A backup power supply device having a short charging time is provided. The backup power supply device for supplying power when a main power supply is under a power failure includes first and second battery packs connected in parallel, a charging circuit for charging the first and second battery packs, first and second discharging switches for causing the first and second battery packs to discharge to the load device respectively, and a control unit. The control unit compares the battery voltages of the first and second battery packs with an output voltage from the main power supply. The control unit sets the first and second discharging switches to ON when the battery voltages are lower than the output voltage. When the battery voltage of the battery pack exceeds the output voltage of the main power supply due to charging, the control unit sets the first discharging switch and the second discharging switch to OFF. Thereafter, after the first and second battery packs are fully charged, the control unit switches the first and second discharging switches to ON when the battery voltage has dropped to a dischargeable upper limit voltage.

A backup power supply device having a short charging time is provided. The backup power supply device for supplying power when a main power supply is under a power failure includes first and second battery packs connected in parallel, a charging circuit for charging the first and second battery packs, first and second discharging switches for causing the first and second battery packs to discharge to the load device respectively, and a control unit. The control unit compares the battery voltages of the first and second battery packs with an output voltage from the main power supply. The control unit sets the first and second discharging switches to ON when the battery voltages are lower than the output voltage. When the battery voltage of the battery pack exceeds the output voltage of the main power supply due to charging, the control unit sets the first discharging switch and the second discharging switch to OFF. Thereafter, after the first and second battery packs are fully charged, the control unit switches the first and second discharging switches to ON when the battery voltage has dropped to a dischargeable upper limit voltage.

Disclosed is a hybrid electrochemical cell with a first conductor having at least one portion that is both a first capacitor electrode and a first battery electrode. The hybrid electrochemical cell further includes a second conductor having at least one portion that is a second capacitor electrode and at least one other portion that is a second battery electrode. An electrolyte is in contact with both the first conductor and the second conductor. In some embodiments, the hybrid electrochemical cell further includes a separator between the first conductor and the second conductor to prevent physical contact between the first conductor and the second conductor, while facilitating ion transport between the first conductor and the second conductor.

Disclosed is a hybrid electrochemical cell with a first conductor having at least one portion that is both a first capacitor electrode and a first battery electrode. The hybrid electrochemical cell further includes a second conductor having at least one portion that is a second capacitor electrode and at least one other portion that is a second battery electrode. An electrolyte is in contact with both the first conductor and the second conductor. In some embodiments, the hybrid electrochemical cell further includes a separator between the first conductor and the second conductor to prevent physical contact between the first conductor and the second conductor, while facilitating ion transport between the first conductor and the second conductor.

Nickelate cathode materials are provided, wherein said cathode material has an X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern comprising a first peak from about 40.0-41.6 2Θ, and a second peak from about 62.6-63.0 2Θ. Methods of preparing such cathode materials are also provided. Alkaline electrochemical cells comprising said cathode materials are also provided.

Nickelate cathode materials are provided, wherein said cathode material has an X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern comprising a first peak from about 40.0-41.6 2Θ, and a second peak from about 62.6-63.0 2Θ. Methods of preparing such cathode materials are also provided. Alkaline electrochemical cells comprising said cathode materials are also provided.

A battery system with a large-format Li-ion battery powers attached equipment by discharging battery cells distributed among a plurality of battery packs. The discharging of the battery cells is controlled in an efficient manner while preserving the expected life of the Li-ion battery cells. Each battery pack internally supports a battery management system and may have identical components, thus supporting an architecture that easily scales to higher power/energy. Battery packs may be added or removed without intervention with a user, where one of battery packs serves as a master battery pack and the remaining battery packs serve as slave battery packs. When the master battery pack is removed, one of the slave battery packs becomes the master battery pack. Charging and discharging of the battery cells is coordinated by the master battery pack with the slave battery packs over a communication channel such as a controller area network (CAN) bus.

The invention provides a method of storing varying or intermittent electrical energy and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) with an energy apparatus, the method comprising: providing the first cell aqueous liquid, the second cell aqueous liquid, and electrical power from an external power source to the functional unit thereby providing an electrically charged functional battery unit and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) stored in said storage system, wherein during at least part of a charging time the functional unit is charged at a potential difference between the first cell electrode and the second cell electrode of more than 1.37 V.

The invention provides a method of storing varying or intermittent electrical energy and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) with an energy apparatus, the method comprising: providing the first cell aqueous liquid, the second cell aqueous liquid, and electrical power from an external power source to the functional unit thereby providing an electrically charged functional battery unit and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) stored in said storage system, wherein during at least part of a charging time the functional unit is charged at a potential difference between the first cell electrode and the second cell electrode of more than 1.37 V.

A high-capacity and long-life negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type for secondary rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery and a method for preparing the same are provided in the present invention. A chemical formula of the negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type is La.sub.1-x-yRe.sub.xMg.sub.y(Ni.sub.1-a-bAl.sub.aM.sub.b).sub.z, wherein Re is at least one of Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Y, and M is at least one of Ti, Cr, Mo, Nb, Ga, V, Si, Zn, Sn; 0≤x≤0.10, 0.3≤y≤0.5, 0<a≤0.05, 0≤b≤0.02, 2.3≤z<3.0. The negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type in the present invention has excellent charge-discharge capacity and cycle life. The negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type can be applied in both common secondary rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery and secondary rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery with ultra-low self-discharge and long-term storage performance.