International Business Machines Corporation

Steven John Ahladas

Robert K Mullady

Noah B Singer

Kevin Robert Covi

Robert B Schlak

Luke L Jenkins

Edward Joseph Seminaro

Brian C Tucker

Ravi Kumar Arimilli

Madhusudan K Iyengar

Roger R Schmidt

David B Kumhyr

Budy D Notohardjono

Mark Edmund Maresh

Prabjit Singh

Marc Henri Coq

Michael T Peets

Daniel J Kearney

David P Graybill

Xiaojin Wei

Richard John Fishbune

Eric B Swenson

Robert Philip Makowicki

Vincent P Mulligan

Gerard Vincent Weber, Jr

Katie L Pizzolato

Thomas C Long

Daniel J Barus

Xiangfei Yu

Gary N Goth

David Nicholas Ayd

Daniel James Kearney

Gerald Fahr

Daniel Barus

Selective discharging of a rechargeable battery pack across a power supply system load is provided, which includes determining occurrence of a condition within the power supply system, the power supply system including a power supply circuit and a backup energy source. The power supply circuit receives main input power, and the backup energy source is operatively coupled to the power supply circuit to supply backup power to the system load when main power input to the power supply circuit is unavailable. Based on determining occurrence of the condition within the power supply system, a controller actively discharges a rechargeable battery pack of the backup energy source. The actively discharging includes controlling the power supply circuit to force discharging of power from the rechargeable battery pack to the power supply system load by suspending the main input power within the system from powering the system load.

Selective discharging of rechargeable battery pack across system load

A system comprises sets of batteries, each set having a power capacity less than a standup power capacity. The system is configured to couple the sets of batteries to power supplies to configure each of the power supplies with battery power less than the standup capacity. Responsive to a disruption of a first power supply, the system couples a first set of batteries, coupled to the first power supply, to a second power supply to couple to the second power supply battery power to not less than the standup power capacity. A method comprises coupling sets of batteries to power supplies to configure each of the power supplies to have less than a standup capacity. The method includes coupling sets batteries of one power supply to a second power supply to provide the second power supply with a battery capacity not less than the standup capacity.

Dynamically configuring batteries in a power system

Computer-implemented managing of battery capacity within a battery system is provided. The managing includes obtaining, by one or more processors, data representative of a number (N) of battery packs in the battery system, and ascertaining, by the processor(s), a battery pack self-discharge time interval (T) from full-charge to a partially discharged threshold for initiating top-off charging. The managing also includes determining, by the processor(s), a charge-staggering time interval (T) using the number (N) of battery packs in the battery system and the ascertained battery pack self-discharge time interval (T), and staggering, by the processor(s), top-off charging of the battery packs of the N battery packs in the battery system using, at least in part, the charge-staggering time interval (T).

Managing top-off charging and discharge testing of battery packs to optimize capacity

A method for increasing temperature of a battery pack includes determining whether a temperature of a cell in the battery pack is above a lower threshold temperature. The method further includes charging, by a current directly from a charger, a balancing circuit including a resistor in proximity to the cell. The method also includes increasing the temperature of the cell in the battery pack.

Cell balancing network to heat battery pack

A battery comprises a plurality of battery modules. A method determines a load-state of the battery and selects a set of the battery modules to configure, to produce a load-state capacity of the battery based on the load-state. A load-state capacity of the battery can be a sub-capacity of the battery less than a rated capacity of the battery and the method can configure the set of battery modules to produce the sub-capacity based on the load-state comprising the battery disconnected from a load. A battery system can comprise a battery having a plurality of battery modules and a controller configured to perform the method. A battery system can comprise a battery having a plurality of battery modules, and an actuator and a module retainer that can position a battery module in or out of contact with a module interconnect.

Configuring large capacity batteries

A battery pack configured for discharging to a desired state of charge (SoC) after a fault event that includes a plurality of battery cells and a balancing circuit connected to each of the battery cells. The balancing circuit is configured to measure operational values of each of the battery cells. The battery pack further includes a microcontroller configured to receive the operational values from the balancing circuit, compare the operational values to a prescribed threshold values and issue commands to selectively discharge one or more of the battery cells across the balancing circuit.

Battery pack and method for discharging the same after a fault event

Managing of battery pack cell capacity is provided. The managing includes monitoring temperature of one or more cells within the battery pack, and based on temperature of a cell of the one or more cells being at or below a low temperature threshold, initiating discharging of cells with the battery pack at a specified discharge power level to heat the cells within the battery pack. The managing also includes, based on temperature of a cell of the one or more cells rising to or above an upper temperature threshold after initiating discharging of the cells within the battery pack, discontinuing the discharging of cells within the battery pack.

Battery pack capacity optimization via self-regulation of cell temperature

Methods, systems and computer program products for preventing unauthorized use of protected equipment in violation of export regulations are provided. Aspects include periodically obtaining a location of the protected equipment and storing the location in a location log in a non-volatile memory. Upon receiving a request to operate the protected equipment, aspects also include obtaining the location log from the non-volatile memory and parsing data from the location log to determine whether the protected equipment entered a restricted geographic area. Based on a determination that the protected equipment did not enter a restricted geographic area, aspects include granting the request to operate the protected equipment.

Preventing unauthorized use of protected equipment in violation of export regulations

Systems and methods for boosting battery voltage with boost converters are provided. Aspects include coupling a discharge path of a battery to an input side of a power converter in a power supply, wherein the power supply comprises a rectifier and the power converter. A charge path of the battery is coupled to an output side of the power converter and a processor monitors an output voltage of the power converter. The processor also monitors an input voltage of the power converter and responsive to the output voltage of the power converter dropping below a threshold voltage, the processor enables the discharge path.

Boosting battery voltage with boost converters

Electric power devices and control methods are provided which automatically select a line voltage or phase voltage of an AC voltage supply. The electric power device includes a switchable circuit, a sensor and a switch control. The switchable circuit connects to the AC voltage supply, and includes multiple switchable elements. The sensor ascertains a voltage level of the AC voltage supply, and the switch control automatically establishes a configuration of the switchable circuit through control of the multiple switchable elements. The switch control couples the electric power device in a line-line (delta) configuration to the AC voltage supply when the voltage level is in a first voltage range, and a line-neutral (wye) configuration when the voltage level is in a second voltage range.

Electric power devices with automatically established input voltage connection configuration

An electromechanical assembly is provided controlled by voltage across a motor or with an electronic system. The electromechanical assembly includes a control circuit coupled to sense voltage at the motor or within the electronic system, and an electromechanical actuator energized by the voltage sensed by the control circuit. A movable element is movable by the electromechanical actuator from an operational position to a quiesced position when the voltage sensed by the control circuit falls below a quiesced threshold. In certain embodiments, the voltage being sensed is across a motor of an air-moving assembly, which resides within a support structure, or the voltage being sensed is within the electronic system, which resides within the support structure, and the movable element is an interlock element which interlocks to the support structure to prevent removal of one or more components from the structure when sensed voltage is above the quiesced threshold.

Electromechanical assembly controlled by sensed voltage

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Highland, NY, United States of America

Steven John Ahladas