Patent ID: 8557414

Claim:
A battery pack control system, comprising: a battery pack comprised of at least one metal-air cell and further comprised of a battery pack air outlet and a battery pack air inlet, wherein said battery pack is configured for use within an electric vehicle and to provide power to said electric vehicle, wherein said battery pack is coupleable to a battery pack charging system, and wherein said battery pack generates oxygen-rich effluent during charging; at least one oxygen concentration sensor; a gas tank mounted within said electric vehicle, wherein said battery pack air outlet is coupled to a tank inlet of said gas tank, and wherein said battery pack air inlet is coupled to a tank outlet of said gas tank; a compressor interposed between said battery pack air outlet and said tank inlet, said compressor configured to compress said oxygen-rich effluent from said battery pack air outlet prior to filling said gas tank with said oxygen-rich effluent; an exhaust port coupled to said battery pack air outlet; and a system controller coupled to said at least one oxygen concentration sensor and receiving an output data signal from said at least one oxygen concentration sensor, said system controller configured to determine an oxygen concentration level based on said output data signal from said at least one oxygen concentration sensor, wherein said system controller is configured to pass said oxygen-rich effluent through said exhaust port when said oxygen concentration level is below a preset concentration level and to pass said oxygen-rich effluent to said compressor and said tank inlet when said oxygen concentration level is greater than said preset concentration level.