Electrochemical Element Annular Connector Reduces Internal Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Alkali-manganese batteries exhibit high internal resistance, leading to poor discharge characteristics and limited suitability for pulsed discharge profiles and high current densities, restricting their application range.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an annular or ring-shaped connector between individual segments of the positive electrode to enhance electrical conductivity, which reduces internal resistance and improves discharge characteristics by connecting the segments electrically conductively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the positive electrode is constructed from multiple individual segments assembled in the cell housing, then manufacturing ease is improved, but internal resistance increases and discharge characteristics worsen
Solution Approach 1:
An annular connector is introduced as an intermediary component between the individual positive electrode segments. This connector provides dedicated electrical contact surfaces that bridge the segments, ensuring low-resistance electrical connections while allowing the segments to be manufactured and assembled separately. The connector acts as a mediator that resolves the contradiction between segmented construction (easy manufacturing) and electrical continuity (good discharge characteristics).
2Stability of the object's composition
If the positive electrode segments are stacked with precise dimensional matching, then structural stability is improved, but electrical contact resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The annular connector serves as an intermediary that decouples the structural stacking function from the electrical contact function. While segments are stacked for structural stability, the connector provides dedicated electrical pathways that are not dependent on the precision of segment-to-segment contact. This mediator approach allows structural stability through precise stacking while achieving low electrical resistance through the connector's optimized contact surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The positive electrode is divided into multiple segments that can be manufactured independently and stacked for assembly. The annular connector is also segmented to match this configuration, with each connector segment providing electrical contact between adjacent electrode segments. This segmentation allows both structural stability through precise stacking and good electrical contact through the distributed connector contacts.
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
The connector significantly reduces internal resistance, making the electrochemical element more suitable for demanding applications with pulsed discharge profiles and high current densities, expanding its potential range of use.
Implementation Method 1
at least one connector arranged between the first contact surfaces which connects the segments electrically conductively
Data Source
AI summary
An electrochemical element has a housing having an inside surface, a first electrode resting adjacent an inside surface of the housing and defining a cavity, the first electrode including at least two individual segments adjacent one another in a 2-dimensional manner via first contact surfaces and rest via further contact surfaces adjacent the inside surface, a second electrode of opposite polarity arranged inside the cavity, a separator arranged between the first and second electrodes, and at least one connector arranged between the first contact surfaces which connects the segments electrically conductively and which is annular or ring-shaped and includes at least one strip-shaped projection formed on an outside portion thereof.