Patent ID: 6091230
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: H01M,H02J,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of recovering and restoring the voltage in a zinc-air battery when the voltage has fallen below a first predefined threshold, the method comprising the steps of:(a) decoupling essentially all loads from the zinc-air battery and permitting the voltage to stabilize;(b) sampling the voltage to determine if the voltage of the zinc-air battery is below a second predefined threshold;(c) starting a timer and determining if the voltage has recovered to at least a third predefined threshold prior to the timing out of the timer; and(d) periodically sampling the voltage to determine if the voltage has recovered to a voltage above a fourth predefined threshold for a sustained period of time, the periodic sampling being done if the zinc-air battery fell below the first predefined threshold but did not fall below the second predefined threshold, and upon determination that the voltage of the zinc-air battery has recovered to above the fourth predefined threshold, coupling the loads, previously decoupled from the battery, back to the battery.