Variable volume containment for energy storage devices

• US 8,859,132 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G4 Synergetics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: G4 Synergetics, Inc.
• Inventors: West, Jon Kenneth, Higgins, Martin Patrick, Regalado, Julius, George, Anthony, Zhou, Xin, Citta, Nelson, Citta, Myles, Michael, Allen, Cherisol, Kenneth, West, Daniel J., Patterson, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUYETTE, KENNETH J
• Application Number:
  US12/694,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20100190047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 429/156, 429/210, 429/66, 429/469, 429/185, 429/120, 429/101, 429/104, 429/53, 429/82, 429/160, 429/161, 361/434
• US Class Current: 429/156
• 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 10/0418 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/044 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/045 Cells or batteries with folded plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0477 with circular plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/28 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/282 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/286 Cells or batteries with wound or folded electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4214 Arrangements for moving electrodes or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/029 Bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/70 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/184 characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/186 characterised by the disposition of the sealing members
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/198 characterised by physical properties, e.g. adhesiveness or hardness
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/463 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/474 characterised by their position inside the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/477 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/48 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/02 : Details electrodes H01M4/86 - H01M4/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04 : Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A stacked energy storage device (ESD) has at least two cell segments arranged in a stack. Each cell segment may have a first electrode unit having a first active material electrode, a second electrode unit having a second active material electrode, and an electrolyte layer between the active material electrodes. Variable volume containment may be used to control the inter-electrode spacing within each cell segment. In some embodiments, one or more dynamic flexible gaskets may be included in each cell segment to seal the electrolyte within the cell segment and to deform in preferred directions. In some embodiments, hard stops may set the inter-electrode spacing of the ESD.

Claims

1. An energy storage device (ESD) comprising:

at least two bi-polar electrode units provided in a stacking direction, wherein each electrode unit comprises;

a conductive substrate;

a positive active material electrode layer on a first surface of the conductive substrate; and

a negative active material electrode layer on a second surface of the conductive substrate;

an electrolyte layer provided between the electrode units;

a flexible gasket positioned about the electrolyte layer wherein the gasket is mechanically deformable in a predetermined direction along at least the stacking direction and along an axis normal to the stacking direction; and

a rigid component positioned about the flexible gasket, wherein the rigid component and the flexible gasket are separated by a gap, and wherein the flexible gasket is configured to mechanically deform into the gap.

2. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the flexible gasket maintains the inter-electrode spacing of the positive active material electrode layer and the negative active material electrode layer during operation of the ESD.

3. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the flexible gasket minimizes the movement of the positive active material electrode layer and the negative active material electrode layer relative to one another.

4. The ESD of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of springs, the springs configured to deflect in response to an increase in the pressure within the ESD.

5. The ESD of claim 1 further comprising a separator within the electrolyte layer, the separator electrically isolating a respective positive active material electrode layer from a respective negative active material electrode layer.

6. The ESD of claim 1 further comprising a hard stop positioned radially outwardly from the gasket.

7. The ESD of claim 6 wherein the hard stop comprises an inner rim with a shelf on which the respective outer edge of the plurality of electrodes is aligned.

8. The ESD of claim 7 wherein the shelf on the inner rim sets the spacing between adjacent electrodes of the ESD.

9. The ESD of claim 6 wherein the hard stop further comprises:

a plurality of studs; and

a plurality of stud holes, the plurality of stud holes adapted to engage a respective stud on an adjacent hard stop.

10. The ESD of claim 9 wherein the studs are adapted to engage the stud holes to align adjacent hard stops without the use of tools.

11. The ESD of claim 9 wherein the plurality of studs align a substrate flange of the substrate to the hard stop by keeping the substrate centered on an axis colinear with the stacking direction of the stack assembly.

12. The ESD of claim 6 wherein the hard stop comprises an outer rim having a set of holes for a plurality of compression bolts, the holes aligning the stack of electrodes during assembly and providing stability during operation of the ESD.

13. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the predetermined direction is in a stacking direction that is normal to the surface of the electrodes.

14. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the predetermined direction is radially outwardly from a stacking direction.

15. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the predetermined direction is in an off-axes direction.

16. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the flexible gasket has a plurality of predetermined directions.

17. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the deformation of the gasket reduces internal stresses within each cell of the ESD by equalizing pressure within the ESD while maintaining optimal inter-electrode spacing.

18. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte layer is sealed by the conductive substrates of the electrode units and the flexible gasket positioned about the electrolyte layer.

19. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the rigid component is one of a hard stop, containment vessel, or wrapper.