BATTERY CONTROL SYSTEMS
First Claim
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1. A battery comprising:
- (a) a plurality of unit cells arranged as one or more rechargeable battery stacks, each unit cell comprising;
(i) a positive electrode layer;
(ii) a lithium metal negative electrode layer;
(iii) an electrolyte layer positioned between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer;
(iv) a positive current collector layer in electrical contact with the positive electrode layer; and
(v) a negative current collector layer in electrical contact with the negative electrode layer;
(b) one or more compressible structures configured to apply pressure to the battery stacks during expansion of the one or more battery stacks during charge; and
(c) a confinement structure about the one or more stacks and the one or more compressible structures.
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Abstract
Various embodiments herein relate to the design of battery stacks, batteries and battery packs that are able to accommodate volumetric expansion in the battery materials. These designs may be especially useful in connection with batteries having negative electrodes made of lithium metal and/or positive electrodes made of an electrochemically active conversion material. These batteries may expand on the order of 10-40% during cycling. The battery designs disclosed herein include compressible regions that span a wide variety of different designs and implementations.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A battery comprising:
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(a) a plurality of unit cells arranged as one or more rechargeable battery stacks, each unit cell comprising; (i) a positive electrode layer; (ii) a lithium metal negative electrode layer; (iii) an electrolyte layer positioned between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer; (iv) a positive current collector layer in electrical contact with the positive electrode layer; and (v) a negative current collector layer in electrical contact with the negative electrode layer; (b) one or more compressible structures configured to apply pressure to the battery stacks during expansion of the one or more battery stacks during charge; and (c) a confinement structure about the one or more stacks and the one or more compressible structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A battery pack comprising:
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(a) one or more battery stacks, each sealed in flexible pouches, wherein each of the one or more battery stacks comprise one or more unit cells, each comprising; (i) a positive electrode layer, (ii) a lithium metal negative electrode layer, (iii) an electrolyte layer positioned between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer, (iv) a positive current collector layer in electrical contact with the positive electrode layer, and (v) a negative current collector layer in electrical contact with the negative electrode layer; and (b) one or more compression structures positioned such that the one or more compression structures compress as the one or more battery stacks expand on charge, and such that the one or more compression structures expand as one or more battery stacks decrease in volume on discharge.
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34. A battery pack comprising:
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(a) one or more battery stacks, each sealed in flexible pouches, wherein each of the one or more battery stacks comprise one or more unit cells, each comprising; (i) a positive electrode layer, (ii) a lithium metal negative electrode layer, (iii) an electrolyte layer positioned between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer, (iv) a positive current collector layer in electrical contact with the positive electrode layer, and (v) a negative current collector layer in electrical contact with the negative electrode layer; (b) a first surface and a second surface positioned on opposite sides of the pouches; and (c) one or more bands substantially surrounding the first surface, pouches, and second surface, wherein the bands provide an elastic force to maintain the first surface, pouches, and second surface in contact with one another, while permitting a degree of volumetric expansion within the pouches.
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Specification