Electrode stack assembly for a metal hydrogen battery

Abstract

The electrode stack includes a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly including at least one anode layer attached to an anode tab; a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly including at least one cathode layer attached to a cathode tab; a plurality of separators; an anode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each anode tab of each of the plurality of anode assemblies; a cathode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each cathode tab of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies; an anode feed-through terminal connected to the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode feed-through terminal connected to the cathode feed-through bridge, wherein the plurality of anode assemblies and the plurality of cathode assemblies are arranged alternately and separated by the plurality of separators to form an electrode stack. A battery is also presented.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Related Application] This disclosure claims priority to non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 17 / 830,193, filed Jun. 1, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to metal-hydrogen batteries, and more particularly, to the configuration of metal-hydrogen batteries.

Background Art

[0003] In order for renewable energy sources, such as wind and sunlight, to compete with conventional fossil fuels, large-scale energy storage systems are needed to reduce the intermittency inherent in them. In order to build large-scale energy storage, cost and long-term life are the top considerations. Pumped hydroelectric storage dominates the current grid energy storage market because it is an inexpensive means of storing large amounts of energy over long periods (about 50 years), but it is limited by the lack of suitable sites and its environmental footprint. Other technologies, such as compressed air and flywheel energy storage, exhibit several different advantages, but their relatively low efficiency and high cost should be significantly improved for grid storage. Rechargeable batteries offer a large opportunity for large-scale energy storage, targeting low-cost, high-capacity, and very reliable systems. Improving the reliability of rechargeable batteries has become an important issue for realizing large-scale energy storage.

[0004] As a result, there is a need for better metal-hydrogen battery configurations.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an electrode stack and a battery formed by the electrode stack are disclosed.

[0006] An electrode stack assembly for a metal hydride battery according to some embodiments includes a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly including at least one anode layer attached to an anode tab; a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly including at least one cathode layer attached to a cathode tab; a plurality of separators; an anode feed-through bridge disposed to engage each anode tab of each of the plurality of anode assemblies; a cathode feed-through bridge disposed to engage each cathode tab of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies; an anode feed-through terminal connected to the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode feed-through terminal connected to the cathode feed-through bridge, wherein the plurality of anode assemblies and the plurality of cathode assemblies are alternately arranged and separated by the plurality of separators to form an electrode stack.

[0007] A metal hydride battery according to some embodiments includes an electrode stack assembly, the electrode stack assembly including: a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly including at least one anode layer attached to an anode tab, a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly including at least one cathode layer attached to a cathode tab, a plurality of separators, an anode feed-through bridge disposed to engage each anode tab of each of the plurality of anode assemblies, a cathode feed-through bridge disposed to engage each cathode tab of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies; an anode feed-through terminal connected to the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode feed-through terminal connected to the cathode feed-through bridge, wherein the plurality of anode assemblies, the plurality of cathode assemblies, and the plurality of separators form an alternately arranged electrode stack; a pressure vessel surrounding the electrode stack assembly such that the cathode feed-through terminal extends through the pressure vessel; and an electrolytic solution contained within the pressure vessel.

[0008] A method of forming an electrode stack assembly for a metal hydride battery according to some embodiments includes: pre-assembling by assembling components of the electrode stack assembly in stages of assembling a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly having a cathode tab attached to one or more cathode material layers, assembling a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly having an anode tab connected to one or more anode material layers, forming a plurality of separators from separator material, forming a frame top portion and a frame bottom portion, forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly, and forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly; stacking the separators, anode assemblies, and cathode assemblies in an alternating pattern between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion to capture electrodes between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion; pressing the electrodes, the frame top portion, and the frame bottom portion; forming an electrode stack by attaching the frame top portion to the frame bottom portion to form a frame; attaching the cathode tabs of the plurality of cathode assemblies in the electrode stack to the cathode feed-through bridge assembly; and attaching the anode tabs of the plurality of anode assemblies in the electrode stack to the anode feed-through bridge assembly.

[0009] Methods of forming a hydrogen metal battery according to some embodiments include: forming an electrode stack assembly, where forming the electrode stack assembly includes: assembling a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly having a cathode tab attached to one or more cathode material layers; assembling a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly having an anode tab connected to one or more anode material layers; forming a plurality of separators from separator material; forming a frame top portion and a frame bottom portion; forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly including an anode feed-through terminal; forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly including a cathode feed-through terminal; stacking the separators, anode assemblies, and cathode assemblies in an alternating pattern between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion to capture the electrodes between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion; pressing the electrodes, the frame top portion, and the frame bottom portion; forming an electrode stack by attaching the frame top portion to the frame bottom portion to form a frame; attaching the cathode tabs of the plurality of cathode assemblies in the electrode stack to the cathode feed-through bridge assembly, and attaching the anode tabs of the plurality of anode assemblies in the electrode stack to the anode feed-through bridge assembly; attaching an anode end cap to the container sidewall; inserting the electrode stack assembly into the container sidewall such that the anode feed-through terminal engages the anode end cap; and attaching a cathode end cap to the container sidewall such that the cathode feed-through terminal passes through a feed-through in the cathode end cap.

[0010] These and other embodiments are discussed below with respect to the following figures.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] An understanding of the features and advantages of the technology described in this disclosure will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth exemplary aspects with reference to the following figures.

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[0033] These figures are discussed further below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] In the following description, specific details for explaining some aspects of the present invention are described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. The specific embodiments disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Those skilled in the art may recognize other elements that are not specifically described herein but are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Such modifications may include substituting known equivalents for any aspect of the present disclosure in order to achieve substantially the same method and the same result.

[0035] As a result, this description shows aspects and embodiments of the invention that should not be understood as limiting, and the claims define the invention to be protected. Various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. In some instances, well-known structures and techniques are not shown or described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.

[0036] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout this specification and the claims, the term "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is, as "including, but not limited to". Throughout this specification, the recitation of a numerical range of values is intended to be a shorthand way of referring individually to each separate value within the range, including the defining values of the range, and each separate value is incorporated herein as if it were individually recited herein. Further, the individual values provided for a particular component are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. The specific dimensional values of the various components are provided only as specific examples, and those skilled in the art will recognize that aspects of the present disclosure may be provided in any dimensions. Further, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0037] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, although they may. Further, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0038] In the figures, the relative sizes of components are not to scale and should not be construed as limiting, unless otherwise specified. Components are sized in the figures to better illustrate various features and structures without regard to the sizes shown relative to other components. Further, even if specific dimensions are provided to illustrate one example of a battery, those specific dimensions are provided as an example only and are not limiting. The batteries according to the aspects of the disclosure below can be formed with any dimensions using components having any relative dimensions.

[0039] Metal-hydrogen batteries can be configured in a number of ways. In each case, the battery itself includes an electrode stack having a series of electrodes (alternating cathodes and anodes) separated by an electrically insulating separator. The electrode stack is housed within a pressure vessel that contains an electrolyte solution and hydrogen gas. The electrode stack can provide an array of cells (i.e., pairs of cathode and anode electrodes) that are electrically connected in series or in parallel. The electrode stacks according to aspects of the disclosure are arranged such that the cells formed within the array of electrodes are connected in parallel. The electrode stacks can be disposed within individual pressure vessels (IPVs), where each electrode stack is housed within a separate IPV.

[0040] Embodiments according to the disclosure include an electrode stack that includes stacked alternating cathode and anode electrodes. Each of the cathode and anode electrodes includes a tab. The tab from the cathode electrode can be inserted into a slot within a cathode bridge, while the tab from the anode electrode can be inserted into a slot within an anode bridge. Terminals can be attached to the cathode bridge and the anode bridge to complete the electrode stack assembly.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an IPV metal - hydrogen battery 100 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. The metal - hydrogen battery 100 includes an electrode stack assembly 104 that includes stacked electrodes separated by a separator 110. The electrodes include a cathode 112, an anode 114, and a separator 110 disposed between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. The separator 110 is soaked in an electrolyte 126. In some embodiments, the separator 110 provides a reservoir for the electrolyte 126 that buffers the electrodes from either depletion or overflow during operation in addition to electrically separating the cathode 112 and the anode 114.

[0042] Each pair of the cathode 112 and the anode 114 can be regarded as a cell, although additional electrode layers that are not paired may exist. The electrode stack assembly 104 can be housed within a pressure vessel 102. The electrolyte 126 is disposed within the pressure vessel 102. The cathode 112, the anode 114, and the separator 110 are porous and hold the electrolyte 126 and allow ions within the electrolyte 126 to be transported between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. In some embodiments, the separator 110 can be omitted as long as the cathode 112 and the anode 114 can be electrically insulated from each other. For example, the space occupied by the separator 110 can be filled with the electrolyte 126. The metal - hydrogen battery 100 can further include a filling tube 122 configured to introduce the electrolyte or a gas (e.g., hydrogen) into the pressure vessel 102. The filling tube 122 can include one or more valves (not shown) for controlling the flow into and out of the enclosure of the pressure vessel 102, or the filling tube 122 can be sealable in another way after loading the pressure vessel 102 with the electrolyte 126 and hydrogen gas.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, the electrode stack assembly 104 includes a plurality of stacked layers of alternating cathodes 112 and anodes 114 separated by a separator 110. The cells can be formed by pairs of cathodes 112 and anodes 114. The cells within the electrode stack assembly 104 can be connected either in parallel or in series, although in the example of the battery 100 shown in FIG. 1, the cells are connected in parallel. In particular, each of the cathodes 112 is connected to a conductor 118, and each of the anodes 114 is connected to a conductor 116. FIG. 1 shows the fill tube 122 positioned on the side of the cathode conductor 118, although alternatively, the fill tube 122 may be placed on the side of the anode conductor 116 or elsewhere on the pressure vessel 102 in another manner.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the conductor 116 connected to the anode 114 is electrically connected to an anode feed-through terminal 120 that may present the negative terminal of the battery 100. The terminal 120 may include a feed-through to allow the terminal 120 to extend outside the pressure vessel 102, or the conductor 116 may be directly connected to the pressure vessel 102. Similarly, the cathode conductor 118 connected to the cathode 112 may be connected to a cathode feed-through terminal 124 indicating the positive side of the battery 100. The terminal 124 also passes through an insulated feed-through that allows the terminal 124 to extend outside the pressure vessel 102.

[0045] As discussed above, each cell included within the electrode stack 104 includes a cathode 112 and an anode 114 separated by a separator 110. The electrode stack assembly 104 is positioned within a pressure vessel 102 in which an electrolyte 126 is retained and through which ions in the electrolyte 126 can be transported between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. As further discussed below, the cathode 112 is formed from a porous conductive substrate coated with a porous compound. Similarly, the anode 114 is formed from a porous conductive substrate coated with a porous catalyst. The separator 110 is a porous insulator that can separate alternating layers of the cathode 112 and the anode 114 to retain the electrolyte 126 and enable ions in the electrolyte 126 to be transported between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. In some embodiments, the electrolyte 126 is an alkaline (pH greater than 7) aqueous electrolyte. As further discussed below, each of the anode 114 and the cathode 112 can be formed as an anode or cathode assembly having a plurality of layer structures.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the electrode stack 104 can be secured within a frame 106. Further, the electrode stack assembly 104 can be configured such that anode layers 114 are on both sides adjacent to the frame 106 to insulate the cathode layer 112 from the frame 106. Further, a separator 110 may be included adjacent to the frame 106 for additional insulation, or in some embodiments, the top and bottom anode layers 114 may be directly adjacent to the frame 106.

[0047] The electrode stack assembly 104, which is the core of the battery 100, operates chemically to charge and discharge the battery 100 through the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR). These reactions are more mechanistically complex in alkaline conditions than in acidic conditions. Active alkaline HER / HOR catalysts tend to have a more dynamic surface. In acidic conditions, the reaction proceeds through the reduction of H + to H2, or the oxidation of H2 to H + . The activity of the catalyst for these reactions in acidic conditions can be closely related to the binding energy of hydrogen to the metal surface. If the binding of hydrogen is too strong or too weak, the catalytic process cannot proceed effectively, and the kinetic overpotential increases. Platinum has an ideal binding energy for hydrogen and demonstrates better HER / HOR performance compared to any other catalyst in low pH solutions. In alkaline conditions, the concentration of available H+ is essentially zero, and thus, HER first proceeds through the splitting of the H-O bond of water molecules to produce surface-adsorbed hydrogen atoms and hydroxide anions according to Equation 1 below. This step is slow on the metal surface, resulting in an alkaline HER exchange current density that is 2-3 times smaller than that of acids on the same metal. Hydrogen gas is produced according to Equation 2 or Equation 3 below. This step (Equation 1) occurs in reverse of the last step of HOR and is the rate-determining step because the metal surface does not interact strongly enough with the hydroxide anions to complete the reaction and form H2O. H2O + M + e- <-> MH ad + OH- Equation 1 MH ad + H2O + e- <-> M + H2 + OH- Equation 2 MHad + MHad <-> 2M + H2 Equation 3

[0048] To accelerate both HER and HOR on a catalyst, a catalyst material is provided that contains (i) metal sites that bind hydrogen and (ii) metal oxide / metal hydroxide sites that bind hydroxide anions. The interface where the metal and the metal oxide are in contact is highly active for both HER and HOR, and an optimal ratio of metal - metal oxide is maintained to achieve high catalytic activity. If the catalyst surface is oxidized too much during long - term or high - overvoltage HOR, the catalyst surface can become inactive, resulting in impaired battery performance.

