Flexible Bias Component for Molten Sodium Separator Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Energy storage devices with metal chloride batteries and molten sodium anode face reduced wicking capabilities due to imperfect geometric shapes of separators, leading to decreased contact area between metal components and separators, which affects electrolyte wicking.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a bias component that urges the wicking component against the separator's inner surface, maintaining a consistent capillary gap for effective electrolyte wicking, and using a current collector that adjusts shape in response to charging levels to manage internal pressure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the separator is fabricated from a fired ceramic material, then the separator provides ionically conductive properties, but the separator deviates from a perfect geometric shape reducing contact area between the metal component and separator surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveionic conductivityVSAvoidcontact area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The metal wicking component is formed into a flexible bias component that can deform to conform to the imperfect geometric shape of the fired ceramic separator surface, maintaining maximum contact area despite surface irregularities such as longitudinal waves and curves

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The bias component is designed to be dynamically adaptable, allowing it to adjust its shape and contact points with the separator surface in response to manufacturing variations, ensuring consistent capillary gap maintenance throughout operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the metal component is used to facilitate wicking of sodium on the separator surface, then electrolyte wicking is enhanced, but any reduction in contact area deteriorates wicking capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewicking capabilityVSAvoidcontact area

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible metal wicking component conforms to the separator surface irregularities, maximizing the actual contact area between the wicking material and separator, thereby maintaining efficient sodium ion transport pathways despite the fired ceramic's imperfect geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The bias component is designed with varying local properties to optimize contact at different regions of the separator surface, ensuring uniform capillary gap maintenance across the entire wicking surface area for consistent electrolyte distribution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the separator has longitudinal waves and curves, then the fired ceramic structure provides structural integrity, but the geometric imperfections reduce the metal component to separator surface contact area

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidcontact area

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The bias component incorporates dynamic flexibility allowing it to adapt its configuration to the separator's longitudinal waves and curves, maintaining optimal contact pressure and capillary gap uniformity across the entire separator surface despite geometric variations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible metal component acts as a conforming interface between the rigid separator structure and the wicking mechanism, accommodating structural features like longitudinal waves and curves while ensuring continuous contact for effective electrolyte wicking

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Ensures consistent and efficient electrolyte wicking across the separator surface, preventing dry areas and overpressure, thereby enhancing the energy storage device's performance and safety.

Implementation Method 1

maintaining a consistent capillary gap for effective electrolyte wicking

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

responding to a charging level above a defined state of charge level in an electrochemical cell by changing a shape of a current collector to reduce a pressure that is internal to the electrochemical cell

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure reduction through shape change:

Data Source

PatentUS9005793B2Energy storage article and method

Publication Date: 2015.04.14 GLACIER POINT INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for obtaining and/or maintaining a column height of an electrolyte relative to a separator surface within an energy storage device. Embodiments of the invention provide a wicking component, a current collector, and a bias component. The current collector is positioned to force the bias component to press the wicking component tight to an inner surface of a separator. The bias component maintains contact between the wicking component and the surface of separator and creates a capillary gap in which sodium wicks.