 20. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 12, where said positive electrodes are formed from disordered γ-phase positive electrode material.
- 21. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 12, where said porous metal substrate is fabricated with current collection lines having electrical conductivity greater than said porous metal substrate, said current collection lines providing high conductivity pathways from points remote from said at least one electrode tab on said negative and positive electrodes.
- 22. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 21, where all connections between said porous metal substrate, said current collection lines, and said at least one electrode tab are laser welded.
- 23. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 12 where said positive electrodes further comprise current conducting additives added to said powdered active material of said positive electrodes, said current conducting additives chosen from the group consisting of nickel particles, nickel fibers, graphite particles, nickel plated graphite particles, nickel plated copper particles, nickel plated copper fibers, nickel flakes, and nickel plated copper flakes.
- 24. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 10, wherein said nickel metal hydride batteries are low pressure nickel metal hydride electrochemical cells comprising:
a negative electrode of metal hydride; a positive electrode of nickel hydroxide; and a reduced thickness separator of nylon or grafted polyethylene positioned around said negative electrode and around said positive electrode.
- 25. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 25, where said negative electrode or the surface of said reduced thickness separator facing said negative electrode has a uniform distribution of hydrophobic material to increase gas recombination and reduce cell pressure.
- 26. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 26, where said hydrophobic material comprises a 1% aqueous solution of polytetrafluoroethylene.
- 27. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 10, wherein the battery pack comprises a fluid cooled battery-pack system, said system including:
a battery-pack case, said case including at least one coolant inlet means and at least one coolant outlet means; at least one battery module disposed within said case, said battery module including a plurality of individual batteries bundled together, said at least one battery module being positioned within said case such that said battery module is spacedly disposed from said case and from any other battery modules disposed within said case to form coolant flow channels along at least one surface of said bundled batteries, the width of said coolant flow channels optimally sized to allow for maximum heat transfer, through convective, conductive and radiative heat transfer mechanisms, from said batteries to said coolant; and at least one coolant transport means, said coolant transport means causing said coolant to enter said coolant inlet means of said case, to flow through said coolant flow channels and to exit said coolant outlet means of said case.
- 28. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 27, where said coolant transport means includes a forced-air blower.
- 29. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 27, where said coolant flows perpendicular to the longest dimension of said coolant flow channels.
- 30. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 27, where said coolant flows parallel to the longest dimension of said coolant flow channels.
- 31. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 27, where said coolant flow channels are designed to impede the flow of coolant flowing therethrough by no more than about 5 to 30% in flow volume.
- 32. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 27, where the width of said coolant flow channels is between 0.3 and 12 mm.
- 33. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 27, where said system maintains the temperature of said battery modules below 65° C.
- 34. The hybrid electric vehicle incorporating an integrated propulsion system of claim 27, where said system maintains the temperature difference between battery modules below 8° C.
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
[0001] The present invention is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/016,203 filed on Dec. 10, 2001 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/979,340 filed on Nov. 24, 1997 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/792,358 and 08/792,359, both filed Jan. 31, 1997.
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10016203 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
Child |
10408826 |
Apr 2003 |
US |
Parent |
08979340 |
Nov 1997 |
US |
Child |
10016203 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08792358 |
Jan 1997 |
US |
Child |
08979340 |
Nov 1997 |
US |
Parent |
08792359 |
Jan 1997 |
US |
Child |
08979340 |
Nov 1997 |
US |