Prismatic Battery Enclosure Venting and Electrolyte Refill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chemical-based batteries used in various applications, including automotive vehicles, face issues with gas byproducts like carbon dioxide and ethene production, and chemical degradation over time, leading to reduced performance and the need for frequent replacements, which is costly and burdensome for the supply chain.
Innovation Solution
A battery system with a prismatic enclosure containing an anode assembly, cathode assembly, and electrolyte, featuring a longitudinal embossment for gas conduit and a manifold with gas and electrolyte handling systems for efficient gas management and electrolyte refilling, including a gas handler, refill port, and pumps for suction and pressure control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If chemical-based batteries are used to generate electricity and store energy, then energy storage capacity is improved, but gas byproducts are produced and chemicals deteriorate over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts harmful gas byproducts from the battery interior through dedicated gas vents and extraction ports. The system separates the gas management function from the basic energy storage function, allowing chemicals to continue reacting for energy storage while gases are continuously removed through extraction ports and venting mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components such as gas vents, extraction ports, and manifold systems that mediate between the chemical reactions producing gases and the external environment. These intermediaries facilitate controlled gas removal without disrupting the core energy storage chemical reactions within the battery cells.
2Use of energy by moving object
If chemical-based batteries are used to generate electricity and store energy, then energy storage capacity is improved, but chemical degradation occurs decreasing ability to produce current and store energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a system to discard degraded chemicals and recover functional electrolyte. The manifold system with multiple ports allows for selective removal of degraded chemicals from specific battery cells while preserving and redistributing functional electrolyte, thereby extending overall system reliability and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent monitors and responds to changes in chemical parameters such as conductivity, temperature, and composition. By detecting parameter changes indicating degradation, the system can intervene through selective chemical removal and electrolyte redistribution, maintaining optimal operating parameters and extending battery life.
3Reliability
If batteries are replaced at prescribed intervals or when performance falls below predetermined level, then performance reliability is maintained, but cost increases and supply chain burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary maintenance actions by detecting early signs of chemical degradation and intervening before complete battery failure occurs. The system proactively removes degraded chemicals and replenishes electrolyte, preventing performance decline and extending battery life beyond traditional replacement intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a self-service maintenance system where the battery monitors its own chemical state and automatically initiates corrective actions through the manifold and port system. This self-diagnosis and self-maintenance capability eliminates the need for external intervention and frequent professional servicing, reducing overall maintenance frequency and cost.
4Device complexity
If gas byproducts are allowed to accumulate in the battery interior, then device complexity is reduced, but harmful effects increase and performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery system into distinct functional zones with dedicated gas management pathways. Gas vents, extraction ports, and manifold channels create separate gas removal routes independent of the energy storage chemistry, allowing simple yet effective gas management without complicating the core battery function.
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
The system effectively manages gas byproducts and electrolyte refilling, extending battery life and reducing replacement costs by maintaining performance and minimizing waste, thus addressing the challenges of chemical degradation and frequent replacements.
Implementation Method 1
a first pump operatively connected with the gas port and configured for applying suction to the gas port; and a second pump operatively connected with the liquid port and configured for applying suction to the liquid port
Implementation Method 2
A wall port is defined in the perimetral wall in fluid communication with the interior, wherein the wall port is configured for permitting flow of the electrolyte therethrough into and out of the interior
Implementation Method 3
The longitudinal embossment may define a conduit on an interior side thereof, wherein the conduit is configured for permitting flow of a gas byproduct therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
A battery system includes an enclosure having opposed first and second major walls, a perimetral wall connecting the first and second major walls along respective perimeters thereof, and an interior defined by the first and second major walls and the perimetral wall, wherein the enclosure is configured for containing an anode assembly, a cathode assembly and an electrolyte within the interior. A longitudinal embossment is formed in the perimetral wall extending outward from the interior and extending along opposed adjacent portions of the first and second perimeters. A wall port is defined in the perimetral wall in fluid communication with the interior, wherein the wall port is configured for permitting flow of the electrolyte therethrough into and out of the interior. First and second electrodes extend through the perimetral wall and are configured for electrical connection with the anode assembly and cathode assembly, respectively.