Battery of modular construction having improved safety properties

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11024893-B2
Application number	US-201815949447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 12, 2017
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A battery of modular construction that stores electrical energy includes a battery housing, a module assembly including at least two battery modules, each with at least one positive and at least one negative electrode, and a pressing means. A method of safety operation of the battery includes equipping the battery with at least one safety means that triggers a reduction in the mechanical pressure exerted onto the battery modules when there is a defect in at least one of the battery modules.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A battery of modular construction that stores electrical energy comprising:
1) a battery housing,
2) a module assembly comprising at least two battery modules, each with at least one positive and at least one negative electrode,
3) a pressing means,

wherein
the battery housing surrounds an interior in which the module assembly is arranged, and the module assembly does not completely fill the interior so that a dead volume remains,
the at least two battery modules electrically connect to one another,
the at least two battery modules are arranged next to one another in the module assembly,
optionally, a respective spacer element is arranged between adjacent battery modules in the module assembly, and
the pressing means exerts a mechanical pressure onto the battery modules in the module assembly, the mechanical pressure pressing adjacent battery modules of the module assembly against one another or against the spacer element which may be arranged between them,
4) a force-measuring device with which a force directed against the mechanical pressure exerted by the pressing means can be detected, and/or
a temperature-measuring device that can detect a temperature in the battery housing and/or a temperature of individual battery modules of the module assembly, and/or
a voltage-measuring device that can detect a change in a voltage, output by a module assembly as a result of a defect in at least one of the battery modules of the module assembly, and/or
a current-measuring device that can detect a change in the current output by the module assembly as a result of a defect in at least one of the battery modules of the module assembly,

wherein the device or the devices is or are coupled to a data-processing device to which measurement results from the device or from the devices are transmitted,
the battery has at least one safety means in the interior of the battery housing, the safety means triggering a reduction in the mechanical pressure exerted onto the battery modules when there is a defect in at least one of the battery modules,
the safety means is or comprises a means for destroying and/or deactivating the pressing means, the means destroying or deactivating the pressing means in the presence of a defect,
the destroying and/or deactivation means is coupled to the data-processing device and initiates destruction or deactivation of the pressing means in response to a signal from the data-processing device,
the data processing unit is configured to a) receive a force and/or a temperature and/or a voltage and/or a current value from the force-measuring device and/or the temperature-measuring device and/or the voltage-measuring device and/or the current-measuring device, b) compare the received value(s) with a stored, predefined threshold value, an exceeding of which indicates a defect in at least one of the battery modules, and c) trigger the safety device if the threshold value is exceeded, and
the safety means destroys and thus irreversibly deactivates the pressing means.

2. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the data-processing device is a constituent part of the battery.

3. The battery according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a force-measuring device with which a force directed against the mechanical pressure exerted by the pressing means can be detected,
the force-measuring device is a constituent part of the module assembly or of the pressing means,
a temperature-measuring device that can detect a change in the temperature in the battery housing and/or a change in the temperature of individual battery modules of the module assembly,
a voltage-measuring device that can detect a change in a voltage output by the module assembly as a result of a defect in at least one of the battery modules of the module assembly, and
a current-measuring device that can detect a change in the current output by the module assembly, as a result of a defect in at least one of the battery modules of the module assembly.

4. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the battery housing is closed in a liquid-tight and gas-tight manner, or
the dead volume occupies 1% to 10% of the interior.

5. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the safety means is designed to deactivate or destroy the pressing means or a constituent part of the pressing means to reduce the mechanical pressure, or
the safety means creates a pressure directed opposite to the mechanical pressure which presses the battery modules against one another in the module assembly.

6. A method of safety operation of the battery according to claim 1 , comprising equipping the battery with at least one safety means that triggers a reduction in the mechanical pressure exerted onto the battery modules when there is a defect in at least one of the battery modules.

7. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing means is or comprises at least one tensioning frame surrounding the module assembly.

8. A battery of modular construction that stores electrical energy comprising:
1) a battery housing,
2) a module assembly comprising at least two battery modules, each with at least one positive and at least one negative electrode,
3) a pressing means,

wherein
the battery housing surrounds an interior in which the module assembly is arranged, and the module assembly does not completely fill the interior so that a dead volume remains,
the at least two battery modules electrically connect to one another,
the at least two battery modules are arranged next to one another in the module assembly,
optionally, a respective spacer element is arranged between adjacent battery modules in the module assembly, and
the pressing means exerts a mechanical pressure onto the battery modules in the module assembly, the mechanical pressure pressing adjacent battery modules of the module assembly against one another or against the spacer element which may be arranged between them,
4) a force-measuring device with which a force directed against the mechanical pressure exerted by the pressing means can be detected, and/or
a temperature-measuring device that can detect a temperature in the battery housing and/or a temperature of individual battery modules of the module assembly, and/or
a voltage-measuring device that can detect a change in a voltage, output by a module assembly as a result of a defect in at least one of the battery modules of the module assembly, and/or
a current-measuring device that can detect a change in the current output by the module assembly as a result of a defect in at least one of the battery modules of the module assembly,

wherein the device or the devices is or are coupled to a data-processing device to which measurement results from the device or from the devices are transmitted,
the battery has at least one safety means in the interior of the battery housing, the safety means triggering a reduction in the mechanical pressure exerted onto the battery modules when there is a defect in at least one of the battery modules,
the safety means is or comprises a means for destroying and/or deactivating the pressing means, the means destroying or deactivating the pressing means in the presence of a defect,
the destroying and/or deactivation means is coupled to the data-processing device and initiates destruction or deactivation of the pressing means in response to a signal from the data-processing device,
the data processing unit is configured to a) receive a force and/or a temperature and/or a voltage and/or a current value from the force-measuring device and/or the temperature-measuring device and/or the voltage-measuring device and/or the current-measuring device, b)

Assignees

• Vw Vm Forschungsgesellschaft Mbh & Co Kg
• Varta Microbattery Gmbh
• Vw Kraftwerk Gmbh

Inventors

• Knape Torsten
• Schreiber Werner

Classifications

• H01M10/486

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• H01M10/482

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M50/289

  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 title

• H01M50/209

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/264

  for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames · CPC title