[0049] Therefore, the anode 114 is a catalytic hydrogen electrode. In some embodiments, as discussed above, the anode 114 includes a porous conductive substrate, and a catalyst layer covers the porous conductive substrate. The catalyst layer of the anode 114 may cover the outer surface of the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114, and since the porous conductive substrate has internal pores or interconnected channels, the surfaces of those pores and channels may also be covered. The catalyst layer includes a dual-functional catalyst that catalyzes both HER and HOR at the anode 114. In some embodiments, the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114 may have a porosity of at least about 10%, at least about 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, or at least about 50%, and up to about 80%, up to about 90%, up to about 95%, or greater. In some embodiments, the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114 may be a metal foam such as nickel foam, copper foam, iron foam, steel foam, aluminum foam, or others. In some embodiments, the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114 may be a metal alloy foam such as nickel-molybdenum foam, nickel-copper foam, nickel-cobalt foam, nickel-tungsten foam, nickel-silver foam, nickel-molybdenum-cobalt foam, or others. Other conductive substrates, such as metal foils, metal meshes, and fibrous conductive substrates, may be used. In some embodiments, the conductive substrate of the anode 114 may be a carbon-based material, such as carbon fiber paper, carbon cloth, carbon felt, carbon mat, carbon nanotube film, graphite foil, graphite foam, graphite mat, graphene foil, graphene fiber, graphene film, and graphene foam.

[0050] In some embodiments, the bifunctional catalyst of the catalyst layer of anode 114 can be a nickel-molybdenum-cobalt (NiMoCo) alloy. Other transition metals or metal alloys as bifunctional catalysts, such as nickel, nickel-molybdenum, nickel-tungsten, nickel-tungsten-cobalt, nickel-carbon, nickel-chromium, base composites, etc., are encompassed by the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the bifunctional catalyst is a transition metal alloy containing two or more of Ni, Co, Cr, Mo, Fe, Mn, and W. As bifunctional catalysts, other noble metallic metals and their alloys such as platinum, palladium, iridium, gold, rhodium, ruthenium, rhenium, osmium, silver, and alloys thereof with noble and non-noble transition metals, for example, platinum, palladium, iridium, gold, rhodium, ruthenium, rhenium, osmium, silver, nickel, cobalt, manganese, iron, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium, etc., are encompassed by the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the bifunctional catalyst is a combination of a HER catalyst and a HOR catalyst. In some aspects, the bifunctional catalyst of the metal-hydrogen battery 100 includes different materials, such as a mixture of transition metals and their oxides / hydroxides, which contribute to the overall hydrogen generation and reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the catalyst layer of anode 114 includes a nanostructure of a bifunctional catalyst having a size (or average size) in the range of, for example, from about 1 nm to about 100 nm, from about 1 nm to about 80 nm, or from about 1 nm to about 50 nm. In some embodiments, the catalyst layer includes a microstructure of a bifunctional catalyst having a size (or average size) in the range of, for example, from about 100 nm to about 500 nm, from about 500 nm to about 1000 nm.

[0051] In some embodiments, the catalyst layer may be partially coated with a surface affinity modifying material to create different affinities for the electrolyte (e.g., electrolyte 126) on anode 114. For example, if the catalyst layer of anode 114 on the porous substrate of anode 114 is hydrophilic with respect to the electrolyte, the catalyst layer of anode 114 may be partially or entirely coated with a material that is hydrophobic with respect to the electrolyte. Conversely, if the catalyst layer of anode 114 on the porous substrate of anode 114 is hydrophobic with respect to the electrolyte, the catalyst layer of anode 114 may be partially or entirely coated with a material that is hydrophilic with respect to the electrolyte. This structure can facilitate the movement of hydrogen gas in the pores of anode 114 and improve HOR during discharge.

[0052] The cathode 112 may include a conductive substrate and a coating covering the conductive substrate. The coating may include a redox reactive material containing a transition metal. In some embodiments, the conductive substrate of the cathode 112 is porous and may have a porosity of, for example, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, or at least about 50%, and up to about 80%, up to about 90%, or greater. In some embodiments, the conductive substrate of the cathode 112 can be a metal foam, such as a nickel foam, or a metal alloy foam. Other conductive substrates such as metal foils, metal meshes, and fibrous conductive substrates are encompassed by the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the transition metal contained within the redox reactive material is nickel. In some embodiments, nickel is included in nickel hydroxide or nickel oxyhydroxide. In some embodiments, the transition metal contained in the redox reactive material is cobalt. In some embodiments, cobalt is included as cobalt oxide or zinc cobalt oxide. In some embodiments, the transition metal contained in the redox reactive material is manganese. In some embodiments, manganese is included as manganese oxide or doped manganese oxide (e.g., doped with nickel, copper, bismuth, yttrium, cobalt, or other transition or post-transition metals). Other transition metals such as silver are encompassed by the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the cathode 112 is a cathode and the anode 114 is an anode. In some embodiments, the coating microstructure of the redox reactive material may have a size (or average size) in the range of, for example, from about 1 μm to about 100 μm, from about 1 μm to about 50 μm, or from about 1 μm to about 10 μm.

[0053] In some embodiments, the electrolyte 126 is an aqueous electrolyte. The aqueous electrolyte is alkaline and has a pH greater than 7, such as about 7.5 or greater, about 8 or greater, about 8.5 or greater, or about 9 or greater, or about 11 or greater, or about 13 or greater. By way of non-limiting example, the electrolyte 126 can include KOH or NaOH or LiOH, or a mixture of LiOH, NaOH, and / or KOH.

[0054] Hydrogen reduction catalysts such as inexpensive transition metals are suitable for metal-hydrogen batteries, but they can be passivated during long-term HOR, which can significantly hinder their use in actual devices. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the catalyst of the anode 114 can be a dual-functional TMA (transition metal alloy). In some embodiments, combinations of Ni, Co, Cr, Mo, Fe, and W can be used as an alternative to the dual-functional TMA catalyst. For example, a catalyst composed of Ni with CrOx particles attached to the surface can be used. A small amount of Pt can be added to further improve the activity. One such TMA catalyst is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 373,247, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0055] Furthermore, each of the cathode 112 and the anode 114 can include a plurality of layers of the materials described above. An example of a multi-layered anode 114 is provided in U.S. Provisional Application 63 / 214,514, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0056] Figures 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D further illustrate an electrode stack assembly 104 according to some embodiments. According to some aspects of the present disclosure, each of the cathode 112, anode 114, and separator 110 is a substantially planar surface of approximately the same planar surface area. Each of the cathode 112, anode 114, and separator 110 is formed in a sheet of material of a suitable material as further discussed below, appropriately cut out as discussed herein and further discussed below, to form the electrode stack assembly 104. FIGS. 2A and 2B respectively show a top view and a side view of the electrode stack assembly 104. In this reference, "top" refers to the perspective facing the plane of the cathode 112, anode 114, and separator 110, and "side" refers to the perspective into (i.e., along) a plurality of planes of the cathode 112, anode 114, and separator 110 that is perpendicular to the top view. FIG. 2C is an end view of the anode, where each of the anodes 114 is connected, and FIG. 2D is an end view of the cathode, where each of the cathodes 112 is connected.

[0057] As shown in the top view shown in FIG. 2A, the electrode stack assembly 104 can be contained within a frame 106. The frame 106 can be a metal structure that allows the electrolyte 126 to flow into the layered electrode stack assembly 104. As shown and as can be seen through this embodiment of the frame 106, the separator 110 can be a top (and bottom) layer that electrically insulates any first electrode below the top separator 110 within the electrode stack 104. However, in some embodiments, the anode layer 114 can form the top and bottom layers of the electrode stack assembly 104. In some embodiments, the frame 106 can include a solid plate on the separator 110 or anode layer 114 in the stack. As further shown in FIG. 2A, according to some aspects of the present disclosure, each of the separators 110 shown in FIG. 1 can include one or more uptake tabs 202. The uptake tabs 202 can extend to contact the inner side surface of the pressure vessel 102 when the electrode stack assembly 104 is placed within the pressure vessel 102. The length of the uptake tabs 202 can be sufficient to allow the electrolyte 126 to be drawn from the inner surface of the pressure vessel 102 into the electrode stack assembly 104, thereby enabling circulation of the electrolyte 126. Note that the "bottom" view of the electrode stack 104 appears identical to the top view shown in FIG. 2A.

[0058] FIG. 2B shows a side view of the electrode stack assembly 104 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B shows layers of anodes 114 and cathodes 112 separated by a separator 110. In some embodiments, each of the cathodes 112 can be potted (i.e., surrounded within a pot) with an insulator material to provide additional insulation between the electrode layers. As shown, each of the separators 110 includes at least one uptake tab 202. In this example, three uptake tabs 202 are shown for each of the separators 110 and on both sides of the stack 104, although any number of uptake tabs 202 can be included.

[0059] As further shown in FIG. 2B, the frame 106 includes a top portion 220 and a bottom portion 222 that are connected by side supports 206. As shown in FIG. 2A, the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222 cover the insulating separator 110 at the top and bottom, respectively, of the electrode stack assembly 104. As further shown, each of the cathodes 112 is electrically connected to a conductor 118, while each of the anodes 114 is electrically connected to a conductor 116.

[0060] As further shown in FIG. 2B, the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222 are structurally connected using the side supports 206. Any number of side supports (also referred to as fingers) 206 may be present on each side. The side supports 206 can be welded, for example, to fix the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222 and thus fix the stacked electrodes of the electrode stack assembly 104 within the fixed frame 106. As discussed in more detail below, a stack of electrodes is formed between the bottom portion 222 and the top portion 220, pressure is applied to the stack, and the side supports 206 are welded to the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222 while the pressure is applied to form the frame 106. As discussed further below, in some embodiments the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222 may be formed separately and the side supports are used to fix the top portion 220 to the bottom portion 222.

[0061] FIG. 2C shows an end view looking down on anode conductor 116 according to some embodiments. As shown in FIG. 2C, anode conductor 116 can be formed by connecting tabs that are each attached to an anode 114 through slots 224 of anode feed-through bridge 226. As further discussed below, the tabs can be attached to anode feed-through bridge 226 by, for example, mechanical fasteners, crimping, electrical resistance welding, electric arc welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, brazing, soldering, or other electrically conductive joining methods. As further shown in FIG. 2C, terminal 120 can be attached to anode feed-through bridge 226 by, for example, mechanical fasteners, crimping, electrical resistance welding, electric arc welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, brazing, soldering, or other electrically conductive joining methods. In some embodiments, terminal 120 can be formed as a single piece with feed-through bridge 226. Once the tabs are attached through slots 224 of feed-through bridge 226, anode conductor 116 is formed.

[0062] Similarly, FIG. 2D shows cathode conductor 118. Cathode conductor 118 is formed by connecting tabs that are each attached to a cathode 112 through slots 230 to cathode feed-through bridge 228 by, for example, mechanical fasteners, crimping, electrical resistance welding, electric arc welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, brazing, soldering, or other electrically conductive joining methods. In some embodiments, terminal 124 can also be attached to cathode feed-through bridge 228 by mechanical fasteners, crimping, electrical resistance welding, electric arc welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, brazing, soldering, or other electrically conductive joining methods. In some embodiments, terminal 124 can be formed as a single piece with cathode feed-through bridge 228. Once the tabs are inserted through slots 230 and attached in place, cathode conductor 118 is formed.

[0063] Figures 3A through 3G illustrate aspects of an electrode stack assembly 104 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3A, the electrode stack assembly 104 includes an electrode stack 302 electrically coupled to a cathode feed-through bridge 228 and an anode feed-through bridge 226. As shown in Figure 3A, the electrode stack 302 includes cathode tabs 312 each connected to an individual cathode 112, which are connected through slots 230 to the cathode feed-through bridge 228 to form cathode conductors 118. In some embodiments, a plurality of cathode tabs 312 are inserted through one of the slots 320, bent 90 degrees, and resistance welded to the cathode feed-through bridge 228. In some embodiments, a plurality of tabs 312 (e.g., a group of four tabs 312) may be inserted through each slot 230 of the cathode feed-through bridge 228.

