Beam Global

Samuel T Plunkett

Said Al-Hallaj

Stoyan Stoyanov

Mohamad M Salameh

Hexu Wang

Scott Morehouse

Chengxiu Chen

Hamdi Mohamed

De'Nard Harper

Dan Bagby

Reem Khoury

Panos Prezas

A method and apparatus for charging a battery pack including a plurality of electrochemical cells distributed within a thermal management composite matrix, including a phase change material. The method operates upon determining that a battery pack temperature and/or voltage measurement is below a predetermined minimum threshold. The pack temperature and/or the voltage measurement is raised to the predetermined minimum threshold, such as by applying a low current rate, and then the charging rate is increased upon reaching the predetermined minimum threshold. The increased charging rate is further selected based upon a thermal state of charge of the thermal management composite matrix.

Fast charging batteries at low temperatures with battery pack preheating

A thermal management apparatus and method of use, such as in a battery pack or electronic device. A thermally responsive material is disposed between two surfaces, wherein the thermally responsive material changes upon heating, to increase a thermal conductance between the two surfaces. The thermally responsive material is offset from one of the surfaces and expands upon heating to connect the two surfaces. The thermally responsive material is a phase change composite including a phase change material selected from a paraffin wax, a hydrated salt, and combinations thereof.

Smart phase change composite for passive thermal management

A method for making a phase change composite (PCC) for a battery pack of a plurality of electrochemical cells. The method includes impregnating a matrix material with a phase change material, and fragmenting the matrix material before or after the impregnating. The fragmented and impregnated matrix material are shaped into a composite such as by extraction, pressing, or other molding technique. Additional PCC shapes are provided by this invention, such as individual spacers for placement between individual battery cells, or rows of cells.

Phase change composite apparatus for battery packs and methods of making

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Samuel T Plunkett