Deformable End Spacer Structure for Battery Cell Stack Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery systems face issues with maintaining optimal pressure conditions over the lifetime of the cell stack due to rigid end plates that can cause uneven force distribution, requiring precise production tolerances and costly adjustments, and are unable to accommodate cell swelling and length deviations.
Innovation Solution
A battery system with a deformable end spacer composed of parallel plate elements and a metal foam or honeycomb structure, which maintains consistent pressure by elastically or plastically deforming to compensate for production tolerances and cell swelling, using materials like aluminum foam and steel plate elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid end plates are used to exert pressure onto the cell stack, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to accommodate production tolerances and cell swelling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The end spacer changes its physical state from rigid to deformable, allowing it to adapt its shape and dimensions. The deformable end spacer can elastically or plastically deform to compensate for length deviations and cell swelling, while still maintaining the necessary pressure onto the cell stack. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by enabling both structural stability and adaptability to tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The end spacer is made from composite materials such as metal foam (e.g., aluminum foam) or metal honeycomb structures, which combine the benefits of rigidity and deformability. These composite materials provide sufficient structural stability to transmit pressure from the end plate while simultaneously being capable of deforming to accommodate production tolerances and cell swelling over the battery's lifetime.
2Force
If very precise production tolerances are required to mitigate length deviations, then force distribution uniformity is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of the end spacer from rigid to deformable, which allows it to naturally compensate for length deviations and positioning errors. This eliminates the need for very precise production tolerances in the end plate and cell stack assembly, as the deformable end spacer absorbs these variations through elastic or plastic deformation, maintaining uniform force distribution without requiring costly precision manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable end spacer acts as an intermediary element between the rigid end plate and the cell stack. It mediates the force transmission by deforming to accommodate tolerances in the end plate positioning and cell stack dimensions, thereby ensuring uniform force distribution without requiring the end plate itself to be manufactured with very high precision.
3Device complexity
If rigid frameworks are used to exert pressure, then pressure application is simplified, but the system becomes susceptible to length and positioning deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The end spacer changes its physical parameter from rigid to deformable, which allows it to adapt to length and positioning deviations in the cell stack. This maintains the simplicity of the pressure application mechanism (end plate pressing on end spacer) while significantly improving reliability by compensating for manufacturing tolerances and cell swelling over time, preventing performance degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The end spacer transitions from a static rigid component to a dynamic deformable component that can adapt its shape and dimensions in response to varying conditions. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain reliable pressure application despite length and positioning deviations, as the end spacer continuously adjusts to accommodate changes in cell stack dimensions throughout the battery's lifetime.
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 pressure on the cell stack throughout its lifetime, compensating for production tolerances and swelling, thereby ensuring reliable and safe operation without the need for additional adjustments, and maintaining peak performance.
Implementation Method 1
The deformable end spacer is compressed by the pressure exerted by the end plate... elastically or plastically deforming to compensate for production tolerances and cell swelling
Implementation Method 2
The deformable end spacer is compressed by the pressure exerted by the end plate... elastically or plastically deforming to compensate for production tolerances and cell swelling
Data Source
AI summary
A battery system includes: a cell stack including a plurality of arranged battery cells; and a cell stack frame accommodating the cell stack; and a deformable end spacer. The cell stack frame includes an end plate exerting pressure onto the cell stack, and the deformable end space is arranged between the cell stack and the end plate to be compressed by the pressure exerted by the end plate. The deformable end spacer includes: parallel plate elements; and a metal foam and/or a metal honeycomb structure arranged between the plate elements. The plate elements have a different material composition than the metal foam and/or the metal honeycomb structure, the metal foam is an aluminum foam and/or the metal honeycomb structure is an aluminum honeycomb structure, and the plate elements are steel plate elements.