POLYMERIZED LITHIUM ION BATTERY CELLS AND MODULES WITH THERMAL MANAGEMENT FEATURES

• US 20140186687A1
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CPS Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Obasih, Kem M., Tyler, Matthew R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,590,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/164
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1635 at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1222 comprising at least a lapped joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1224 comprising at least a butt joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7146 Battery-cases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0431 Cells with wound or folded electrodes H01M10/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/107 having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/112 Monobloc comprising multiple compartments
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 : having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/128 : with two or more layers of only inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/141 : for protecting against humidity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/16 : Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/169 : by welding, brazing or soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 : adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/26 : Assemblies sealed to each other in a non-detachable manner
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 : Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 : including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 : including coating or impregnating

Abstract

A lithium ion (Li-ion) battery module includes a container with one or more partitions that define compartments within the container. Each of the compartments is configured to receive and hold a prismatic Li-ion electrochemical cell element, and a cover is configured to be disposed over the container to close the compartments. The container includes a polymer blend including a base polymer and one or more additives blended into the base polymer. The base polymer is electrically nonconductive and the one or more additives are configured to increase a thermal conductivity of the container to promote transfer of heat generated from the electrochemical cell elements through the container.

Claims

1. A lithium ion (Li-ion) battery module, comprising:

a container comprising one or more partitions that define a plurality of compartments within the container, wherein each of the plurality of compartments is configured to receive and hold a prismatic Li-ion electrochemical cell element; and

a cover configured to be disposed over the container to close the compartments;

wherein the container comprises a polymer blend comprising a base polymer and one or more additives blended into the base polymer, wherein the base polymer is electrically nonconductive and wherein the one or more additives are configured to increase a thermal conductivity of the container to promote transfer of heat generated from the electrochemical cell elements through the container.

2. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, wherein the base polymer comprises polypropylene, polyimide, polyamide, polyethylene (PET), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), or rubber.

3. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, wherein the one or more additives comprise aluminum oxide, aluminum, brass, graphite, magnesium oxide, stainless steel, calcium carbonate, acetylene black, glass, or a combination thereof.

4. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, wherein the base polymer comprises polyimide and the additives comprise graphite.

5. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, wherein the base polymer comprises rubber and the additives comprise aluminum oxide.

6. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, wherein the base polymer comprises rubber and the additives comprise aluminum flakes.

7. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, wherein the additives comprise flakes, fibers, powder, microspheres, or some combination thereof, configured to be blended into the base polymer.

8. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, wherein a thermal conductivity of the polymer blend is up to approximately 100 times a thermal conductivity of the base polymer without the additives.

9. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, comprising a heat sink that is overmolded by the container, wherein the container is configured to transfer heat from the electrochemical cell elements to the heat sink.

10. The Li-ion battery module of claim 1, comprising a metalized layer disposed on an inside surface of each compartment of the container or on an outside surface of the container, wherein the metalized layer is configured to reduce ingress of moisture into the compartments and to reduce egress of the electrolyte from the compartments.

11. The Li-ion battery module of claim 10, wherein the metalized layer is an aluminized layer.

12. A lithium ion (Li-ion) battery cell, comprising:

a housing configured to receive and hold a Li-ion electrochemical cell element, wherein the housing comprises a base polymer and one or more additives blended into the base polymer, wherein the base polymer is electrically nonconductive and wherein the one or more additives are configured to increase a thermal conductivity of the housing to promote transfer of heat generated from the electrochemical cell element through the housing.

13. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 12, wherein the base polymer comprises polypropylene, polyimide, polyamide, polyethylene (PET), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), or rubber.

14. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 12, wherein the one or more additives comprise aluminum oxide, aluminum, brass, graphite, magnesium oxide, stainless steel, calcium carbonate, acetylene black, glass, or a combination thereof.

15. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 12, wherein the additives comprise flakes, fibers, powder, microspheres, or some combination thereof, configured to be blended into the polymer base.

16. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 12, wherein a thermal conductivity of the polymer blend is up to approximately 100 times a thermal conductivity of the polymer base without the additives.

17. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 12, comprising a metalized layer disposed on an inside surface or on an outside surface of the housing, wherein the metalized layer is configured to reduce ingress of moisture into the housing, to reduce egress of the electrolyte from the housing, or both.

18. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 17, wherein the metalized layer is an aluminized layer.

19. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 12, wherein the Li-ion battery cell is a cylindrical Li-ion battery cell.

20. The Li-ion battery cell of claim 12, wherein the Li-ion battery cell is a prismatic Li-ion battery cell.

21. A method for manufacturing a lithium ion (Li-ion) battery cell, comprising:

blending one or more additives into a base polymer to generate a polymer blend, wherein the base polymer is electrically nonconductive and wherein the one or more additives are configured to increase a thermal conductivity of the polymer blend as compared to the base polymer ; and

forming the polymer blend into a housing configured to receive and hold a Li-ion electrochemical cell element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein forming the polymer blend into the housing comprises injection molding the polymer blend.

23. The method of claim 21, comprising:

disposing the Li-ion electrochemical cell element into the housing via an opening in the housing;

disposing a cover over the opening in the housing; and

securing the cover to the housing via laser welding or ultrasonic welding.

24. The method of claim 21, comprising coating the housing with a metalized layer after forming the polymer blend into the housing, wherein the metalized layer is configured to reduce ingress of moisture into the housing and/or to reduce egress of electrolyte from the housing.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the metalized layer is an aluminized layer.