Battery mechanical packaging

Abstract

Batteries are disclosed that include a plurality of cooling plates, a plurality of cells disposed between adjacent cooling plates, a plurality of insulating sheets disposed between adjacent cells, a plurality of bus bars interconnecting the plurality of cells, an inner casing surrounding the plurality of cooling plates, the plurality of cells, the plurality of insulating sheets, and the pluralityof bus bars, an outer casing surrounding the inner casing so as to form a gap therebetween, a layer of insulating material disposed inside at least a portion of the gap, and several other structural features in different embodiments of the invention configured to prevent motion of the cells relative to one another.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to battery packs, and more particularly to mechanical packaging of battery pack internal components. Background technique [0002] In electric vehicles as well as in hybrid electric vehicles and non-vehicle applications (e.g. locomotives, off-highway mining vehicles, marine applications, buses and autonomous vehicles, cranes, just to name a few), the battery pack is An essential building block for storing a portion of energy that is regenerated during braking for subsequent use during driving, or generated later when demand for use is low, thereby increasing fuel efficiency. Typically, the working environment of a battery pack becomes harsh due to factors including, but not limited to, large variations in ambient operating temperature, long-term mechanical vibration, and the presence of corrosive pollutants. In addition, charging and discharging are done under harsh conditions, including large discharge currents...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] Many types of battery packs are known to have been withdrawn from the market; however, current high temperature battery packs, such as, for example, sodium nickel chloride battery packs, are susceptible to mechanical vibration due to internal components of the battery pack, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. failure caused by destruction

Mechanical vibrations cause relative movement of the mica sheet 20 and the battery 14 relative to each other, resulting in loss of electrical connection between the batteries due to bus failure, leakage and / or discharge failure due to tight spaces, and mechanical damage to the mica sheet. performance and insulation damage

Other known technical difficulties with conventional batteries include, but are not limited to, leakage and discharge failures caused by separation by electrically insulating materials; high energy low frequency cell resonances caused by flexible substrates; larger battery cells caused by resonant cell responses Translation; mechanical failure of the connection between the base plate and cooling tubes, internal cell damage (hot cells), bus bar damage, internal battery pack case damage, and heater sheet cracking and breakdown due to large cell translation; Loss of vacuum due to breach of internal battery case; loss of heater continuity due to rupture and breakdown of heater sheets; loss of heater continuity, loss of cell conductivity (and / or proper operation) Loss of ability to maintain proper battery pack temperature due to loss; failure of the seal of the filled battery separator due to internal cell failure; and leakage of liquid sodium due to failure of the seal of the filled battery separator

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