Curved Energy Storage Container for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packaging for energy storage devices with high energy density electrochemical cells fails to safely and efficiently accommodate the increased operating temperatures and volume changes during charge/discharge cycles, while also maintaining low weight and volumetric efficiency, and avoiding unnecessary resistance and thermal issues.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a compressible mandrel and discrete electrodes with a curved profile, allowing for efficient heat dissipation and thermal isolation through a gap between devices, and using multiple layers of separator material to maintain uniform pressure and accommodate volume changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional packaging is used for high energy density electrochemical cells, then the device can be contained, but it fails to safely accommodate increased operating temperatures and volume changes during charge/discharge cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates a flexible diaphragm that can expand and contract to accommodate volume changes of the electrochemical cells during charge and discharge cycles. This flexible membrane maintains containment while adapting to the dynamic volume requirements of high energy density cells, resolving the contradiction between safety containment and adaptability to volume changes.
2Reliability
If packaging is made more robust to handle high energy density cells, then safety improves, but weight and volumetric efficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible diaphragm provides robust containment for high energy density cells while maintaining low weight and volumetric efficiency. The thin film structure delivers the necessary mechanical strength and safety containment without the excessive weight penalty associated with conventional robust packaging, directly addressing the contradiction between robustness and weight.
3Reliability
If packaging is made more robust to handle high energy density cells, then safety improves, but volumetric efficiency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible diaphragm provides robust containment while minimizing packaging volume. The thin film structure delivers necessary mechanical strength without the excessive volumetric penalty of conventional robust packaging, and the ability to expand/contract with cell volume changes ensures optimal space utilization, resolving the contradiction between robustness and volumetric efficiency.
4Temperature
If a curved profile is added to the container external surface, then heat dissipation and thermal isolation improve, but energy density decreases due to void space
Solution Approach 1:
The container external surface features a curved profile that creates void spaces between adjacent devices in an array. These curved geometries facilitate heat dissipation and thermal isolation by allowing cooling fluid flow and reducing thermal contact between devices. The curvature design optimizes thermal management while accepting the trade-off of reduced energy density due to the necessary void space.
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 design enhances energy density, facilitates efficient heat management, and provides thermal isolation, ensuring the safety and efficiency of high energy density electrochemical storage devices by allowing for the dissipation of excess heat and preventing thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
the mandrel main function is to support the separator material against the inner surfaces of the container by contracting or expanding according to the electrode volume during a charge or discharge
Implementation Method 2
the void between devices caused by the curved portion of the external surface allows for a cooling fluid to flow between devices and draw away any excess heat from the device during a charge/discharge
Implementation Method 3
multiple layers of separator material to maintain uniform pressure and accommodate volume changes
Data Source
AI summary
An energy storage device comprising: a container, a mandrel, at least one sheet of separator material, and two or more electrodes. The container comprises a base and an inner surface forming an internal space. The mandrel is positioned in the container and is spaced apart from the inner surface to define a cavity within the container. The sheet of separator material is arranged about the mandrel to provide a plurality of discrete separator layers within the cavity. At least one electrode is provided between each of the discrete separator layers, and at least a portion of an external surface of a container has a curved profile.