[0064] Similarly, the electrode stack 302 includes anode tabs 314 each connected to an individual anode 112, which are connected through slots 224 to the anode feed-through bridge 226 to form anode conductors 116. In some embodiments, the anode tab 314 is inserted through one of the slots 224 of the anode feed-through bridge 226, bent 90 degrees, and resistance welded to the anode feed-through bridge 306 to form the anode conductor 116. In some embodiments, a plurality of tabs 314 (e.g., a group of three (3) tabs 314 in some embodiments) may be inserted through the slot 224 to form the anode conductor 116.

[0065] As further shown in Figure 3A, the cathode feed-through conductor 124 is welded to the cathode feed-through bridge 228. Further, the anode feed-through conductor 120 is welded to the anode feed-through bridge 226.

[0066] As further shown in FIG. 3A, an isolator 304 is positioned between the electrode stack 302 and the cathode feedthrough bridge 228. As shown in FIG. 3A, the isolator 304 includes a connector 318 that can mate with the connector 316 of the electrode stack 302. Similarly, an isolator 306 is positioned between the electrode stack 302 and the anode feedthrough bridge 226. The isolator 306 also includes a connector 316 that can mate with the connector 316 of the electrode stack 302.

[0067] As further shown in FIG. 3A, the separator shields 308 and 310 can be mounted on the support 206 closest to the cathode conductor 118. The separator shields 308 and 310 protect the stack 104 during the welding process (e.g., when the pressure vessel 102 is welded to close) that forms the pressure vessel 102.

[0068] FIG. 3B shows an assembly of the electrode stack 302. As shown in FIG. 3B, the side support 206 can be attached to the bottom portion 222 of the frame 204. The cathode assembly 322, the separator 110, and the anode assembly 320 can be properly stacked to form a stacked electrode. As shown, the anode assembly 320 is positioned directly adjacent to the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222 of the frame 106. The cathode assembly 322 can include a cathode that is pocketed within the separator material. The top portion 220 is positioned at the top of the stacked electrodes. In some embodiments, the stacked electrodes can be formed in a jig that uses an alignment mechanism for the bottom portion 222, the separator 110, the anode assembly 320, and the cathode assembly 322 for alignment of the components. Thereafter, pressure can be applied to the stacked components and the side support attached to the top portion 220 to form the electrode stack 302.

[0069] FIG. 3C shows a top plan view of an electrode stack 302 according to some embodiments. As shown, for example, some of the suction tabs 202 may include alignment holes 326 that may assist in alignment. Further, the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222 may each include alignment mechanisms 328 and 330, respectively, to assist in alignment during formation.

[0070] FIG. 3D further shows an end view of the electrode stack 302. FIG. 3D further shows the connector 316 and the suction tab 202 of the separator 110.

[0071] FIG. 3E shows a side view of the electrode stack 302. The frame 204 is assembled such that the support 206 is welded to the top portion 220 and the bottom portion 222. Further, tabs 312 and 314 are shown. Additional connectors 316 are shown. As shown, once assembled, the electrode stack 302 may have a thickness Tes. In some particular embodiments, for example, Tes may be about 71 mm.

[0072] FIGS. 3F and 3G show a side view and a cathode end view of an electrode stack assembly 104 using the electrode stack 302 shown in FIGS. 3A - 3E. As shown in FIG. 3F, the tab 312 is connected to a feed - through bridge 228 to which a cathode feed - through 124 is attached. As discussed above, the combination of the tab 312 and the feed - through bridge 228 forms the cathode conductor 118. FIG. 3F further shows a separator shield 310 attached to the support 206 closest to the cathode conductor 118.

[0073] FIG. 3G further shows the separator shields 308 and 310, the feed - through bridge 228, and the cathode feed - through 124. FIG. 3G further shows the connector 318.

[0074] Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C show a separator port 404 that is part of the cathode assembly 322 according to some embodiments. Figures 4A and 4B show examples of separator components 402 used to form the insulating separator port 404 as illustrated in Figure 4C. The separator component 402 can be cut out from a sheet of separator material. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the separator component 402 has a length L sc , a width W sc , and a thickness T sc .

[0075] As further shown in Figure 4A, notches 406 and 408 are shown at each corner of the separator component 402. As shown, the notches 406 and 408 are cut at an angle θ sc from the edge and can have a width W sc . Further shown, the notch 408 can be arranged such that the depth of the angular region of the notch 408 is L sc 1. Further, the notch 406 can have a depth L sc 2. The depths can be different to provide alignment and orientation.

[0076] In a particular example of component 402, the dimensions can be as follows: L sc = 244.0 mm; W sc = 75.0 mm; T sc = 0.25 mm; L sc 1 = 8.5 mm; L sc 2 = 9.5 mm; and θ sc = 45°. Further, the separator component 402 is formed of a separator material as discussed above. This particular example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the separator component 402. The separator component 402 can be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0077] FIG. 4C shows the formation of a port 410 using two of the components 402 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. As shown in FIG. 4C, the port 410 includes a sealed end 414 and an open end 412. In particular, except for the open end 412, the port 410 can be formed by attaching together the edges of two of the components 402, such as heat welding components 402, to form a port 410 into which a cathode assembly as discussed below can be inserted.

[0078] FIGS. 4D and 4E show a separator 110 according to some embodiments. As shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, the separator 110 has a body 428 and a suction tab 202. The body 428 has a width W s , a length L s , and a thickness T s . Further shown, the body 428 has notches 418 and 420 located on opposite sides of the length of the body 428. As shown, the notches 418 and 420 are formed by cutting an angle α s from the side portions in the width direction of the body 428. The notch 418 is cut out by a depth L s 1 only, while the notch 420 is cut out by a depth L s 2 only. As discussed above, the depths L s 1 and L s 2 may be different to assist in alignment during the assembly of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0079] As further shown in FIG. 4D, the suction tab 202 extends from the body 428. The suction tab may be of any shape and in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4D is symmetrically positioned along the longitudinal centerline 422 and the centerline 424 extending in the width direction. The suction tab 202 may include angled tabs 430 and 432, and a straight tab 434. The angled tab 430 angles away from the end having the notch 420, while the angled tab 432 angles away from the end having the notch 418. The straight tab 434 is positioned along the centerline 424. Some of the suction tabs 202 may include alignment holes 426. In the example shown in FIG. 4D, one of the angled tabs 430 and one of the straight tabs 434, both positioned on the same side of the body 428, include alignment holes 426. The alignment hole 426 in this example is located at a distance W s from 1 and is separated by a distance L s 3 on the suction tabs 430 and 434. In some embodiments, the alignment hole 426 may have a diameter D s .

[0080] In a particular example of the separator 110, the dimensions as discussed above are L s = 244.0 mm; W s = 75.0 mm; T s = 0.25 mm; L s 1 = 9.5 mm; L s 2 = 8.5 mm; L s 3 = 59.8 mm; W s 1 = 46.5 mm; and α s = 45° and may be provided. Further, the separator 110 is formed of a separator material as discussed above. This particular example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the separator 110. The separator 110 may be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0081] Figures 5A through 5E show the anode assembly 320 shown in FIG. 3B. As shown in FIG. 5A, the anode assembly 320 includes an anode 114 and an anode tab 314. As shown in FIG. 5B, which is a cross-sectional view of the anode assembly 320, it is shown that the anode 114 may include a plurality of layers, and layers 508, 510, and 512 of the plurality of layers are shown. Layers 508, 510, and 512 may be formed from sheets of anode material. The anode tab 314 may be formed of a conductor, such as nickel, although other conductive materials may be used. The anode tab 314 may include a body 506 and tabs 502 and 504. Although two tabs (tabs 502 and 504) are shown, any number of tabs may be present. As shown in FIG. 5B, the anode tab 314 is attached to the stacked anode layers 508, 510, and 512, for example, by compressing the body 506 having the anode layers 508, 510, and 512 and then welding the anode tab 314 to the body 506. The anode layers 508, 510, and 512 may be arranged to improve the flow of the electrolyte 126. For example, the anode 510 may be wavy to facilitate the flow of the electrolyte 126.

[0082] Figures 5C, 5D, and 5E show specific examples of the anode assembly 320. As shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, the anode assembly 320 includes the full length of L A 1. The length of the anode 114 is L A 2. As further shown, the full width of the anode assembly 320 is W A 2. As further shown in FIG. 5D, the anode assembly 320 may include notches 514 and 516, where the notch 514 is located at the edge of the anode 114 where the anode tab 314 is located, and the notch 516 is located at the opposite edge of the anode 114. As shown, the angle between the edges of the anode 114 is θ A . As further shown, the notches 514 and 516 form an angle α A with the edges of the anode 114. As shown in FIG. 5D, the notch 516 leaves a width of W A 1 at the edge of the anode 114.

[0083] FIG. 5E shows an extension of portion A shown in FIG. 5D, including anode tab 314 attached to anode 114. As shown in FIG. 5E, the body 506 of anode tab 314 is shaped to conform to notch 514, and thus may have an angle α from the edge similar to notch 514. As a result, the body 506 has a spread L A 3 along anode 114. Thus, notch 514 has a length L A 4 along the length of anode 114. A

[0084] As further shown in FIG. 5E, anode tab 314 includes tabs 502 and 504 symmetrically positioned about centerline 518. In particular, the inner edge of tab 504 is at a distance W A 4 from centerline 518, and the outer edge is at a distance W A 3 from centerline 518. As shown for tab 502, the edge of tab 502 forms an angle β A 1, and the angle between the edge of tab 502 and body 506 forms an angle β A 2. Tabs 502 and 504 are cut out to form rounded edges having a radius R A 1.

[0085] In a specific exemplary embodiment of anode assembly 320, the dimensions are: L A 1 = 252.5 mm; L A 2 = 240.0 mm; L A 3 = 2.5 mm; L A 4 = 7.1 mm; L A 5 = 12.5 mm; W A 1 = 60.0 mm; W A 2 = 70.0 mm; W A 3 = 27.9 mm; W A 4 = 9.9 mm; T A 1 = 1.8 mm; θ A = 90°; α A = 45°; β A 1 = 90°; and β A2 can be provided by 90°. Further, the anode assembly 320 is formed to have anode layers 508, 510, and 512 formed of an anode material as discussed above, and an anode tab 314 formed of a conductive material such as nickel. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the anode assembly 320. The anode assembly 320 can be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104. After the formation of the anode assembly 320, further processing can include an anode coating, oven drying, and sintering to complete the anode assembly 320. Further, the anode assembly 320 can include any number of layers of anode material.

[0086] Figures 6A through 6H illustrate examples of the cathode assembly 322. Figure 6A shows a plan view of the cathode assembly 322. As shown in Figure 6A, the cathode assembly 322 includes a cathode 112 inserted into the separator port 410 as discussed above with respect to Figures 4A through 4C. Figure 6B shows a cross-sectional view of an example of the cathode assembly 322. In the example shown in Figure 6B, the cathode 112 is formed from two cathode components 602. The cathode component 602 is inserted into the separator port 410.

[0087] Figures 6C, 6D, and 6E illustrate examples of the cathode component 602 shown in Figure 6B. As shown in Figures 6C and 6D, the cathode component 602 includes a cathode portion 606 and a tab portion 604. As discussed above, the cathode portion 606 can be formed by cutting out from a cathode sheet material. In some embodiments, the cathode sheet material can include a tab material. In that case, the tab portion 604 can also be cut out from the cathode sheet material when the cathode portion 606 is cut out. As further shown in Figures 6C and 6D, the cathode component 602 can have an overall length L C 1 and an overall width W C 1. The cathode portion 606 can have a thickness T CIt may have. As discussed above, the tab portion 604 can be formed of a conductive material, such as nickel.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 6D, the length of the cathode portion 606 is L C 2. As shown, the notch 616 is formed within the cathode portion 606 adjacent to the location where the tab portion 604 is attached, while the notch 614 is formed on the opposite side of the cathode portion 606. In the example shown in FIGS. 6D and 6E, the notch 614 and, form an angle α C with the edge of the cathode portion 606. The edge of the cathode portion 606 forms an angle θ C . As shown in FIG. 6D, the notch 614 is such that the width of the edge of the cathode portion 606 on the opposite side of the tab portion 604 is W C 2, and the width W C 3 is cut out so as to be removed from its edge.

[0089] FIG. 6E shows the region identified as region A in FIG. 6D. As shown in FIGS. 6D and 6E, the tab portion 604 includes a tab 608 and a tab body 610. The tab body 610 is attached to the cathode portion 606 and has a notch to fit into the notch 616. In some embodiments, the tab body 610 can be attached to the cathode portion 606, for example, by welding. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the tab 608 and the tab body 610 may be included in the cathode sheet from which the cathode 602 is cut out, in which case the cathode portion 606 and the tab body 610 are already attached. As shown in FIG. 6E, the depth of the notch 616 is L C 3, while the length of the notch body 610 attached to the cathode portion 606 is L C 4. As shown in FIG. 6E, the tab 608 has an outer edge such that the tab is at a distance of W C 5 from the center line 612 extending through the length of the cathode component 602. The inner edge of the tab body 610 is at a distance of W CIt is at 4. As shown in FIG. 6E, the edge of the tab 608 forms an angle β C 1 at the inner edge and an angle β C 2 at the outer edge. The corners of the tab 608 may have a radius R C of rounding.

