In-situ short circuit protection system and method for high-energy electrochemical cells
First Claim
1. An in-situ thermal management system for an energy storing unit, comprising:
- a plurality of thin-film electrochemical cells each being coupled in parallel to common positive and negative connections, each of the electrochemical cells having a ratio of energy content-to-contact surface area such that thermal energy produced by a short-circuit in a particular cell of the plurality of cells is conducted to a thermal conductor connected to each of the cells and to a cell adjacent the particular cell so as to prevent a temperature of the particular cell from exceeding a breakdown temperature; and
a plurality of fuses each coupled in series with one of the electrochemical cells, a fuse coupled to the particular cell being activated by a current spike capacitively produced by the particular cell upon occurrence of the short-circuit in the particular cell, thereby electrically isolating the particular cell from the common positive and negative connections.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in-situ thermal management system for an energy storage device. The energy storage device includes a plurality of energy storage cells each being coupled in parallel to common positive and negative connections. Each of the energy storage cells, in accordance with the cell'"'"'s technology, dimensions, and thermal/electrical properties, is configured to have a ratio of energy content-to-contact surface area such that thermal energy produced by a short-circuit in a particular cell is conducted to a cell adjacent the particular cell so as to prevent the temperature of the particular cell from exceeding a breakdown temperature. In one embodiment, a fuse is coupled in series with each of a number of energy storage cells. The fuses are activated by a current spike capacitively produced by a cell upon occurrence of a short-circuit in the cell, thereby electrically isolating the short-circuited cell from the common positive and negative connections.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An in-situ thermal management system for an energy storing unit, comprising:
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a plurality of thin-film electrochemical cells each being coupled in parallel to common positive and negative connections, each of the electrochemical cells having a ratio of energy content-to-contact surface area such that thermal energy produced by a short-circuit in a particular cell of the plurality of cells is conducted to a thermal conductor connected to each of the cells and to a cell adjacent the particular cell so as to prevent a temperature of the particular cell from exceeding a breakdown temperature; and a plurality of fuses each coupled in series with one of the electrochemical cells, a fuse coupled to the particular cell being activated by a current spike capacitively produced by the particular cell upon occurrence of the short-circuit in the particular cell, thereby electrically isolating the particular cell from the common positive and negative connections. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20)
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9. An in-situ thermal management system for an energy storing unit, comprising:
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a plurality of energy storing cells connected in parallel to common positive and negative connections and maintained in a state of compression, a thermal conductor connected to each of the cells; and a plurality of short-circuit protection devices each being coupled in series to one of the plurality of energy storing cells, a particular short-circuit protection device of the plurality of short-circuit protection devices coupled to a particular cell of the plurality of cells being activated by a current spike capacitively produced upon occurrence of a short-circuit in the particular cell, the particular cell being electrically isolated from the common positive and negative connections upon activation of the particular short-circuit device.
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10. An in-situ thermal management system for an energy storing unit, comprising:
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a plurality of substantially planar thin-film electrochemical cells each having a breakdown temperature; the plurality of electrochemical cells being arranged such that a planar surface of a particular cell of the plurality of cells is in thermal contact with a planar surface of a cell disposed adjacent the particular cell; and the planar surfaces of the particular cell and the adjacent cell each having a ratio of energy content-to-contact surface area such that thermal energy produced by a short-circuit condition arising in the particular cell is conducted to a thermal conductor connected thereto and to the adjacent cell so as to prevent a temperature of the particular cell from exceeding the breakdown temperature. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification