Spiral-Wound Electrode Roll With Spring Contact for Low Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrochemical devices face increased electrical and thermal resistance due to long electrode paths, which decrease power delivery, energy conversion efficiency, and generate harmful thermal gradients, exacerbated by expanding electrode surface area to increase capacity.
Innovation Solution
The electrochemical device employs a spiral wound roll of positive and negative electrodes with applied pressure to promote contact against surfaces within a housing, using a disc-shaped structure with non-electrically connected metallic housing portions and spring elements to maintain contact and reduce resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If electrode surface area is expanded to increase device capacity, then device capacity is improved, but electrical and thermal resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from linear electrode arrangements to a spiral wound roll configuration, effectively adding dimensional complexity to reduce the path length. The spiral geometry allows electrodes to contact terminal surfaces at multiple points along the roll, creating shortcuts for current and heat flow that bypass the traditional long linear paths through the electrode tabs.
2Quantity of substance
If electrode surface area is expanded to increase device capacity, then device capacity is improved, but power delivery decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral wound roll configuration with multiple contact points along the electrode path creates parallel current flow paths, effectively reducing the total resistance and enabling higher power delivery while maintaining increased capacity through the expanded electrode surface area.
3Quantity of substance
If electrode surface area is expanded to increase device capacity, then device capacity is improved, but thermal gradients increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral wound roll geometry distributes heat generation across multiple contact points with the terminal surfaces, creating a more uniform thermal distribution. The shortened and distributed current paths reduce localized heat generation, thereby minimizing thermal gradients while maintaining high device capacity.
4Loss of energy
If applied pressure is used to promote electrode contact, then electrical and thermal resistance is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes spring elements to dynamically adjust and maintain optimal contact pressure between the electrodes and terminal surfaces. This mechanical parameter control ensures consistent electrical and thermal contact without requiring complex rigid structural arrangements, simplifying the overall housing design while achieving the desired low-resistance contact.
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 configuration reduces electrical and thermal resistance, improving device performance by ensuring consistent contact between electrodes and terminals, despite manufacturing variances and temperature changes.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of spring elements are disposed with the second member between the roll and the third member for applying pressure to force the second member toward the first member
Implementation Method 2
The electrical current and heat generated from the electrochemical reactions traverse long electrodes to exit the cell via tabs welded to the electrodes and the cell terminals
Implementation Method 3
This reduces electrical and thermal resistance between electrodes and terminals, thereby improving electrochemical device operation
Implementation Method 4
Such long electrode paths increase electrical and thermal resistances that decrease power deliver, decrease energy conversion efficiency, increase heat generation, and can create harmful thermal gradients (hotspots)
Data Source
AI summary
An electrochemical device having a roll with elongated electrodes each supported in one of two alternating folds of a separator layer, and spirally wound in the roll with the separator layer to define two opposing ends, each of such ends only exposing a different one of the electrodes wound along the roll. The device having a disc shaped housing having upper and lower portions fixable to each other to set the device height. The upper portion provides a first member with a first surface disposed along one end of the roll. A second member with a second surface is disposed along the other end of the roll. Spring elements compressed between the second member and a third member, provided by the housing lower portion, apply pressure to force the second member toward the first member promoting contact of the first and second surfaces with different ones of the exposed electrodes.