BACKGROUND

Field

This disclosure relates generally to a modular battery system for powering a Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system. In particular, the battery system may include a plurality of modules and an air flow path through each module, which allow for controlling the temperature of battery cells in the modules from rising above a predetermined threshold.

Description of the Related Art

There are many types of Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) systems being developed, each using a type of focused energy to destroy a target. These DEW systems may use a laser, microwave or particle beam to target missiles, vehicles, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), airplanes or other targets. Each type of DEW system fires relatively short, intense bursts of energy. Some of these systems include battery banks to power the DEW system. However, these battery banks generate high heat loads during operation that need to be cooled in order for the DEW system to continue firing without overheating.

Mobile and smaller DEW systems have size, weight and power (SWAP) requirements that make it difficult to install bulky, heavy cooling systems on, for example, the battery system of a portable DEW platform. Conventional vapor compression systems may be efficient at cooling environmental loads, such as rooms or systems with relatively slow gains in heat. However, such systems may not provide rapid cooling features due to the long duration, of up to a minute or in some cases more, to reach full capacity. In some cases, a conventional vapor compression system may take several minutes or longer to provide sufficient cooling to a load. Even once these vapor compression systems are running, their weight, size and power requirements may make them inappropriate for use in DEW systems for laser and battery cooling purposes.

SUMMARY

The embodiments disclosed herein each have several aspects no single one of which is solely responsible for the disclosure's desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this disclosure, its more prominent features will now be briefly discussed. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled “Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments,” one will understand how the features of the embodiments described herein provide advantages over existing systems, devices and methods.

One embodiment is a system for powering a laser weapon. This system includes a battery bank comprising a plurality of cylindrical battery cells electrically connected in series and parallel to form a plurality of modules; an air flow path through a first module of the plurality of modules, wherein the air flow path is defined by a spacing between a cylindrical surface of each battery cell and its neighboring battery cell; one or more fans positioned to move air through the air flow path; a temperature sensor and a voltage sensor communicating with the first module; an electrical output providing electrical power to a laser weapon; and a control system configured to provide cooling via airflow from the one or more fans to temperature control the battery cells across their cylindrical surface to maintain a temperature gradient of less than about 15° C. from a first side of the first module to a second side of the first module, and further to prevent the temperature of the battery cells from rising above a predetermined threshold while the laser weapon is active and consuming energy from the battery bank.

Another embodiment is a method of powering a laser weapon. This method includes providing a battery bank comprising a plurality of cylindrical battery cells electrically connected in series and parallel to form a plurality of modules; activating one or more fans to direct an air flow path through a first module of the plurality of modules, wherein the air flow path is defined by a spacing between a cylindrical surface of each battery cell and its neighboring battery cell; monitoring a temperature sensor to determine the temperature of the battery cells within the first module; and controlling the number or speed of the one or more fans to maintain a temperature gradient of less than about 15° C. from a first side of the first module to a second side of the first module, and further to prevent the temperature of the battery cells within the first module from rising above a predetermined threshold while the laser weapon is active and consuming energy from the battery bank.

