Active Bypass Element for Energy Storage Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy storage devices with lithium-ion accumulator cells face safety risks due to power loss and potential overheating or explosion when a defective cell increases series resistance, necessitating a method to bypass defective cells without interrupting the circuit.
Innovation Solution
An active electrical bypass element with a layer sequence of electrical conductors, insulation layers, and reactive nanolayer stacks that triggers an exothermic reaction to create an electrical connection between conductors, allowing for early bypassing of faulty cells before complete failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a defective storage cell is bypassed using a passive bypass element with semiconductor components, then the storage cell can be separated from the cell matrix, but the bypass element is only triggered when the accumulator cell is already highly degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by enabling the bypass element to be triggered before the storage cell completely fails. The exothermic reaction in the reactive layer stack can be activated when the storage cell shows signs of degradation but before it becomes highly degraded, allowing premature bypassing to prevent high power losses and safety issues while the cell is still partially functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the triggering mechanism from passive thermal breakdown at high temperatures to an active exothermic reaction that can be initiated at lower temperatures. The reactive layer stack undergoes an exothermic reaction when exposed to moisture or other triggers, producing enough heat to melt the insulation layer and create conductive paths, thereby changing the physical state and electrical properties of the bypass element at controlled conditions.
2Reliability
If the insulation layer is designed to be thick for reliable electrical insulation, then electrical safety is improved, but the thermal energy from the exothermic reaction must be higher to disintegrate the insulation layer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the insulation layer with a reactive layer stack that contains multiple materials designed to undergo exothermic reactions. The reactive layer stack comprises layers of materials such as metals, metal oxides, and other compounds that react exothermically upon contact with moisture or other triggers, generating sufficient thermal energy to melt or disintegrate the insulation layer while maintaining its insulating properties during normal operation.
3Reliability
If reactive layer stacks with high exothermic reaction energy are used to ensure insulation layer disintegration, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but the risk of uncontrolled reaction and safety hazards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary trigger mechanism that controls when the exothermic reaction occurs. The reactive layer stack is designed to react exothermically only when exposed to specific triggers such as moisture, heat, or chemical agents that are present under controlled conditions. This intermediary trigger ensures that the high-energy reaction is activated only when needed for bypassing a defective storage cell, preventing uncontrolled reactions and associated safety hazards.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reliable and early bypassing of defective storage cells, reducing power losses and preventing overheating or explosions in energy storage devices by creating a soldered or conductive connection through thermal energy release from reactive nanolayer stacks.
Implementation Method 1
an exothermic reaction can be triggered. The insulation layer in this layer sequence insulates the two electrical conductors electrically with respect to one another. The one or more reactive layer stacks and the at least one insulation layer are matched to one another or designed or dimensioned such that the insulation layer disintegrates as a result of the thermal energy released by the reactive layer stack(s) during the exothermic reaction
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical bypass element, suitable for bypassing defective storage cells in energy storage devices includes two electrical conductors between which is formed a layer sequence with at least one electrical insulation layer and one or more reactive layer stacks, in which an exothermic reaction can be triggered. The reactive layer stacks and the insulation layer are matched to one another such that the insulation layer disintegrates as a result of the thermal energy released during the exothermic reaction and an electrical connection is produced between the electrical conductors. The electrical bypass element can be actively triggered even before the ultimate failure of a storage cell so that higher power losses in the energy storage device can be avoided.