Battery having carbon foam current collector

• US 7,341,806 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Firefly International Energy Co.
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Maroon, Matthew J., Kelley, Kurtis C., Ostermeier, Charles F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLS, MONIQUE M
• Application Number:
  US10/326,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 429/245, 429/228, 429/223, 429/222, 429/221, 429/229, 429/218.2, 429/445, 429/126.1, 429/225, 423/445, 427/126.1, 296/231
• US Class Current: 429/245
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/123 Cells or batteries with cylindrical casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/14 Assembling a group of electrodes or separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/028 Positive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/20 of pasted electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/663 containing carbon or carbonaceous materials as conductive part, e.g. graphite, carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/483 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/486 Organic material
• 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
• 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

Abstract

A battery cell includes a negative current collector and at least one carbon foam positive current collector disposed within the cell such that the negative current collector at least partially surrounds the at least one carbon foam positive current collector. An insulating mat is disposed between the negative current collector and the at least one carbon foam positive current collector.

Claims

1. A lead acid battery cell, comprising:

a negative current collector;

at least one carbon foam positive current collector disposed within the lead acid battery cell such that the negative current collector at least partially surrounds the at least one carbon foam positive current collector; and

an insulating mat disposed between the negative current collector and the at least one carbon foam positive current collector.

2. The cell of claim 1, further including a lead core disposed within and making electrical contact with the at least one carbon foam positive current collector.

3. The cell of claim 1, wherein the negative current collector is configured as a block of material including a receptacle for each of the at least one carbon foam positive current collector.

4. The cell of claim 1, wherein the negative current collector is formed of porous lead foam.

5. The cell of claim 1, wherein the negative current collector is formed of carbon foam.

6. The cell of claim 1, further including a first chemically active paste disposed on the at least one carbon foam positive current collector and a second chemically active paste disposed on the negative current collector.

7. The cell of claim 6, wherein the at least one carbon foam positive current collector includes pores and the first chemically active paste penetrates into the pores of the at least one carbon foam positive current collector.

8. The cell of claim 6, wherein both the first chemically active paste and the second chemically active paste include an oxide of lead.

9. The cell of claim 1, wherein the carbon foam positive current collector includes a total porosity value of at least about 60%.

10. The cell of claim 1, wherein the carbon foam positive current collector includes an open porosity value of at least about 90%.

11. The cell of claim 1, wherein the carbon foam positive current collector includes a density of less than about 0.6 gm/cm³.

12. A method of making a cell for a lead acid battery, comprising:

providing at least one carbon foam positive current collector;

applying a first chemically active paste, including an oxide of lead, to the at least one carbon foam positive current collector;

curing the first chemically active paste;

surrounding, at least in part, the at least one carbon foam positive current collector with an insulating material to form at least one positive current collector assembly;

providing a negative current collector having at least one receptacle; and

inserting each of the at least one positive current collector assemblies at least partially into a respective receptacle of the negative current collector.

13. The method of claim 12, further including providing the at least one carbon foam current collector with a lead core.

14. The method of claim 12, further including applying a second chemically active paste to the negative current collector prior to inserting each of the at least one positive current collector assemblies into a respective receptacle of the negative current collector.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second chemically active paste includes lead oxide.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of curing the first chemically active paste includes forming lead sulfate crystals within the first chemically active paste.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the negative current collector is formed of porous lead foam.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the negative current collector is formed of carbon foam.

19. The method of claim 12, further including subjecting the cell to a charging process after the step of inserting each of the at least one positive current assemblies into a respective receptacle of the negative current collector.

20. A lead acid battery comprising:

a housing;

a positive terminal;

a negative terminal;

at least one cell disposed within the housing, the at least one cell including;

a negative current collector;

at least one carbon foam positive current collector disposed within the at least one cell such that the negative current collector at least partially surrounds the at least one carbon foam positive current collector; and

an insulating material disposed between the negative current collector and the at least one carbon foam positive current collector; and

an acidic electrolytic solution disposed within the housing and at least partially immersing the at least one cell.

21. The battery of claim 20, further including a lead core disposed within and electrically coupled with the at least one carbon foam positive current collector.

22. The battery of claim 21, further including a positive connector electrically coupled with the positive terminal and the lead core of the at least one carbon foam positive current collector, and

a negative connector electrically coupled with the negative terminal and the negative current collector.

23. The battery of claim 20, wherein the negative current collector includes porous lead foam.

24. The battery of claim 20, wherein the negative current collector includes carbon foam.

25. The battery of claim 20, further including a first chemically active paste disposed on the at least one carbon foam positive current collector and a second chemically active paste disposed on the negative current collector.

26. The battery of claim 25, wherein the at least one carbon foam positive current collector includes pores that are penetrated by the first chemically active paste.

27. The battery of claim 25, wherein the first chemically active paste and the second chemically active paste are the same material.

28. The battery of claim 20, wherein the insulating material is a porous mat.

29. A lead acid battery comprising:

a housing;

a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

at least one cell disposed within the housing, the at least one cell including;

a porous, lead foam negative current collector including a plurality of receptacles;

a plurality of carbon foam positive current collectors disposed within the plurality of receptacles such that the negative current collector at least partially surrounds each of the plurality of carbon foam positive current collectors, wherein each of the plurality of carbon foam positive current collectors includes a lead core;

an insulating mat disposed between the negative current collector and each of the plurality of carbon foam positive current collectors; and

a chemically active paste disposed on each of the plurality of carbon foam positive current collectors;

a positive connector in electrical contact with the positive terminal and each of the lead cores of the plurality of carbon foam positive current collectors of the at least one cell;

a negative connector in electrical contact with the negative terminal and the negative current collector of the at least one cell; and

an acidic electrolytic solution disposed within the housing and at least partially immersing the at least one cell.

30. A cell for a lead acid battery, comprising:

a negative current collector;

at least one column-shaped carbon foam positive current collector disposed within the cell such that the negative current collector at least partially surrounds the at least one column-shaped carbon foam positive current collector;

an insulating material disposed between the negative current collector and the at least one column-shaped carbon foam positive current collector; and

a chemically active material, including lead oxide, disposed on the at least one column-shaped carbon foam positive current collector.

31. The cell of claim 30, further including a core disposed within and making electrical contact with the at least one column-shaped carbon foam, positive current collector.

32. The cell of claim 31, wherein the core is lead.

33. The cell of claim 30, wherein the at least one column-shaped positive current collector is substantially cylindrical.

34. The cell of claim 30, wherein the negative current collector is formed of porous lead foam.

35. The cell of claim 30, wherein the negative current collector is formed of carbon foam.