Cylindrical Cell Current Collector Layout for Heat and Current Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cylindrical energy storage cells, such as lithium-ion batteries, face limitations in increasing energy density and efficiency due to the use of steel housings and conventional current flow paths, which restrict the accommodation of active materials and hinder efficient heat transfer.
Innovation Solution
The use of a copper current collector with selective coating and additional windings around the electrode winding, allowing for conductive contact with the base and shell, enhances current flow and heat transfer, enabling reduced housing thickness and improved cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a steel housing with conventional contact connections is used, then structural strength and safety are ensured, but current flow efficiency and thermal conductivity are limited, requiring thicker housing components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using copper material specifically for the current collector and contact connections where high electrical conductivity is needed, while maintaining steel housing for structural strength. This localized material optimization resolves the contradiction by improving current flow efficiency in critical areas without compromising overall structural reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining copper (for electrical conductivity) and steel (for structural strength) in a hybrid construction. The copper current collector and contact elements are integrated with the steel housing, creating a composite structure that simultaneously achieves high current flow efficiency and structural reliability.
2Reliability
If thicker steel housing components are used to ensure structural strength, then safety is improved, but energy density and cooling efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces housing thickness by applying local quality enhancement through copper contact connections with superior electrical and thermal conductivity. This allows thinner steel components while maintaining safety, as the copper elements compensate for the reduced steel thickness by providing more efficient current and heat transfer pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes material parameters by substituting steel with copper in contact connections, exploiting copper's higher electrical conductivity (approximately 6 times that of steel) and thermal conductivity. This parameter change enables thinner housing walls while maintaining or improving safety performance, thereby increasing energy density.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional steel contact connections are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but thermal management efficiency and current flow are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from steel to copper for contact connections, exploiting copper's superior thermal conductivity (approximately 8 times that of steel). This parameter change dramatically improves thermal management efficiency, enabling more effective heat dissipation from the battery cells while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard copper joining techniques.
4Quantity of substance
If the housing thickness is reduced to increase energy density, then volumetric energy density improves, but structural strength and current flow capability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by integrating copper current collectors and contact elements with the reduced-thickness steel housing. The copper components provide both structural reinforcement and enhanced electrical conductivity, allowing the housing to be thinner while maintaining structural strength and improving current flow capability, thus increasing volumetric energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating copper material in critical contact and current collection areas where high conductivity is needed, while using thinner steel in non-critical structural areas. This localized material distribution optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio and enables reduced overall housing thickness while maintaining structural integrity.
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 increases the energy density and reduces production costs by accommodating more active material and improving thermal conductivity, allowing for efficient cooling through base cooling without side cooling, thus enhancing the performance and cost-effectiveness of the energy storage cell.
Implementation Method 1
Owing to the electrical conductivity of the copper used for the second current collector, said electrical conductivity being considerably higher than that of the steel which is usually used for the housing, the base plate and/or the shell of the housing can have a lower thickness
Implementation Method 2
Furthermore, owing to the thermal conductivity of copper, which is considerably higher than that of the steel which is usually used for the housing, the transfer of heat within the energy storage cell can be improved considerably
Data Source
AI summary
A cylindrical energy storage cell includes a cylindrical housing, which has a cover, a bottom and a peripheral jacket between the cover and the bottom; and an electrode winding, which has a strip-type cathode, a strip-type anode and a strip-type separator between the cathode and the anode and which is disposed in the housing. The cathode has a first current collector, which is coated, in parts, with a first active material. The anode has a second current collector, which is coated, in parts, with a second active material. At least one wrap of a part of the second current collector not coated with the second active material is disposed around the electrode winding and in electrically conductive contact with the bottom and/or with the jacket.