Curved Na NiCl Battery Stack Design for Low Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery stack designs, such as tubular and planar types, face inefficiencies due to high resistance and seal failure issues; tubular designs have high resistance, while planar designs require thick, brittle bases and prone to cracking, and seals contacting corrosive molten salt lead to failure.
Innovation Solution
A battery stack design featuring curved or conical base and bipolar layers with seals placed between the base and bipolar layers, avoiding contact with anode and cathode layers to reduce resistance and prevent seal corrosion, using ionic conductive materials and carbon coatings for improved efficiency and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If tubular type stack design is used, then the battery stack has a compact cylindrical structure, but the internal resistance increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the base layers and bipolar layers, transitioning from flat planar structures to curved/conical structures. This curvature allows the battery stack to achieve a compact cylindrical external shape while maintaining optimized internal layer geometry that reduces electron travel distance, thereby resolving the contradiction between compact cylindrical structure and low internal resistance
2Loss of energy
If planar type stack design is used, then the battery stack has higher efficiency due to shorter electron travel distance, but seals contact corrosive molten salt causing seal failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the seals from direct contact with corrosive materials by positioning them between the base layer and bipolar layer, away from the anode and cathode where molten salt resides. This extraction maintains the planar design's efficiency benefits while eliminating the seal corrosion problem
Solution Approach 2:
The base layer and bipolar layer serve as intermediary structures that separate the seals from corrosive materials. The seals are positioned on these intermediary layers rather than directly exposed to molten salt, protecting them while maintaining electrical connectivity
3Strength
If planar type stack design uses thick base to avoid cracking, then structural strength increases, but electron travel distance increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The curved/conical base layers provide structural strength through geometric optimization rather than increased thickness. The curvature distributes stress more effectively, allowing thinner bases that maintain strength while reducing electron travel distance and improving efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A battery stack includes a plurality of curved base layers, at least one curved bipolar layer, at least one anode layer disposed between a first curved base layer of the plurality of curved base layers and the at least one curved bipolar layer, at least one cathode layer disposed between the at least one bipolar layer, a second base layer and a plurality of seals. The first base layer and the at least one bipolar layer are provided with one or more seals that seal the first base layer to the at least one bipolar layer without contacting the anode and/or the cathode layer.