Enhanced high voltage terminal cooling with a high thermal conductivity coating

• US 20110293984A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Khalighi, Bahram, Aase, Jan H., Chen, Kuo-Huey, Han, Taeyoung
• Application Number:
  US12/802,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20110293984A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6553 Terminals or leads
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/528 Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery cell pack having improved heat transfer is described. In one embodiment, the battery cell pack includes a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell having an anode foil and a cathode foil; a pair of taps, the first tap attached to the anode foil and the second tap attached to the cathode foil; wherein at least one battery cell has a high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both; or at least one of the taps has a high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side; or both. Methods of improving the heat transfer of battery cell packs are also described.

Claims

1. A battery cell pack having improved heat transfer comprising:

a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell having an anode foil and a cathode foil;

a pair of taps, the first tap attached to the anode foil and the second tap attached to the cathode foil;

wherein at least one battery cell has a high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both;

or at least one of the taps has a high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side;

or both.

2. The battery cell pack of claim 1 wherein all of the battery cells have the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both;

or both of the taps have the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side;

or both.

3. The battery cell pack of claim 1 wherein at least one battery cell has the high thermal conductivity coating on both sides of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both;

or at least one of the taps has the high thermal conductivity coating on both sides;

or both.

4. The battery cell pack of claim 1 wherein at least one of the battery cells has the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both.

5. The battery cell pack of claim 1 wherein at least one of the taps has the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side.

6. The battery cell pack of claim 1 wherein the high thermal conductivity coating has a thermal conductivity of greater than about 500 W/m/K.

7. The battery cell pack of claim 1 wherein the high thermal conductivity coating has an electrical conductivity greater than about 5,000 S/cm.

8. The battery cell pack of claim 1 wherein the high thermal conductivity coating is a high thermal conductivity graphite coating,

9. The battery cell pack of claim 8 wherein the high thermal conductivity graphite coating has a thermal conductivity of greater than about 1000 W/m/K.

10. A method of improving the heat transfer of a battery cell pack, the battery cell pack comprising a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell having an anode foil and a cathode foil;

and a pair of taps, the first tap attached to the anode foil and the second tap attached to the cathode foil, the method comprising;

coating a layer of a high thermal conductivity material on at least one of the anode foil, the cathode foil, the first tap, or the second tap.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein all of the battery cells have the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both;

or both of the taps have the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side;

or both.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one battery cell has the high thermal conductivity coating on both sides of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both;

or at least one of the taps has the high thermal conductivity coating on both sides;

or both.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one of the battery cells has the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one of the taps has the high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the high thermal conductivity coating has a thermal conductivity of greater than about 500 W/m/K.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the high thermal conductivity coating has an electrical conductivity greater than about 5,000 S/m.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the high thermal conductivity coating is a high thermal conductivity graphite coating,

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the high thermal conductivity graphite coating has a thermal conductivity of greater than about 1000 W/m/K.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising increasing a thickness of at least one of the anode foil, the cathode foil, the first tap, or the second tap.

20. A battery cell pack having improved heat transfer comprising:

a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell having an anode foil and a cathode foil;

a pair of taps, the first tap attached to the anode foil and the second tap attached to the cathode foil;

wherein at least one battery cell has a high thermal conductivity graphite coating on at least one side of the anode foil, or the cathode foil, or both;

or at least one of the taps has a high thermal conductivity coating on at least one side;

or both, the high thermal conductivity graphite coating having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 1000 W/m/K and an electrical conductivity greater than about 5,000 S/cm.