Regarding an independent system, a prediction value of charged/discharged power of a storage battery is calculated, based on a prediction value of generated power of a renewable energy power generator, a prediction value of demanded power of a control device, and a prediction value of demanded power of a load on an assumption that a power supply limit is applied to the load. Whether or not charge or discharge of the storage battery with charged/discharged power matching the prediction value of the charged/discharged power of the storage battery is possible is determined. The power supply limit is tightened when it is determined that the charge or discharge of the storage battery is not possible. A limit data indicating a detail of the power supply limit is output when it is determined that the charge or discharge of the storage battery is possible.

The present technology provides rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur galvanic cells and batteries incorporating such cells as well as methods of using such cell and batteries. The present galvanic cells provide high specific energy and high power at lower cost than conventional alkali metal-sulfur cells.

Described herein is an electrochemical energy store including at least one electrochemical cell and a support structure, wherein the electrochemical cells are accommodated in a suspended manner in the support structure.

A storage battery container is provided with an air supply part having an air supply port provided to the bottom surface, a variable heat dissipation device that balances accumulated heat inside the storage battery, and an air discharge part of a rear surface having an air discharge port correspondingly provided to a heat release part of the variable heat dissipation device. The air supply part puts the air supply port in an open state when power is being supplied, and puts the air supply port in a closed state when the power supply stops. The air discharge part puts the air discharge port in an open state when the variable heat dissipation device is actuated, and puts the air discharge port in a closed state when the actuation of the variable heat dissipation device stops.

Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode layer, an electrolyte and a porous separator, a cathode layer, and a discrete anode-protecting layer disposed between the anode layer and the separator and/or a discrete cathode-protecting layer disposed between the separator and the cathode active material layer; wherein the anode-protecting layer or cathode-protecting layer comprises a conductive sulfonated elastomer composite having from 0.01% to 40% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material and from 0.01% to 40% by weight of an electrochemically stable inorganic filler dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material and the protective layer has a thickness from 1 nm to 50 μm, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.−7 S/cm to 5×10.sup.−2 S/cm, and an electrical conductivity from 10.sup.−7 S/cm to 100 S/cm.

A battery includes negative electrode material and positive electrode material where the materials are in a solid phase except for selected portions that are heated to transform the selected portions into a fluid. The fluid portion of negative electrode material is directed to a negative electrode region of a reaction chamber and the fluid portion of positive electrode material is directed to a positive electrode region of the reaction chamber where a solid electrolyte containing ions of the negative electrode separates the positive electrode region from the negative electrode region.

Sulfur containing nanoparticles that may be used within cathode electrodes within lithium ion batteries include in a first instance porous carbon shape materials (i.e., either nanoparticle shapes or bulk shapes that are subsequently ground to nanoparticle shapes) that are infused with a sulfur material. A synthetic route to these carbon and sulfur containing nanoparticles may use a template nanoparticle to form a hollow carbon shape shell, and subsequent dissolution of the template nanoparticle prior to infusion of the hollow carbon shape shell with a sulfur material. Sulfur infusion into other porous carbon shapes that are not hollow is also contemplated. A second type of sulfur containing nanoparticle includes a metal oxide material core upon which is located a shell layer that includes a vulcanized polymultiene polymer material and ion conducting polymer material. The foregoing sulfur containing nanoparticle materials provide the electrodes and lithium ion batteries with enhanced performance.

Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode layer, an electrolyte and a porous separator, a cathode layer, and a discrete anode-protecting layer disposed between the anode layer and the separator and/or a discrete cathode-protecting layer disposed between the separator and the cathode active material layer; wherein the anode-protecting layer or cathode-protecting layer comprises a conductive sulfonated elastomer composite having from 0.01% to 50% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material and the protective layer has a thickness from 1 nm to 50 m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 510.sup.2 S/cm, and an electrical conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 100 S/cm. This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high sulfur content, high sulfur utilization efficiency, high energy density, and long cycle life.

Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode active material layer, an electrolyte, and a cathode active material layer comprising multiple particulates, wherein at least one of the particulates comprises one or a plurality of sulfur-containing material particles being partially or fully embraced or encapsulated by a thin shell layer of a conducting polymer network, having a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10.sup.8 S/cm, an electron conductivity from 10.sup.8 to 10.sup.3 S/cm at room temperature (typically up to 510.sup.2 S/cm), and a shell layer thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 m. This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high sulfur content, high sulfur utilization efficiency, high energy density, and long cycle life. Also provided are a powder mass containing such multiple particulates, a cathode layer comprising such multiple particulates, and a method of producing the cathode layer and the battery cell.

Described herein is a process for the production of moldings made of porous material impregnated with polysulfide, the process including the following steps:

(a) insertion of the porous material into a mold;

(b) introduction of liquid polysulfide into the mold at a flow rate within the porous material in the range from 0.5 to 200 cm/s;

(c) cooling of the polysulfide to a temperature below the melting point of the polysulfide; and

(d) removal of the porous material impregnated with the polysulfide.