[0090] FIGS. 6F through 6G show a cathode assembly 322 formed from a separator port 410 and two cathode components 602. As shown in FIGS. 6F and 6G, the two cathode components 602 are stacked such that the tabs 608 are disposed and attached on both sides of the cathode assembly 322 to form cathode tabs 312. This is accomplished by rotating one of the two cathode components 602 about the central axis 612 and stacking it directly on top of the other of the cathode components 602. FIG. 6F shows a cross-sectional view of the separator port 410 on the anode 112 and the cathode tabs 312.

[0091] FIG. 6G shows a plan view of the assembled cathode assembly 322. As shown, the cathode 112 having the cathode tabs 312 is inserted into the separator port 410. As shown in FIG. 6G, the thickness of the seam weld along the perimeter of the separator port 410 is given by d C . Further, the notches 616 of the cathode component 602 and the notches 406 of the separator port 410 may be aligned. Similarly, the notches 614 of the cathode component 602 and the notches 408 of the separator port 410 are aligned. As shown, the distance between the edge of the separator port 410 and the center of the notch 614 of the cathode component 602 is given by L C 6. Further, the angle α C is the same as the angle θ SC shown in FIG. 4A. The overall width of the resulting cathode assembly 322 is W sc , which is the width of the separator port 410.

[0092] FIG. 6H shows an enlarged view of region A shown in FIG. 6G. As shown in FIG. 6H, tab 608 extends a distance L C 7 only. The separation between the edge of the cathode component 602 and the separator port 410 is W C 6. The distance that the separator port 410 can extend from the edge of the body 610 is given by the distance L C 8.

[0093] In a specific example of the cathode assembly 322, L C 1 = 252.5 mm; L C 2 = 240.0 mm; L C 3 = 6.1 mm; L C 4 = 2.5 mm; L C 5 = 254.5 mm; L C 6 = 3.0 mm; L C 7 = 12.5 mm; L C 8 = 2.0 mm; W C 1 = 68.0 mm; W C 2 = 62.0 mm; W C 3 = 3.0 mm; W C 4 = 9.9 mm; W C 5 = 27.9 mm; W C 6 = 3.5 mm; T C = 0.51 mm; R C = 1.0 mm; d C = 1.0 mm; α C = 45°; θ C = 90°; β C 1 = 90°; and β C 2 = 90°. As discussed above, the cathode assembly 322 is formed to have the port 410 and the cathode component 602 as described above. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the cathode assembly 322. The cathode assembly 322 can be formed with any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0094] Furthermore, the examples of the cathode 112 shown in FIGS. 6A through 6H are merely illustrative, and the cathode 112 including the tabs 312 can be formed in other ways. For example, FIGS. 6A through 6H show a cathode 112 having two cathode portions 602, but any number of cathode portions 602 may be stacked to form a cathode 112. Furthermore, any number of tabs 312 may be formed within the cathode 112.

[0095] FIGS. 7A through 7J show examples of the frame 106 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 7A through 7E show the upper portion 220 of the frame 106. FIGS. 7F through 7J show the lower portion 222 of the frame 106. FIG. 7A shows a plan view from the top of the upper portion 220 and shows the top plate 706. As shown, the upper portion 220 has a length L F 1 and a width W F 1. As further shown in FIG. 7A, each of the corners of the upper surface 706 of the upper portion 220 may have a notch 716 for scoring. As shown in FIG. 7A, a center line 702 along the length of the top plate 706 and a center line 704 along the width of the top plate 706 may be defined.

[0096] FIG. 7B shows an end view along the length of the upper portion 220 (i.e., along the center line 702). The line 718 is perpendicular to the center lines 704 and 702. FIG. 7B shows that the thickness of the material forming the upper portion 220 has a thickness T F 1. Furthermore, the upper portion 220 includes lips 708 bent on both sides through a radius R F 1 from the plane of the plate 706. The lip 708 forms an angle θ F 1 with the plane of the plate 706. The lip 708 has a length of L F 2 from the plane of the plate 706. Furthermore, FIG. 7B shows a connector 316 including a portion 712 bent in a direction opposite to the lip 712.

[0097] FIG. 7C shows a side view of the upper portion 220 (i.e., along the center line 704). FIG. 7C shows the lip 708 and also shows a cross-section of the connector 316 further showing the connector tab 710 and the portion 712.

[0098] FIG. 7D shows an enlargement of the area labeled A in FIG. 7A. This shows a detailed example of the connector tab 710. In the example shown in FIG. 7D, the connector tab 710 includes barbs 716. As shown, the connector tab 710 has a plane substantially parallel to the plane of 706 and has a length L F 3. The barbs 716 are spaced along the length of the connector tab 710. The first barb is spaced a distance L F 4 from the portion 712. In one example, the barbs 716 are characterized by an inner width W F 2 and an outer width W F 3 from the center line 702. The tip of the barb 716 may have a radius R F 2. In some embodiments, the barbs 716 may have a downward orientation.

[0099] FIG. 7E shows an enlargement of the area B shown in FIG. 7B. FIG. 7E shows a projection view of the connector tab 710 and shows the portion 712. As shown, the portion 712 may have a length of L F 5. Further shown, two insertion portions 714 are formed on both sides of the tab 710. The insertion portion 714 may be characterized by a circular hole with a radius R F 4 transitioning to a straight portion with a radius R F 3.

[0100] FIGS. 7F through 7J show the bottom portion 222. The bottom portion 222 includes the plate 706, the lip 708, the notch 716, and the connector 316 as described above, and the top portion 220 and further side supports 206 are added. FIG. 7F shows a plan view of the bottom portion 222 and, as shown, the side support 206 is attached to the lip 708. FIG. 7G shows an end view of the bottom portion 222. As shown in FIG. 7G, the side support 206 is at an angle θ with the plate 706 where the side support 206F It is attached to the lip 708 (e.g., by welding) so as to form 2.

[0101] Figures 7H and 7I show examples of the side support 206 according to some embodiments. As shown in Figures 7H and 7I, the side support 206 has a length L F 6, a width W F 4, and a thickness T F 2 plate. As further shown in Figure 7I, the corners may have a radius of R F 5.

[0102] Figure 7J shows the attachment of the side support 206 to the lip 708 as discussed above. As shown, the side support 206 is positioned on the lip 708 at a distance L F 9 from the plate 706 and forms an angle θ F 3 with the edge of the lip 708 that is parallel to the plane of the plate 706. As further shown, the side support 206 is symmetric about the line 718 and is positioned at a length L F 7 and a length L F 8 from the line 718. As further shown, the side support 206 is welded to the lip 708 at the weld point 722.

[0103] In a specific example of the frame 106, L F 1 = 241.2 mm; L F 2 = 12.5 mm; L F 3 = 6.5 mm; L F 4 = 1.5 mm; L F 5 = 6.5 mm; L F 6 = 58.0 mm; L F 7 = 99.2 mm; L F 8 = 33.0 mm; L F 9 = 6.5 mm; W F 1 = 83.0 mm; W F 2 = 2.0 mm; W F 3 = 3.0 mm; W F 4 = 10.0 mm; T F 1 = 1.5 mm; R F 2 = 1.5 mm; R F1 = 5.0 mm; R F 2 = 0.2 mm; R F 3 = 1.5 mm; R F 4 = 1.0 mm; R F 5 = 2.0 mm; θ F 1 = 90°; θ F 2 = 90°, and θ F 2 is 90°. Further, the frame 106 is formed of any material, such as stainless steel. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the frame 106. The frame 106 can be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0104] Figure 8 shows the assembly of the electrode stack 302 shown in Figure 3B. As shown in Figure 8, the electrode stack 302 is assembled on a jig 800 that positions each of the cathode assembly 322, anode assembly 320, separator 110, upper portion 220, and lower portion 222 relative to each other.

[0105] The jig 800 includes a base 802 on which the components of the jig 800 are mounted. These components include a cathode end alignment 804 and an anode end alignment 806. As shown, the cathode end alignment 804 includes a notch 812 that receives the tab 312 of the cathode assembly 322. Similarly, the anode end alignment 806 includes a notch 814 that receives the tab 314. The anode end alignment 806 and the cathode end alignment 804 are further shaped to receive the shapes of the anode assembly 320 and the cathode assembly 322 as discussed above and hold them in place. Another alignment 808 is included that is mounted between the cathode end alignment 804 and the anode end alignment 806 and includes a notch 816 that receives the central suction tab 202. As an additional feature, a carrier component 810 can be mounted on the base 802 to facilitate transportation of the jig 800 when the components are loaded.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 8, the components of the electrode stack 302 are assembled by first loading the lower portion 222 and then stacking alternating layers of the anode assembly 320 and the cathode assembly 322 to reach the appropriate number of anodes and cathodes in the stack while properly placing the separator 110 between each layer. Finally, the top portion 220 is placed on top. Thereafter, the jig 800 loaded with the electrode stack 302 is placed in a press and pressure is applied. Once the appropriate pressure is applied and the electrode stack 302 reaches a thickness Tes as shown in FIG. 3E, the side supports 206 of the lower portion 222 engage and are welded to the top portion 220 to secure the electrode stack 302. Once welded, the electrode stack 302 can be removed from the jig 800.

[0107] FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C show an isolator 900 that can be used for the isolators 304 and 306 as shown in FIG. 3A. As shown in the plan view of the isolator 900 shown in FIG. 9A, the isolator 900 includes a frame 912 surrounding a hole 902. The frame 912 includes a recess 904 within the frame 912. Further, the frame 912 includes tabs 906 on two opposing sides where the connector 318 is formed. The connector 318 is a hole-through frame 912 that mates with the connector 316 on the frame 106 as shown in FIGS. 7A through 7J. Further, barbs 716 as shown in FIG. 7D can engage the connector 318 such that when positioned, the barbs 716 of the connector 316 hold the isolator 900 in place. As further shown in FIG. 9A, the hole 902 is sized to allow the tabs 312 and 314 of the electrode stack 302 to pass through. The recess 904 is sized to receive the feedthrough 226 or the feedthrough 228 as shown in FIG. 3A.

[0108] In a particular example of the isolator 900 as shown in FIG. 9A, the isolator 900 has an overall length of L I 1 and a width of W IIt has 1. As shown in FIG. 9B which is a cross-sectional view of the isolator 900, the thickness of the isolator 900 is T I 1. The hole 902 has a length L I 3 and a width W I 3. The recess 904 may have a length L I 2 and a width W I 2. As shown in FIG. 9C which is a cross-sectional view passing through the line A-A shown in FIG. 9A, the recess 904 has a thickness T I 2. In some embodiments, the corners of the hole 902 may be rounded with a radius R I 2, while the recess 904 may have an edge rounded with a radius R I 1. Further shown, the connector 318 may be an elongated hole with a width W I 4 positioned to receive the barb 716 of the connector 316. FIG. 9A also shows the features 908 and 910 incorporated in the tab 906. The features 908 and 910 are formed to assist in insulating the electrode stack 302 and positioning the fully assembled electrode stack assembly 104 within the pressure vessel 102.

[0109] In a specific example of the isolator 900, L I 1 = 106.2 mm; L I 2 = 70.0 mm; L I 3 = 66.0 mm; W I 1 = 74.2 mm; W I 2 = 66.4 mm; W I 3 = 62.4 mm; W I 4 = 4.5 mm; T I 1 = 5.2 mm; T I 2 = 3.5 mm; R I 1 = 5.0 mm; and R I 2 = 3.0 mm. Further, the isolator 900 may be formed using any insulating material, such as a plastic like UHMW PE. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the isolator 900. The isolator 900 may be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0110] Figures 10A, 10B, and 10C show examples of a separator shield 1000 that can be used as separator shields 308 and 310 as shown in Figure 3A. The separator shield 1000 includes a fan portion 1002 and a flat portion 1004. The fan portion 1002 is folded away from the flat portion 1004 along a fold line 1006. Figure 10A shows a flat representation before folding along the fold line 1006 that can be cut out from a single sheet of material before folding. As shown, the flat portion 1004 has a length of L Sh 1 and a width of W Sh 1. The flat portion 1004 may have a rounded corner with a radius of R Sh . The fan portion 1002 extends from the flat portion 1004 at an angle of θ Sh 1 to a distance of W Sh 2 from the fold line 1006. The fan portion 1002 then extends through an angle of θ Sh 2. Figure 10B shows a cross-section of the separator shield 1000. As shown in Figure 10B, the thickness of the sheet of material forming the separator shield 1000 is T Sh .

[0111] Figure 10C shows the separator shield 1000 after being folded such that the fan portion 1002 extends away from the flat portion 1004. As shown in Figure 3A, the separator shield 1000 (either separator shield 308 or separator shield 310) is attached to the side support 206 of the frame 106 closest to the cathode tab 312, for example by welding.

