Battery Housing Assembly for Anisotropic Cell Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Batteries with multiple electrochemical cells face challenges in managing dimensional changes during charging and discharging, leading to uneven pressure distributions and potential battery pack failures, particularly with lithium metal cells where dendrite formation can occur.
Innovation Solution
The use of a housing configuration that applies a high magnitude of anisotropic force uniformly across electrochemical cells, utilizing carbon fiber solid plates with specific orientations and thermally insulating compressible solid articles to mitigate dimensional changes and ensure uniform pressure distribution, while also facilitating thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If electrochemical cells undergo significant expansion during charging and discharging, then the battery can accommodate lithium metal cells with high capacity, but the battery housing experiences uneven pressure distribution and potential structural failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies anisotropic compressive force with specific magnitude ranges (0.1-100 atm, preferably 1-50 atm) to the electrochemical cells during charging and discharging. This controlled parameter change prevents excessive expansion while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between high capacity accommodation and structural reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mechanical force application system as an intermediary between the expanding electrochemical cells and the battery housing. This intermediary system distributes the expansion forces uniformly across the cells, preventing localized stress concentrations that would compromise housing integrity while allowing high-capacity lithium metal cells to function
2Productivity
If high magnitude anisotropic force is applied to electrochemical cells to improve performance, then current density and cycle life improve, but the risk of dendrite formation and surface roughening increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the magnitude of anisotropic force within specific ranges (0.1-100 atm, preferably 1-50 atm) to optimize performance while preventing harmful effects. This precise parameter control enables improved current density and cycle life without excessive dendrite formation or surface roughening
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies moderate anisotropic force (not maximum possible force) to achieve sufficient performance improvement while avoiding the threshold where harmful effects like dendrite formation become significant. This partial action approach balances benefit and risk
3Strength
If the battery housing is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then the housing can withstand cell expansion forces, but the overall battery expansion is restricted leading to stress concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies controlled anisotropic compressive force to counterbalance the expansion forces of electrochemical cells during charging. This active parameter control allows the housing to maintain rigidity and structural strength while preventing stress concentration through force equilibrium
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
This approach reduces dendrite formation and surface roughening, improves current density, and maintains battery integrity by minimizing overall expansion despite significant electrochemical cell expansion, achieving high energy densities and low pack burden.
Implementation Method 1
the housing is configured to apply, during at least one period of time during charge and/or discharge of the first electrochemical cell and/or the second electrochemical cell, an anisotropic force with a component normal to the first electrode active surface and the second electrode active surface defining a pressure of at least 10 kgf/cm2
Implementation Method 2
thermally insulating and compressible components for battery packs
Implementation Method 3
utilizing carbon fiber solid plates with specific orientations
Data Source
AI summary
Batteries including electrochemical cells, associated components, and arrangements thereof are generally described. In some aspects, batteries with housings that undergo relatively little expansion and contraction even in cases where electrochemical cells in the battery undergo a relatively high degree of expansion and contraction during charging and discharging are provided. Batteries configured to apply relatively high magnitudes and uniform force to electrochemical cells in the battery, while in some cases having high energy densities and a relatively low pack burden, are also provided. In certain aspects, arrangements of electrochemical cells and associated components are generally described. In some aspects, thermally conductive solid articles that can be used for aligning components of the battery are described. In some aspects, thermally insulating and compressible components for battery packs are generally described.