Portable electrical energy storage device with in-situ formable fluid channels

• US 9,825,345 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Tai-Tsun, Yang, Chian-Peng, Lin, Yi-Hsiang, Luke, Hok-Sum Horace
• Primary Examiner(s): RYAN, PATRICK J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Domone, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/054,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20160254578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/623 Portable devices, e.g. mobile telephones, cameras or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/289 characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471
• 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

Abstract

An electrical energy storage device for powering portable devices such as vehicles or consumer electronics includes barriers to minimize migration of thermal energy and propagation of combustion in the rare event that electrical energy storage cells fail, burst and ignite. Thermal energy absorbing materials are contained within the electrical energy storage device. Sacrificial members are provided within the thermal energy absorbing materials. In-situ channels are formed within the thermal energy absorbing materials when the sacrificial members thermally decompose.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a portable electrical energy storage device, the method comprising:

providing, within a portable electrical energy storage device housing, a first electrical energy storage cell module including a plurality of electrical energy storage cells;

providing within the portable electrical energy storage device housing and adjacent the first electrical energy storage cell module, a second electrical energy storage cell module including a plurality of electrical energy storage cells;

providing a thermal energy absorbing material in the housing; and

providing a sacrificial member within the housing and within the thermal energy absorbing material, the sacrificial member formed of a material that does not thermally decompose when exposed to an environment below a first temperature and thermally decomposes when exposed to an environment at a second temperature greater than the first temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating the sacrificial member between the first electrical energy storage cell module and the second electrical energy storage cell module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to about 50°

C.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to about 60°

C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the decomposed material has a volume that is at least 100% less than the volume of the material before decomposition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal energy absorbing material is a phase change material.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing another sacrificial member formed of a material that does not thermally decompose when exposed to an environment below a first temperature and thermally decomposes when exposed to an environment at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the other sacrificial member located between the portable electrical energy storage device housing and both the first electrical energy storage cell module and the second electrical energy storage cell module.

8. A portable electrical energy storage device, comprising:

a first electrical energy storage cell module including a plurality of electrical energy storage cells;

a second electrical energy storage cell module including a plurality of electrical energy storage cells, the second electrical energy storage cell module positioned adjacent the first electrical energy storage cell module;

a thermal energy absorbing material; and

a sacrificial member formed of a material that does not thermally decompose when exposed to an environment below a first temperature and thermally decomposes when exposed to an environment at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the sacrificial member located within the thermal energy absorbing material.

9. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 8, wherein the sacrificial member is located between the first electrical energy storage cell module and the second electrical energy storage cell module.

10. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 8, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to about 50°

C.

11. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 8, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to about 60°

C.

12. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 8, wherein the decomposed material has a volume that is at least 100% less than the volume of the material before decomposition.

13. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 8, wherein the thermal energy absorbing material is a phase change material.

14. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 8, further comprising:

a portable electrical energy storage device housing, the first electrical energy storage cell module and the second electrical energy storage cell module located within the housing; and

another sacrificial member formed of a material that does not thermally decompose when exposed to an environment below a first temperature and thermally decomposes when exposed to an environment at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the other sacrificial member located between the portable electrical energy storage device housing and both the first electrical energy storage cell module and the second electrical energy storage cell module.

15. A portable electrical energy storage device, comprising:

a portable electrical energy storage device housing;

a first electrical energy storage cell module including a plurality of electrical energy storage cells and located within the portable electrical energy storage device housing;

a second electrical energy storage cell module including a plurality of electrical energy storage cells and located within the portable electrical energy storage device housing, the second electrical energy storage cell module positioned adjacent the first electrical energy storage cell module;

a third electrical energy storage cell module including a plurality of electrical energy storage cells and located within the portable electrical energy storage device housing, the third electrical energy storage cell module positioned adjacent the second electrical energy storage cell module on a side of the second electrical energy storage cell module opposite from the first electrical energy storage cell module;

a thermal energy absorbing material; and

a sacrificial member within the thermal energy absorbing material, the sacrificial member formed of a material that does not thermally decompose when exposed to an environment below a first temperature and thermally decomposes when exposed to an environment at a second temperature greater than the first temperature.

16. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the sacrificial member is located between the first electrical energy storage cell module and the second electrical energy storage cell module.

17. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the sacrificial member is located between the second electrical energy storage cell module and the third electrical energy storage cell module.

18. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to about 50°

C.

19. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to about 60°

C.

20. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the decomposed material has a volume that is at least 100% less than the volume of the material before decomposition.

21. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the thermal energy absorbing material is a phase change material.

22. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15, further comprising:

another sacrificial member formed of a material formed that does not thermally decompose when exposed to an environment below a first temperature and thermally decomposes when exposed to an environment at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the other sacrificial member located between the portable electrical energy storage device housing and both the first electrical energy storage cell module and the second electrical energy storage cell module.