Pouch Battery Electrolyte Reinjection Through a Sealable Functional Hole
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Solution Overview
Problem
The electrolyte in secondary batteries is consumed during repeated charging and discharging, leading to performance degradation.
Innovation Solution
A method for reinjecting electrolyte into a secondary battery using a pouch with a functional hole covered by a polymer layer permeable to CO and CO2 gases, allowing gas discharge and electrolyte injection, followed by sealing the hole.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery is disassembled to replace the electrolyte, then the electrolyte can be replaced, but the disassembly and reassembly processes increase the risk of damage and require high manual skills
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is divided into separable modules: the battery case, battery electrodes, and battery cover with electrolyte injection hole. This allows the electrolyte to be accessed and replaced without disassembling the entire battery, reducing complexity while maintaining replacement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is designed with self-service capabilities through the electrolyte injection hole and sealing structure, allowing electrolyte replacement without requiring professional disassembly and reassembly procedures, thereby reducing operational complexity and damage risk.
2Reliability
If the battery case is sealed hermetically, then moisture and air are prevented from entering, but the electrolyte cannot be supplemented or replaced
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing structure with an electrolyte injection hole serves as an intermediary element. It maintains hermetic sealing to prevent moisture and air entry while providing a controlled access point for electrolyte supplementation and replacement, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing structure has different functional zones: most areas provide hermetic sealing to prevent moisture and air entry, while a specific local area (injection hole) allows controlled electrolyte access. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall sealing and localized accessibility.
3Volume of moving object
If the positive and negative electrodes are wound into a spool shape, then the battery structure is compact, but the electrolyte distribution becomes uneven and immersion is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The battery electrodes are designed to be movable rather than fixed in a rigid spool configuration. This allows the electrodes to dynamically adjust their position and orientation during electrolyte filling, enabling better electrolyte distribution and immersion while maintaining compact structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode arrangement transitions from a two-dimensional spool winding to a three-dimensional configuration that allows electrolyte to penetrate and distribute more uniformly throughout the electrode structure, improving immersion while maintaining compactness.
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
Facilitates easy electrolyte reinjection and gas discharge, preventing electrolyte leakage and aluminum oxidation, thereby maintaining battery performance.
Implementation Method 1
a bottom surface of the battery case and a top surface of the battery cover are joined to one another through ultrasonic welding
Implementation Method 2
a bottom surface of the battery case and a top surface of the battery cover are joined to one another through ultrasonic welding
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for reinjecting an electrolyte, and a secondary battery capable of being reinjected with an electrolyte. The method for reinjecting an electrolyte according to the present invention is a method for reinjecting an electrolyte into a secondary battery in which an electrode assembly and an electrolyte are accommodated in a pouch. The pouch comprises an aluminium sheet, in which a functional hole is formed, and a polymer layer stacked on the aluminium sheet. The method comprises a reinjection process of injecting an additional electrolyte into the pouch through the functional hole by opening the functional hole, and a sealing process of sealing the functional hole after the reinjection process.