Porous Current Collector Battery Structure for Fast Safe Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rechargeable batteries face challenges such as thermal runaway, dendritic growth, and prolonged charging times, which can lead to damage or destruction, especially in lithium-ion batteries, due to excessive heat and gas formation during charging.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a porous separator with dissimilar porous conductive current collectors between electrodes allows for efficient regulation of charging current, enabling rapid recharging without overheating or gas formation, by distributing current flow effectively and preventing dendrite growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If charge current is increased to reduce charging time, then charging speed is improved, but thermal runaway and gas formation occur leading to cell destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode structure is segmented into multiple thin layers instead of a single thick layer. This segmentation allows current to be distributed more evenly across multiple interfaces, preventing localized overheating and thermal runaway while maintaining high charging rates
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the electrode are designed with different properties - thin layers provide high surface area for rapid charge acceptance, while the overall multi-layer structure provides thermal management. Each local region is optimized for its specific function
2Productivity
If thicker layers of electrochemically active paste are used to reduce charging time, then charging speed is improved, but sulphation and dendritic growth occur damaging the cell
Solution Approach 1:
The thick paste layer is divided into multiple thin layers separated by current collectors. This prevents sulphation and dendritic growth by maintaining optimal thickness in each layer while achieving the total capacity of a thick layer through the stacked configuration
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing thickness in one dimension, the solution adds layers in the vertical dimension, creating a multi-layer stacked structure that provides the same capacity without the harmful effects of thick individual layers
3Device complexity
If standard separators are used between electrodes, then cell structure is simple, but current distribution is inefficient leading to overheating and reduced charging speed
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is designed with a porous structure that allows efficient ion transport between electrodes. This porous configuration maintains electrical isolation while enabling rapid charge/discharge cycles without overheating, solving both safety and performance requirements
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 solution significantly reduces recharge time while maintaining safe operating temperatures and extending battery life by controlling current flow and preventing thermal runaway and sulphation, thus improving the safety and efficiency of battery charging.
Implementation Method 1
a first current collector in the form of a porous conductive layer disposed between the first electrode and the porous separator, the first current collector being in contact with the electrochemically negative paste of the first electrode
Implementation Method 2
a first electrode comprising a metal electrode that is pasted with a paste of electrochemically active material which is electrochemically negative; a second electrode comprising a metal electrode that is pasted with a paste of electrochemically active material which is electrochemically positive
Data Source
AI summary
Electrical storage devices (10,38) are provided with pasted negative electrodes (12) and pasted positive electrodes (15) with porous separators (18) between them, with current collectors (20,22) disposed between the separator (18) and the negative and positive pastes (13,16), respectively.