[0112] In a specific example of the separator shield 1000, L Sh 1 = 58.0 mm; W Sh 1 = 11.0 mm; W Sh 2 = 10.1 mm; T Sh = 0.1 mm θ Sh 1 = 45°; and θ Sh2 = 130°. Further, the separator shield 1000 can be formed of any conductive material, such as stainless steel. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the separator shield 1000. The separator shield 1000 can be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0113] Figures 11A through 11F show the anode bridge 226 and the anode feed-through terminal 120, and the mounting of the anode feed-through terminal 120 onto the anode bridge 226 in more detail. Figures 11A and 11B show an example of the anode bridge 226, while Figures 11C and 11D show an example of the anode feed-through terminal 120. Figures 11E and 11F show the attachment of the anode feed-through terminal 120 to the anode bridge 226.

[0114] Figures 11A and 11B show an example of the anode bridge 226 as discussed above with respect to, for example, Figure 2C. As shown in Figure 11A, the anode bridge 226 is formed of a metal plate having a slot 224 arranged to receive the tab 314 from the anode assembly 320. As shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the anode bridge 226 has a length L AB 1, a width W AB 1, and a thickness T AB 1. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 9A, the edges may be tapered so that the anode bridge 226 can fit better into the recess 904 of the isolator 900. Further, the corners of the anode bridge 226 may be curved to have a radius of R AB 2. Further, the opposing ends of the anode bridge 226 have a radius R ABIt may include a notch 1102 having 1. The notch 1102 is arranged along the center line 1102, and the center line 1102 is at the center of the length of the anode bridge 226 and extends along it. The slot 224 extends with respect to the width of the anode bridge 226 and is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line 1104. Further, it is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line 1106 perpendicular to the center line 1104. In the specific example shown in FIG. 11A, seven slots 224 are arranged on each side of the center line 1104 (a total of 14 slots are shown). It should be clear that any number of slots 224 can be formed on both sides of the center line 1104. The number of slots 224 included in the anode bridge 226 and the arrangement of the slots 224 depend on the structure of the anode assembly 320 and the number of anode assemblies 320 included in the electrode stack 302.

[0115] As shown in FIG. 11A, each of the slots 224 has a width W AB 4 and a thickness T AB 2. As shown in FIG. 11A, the left - hand edges of the seven slots 224 on the left side of the center line 1104 are spaced a distance W AB 3 from the left - hand edge of the anode bridge 226. The left - hand edge on the right side of the center line 1102 is spaced a distance W AB 2 from the left - hand edge of the anode bridge 226. The bottom edges of the slots 224 are at distances L AB 2, L AB 3, L AB 4, L AB 5, L AB 6, L AB 7, and L AB 8 from the bottom of the anode bridge 226. Note that the terms left, right, up, and down are used for convenience only.

[0116] FIGS. 11C and 11D show examples of the anode feed - through terminal 120. As shown in FIG. 11D, the anode feed - through terminal 120 is formed from a metal rod and has a diameter W AB 5 and a length L ABA first section 1110 having 11, a smaller diameter, i.e., length L AB from 11 to length L AB A diameter W extending from the end of the first section 1110 between 10 AB A second section 1112 of 6 can be formed. The third section 1114 has a length L AB from 10 to length L AB extends from the end of the second section 1112 between 9. The third section 1114 has a thread feature Th AB and is threaded. The center line 1116 may pass through the center of the feed-through terminal 120 and extend along the length of the anode feed-through terminal 120. FIG. 11D is a view along the center line 1116 as seen from the section 1114.

[0117] FIGS. 11E and 11F show the attachment of the anode feed-through terminal 120 to the anode bridge 226 to form the anode bridge structure 1120. As shown in FIG. 11E, the anode feed-through terminal 120 is welded to the center of the anode bridge 226 at the weld point 1122. As shown in FIG. 11F, the feed-through terminal 120 is welded to the anode bridge 226 such that the center line 1116 intersects the intersection of the center lines 1104 and 1106 of the anode bridge 226.

[0118] In a specific example of the anode bridge structure 1120, L AB 1 = 69.6 mm; L AB 2 = 64.4 mm; L AB 3 = 54.2 mm; L AB 4 = 44.0 mm; L AB 5 = 33.8 mm; L AB 6 = 23.6 mm; L AB 7 = 13.4 mm; L AB 8 = 3.2 mm; L AB 9 = 53.0 mm; L AB 10 = 43.0 mm; L AB 11 = 39.0 mm; W AB 1 = 66.0 mm; W AB 2 = 41.9 mm; W AB 3 = 4.10 mm; WAB 4 = 20.0 mm; W AB 5 = 10.0 mm; W AB 6 = 7.0 mm; T AB 1 = 1.6 mm; T AB 2 = 2.0 mm; Th AB = M6 x 1; R AB 1 = 2.5 mm; and R AB 2 = 5.0 mm. Further, the anode bridge structure 1120 can be formed of any conductive material or combination of conductive materials. For example, the anode bridge structure 1120 can be formed of nickel, while the anode feed-through terminal 120 can be formed of stainless steel-coated copper. This specific example is not intended to be limiting, but merely provides a specific example of the anode bridge structure 1120. The anode bridge structure 1120 can be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0119] Figures 12A through 12F show in more detail the cathode bridge 228 and the cathode feed-through terminal 124, and the mounting of the cathode feed-through terminal 124 onto the cathode bridge 228. Figures 12A and 12B show an example of the cathode bridge 228, while Figures 12C and 12D show an example of the cathode feed-through terminal 124. Figures 12E and 12F show the attachment of the cathode feed-through terminal 124 to the cathode bridge 228.

[0120] Figures 12A and 12B show an example of the cathode bridge 228 as discussed above with respect to, for example, Figure 2D. As shown in Figure 12A, the cathode bridge 228 is formed of a metal plate having a slot 230 arranged to receive the tab 312 from the cathode assembly 322. As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the cathode bridge 226 has a length L CB 1, width W CB 1, and thickness T CBIt has 1. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9A, the edge may be tapered so that the cathode bridge 228 can fit well into the recess 904 of the isolator 900. Further, the corners of the cathode bridge 228 may be curved to have a radius of R CB 2. Further, the opposing ends of the cathode bridge 228 may include a notch 1202 having a radius R CB 1. The notch 1202 is disposed along the centerline 1202, and the centerline 1202 is at the center of the length of the cathode bridge 228 and extends along it. The slot 230 extends with respect to the width of the cathode bridge 228 and is symmetrically disposed with respect to the centerline 1204. Further, it is symmetrically disposed with respect to the centerline 1206 perpendicular to the centerline 1204. In the specific example shown in FIG. 12A, five slots 230 are disposed on each side of the centerline 1204 (a total of 10 slots 230 are shown). It should be clear that any number of slots 230 can be formed on both sides of the centerline 1204.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 12A, each of the notches 230 has a width W CB 4 and a thickness T CB 2. As shown in FIG. 12A, the left-hand edge of the five slots 230 on the left side of the centerline 1204 is spaced a distance W CB 3 from the left edge of the cathode bridge 228. The left-hand edge of the slots 230 on the right side of the centerline 1202 is spaced a distance W CB 2 from the left edge of the cathode bridge 228. The bottom edge of the slot 230 is from the bottom of the cathode bridge 228 by L CB 2, L CB 3, L CB 4, L CB 5, and L CB 6 apart. Note that the terms left, right, up, and down are used for convenience only. Note that the number and arrangement of the slots 230 depend on the structure of the cathode assembly 322 included in the electrode stack 302 and the number of cathode assemblies 322.

[0122] 12C and 12D show examples of cathode feedthrough terminal 124. As shown in FIG. 12D, cathode feedthrough terminal 124 is formed from a metal rod having a diameter W CB 5 and length L CB 9, and a first section 1210 having a smaller diameter, i.e., length L CB 9 to length L CB 8, extending from the end of the first section 1210 to CB The third section 1214 may extend from the end of the second section 1212 by a length L CB 8 to length L CB 9. The third section 1214 has a thread feature Th CB 12D is a view along centerline 1216 taken from section 1214. Centerline 1216 may extend through the center of cathode feedthrough terminal 124 and along the length of cathode feedthrough terminal 124. FIG. 12D is a view along centerline 1216 taken from section 1214.

[0123] Figures 12E and 12F show the attachment of the cathode feedthrough terminal 124 to the cathode bridge 228 to form the cathode bridge structure 1120. As shown in Figure 12E, the cathode feedthrough terminal 124 is welded to the center of the cathode bridge 228 at weld point 1222. As shown in Figure 12F, the feedthrough terminal 124 is welded to the cathode bridge 228 such that the centerline 1216 intersects the intersection of the centerlines 1204 and 1206 of the cathode 228.

[0124] In a specific example of the cathode bridge structure 1220, L CB 1=69.6mm;L CB 2=61.0mm;L CB 3=47.4mm;L CB 4=33.8mm;L CB 5=20.2mm;L CB 6=6.6mm;L CB 7=86.0mm;L CB 8=76.0mm;L CB9 = 72.0 mm; W CB 1 = 66.0 mm; W CB 2 = 41.9 mm; W CB 3 = 4.10 mm: W CB 4 = 20.0 mm; W CB 5 = 10.0 mm; W CB 6 = 7.0 mm; T CB 1 = 1.6 mm; T CB 2 = 2.0 mm; Th CB = M6x1; R CB 1 = 2.5 mm; and R CB 2 = 5.0 mm. Further, the cathode bridge structure 1220 can be formed of any conductive material or combination of conductive materials. For example, the cathode bridge 228 can be formed of nickel, while the cathode feed-through terminal 124 can be formed of stainless steel-coated copper. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the cathode bridge structure 1220. The cathode bridge structure 1220 can be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0125] As shown above, the electrode stack assembly 104 can be assembled by starting with the electrode stack 302, as shown in FIG. 8. In one particular example, the electrode stack 302 can include 20 cathode assemblies 322 and 21 anode assemblies 320, although other arrangements can be formed. As shown, for example, in FIG. 3A, the isolators 304 and 306 are attached to the connectors 316 of the frame 106, as described above using the isolators 900 of FIGS. 9A through 9C. The tabs 312 are then inserted through the slots 230 in the cathode bridge structure 1220, and the cathode bridge structure 1220 can be seated in the recess 904 of the isolator 304. In a particular example, four tabs 312 can be inserted into each of the slots 230, which can reflect the 20 cathode assemblies 322. Similarly, the tabs 314 of the anode assemblies 320 are inserted into the slots 230 of the anode bridge structure 1120 such that three tabs are inserted into each of the slots 230, which can reflect the 21 anode assemblies 320 in the electrode stack 302. The separator shields 308 and 310 can be attached to the electrode stack 302 as described above at any time after the electrode stack 302 is formed.

[0126] Figures 13A and 13B show an assembly of the pressure vessel 102 and the battery 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the example shown in Figure 13A, the pressure vessel 102 is formed by a cathode end cap 1302, a vessel body 1306, and an anode end cap 1304. As shown, the cathode end cap 1302 is welded to one side of the vessel body 1306 at a weld 1308, and the anode end cap 1304 is welded to the opposite side of the vessel body 1306 at a weld 1310. The cathode end cap 1302, the vessel body 1306, and the anode end cap 1304 are symmetrically arranged around a central axis extending through the battery 100. In some examples, the welds 1308 and 1310 can be formed using, for example, a gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) technique, although other welds can be formed. As further shown in Figure 13A, the resulting length of the battery 100 is LB. In a particular example, LB can be 390.4 mm.

[0127] In the example shown in Figure 13A, the fill tube 122 is attached through the anode end cap 1304. The fill tube 122 can pass through the anode end cap 1304 and be welded in place. As further shown, the anode feed-through terminal 120 extends along the central axis 1312 through the anode end cap 1304. A feed-through shoulder 1320 can be inserted onto the anode feed-through terminal 120. As shown, the anode feed-through terminal 120 can be welded to the anode end cap 1304 at a weld 1316. The weld 1316 can also be formed using GTAW technology.

[0128] As further shown in FIG. 13A, the cathode feed-through terminal 124 extends through a feed-through 1314 attached to the cathode end cap 1302. In some embodiments, the feed-through 1314 is welded to the cathode end cap 1302 at a weld 1326 that may be formed using GTAW techniques as discussed above. A feed-through shoulder 1318 may be placed on the cathode feed-through terminal 124. As shown in FIG. 13A, the cathode feed-through terminal 124 and the anode feed-through terminal 120 are aligned along a central axis 1312.

