Method and apparatus for maintaining cell wall integrity during thermal runaway using multiple cell wall layers

• US 7,749,650 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Hermann, Weston Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Cantelmo; Gregg
• Application Number:
  US12/460,342
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 429/53, 429/120, 429/63, 429/164, 429/166, 429/167, 429/176, 429/177, 429/163, 429/148, 206703-705, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 429/177
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/1245 characterised by the external coating on the casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided in which at least one layer pair comprised of an inner, thermally insulating layer and an outer, high yield strength layer, surrounds the casing of a battery, the at least one layer pair inhibiting the flow of hot, pressurized gas from within the battery through perforations formed in the battery casing during a thermal runaway event.

Claims

1. A battery assembly, comprising:

a battery, said battery comprising;

a pre-fabricated cell case having an exterior sidewall surface, a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein said first end portion is comprised of a cell case bottom, and wherein said second end portion is comprised of a cap assembly retention lip and a central open portion;

an electrode assembly contained within said pre-fabricated cell case, wherein a first electrode of said electrode assembly is electrically connected to said pre-fabricated cell case; and

a cap assembly mounted to said pre-fabricated cell case, said cap assembly closing said central open portion of said second end portion, wherein said cap assembly further comprises a battery terminal electrically isolated from said pre-fabricated cell case and electrically connected to a second electrode of said electrode assembly; and

at least one layer pair positioned around said exterior sidewall surface of said pre-fabricated cell case, wherein each layer pair of said at least one layer pair is comprised of an inner layer comprised of a thermally insulating material and an outer layer comprised of a high yield strength material, wherein said high yield strength material has a yield strength of at least 250 MPa, wherein an interior surface of an innermost layer of an innermost layer pair of said at least one layer pair is proximate to said exterior sidewall surface of said pre-fabricated cell case.

2. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said battery has an 18650 form-factor.

3. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermally insulating material is capable of withstanding temperatures of more than 500°

C. continuously.

4. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermally insulating material is capable of withstanding temperatures of more than 1000°

C. for a period of at least 10 seconds.

5. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermally insulating material is capable of withstanding temperatures of more than 1400°

C. for a period of at least 1 second.

6. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermally insulating material has a melting temperature of less than 500°

C.

7. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermally insulating material has a melting temperature of less than 350°

C.

8. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermally insulating material has a melting temperature of less than 250°

C.

9. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said high yield strength material has a yield strength of at least 250 MPa at a temperature of 1000°

C.

10. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said high yield strength material has a yield strength of at least 500 MPa.

11. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein said high yield strength material is selected from the group of materials consisting of structural steels, plated steel, stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloys, and nickel alloys.

12. The battery assembly of claim 1, further comprising a covering positioned over said cell case bottom of said prefabricated cell case, said covering comprised of a layer of said thermally insulating material and a layer of said high yield strength material.

13. The battery assembly of claim 12, wherein said layer of said thermally insulating material comprising said covering is integral to said inner layer of said at least one layer pair, and wherein said layer of said high yield strength material comprising said covering is integral to said outer layer of said at least one layer pair.

14. The battery assembly of claim 12, wherein said layer of said thermally insulating material comprising said covering is capable of withstanding temperatures of more than 500°

C. continuously.

15. The battery assembly of claim 12, wherein said layer of said thermally insulating material comprising said covering is capable of withstanding temperatures of more than 1000°

C. for a period of at least 10 seconds.

16. The battery assembly of claim 12, wherein said layer of said thermally insulating material comprising said covering has a melting temperature of less than 500°

C.

17. The battery assembly of claim 12, wherein said layer of said thermally insulating material comprising said covering has a melting temperature of less than 250°

C.

18. A battery assembly comprising:

a battery, said battery comprising;

a cell case having an outer surface, a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is closed by a cell case bottom, and wherein said second end is comprised of a central open portion;

an electrode assembly contained within said cell case, wherein a first electrode of said electrode assembly is electrically connected to said cell case; and

a cap assembly mounted to said cell case, said cap assembly closing said central open portion of said second end, wherein said cap assembly further comprises a battery terminal electrically isolated from said cell case and electrically connected to a second electrode of said electrode assembly; and

at least one layer pair surrounding said outer surface of said cell case, wherein each layer pair of said at least one layer pair is comprised of an inner layer comprised of a thermally insulating material and an outer layer comprised of a high yield strength material, wherein said at least one layer pair surrounding said outer surface of said cell case redirects the flow of hot, pressurized gas from within said battery through a perforation formed in said outer surface of said cell case during a thermal runaway event towards said first end or said second end.

19. A method of modifying a pre-fabricated battery case the method comprising the step of covering an exterior sidewall battery case surface of said pre-fabricated battery case in at least one layer pair, wherein each layer pair of said at least one layer pair is comprised of an inner layer comprised of a thermally insulating material and an outer layer comprised of a high yield strength material, wherein said high yield strength material has a yield strength of at least 250 MPa.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said covering step further comprises the step of wrapping a strip of said thermally insulating material around said exterior sidewall battery case surface of said pre-fabricated battery case.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of bonding said strip of said thermally insulating material in place.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said covering step further comprises the step of wrapping a strip of said high yield strength material around said strip of said thermally insulating material.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said covering step further comprises the step of surrounding said strip of said thermally insulating material with a sleeve comprised of said high yield strength material.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said covering step further comprises the step of depositing said thermally insulating material around said exterior sidewall battery case surface of said pre-fabricated battery case.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said covering step further comprises the step of wrapping a strip of said high yield strength material around said thermally insulating material.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said covering step further comprises the step of surrounding said thermally insulating material with a sleeve comprised of said high yield strength material.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein said covering step further comprises the step of depositing said thermally insulating material on an inner surface of said outer layer comprised of said high yield strength material.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said outer layer is comprised of a sleeve of said high yield strength material.