Impulse Devices, Inc.

Tesla Motors, Inc.

David G Beck

Ross Alan Tessien

Weston Arthur Hermann

Jeffrey Brian Straubel

Scott Ira Kohn

Vineet Haresh Mehta

Dario Felipe Gaitan

A method for charging a metal-air battery pack at the maximum possible rate while maintaining an ambient oxygen concentration below a preset concentration is provided, thereby minimizing the risks associated with generating oxygen during the charging cycle.

Charge rate modulation of metal-air cells as a function of ambient oxygen concentration

A battery pack, or battery pack module, is provided that is configured to respond to a short circuit of moderate current in a manner that minimizes the risk of an initial thermal runaway event propagating throughout the battery pack/battery pack module. In general, the battery pack/battery module allows pre-selection of which cell of the cells comprising the battery pack/battery pack module will be the last cell to respond to the short circuit. As a result, a thermal isolation barrier may be used to separate the preselected cell from the other cells of the battery pack/battery pack module, thereby minimizing the risk of excessive heating and extensive collateral damage.

Battery pack configuration to reduce hazards associated with internal short circuits

A system and method for charging a metal-air battery pack at the maximum possible rate while maintaining an ambient oxygen concentration below a preset concentration is provided, thereby minimizing the risks associated with generating oxygen during the charging cycle.

A battery pack is provided that includes one or more thermal barrier elements, the thermal barrier elements dividing the cells within the battery pack into groups of cells. The thermal barrier elements that separate the cells into groups prevent a thermal runaway event initiated in one group of cells from propagating to the cells within a neighboring group of cells.

Thermal barrier structure for containing thermal runaway propagation within a battery pack

A method and apparatus of circulating cavitation fluid within a cavitation fluid circulatory system is provided. The system provides a means of circulating the cavitation fluid through a cavitation chamber, before or during cavitation chamber operation, as well as a means of draining and filling the chamber with minimal, if any, exposure of the cavitation fluid to the outside environment. The apparatus includes a network of conduits coupling the cavitation chamber to a cavitation fluid reservoir and at least one external fluid pump. Preferably the cavitation fluid reservoir serves the dual function of fluid reservoir and degassing chamber. Manipulation of various valves within the conduit network allows the cavitation fluid to either be pumped from the reservoir into the cavitation chamber or from the cavitation chamber into the reservoir. During cavitation chamber operation, the same pump and conduit network can be used to continuously or intermittently circulate the cavitation fluid through the degassing system. A vacuum pump coupled to the degassing system can operate continuously or intermittently during system degassing. In another aspect, the cavitation fluid circulation system includes a bubble trap immediately following the fluid pump, thus providing a means of capturing bubbles generated during the pumping operation. In yet another aspect, the cavitation fluid circulation system includes a filter, preferably for removing contaminants that could disrupt the cavitation process. In yet another aspect, the cavitation fluid circulation system includes a heat exchange system, thus allowing the temperature of the cavitation fluid to be controlled.

Cavitation fluid circulatory system for a cavitation chamber

An acoustic driver assembly for use with any of a variety of cavitation chamber configurations, including spherical and cylindrical chambers as well as chambers that include at least one flat coupling surface, is provided. The acoustic driver assembly includes at least one transducer, a head mass and a tail mass. The end surface of the head mass is shaped so that only a ring of contact is made between the outer perimeter of the head mass of the driver assembly and the cavitation chamber to which the driver is attached. The area of the contact ring is controlled by shaping its surface.

Acoustic driver assembly with recessed head mass contact surface

An acoustic driver assembly for use with any of a variety of cavitation chamber configurations, including spherical and cylindrical chambers as well as chambers that include at least one flat coupling surface. The acoustic driver assembly includes at least one transducer, a head mass and a tail mass. The end surface of the head mass is shaped to limit the contact area between the head mass of the driver assembly and the cavitation chamber to which the driver is attached, the contact area being limited to a centrally located contact region. The area of contact is controlled by limiting its size and/or shaping its surface.

Acoustic driver assembly with restricted contact area

A method of assembling a port assembly in a cavitation chamber, typically a spherical chamber, is provided. The method is comprised of the steps of boring a port in a cavitation chamber wall, positioning a cone-shaped member within a corresponding cone-shaped surface of a mounting ring, positioning the mounting ring within the port, and locking the mounting ring within the port with a retaining ring. The largest diameter of the cone-shaped member corresponds to the cavitation chamber internal surface. The member can be a window, gas feed-thru, liquid feed-thru, mechanical feed-thru, sensor, sensor coupler, transducer coupler or plug. The member can be secured within the mounting ring with an adhesive. The retaining ring can be coupled to the cavitation chamber external surface with one or more bolts. The port in the cavitation chamber is preferably cone-shaped with the largest diameter of the port corresponding to the cavitation chamber external surface. If the mounting ring and the retaining ring are combined into a single retaining coupler, the cavitation chamber port can be either cone-shaped with the largest diameter of the port corresponding to the cavitation chamber external surface or the port can be cylindrically shaped.

Method of assembling a port assembly in a cavitation chamber

A method of assembling multiple port assemblies in a cavitation chamber is provided. The method is comprised of boring at least two ports of different sizes in a cavitation chamber wall of the cavitation chamber. The external port diameter of the smaller port is smaller than that port's internal port diameter. A member selected from the group consisting of windows, plugs, feed-throughs, sensors, transducers and couplers is inserted into the chamber through the larger port and positioned within the smaller port. The member can be secured within the smaller port with an adhesive. A mounting ring/retaining ring, retaining coupler or port cover seals the second, larger port. A second member selected from the group consisting of windows, plugs, feed-throughs, sensors, transducers and couplers can be positioned within a cone-shaped port within the mounting ring or retaining coupler. A feed-thru, sensor, transducer or coupler can be integrated into the port cover. To aid the assembly process, specialized tools can be used to position the member within the smaller port.

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Tiburon, CA, United States of America

David G Beck