[0129] FIG. 13B shows an assembly of the battery 100 according to some embodiments. As shown, the anode end cap 1304 to which the fill tube 122 is attached is welded to one end of the container body 1306. As further shown, the feed-through 1314 includes a metal body 1322 and an insulator 1324. The metal body 1306 is welded to the cathode end cap 1302. The electrode stack assembly 104 may then be inserted into the container body 1306 such that the anode feed-through terminal 120 can extend through the anode end cap 1304 and be welded in place. Note that the features 908 and 910 of the isolator 900 are positioned to support the electrode stack assembly 104 within the container body 1306. Once in place, the feed-through insulator 1324 can be inserted into the feed-through body 1322 and the cathode feed-through terminal 124 passed through the feed-through 1314. The cathode end cap 1302 may then be welded to the container body 1306 and the feed-through 1314 sealed to the cathode feed-through terminal 124. The feed-through shoulders 1318 and 1320 may then be placed on the cathode feed-through terminal 124 and the anode feed-through terminal 120, respectively.

[0130] Figures 14A and 14B show a feed-through shoulder 1400 that can be used for the feed-through shoulders 1318 and 1320 discussed above. As shown in Figure 14A, the feed-through shoulder 1400 has an inner hole with diameter D FS 2 and a metal portion 1402 with an outer diameter D FS 1. As shown in Figure 14B, the thickness is T FS . In some embodiments, the feed-through shoulder 1400 can be formed of a metal, such as copper. In a specific example, the dimensions can be given by D FS 1 = 20.0 mm; D FS 2 = 7.0 mm; and T FS = 4.0 mm. In some embodiments, the edges of the feed-through shoulder 1400 may be chamfered. As shown in Figures 13A and 13B, the feed-through shoulders 1318 and 1320 can be placed on the cathode feed-through terminal 124 and the anode feed-through terminal 120 as shown above, such that the feed-through shoulder 1318 is pressed onto the section 1212 of the cathode feed-through terminal 124 and the feed-through shoulder 1320 is pressed onto the section 1112 of the anode feed-through terminal 120. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the feed-through shoulder 1400. The feed-through shoulder 1400 can be formed with any dimensions that are consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0131] Figures 15A and 15B show a filling tube 122 according to some embodiments. As shown in Figures 15A and 15B, the filling tube 122 is a tube with a length L T 1, an outer diameter D T 1, and an inner diameter D T 2. In some embodiments, the filling tube 122 may be formed of stainless steel, and the dimensions can be L T 1 = 55.0 mm; D T 1 = 6.4 mm; and D T2 can be 4.6 mm. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the filling tube 122. The filling tube 122 can be formed with any dimensions that are consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0132] Figures 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D show embodiments of the feedthrough 1314 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 13B, the feedthrough 1314 includes a body 1322 as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B and an insulator 1324 as shown in FIGS. 16C and 16D. The feedthrough 1314 is assembled by fitting the insulator 1324 with the body 1322 such that the cathode feedthrough terminal 124 can extend through the insulator 1324 and be sealed to the insulator 1324. The body 1322 can be formed from any material, such as metal, that can be physically attached to and sealed to the cathode end cap 1302.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 16A, one example of the body 1322 having a cylindrical shape can have a length of L FT 1. The body 1322 includes a base portion 1604 and a body portion 1606 that are integral with each other (e.g., formed as a single piece or attached in another way). The base portion 1604 can have a diameter of W FT 5 over a length of L FT 1. Measured from the bottom of the base portion 1604, the body portion 1606 can have an outer diameter of w FT 3 between the lengths of L FT 2. The body portion 1606 can have an outer diameter of w FT 2 between the top of the base portion 1204 and the length of L FT 4. Between the lengths of L FT 2 and L FT 1, and between the lengths of L FT 4 and L FT 3, the body portion 1606 can have widths of W FT 2 and W FT 2 and W FTTapers between the diameters of 3. The body 1322 has an internal structure configured to receive an insulator 1324.

[0134] FIG. 16B shows a cross-sectional view of the body 1322 looking down on the body portion 1606 and the base portion 1604. As shown, the central portion 1614 forms a hole. The central portion 1614 of the body portion 1606 has an internal thread, which is a standard thread that may be characterized by a thread depth of TD FT 1 and a thread pitch of TS FT 1.

[0135] FIGS. 16C and 16D show examples of the insulator 1324 of the feedthrough 1314. The insulator 1324 may include a body portion 1612 and a base portion 1610 and may be formed from an insulating material. As shown in FIG. 16C, the insulator 1324 has a length of L FT 6, while the base 1610 has a length of L FT 7. The insulator 1324 includes a through-hole 1616 having a diameter of w FT 4 that receives the cathode feedthrough terminal 124. FIG. 16D shows a cross-sectional view of the insulator 1324. In particular, W FT 4 is sized to allow the passage of the cathode feedthrough terminal 124 with a tightness sufficient to form a seal. Further, as shown in the cross-section shown in FIG. 16D, the body portion 1612 has a male thread characterized by TS FT 2. In particular, the male thread of the body portion 1612 engages the female thread of the body portion 1606 such that the insulator 1608 is screwed into the body 1322. In some embodiments, the female thread of the body portion 1606 and the male thread of the insulator 1608 may be pipe threads that provide a seal when they engage each other. Further, the base 1610 may be octagonal with an overall width of W FT 5, and the edges of the individual edges of the octagon meet rounded ends with a radius of R FT .

[0136] In a specific example of the feedthrough 1314 consistent with the specific examples discussed above, the following dimensions and features may be used: L FT1 = 44.0 mm; L FT 2 = 39.5 mm; L FT 3 = 10.5 mm; L FT 4 = 6.0 mm; L FT 5 = 4.0 mm; L FT 6 = 48.0 mm; L FT 7 = 4.0 mm; W FT 1 = 30.0 mm; W FT 2 = 20.0 mm; W FT 3 = 19.2 mm; W FT 4 = 10.0 mm; W FT 5 = 21.0 mm; R FT = 3.0 mm; TS FT 1 = G 3 / 8 - 19; TS FT 2 = G 3 / 8 - 19; and TD FT 1 = 0.4 mm. The body 11322 can be made of metal and may be consistent with the material of the cathode end cap 1302 (e.g., welded or otherwise attached to the cathode end cap 1302). In some examples, the body 1322 can be stainless steel. The insulator 1324 can be any insulator, such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW) plastic. During assembly, after the body 1322 is welded to the cathode end cap 1302, the insulator 1324 can be screwed onto the body 1322.

[0137] Figures 17A through 17D show examples of the anode end cap 1304 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 17A, the anode end cap 1304 includes a domed portion 1702 and a straight portion 1704. A lip 1706 is formed on the straight portion 1704. The overall height of the anode end cap 1304 is L AC 1, while the outer diameter of the straight portion 1706 is W AC 1. The wall thickness is W AC 2. As shown in Figure 17B, a central hole 1708 with a diameter D AC 1 is formed centrally corresponding to the center line 1312 for passing the anode feed-through terminal 120. The diameter D ACThe filling tube hole 1710 of 2 is formed at a distance W from the center of the central hole 1708 AC at 3. FIG. 17C shows an example of a lip 1706 having a chamfered portion at an angle θ from the outer wall AC The chamfered portion reaches a depth of W from the outer edge of the straight portion 1704 AC to 4.

[0138] FIG. 17D shows the attachment of the filling tube 122 to the anode end cap 1304. As shown, the filling tube 122 is inserted into the filling tube hole 1710 such that the end of the filling tube 122 extends a distance L AC of 2 from the central hole 1708 into the anode end cap 1304.

[0139] In a specific example of the anode end cap 1304, L AC 1 = 63.4 mm; L AC 2 = 12.7 mm; W AC 1 = 114.3 mm; W AC 2 = 3.0 mm; W AC 3 = 40.0 mm; W AC 4 = 2.2 mm; D AC 1 = 10.2 mm; D AC 2 = 6.7 mm; and θ AC = 45°. The anode end cap 1304 can be formed of any material, such as stainless steel. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the anode end cap 1304. The anode end cap 1304 can be formed with any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0140] FIGS. 18A through 18H show examples of the cathode end cap 1302 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 18A, the cathode end cap 1302 includes a domed portion 1802, a straight portion 1804, and a lip 1806 formed on the straight portion 1804. A flattened portion 1808 is formed at the topmost part of the domed portion 1802. As shown in FIG. 18A, the cathode end cap 1302 has a W CCThe outer diameter in the straight portion 1804 of 1, and L CC has the overall height of 1. The wall thickness in the straight portion 1802 is W CC 2. As shown in FIG. 18A, the center line 1312 extends through the flat portion 1808.

[0141] FIG. 18B shows a view of the cathode end cap 1302 along the center line 1312 in FIG. 18A from the straight section 1804. As shown, the through hole 1810 and the counterbore 1812 are formed in the flat section 1808. The through hole 1810 has an inner diameter D CC 1 through which the hole 1810 passes through the thickness T CC 1 of the bottom of the flat portion 1808. The counterbore 1812 has a diameter D CC 1 and is formed above the through hole 1810. As a result, the base 1604 of the body 1322 of the feedthrough 1314 is placed within the counterbore 1812. It should be noted that in this context, the bottom of the flat portion 1808 refers to the portion of the flat portion 1808 that is inside the cathode end cap 1302.

[0142] FIG. 18C shows a cross-sectional view of the cathode end cap 1302 along line B - B (i.e., the center line 1312), further showing the flat portion 1808. FIG. 18D shows an enlarged view of the region marked C in FIG. 18C, which further shows the flat portion 1808 and the edge of the dome-shaped portion 1802. As shown, the flat portion 1808 has a depth of L CC 2 in the dome-shaped portion 1802.

[0143] FIG. 18E shows an enlarged view of the region A identified in FIG. 18A, further showing the lip 1806. As shown, in FIG. 18E, the lip 1806 is chamfered at an angle θ CC through a length W CC at the edge of the straight portion 1804.

[0144] Figures 18F, 18G, and 18H show the assembly of the cathode end cap 1302 with the feedthrough body 1322. As shown in Figure 18F, the body 1322 of the feedthrough 1314 is welded to the cathode end cap 1302 at the weld joint 1326. Figure 18G shows a cross-sectional view through line A-A (centerline 1312). As shown, the body 1322 is inserted into the hole 1812 and seated against a lip formed by the smaller diameter hole 1810, and is then welded at the weld joint 1326. As discussed above, the weld joint 1326 may be GTAW welded. Figure 18H further shows a view from the straight portion 1804. Figure 18H further shows the placement of the body 1322 onto the through-hole 1810 and into the through counterbore 1812.

[0145] In a specific example of the cathode end cap 1302, L CC 1 = 62.4 mm; L CC 2 = 2.4 mm; W CC 1 = 114.3 mm; W CC 2 = 3.0 mm; W CC 3 = 2.2 mm; D CC 1 = 25.4 mm; D CC 2 = 30.5 mm; T CC 1 = 0.5 mm; and θ CC = 45°. The cathode end cap 1302 can be formed of any material, such as stainless steel. This specific example is not intended to be limiting and merely provides a specific example of the cathode end cap 1302. The cathode end cap 1302 can be formed in any dimensions consistent with the other components of the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0146] Figures 19A through 19C show examples of the container body 1306 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 19A shows a side view of the container body 1306, while Figure 19C shows a cross-section of the container body 1306. As shown in Figures 19A and 19C, the container body 1306 has an overall length L with an outer diameter of W V 1 VIt is a tubular structure of 1. The container body 1306 includes lips 1902 at each end that fit with the similar structures of the anode end cap 1304 and the cathode end cap 1302 to form welds 1308 and 1310 as shown in FIG. 13A. FIG. 19B shows an enlarged view of region A shown in FIG. 19A, which further shows the lip 1902. The lip 1902 extends a distance W V only 3, at an angle θ V formed by the chamfered portion of.

[0147] Figures 20A through 20O illustrate a method 2000 for generating a battery 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20A, the method 2000 begins at step 2002 where all of the various components used in the structures and assemblies described below are collected. From step 2002, the method 2000 proceeds to block 2004 which includes a series of pre-assemblies that can be performed prior to the assembly of the battery 100. As shown in FIG. 20A, the steps in block 2006 illustrate the steps for generating an electrode stack assembly 302 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The remaining steps in method 2000 result in a completed battery 100.

[0148] The pre-assembly step 2004 may include separator formation 2008, separator pouch assembly 2010, cathode electrode assembly 2012, anode electrode assembly 2014, frame formation 2016, electrode shield formation 2018, anode terminal / bridge assembly 2020, cathode terminal / bridge assembly 2022, anode end cap formation 2024, cathode end cap formation 2026, and electrode preparation 2028. Each of these steps may be performed in parallel and is not dependent on the completion of the others, except for separator pouch formation 2010 and cathode electrode assembly 212. As shown in FIG. 20A, the separator 110 generated in separator formation 2008, the cathode electrode assembly 322 generated in step 2012 of cathode electrode assembly, the anode electrode assembly 320 generated in anode electrode assembly step 2014, and the frame components 220 and 222 formed in frame component step 2016 are gathered together in electrode stack formation step 2030. The electrode stack 302 is formed in electrode stack formation 2030. The electrode shields 308 and 310 formed in electrode shield formation 2018, the anode bridge structure 1120 formed in anode terminal / bridge step 2020, and the cathode bridge structure 1220 formed in cathode terminal / bridge step 2022 are input into electrode stack assembly step 2032, where the electrode stack assembly 104 is formed.

