US 11,721,842 B2
Device for electropolishing an energy storage device comprising at least one lithium ion cell, charger, and method for operating the charger
Andreas Lemke, Ummendorf (DE); and Mirko Herrmann, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Wolfsburg (DE); AUDI AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Ingolstadt (DE); and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart (DE)
Appl. No. 16/642,508
Filed by VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Wolfsburg (DE); AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE); and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart (DE)
PCT Filed Aug. 30, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/073396
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 27, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/043120, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 7, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2017 215 295.8 (DE), filed on Aug. 31, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0220225 A1, Jul. 9, 2020
Int. Cl. H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H01M 10/42 (2006.01); H01M 10/44 (2006.01); H02J 7/34 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 10/4207 (2013.01) [H01M 10/4264 (2013.01); H01M 10/44 (2013.01); H02J 7/0014 (2013.01); H02J 7/0069 (2020.01); H02J 7/345 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for electropolishing an energy storage unit having at least one lithium-ion cell, the device comprising:
at least one actuatable first switch that is connected in series with a capacitor and an electrical resistor for current limitation,
wherein the at least one actuatable first switch, the capacitor and the electrical resistor are connected in parallel to the at least one lithium-ion cell,
an apparatus for discharging the capacitor connected in parallel at least to the capacitor, wherein the apparatus has a controllable electrical energy converter that is designed as a direct current converter, and
a control unit that is configured to control the at least one actuatable first switch in order to carry out a pulse discharge for electropolishing the lithium-ion cell in such a way that at least one of lithium nucleation seeds, dendrites, and crystals are broken down by the pulse discharge.