[0149] The electrode stack assembly 104, the anode end cap 1304 formed in anode end cap formation 2024, and the cathode end cap 1302 from cathode end cap formation step 2026 are input into battery assembly 2034, where the structure of the battery 104 is formed, including the formation of the pressure vessel 102. In step 2036, the feedthrough 1314 is crushed to form a seal.

[0150] In step 2038, the resulting structure is subjected to a leak test. The leak test can be performed by applying excessive pressure to the formed pressure vessel 102 or by creating a vacuum in the pressure vessel 102. In this step, the pressure test can be performed by pressurizing (or evacuating) the pressure vessel 102 to a specific test pressure and monitoring the pressure over time. The pressure vessel 102 can be determined to have passed the test if the pressure is maintained for a set period of time. If the leak test is successful, in step 2040, electrolyte and hydrogen may be input to charge the battery structure, and the filling tube 122 is sealed.

[0151] The resulting battery can then be tested in battery test step 2042. The electrical test in step 2042 can include charging and discharging the resulting battery 100 over a plurality of cycles and monitoring the performance of the battery 100.

[0152] FIG. 20B further shows the separator forming step 2008. The separator forming step 2008 begins at step 2044, where the separation material is roughly cut to the dimensions shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E. In some embodiments, in step 2046, further cutouts are made to form the absorbent tabs 202, and the separator 110 is formed. As shown in FIG. 4D, the absorbent tab 202 closest to the end may be angled towards the center to prevent damage during subsequent welding processes. As discussed above, a plurality of the separators 110 will be used in the electrode stack assembly 104.

[0153] Figure 20C further shows the separator port forming step 2010. The separator forming step 2010 starts at step 2048, where the separator material is cut out according to the dimensions shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B to form the separator port component 402. In step 2050, two separator port components 402 are positioned on three sides as shown in FIG. 4C and thermally welded to form the separator port 410.

[0154] Figure 20D further shows the cathode forming assembly step 2012 for forming the cathode assembly 322 as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6H. Step 2012 starts at step 2052, where the cathode material is cut out according to the dimensions shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D. In step 2054, the tab portion 604 is attached to the cathode material to form the cathode component 602 as shown in FIGS. 6C to 6E. In the case of the cathode sheet material from which the cathode component 602 including the cathode portion 606 and the tab body 610 is cut out together, step 2054 is already completed. In step 2056, two cathode components 602 are positioned as shown in FIGS. 6F to 6H. In step 2058, the resulting structure is inserted into the separator port 410 to form the cathode assembly 322.

[0155] Figure 20E further shows the anode electrode assembly 2014 as shown in FIGS. 5A - 5E. The assembly step 2014 starts at step 2060 where the anode material is cut out according to the dimensions shown in FIGS. 5C - 5E. As discussed, the anode assembly 320 may include three anode layers, one of which may be corrugated. At step 2062, the cut - out anode material is stacked such that the corrugated layer is the middle layer. At step 2064, the anode tab 314 is aligned with the stacked anode layers formed at step 2062. At step 2066, the anode tab 314 and the anode layers 508, 510, and 512 are attached. During step 2066, the anode layers 508, 510, and 512 may be attached by pressing. The anode tab 314 may then be attached, for example, by welding. In some embodiments, further processing of the anode assembly 320 may be performed. In particular, at step 2068, an anode coating may be applied. At step 2070, the anode assembly 320 may be oven - dried. At step 2072, the resulting structure may be sintered.

[0156] Figure 20F further shows the frame component preparation 2016. In step 2074 of the frame component preparation 2016, sheets of material may be cut out for the upper portion 220 and the lower portion 222 according to the dimensions shown in FIGS. 7A - 7J. Further, side supports 206 may be cut out according to the dimensions shown in FIGS. 7H and 7I. At step 2076, the resulting structure is formed into the upper portion 220 and the lower portion 222 by appropriately bending the material as detailed in FIGS. 7A - 7J. At step 2078, the side support 206 is attached to the lower portion 220, for example, by welding.

[0157] Figure 20G shows the electrode shield formation step 2018, which results in the formation of the electrode shield 1000 that can be used for the electrode shields 308 and 310 as described above. The electrode shield 1000 is shown in FIGS. 10A through 10C. As shown in FIG. 20G, step 2018 begins at step 2080, where a metal sheet is cut out according to the dimensions shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. In step 2082, the structure is bent along line 1006 to form the electrode shield 1000.

[0158] Figure 20H shows the anode terminal / bridge formation 2020 that results in the anode bridge structure 1120 as shown in FIGS. 11E and 11F. The formation step 2020 begins at step 2084, where the anode terminal bridge 226 having the structure and dimensions shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B is formed. In step 2086, the anode feed-through terminal 120 having the dimensions as shown in FIGS. 11C and 11D is attached to the anode terminal bridge 226 as shown in FIGS. 11E and 11F, for example by welding, to form the anode bridge structure 1120.

[0159] Figure 20I shows the cathode terminal / bridge formation 2022 that results in the cathode bridge structure 1220 as shown in FIGS. 12E and 12F. The formation step 2022 begins at step 2088, where the cathode terminal bridge 228 having the structure and dimensions shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B is formed. In step 2090, the cathode feed-through terminal 124 having the dimensions as shown in FIGS. 12C and 12D is attached to the cathode terminal bridge 228 as shown in FIGS. 12E and 12F, for example by welding, to form the cathode bridge structure 1220.

[0160] Figure 20J further shows the electrode stack formation 2030 as illustrated in FIG. 8. The electrode stack formation 2030 begins at step 2092 where the lower portion 222 of the frame 106 is placed within the jig 800. At step 2094, alternating layers of the anode assembly 320 and the cathode assembly 322 are appropriately placed within the jig 800 with a separator 110 placed between each layer until the desired number of electrodes are positioned. As shown in FIG. 8, each of the anode assembly 320, the separator 110, and the cathode assembly 322 are positioned according to the structure of the jig 800. At step 2096, the upper portion 220 of the frame 106 is added. At step 2098, the jig 800 may be placed in a press where pressure is applied to the electrode stack to a specific thickness (e.g., thickness Tes as shown in FIG. 3E) of the electrode stack 302. At step 2001, the side support 206 attached to the lower portion 222 is welded to the top portion 220 to complete the formation of the frame 106. The resulting structure is the electrode stack 302.

[0161] Figure 20K further shows the formation 2032 of the electrode stack assembly. The formation 2032 of the electrode stack assembly begins at step 20032, where the electrode shields 308 and 310 formed in the electrode shield formation 2018 are attached to the side support 206 closest to the cathode side of the electrode stack 302, as shown in FIG. 3A, for example by welding. At step 20K, the isolators 304 and 306 as described with reference to FIGS. 9A through 9C are attached to the electrode stack 302. As described, the connectors 318 of the isolators 304 and 306 engage the connector 316 of the frame 106. At step 2007, the anode tab 314 is inserted through the slot 224 in the anode terminal bridge 226 and fixed in place, for example by welding. As described above, the anode terminal bridge 226 is placed within the isolator 306 as shown in FIG. 3A. At step 2009, the cathode tab 312 is inserted through the slot 230 in the cathode terminal bridge 228 and fixed in place, for example by welding. As described above, the cathode terminal bridge 228 is placed within the isolator 304 as shown in FIG. 3A. The isolators 304 and 306 are further described with reference to FIGS. 9A through 9C.

[0162] Figure 20L further shows the anode end cap formation 2024 for forming the anode cap 1304. Step 2024 begins at step 2011, where the through holes 1708 and 1710 as described with reference to FIGS. 17A through 17D. At step 2013, the fill tube 122 as described with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B is inserted into the through hole 1710 as shown in FIG. 17D and welded in place to form the cathode end cap 1304.

[0163] Figure 20M further shows cathode end cap formation 2026. Step 2026 begins at step 2015 where, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, through holes 1810 and counterbores 1812 are formed. In step 2017, a feedthrough body 1322 as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B is placed within holes 1810 and counterbores 1812 and welded in place as shown in FIGS. 18F through 18H to form a cathode end cap 1302.

[0164] Figure 20N further shows a battery assembly 2034 for forming the structure of the battery 100. The battery assembly 2034 begins at step 2019, where the anode end cap 1304 prepared in anode cap formation 2024 is welded to the container body 1306 at the weld 1310 as described above with respect to FIGS. 13A and 13B. In step 2021, the electrode stack assembly 104 is inserted into the container body 1306 such that the anode feed-through terminal 120 extends through the through-hole 1708. In step 2023, the anode feed-through terminal 120 is welded to the anode end cap 1304 at the weld 1316, where the lip 1902 of the container body 1306 mates with the lip 1706 of the anode end cap 1304. In step 2025, the feed-through insulator 1324 is threaded into the feed-through body 1322 as shown in FIG. 13B to form the feed-through 1314. Examples of the feed-through insulator 1324 and the feed-through body 1322 are shown in FIGS. 16A through 16D. In step 2027, the cathode end cap 1302 formed in cathode end cap formation 2026 is positioned such that the cathode feed-through terminal 124 passes through the feed-through insulator 1324 of the feed-through 1314 and the lip 1806 of the cathode end cap 1302 mates with the lip 1902 of the container body 1306. In step 2029, the cathode end cap 1302 is welded to the container body 1306 at the weld 1308. In step 2039, the feed-through shoulders 1318 and 1320 shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B are respectively mounted on the cathode feed-through terminal 124 and the anode feed-through terminal 120.

[0165] Figure 20O further illustrates step 2040. In step 2040, the pressure vessel 102 is filled with the electrolytic solution produced in the electrolytic solution preparation step 2028. An example of step 2040 is shown in Figure 20O. As shown in Figure 20O, step 2040 begins with a degassing step 2031. In the degassing step 2031, the pressure vessel 102 is emptied to enable degassing of the interior. In step 2033, the pressure vessel 102 may be flushed one or more times with the electrolytic solution 126 by filling the pressure vessel 102 with the electrolytic solution 126 and then draining it one or more times. Filling and draining may include emptying the pressure vessel 102 and filling the pressure vessel 102 with the electrolytic solution and then applying gas at a certain pressure to drain the pressure vessel 102. In step 2035, the electrolytic solution 126 is added to the pressure vessel 102 to fill it. This can be achieved by repeatedly emptying the pressure vessel 102 and adding the electrolytic solution 126 until the pressure vessel 102 is filled with the electrolytic solution 126, as discussed above. In step 2037, the pressure vessel 102, now filled with the electrolytic solution 126, is allowed to stand for a period of time to enable the electrode stack 104 to absorb a sufficient amount of the electrolytic solution 126 for the operation of the battery 100. In some embodiments, this step may be long enough to immerse the electrode stack 104 in the electrolytic solution 126. This may take several hours in total (e.g., about 8 hours), but once the electrode stack 104 contains a sufficient amount of the electrolytic solution 126, step 2040 then proceeds to step 2039 where the excess electrolytic solution 126 is drained. This can be achieved by providing the pressure of hydrogen gas to the filling tube 122 to remove the excess electrolytic solution 126. In step 2041, the filling tube 122 is sealed to form the completed battery 100. From step 2040, the method 2000 proceeds to step 2042 for an electrical test. The electrical test in step 2042 may include charging and discharging the resulting battery 100 over a plurality of cycles and monitoring the performance of the battery 100.

[0166] Aspects of the present disclosure describe a metal hydride battery and its assembly. Various aspects of the present invention may include the following aspects.

[0167] Aspect 1: An electrode stack assembly for a metal hydride battery, comprising: a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly including at least one anode layer attached to an anode tab; a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly including at least one cathode layer attached to a cathode tab; a plurality of separators; an anode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each anode tab of each of the plurality of anode assemblies; a cathode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each cathode tab of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies; an anode feed-through terminal connected to the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode feed-through terminal connected to the cathode feed-through bridge, wherein the plurality of anode assemblies and the plurality of cathode assemblies are arranged alternately and separated by the plurality of separators to form an electrode stack, the electrode stack assembly.

[0168] Aspect 2: The electrode stack assembly according to Aspect 1, wherein each of the plurality of separators includes a plurality of suction tabs.

[0169] Aspect 3: The electrode stack assembly according to Aspects 1-2, further including a frame arranged to hold the electrode stack.

[0170] Aspect 4: The electrode stack assembly according to Aspects 1-3, wherein the frame includes a top portion and a bottom portion that are welded while the electrode stack enclosed within the frame is being pressed.

[0171] Aspect 5: The electrode stack assembly according to Aspects 1-4, further including an anode isolator positioned between the electrode stack and the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode isolator positioned between the electrode stack and the cathode feed-through bridge.

[0172] Aspect 6: The at least one anode layer includes three layers attached by application of pressure, and the anode tab is attached to the three layers by welding, the electrode stack assembly according to Aspects 1 - 5.

[0173] Aspect 7: Each of the plurality of cathode layers includes a cathode component pair, each cathode component including a cathode layer attached to a tab, the cathode component pair being positioned relative to each other such that the tabs are aligned to form the cathode tab; and a separator port, the cathode component pair being inserted into the separator port such that the cathode tab is exposed, the electrode stack assembly according to Aspects 1 - 6.

[0174] Aspect 8: The anode feed - through assembly is formed of a metal having an array of slots formed to receive tabs from the anode tab, the electrode stack assembly according to Aspects 1 - 7.

[0175] Aspect 9: The cathode feed - through assembly is formed of a metal having an array of slots formed to receive tabs from the cathode tab, the electrode stack assembly according to Aspects 1 - 8.

[0176] Aspect 10: A metal hydride battery, comprising: an electrode stack assembly, wherein the electrode stack assembly includes: a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly including at least one anode layer attached to an anode tab; a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly including at least one cathode layer attached to a cathode tab; a plurality of separators; an anode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each anode tab of each of the plurality of anode assemblies; a cathode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each cathode tab of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies; an anode feed-through terminal connected to the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode feed-through terminal connected to the cathode feed-through bridge, wherein the plurality of anode assemblies, the plurality of cathode assemblies, and the plurality of separators form an electrode stack arranged alternately; a pressure vessel surrounding the electrode stack assembly such that the cathode feed-through terminal extends through the pressure vessel; and an electrolytic solution contained within the pressure vessel.

[0177] Aspect 11: The metal hydride battery according to Aspect 10, wherein the cathode feed-through terminal extends through a feed-through at an end of the pressure vessel.

[0178] Aspect 12: The metal hydride battery according to any one of Aspects 10 to 11, wherein the feed-through includes a body portion attached to the pressure vessel and an insulator portion inserted into the body portion and engaging the cathode feed-through terminal.

[0179] Aspect 13: The metal hydride battery according to any one of Aspects 10 to 12, wherein the body portion is crushed to form a sealing portion between the body portion, the insulator portion, and the cathode feed-through terminal.

[0180] Aspect 14: The metal hydride battery according to Aspects 10 to 13, wherein the pressure vessel is formed to have a container side wall, a cathode end cap including the feed-through attached to the container side wall, and an anode end cap attached to the container side wall.

[0181] Aspect 15: The metal hydride battery according to Aspects 10 to 14, wherein the anode feed-through terminal is attached to the anode end cap.

[0182] Aspect 16: The metal hydride battery according to Aspects 10 to 14, wherein the anode feed-through terminal extends through the anode end cap.

[0183] Aspect 17: A method of forming an electrode stack assembly for a metal hydride battery, comprising: pre-assembling the components of the electrode stack assembly by assembling a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly having a cathode tab attached to one or more cathode material layers, assembling a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly having an anode tab connected to one or more anode material layers, forming a plurality of separators from separator material, forming a frame top portion and a frame bottom portion, forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly, and forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly; stacking the separators, anode assemblies, and cathode assemblies in an alternating pattern between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion to capture the electrodes between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion; pressing the electrodes, the frame top portion, and the frame bottom portion; forming an electrode stack by attaching the frame top portion to the frame bottom portion to form a frame; attaching the cathode tabs of the plurality of cathode assemblies in the electrode stack to the cathode feed-through bridge assembly; and attaching the anode tabs of the plurality of anode assemblies in the electrode stack to the anode feed-through bridge assembly.

[0184] Aspect 18: The method of forming an electrolyte stack assembly according to Aspect 17, wherein the step of assembling the plurality of cathode assemblies comprises, for each of the cathode assemblies, generating two cathode components, each cathode component including a cathode layer attached to a cathode tab structure; arranging the two cathode components such that the cathode tab structure forms the cathode tab; forming a separator port; and inserting the cathode components into the separator port.

[0185] Aspect 19: The step of assembling a plurality of anode assemblies includes stacking a plurality of layers of anode material; and attaching the anode tab to the layer of anode material. A method for forming an electrolytic solution stack assembly according to Aspects 17 to 18.

[0186] Aspect 20: The step of forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly includes providing an anode feed-through bridge including a plurality of slots for receiving tabs from the anode assembly; and attaching an anode feed-through terminal to the anode terminal bridge. A method for forming an electrolytic solution stack assembly according to Aspects 17 to 19.

[0187] Aspect 21: The step of forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly includes providing a cathode feed-through bridge including a plurality of slots for receiving tabs from the cathode assembly; and attaching a cathode feed-through terminal to the cathode terminal bridge. A method for forming an electrolytic solution stack assembly according to Aspects 17 to 20.

[0188] Aspect 22: A method of forming a hydrogen metal battery, comprising the steps of forming an electrode stack assembly, wherein the step of forming the electrode stack assembly comprises: assembling a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly having a cathode tab attached to one or more cathode material layers; assembling a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly having an anode tab connected to one or more anode material layers; forming a plurality of separators from separator material; forming a frame top portion and a frame bottom portion; forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly including an anode feed-through terminal; forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly including a cathode feed-through terminal; stacking the separators, anode assemblies, and cathode assemblies in an alternating pattern between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion to capture the electrodes between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion; pressing the electrodes, the frame top portion, and the frame bottom portion; forming an electrode stack by attaching the frame top portion to the frame bottom portion to form a frame; attaching the cathode tabs of the plurality of cathode assemblies in the electrode stack to the cathode feed-through bridge assembly, and attaching the anode tabs of the plurality of anode assemblies in the electrode stack to the anode feed-through bridge assembly; attaching an anode end cap to a container side wall; inserting the electrode stack assembly into the container side wall such that the anode feed-through terminal engages the anode end cap; and attaching a cathode end cap to the container side wall such that the cathode feed-through terminal passes through a feed-through in the cathode end cap.

[0189] One skilled in the art will recognize that the steps described above for method 2000 may be performed in an order other than that specifically described. Further, the specific dimensions or descriptions given above for particular components are merely illustrative and are not intended to be limiting. The embodiments of the invention described herein are not intended to limit the invention. One skilled in the art will recognize that many variations and modifications within the scope of the invention are possible. Consequently, the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An electrode stack assembly for a metal hydride battery, comprising: a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly including at least one anode layer attached to an anode tab; a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly including at least one cathode layer attached to a cathode tab; a plurality of separators; an anode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each anode tab of each of the plurality of anode assemblies; a cathode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each cathode tab of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies; an anode feed-through terminal connected to the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode feed-through terminal connected to the cathode feed-through bridge wherein the plurality of anode assemblies and the plurality of cathode assemblies are arranged alternately and separated by the plurality of separators to form an electrode stack electrode stack assembly.

2. The electrode stack assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of separators includes a plurality of suction tabs.

3. The electrode stack assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a frame arranged to hold the electrode stack.

4. The electrode stack assembly according to claim 3, wherein the frame includes a top portion and a bottom portion that are welded while the electrode stack enclosed within the frame is being pressed.

5. an anode isolator positioned between the electrode stack and the anode feed-through bridge; and a cathode isolator positioned between the electrode stack and the cathode feed-through bridge The electrode stack assembly according to claim 3, further comprising.

6. The electrode stack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one anode layer includes three layers attached by application of pressure, and the anode tab is attached to the three layers by welding.

7. Each of the plurality of cathode layers a cathode component pair, each cathode component including a cathode layer attached to a tab, the cathode component pair being positioned relative to each other such that the tabs are aligned to form the cathode tab; and The separator pocket, and the cathode component pair are inserted into the separator pocket such that the cathode tab is exposed. The electrode stack assembly according to claim 1, comprising the above.

8. The electrode stack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the anode feed-through assembly is formed of a metal having an array of slots formed to receive tabs from the anode tab.

9. The electrode stack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cathode feed-through assembly is formed of a metal having an array of slots formed to receive tabs from the cathode tab.

10. A metal hydride battery comprising: An electrode stack assembly, the electrode stack assembly comprising: A plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly including at least one anode layer attached to an anode tab, A plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly including at least one cathode layer attached to a cathode tab, A plurality of separators, An anode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each anode tab of each of the plurality of anode assemblies, A cathode feed-through bridge arranged to engage each cathode tab of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies; An anode feed-through terminal connected to the anode feed-through bridge; and A cathode feed-through terminal connected to the cathode feed-through bridge wherein the plurality of anode assemblies, the plurality of cathode assemblies, and the plurality of separators are arranged alternately to form an electrode stack; The pressure vessel surrounding the electrode stack assembly such that the cathode feed-through terminal extends through the pressure vessel; and An electrolytic solution contained within the pressure vessel A metal hydride battery comprising the above.

11. The metal hydride battery according to claim 10, wherein the cathode feed-through terminal extends through a feed-through at an end of the pressure vessel.

12. The metal hydride battery according to claim 11, wherein the feed-through includes a body portion attached to the pressure vessel and an insulator portion inserted into the body portion and engaging the cathode feed-through terminal.

13. The metal hydride battery according to claim 12, wherein the body portion is crushed to form a sealing portion between the body portion, the insulator portion, and the cathode feed-through terminal.

14. The metal hydride battery according to claim 12, wherein the pressure vessel is formed to have a vessel side wall, a cathode end cap including the feed-through attached to the vessel side wall, and an anode end cap attached to the vessel side wall.

15. The metal hydride battery according to claim 14, wherein the anode feed-through terminal is attached to the anode end cap.

16. The metal hydride according to claim 15, wherein the anode feed-through terminal extends through the anode end cap.

17. A method of forming an electrode stack assembly for a metal hydride battery, comprising: assembling components of the electrode stack assembly, assembling a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly having a cathode tab attached to one or more cathode material layers, assembling a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly having an anode tab connected to one or more anode material layers, forming a plurality of separators from separator material, forming a frame top portion and a frame bottom portion, forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly, and forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly by pre-assembling; stacking the separator, the anode assembly, and the cathode assembly in an alternating pattern between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion to capture the electrodes between the frame top portion and the frame bottom portion; pressing the electrodes, the frame top portion, and the frame bottom portion; forming an electrode stack by attaching the frame top portion to the frame bottom portion to form a frame; attaching the cathode tabs of the plurality of cathode assemblies in the electrode stack to the cathode feed-through bridge assembly; and attaching the anode tabs of the plurality of anode assemblies in the electrode stack to the anode feed-through bridge assembly comprising a method.

18. The step of assembling the plurality of cathode assemblies comprises, for each of the cathode assemblies, generating two cathode components, each of the cathode components including a cathode layer attached to a cathode tab structure; positioning the two cathode components such that the cathode tab structure forms the cathode tab; forming a separator pouch; and inserting the cathode components into the separator pouch A method of forming an electrolyte stack assembly according to claim 17, comprising:

19. The step of assembling a plurality of anode assemblies stacking a plurality of layers of anode material; and attaching the anode tab to the layer of anode material A method of forming an electrolyte stack assembly according to claim 17, comprising:

20. The step of forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly providing an anode feed-through bridge including a plurality of slots for receiving tabs from the anode assembly; and attaching an anode feed-through terminal to the anode terminal bridge A method of forming an electrolyte stack assembly according to claim 17, comprising:

21. The step of forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly providing a cathode feed-through bridge including a plurality of slots for receiving tabs from the cathode assembly; and attaching a cathode feed-through terminal to the cathode terminal bridge A method of forming an electrolyte stack assembly according to claim 17, comprising:

22. A method of forming a hydrogen metal battery, comprising: forming an electrode stack assembly, wherein the step of forming the electrode stack assembly comprises: assembling a plurality of cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly having a cathode tab attached to one or more cathode material layers; assembling a plurality of anode assemblies, each anode assembly having an anode tab connected to one or more anode material layers; forming a plurality of separators from separator material; forming a frame top portion and a frame bottom portion; forming an anode feed-through bridge assembly including an anode feed-through terminal; forming a cathode feed-through bridge assembly including a cathode feed-through terminal; stacking the separator, anode assembly, and cathode assembly in an alternating pattern between the top portion of the frame and the bottom portion of the frame to capture the electrodes between the top portion of the frame and the bottom portion of the frame; pressing the electrodes, the top portion of the frame, and the bottom portion of the frame; forming an electrode stack by attaching the top portion of the frame to the bottom portion of the frame to form a frame; attaching the cathode tabs of the plurality of cathode assemblies in the electrode stack to the cathode feed-through bridge assembly, and attaching the anode tabs of the plurality of anode assemblies in the electrode stack to the anode feed-through bridge assembly comprising; attaching an anode end cap to the side wall of the container; inserting the electrode stack assembly into the side wall of the container such that the anode feed-through terminal engages the anode end cap; attaching the cathode end cap to the side wall of the container such that the cathode feed-through terminal passes through a feed-through in the cathode end cap A method comprising.

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