In-operation cathode lithiation according to SoH monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11652200-B2
Application number	US-202016735721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Sep 18, 2017
Publication date	May 16, 2023
Grant date	May 16, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided, in which the level of metal ions in cells stacks and lithium ion batteries is regulated in situ, with the electrodes of the cell stack(s) in the respective pouches. Regulation of metal ions may be carried out electrochemically by metal ion sources in the pouches, electrically connected to the electrodes. The position and shape of the metal ion sources may be optimized to create uniform metal ion movements to the electrode surfaces and favorable SEI formation. The metal ion sources may be removable, or comprise a lithium source for lithiating the anodes or cathodes during operation of the battery according to SoH parameters. Regulation of metal ions may be carried out from metal ion sources in separate electrolyte reservoir(s), with circulation of the metal-ion-containing electrolyte through the cell stacks in the pouches prior or during the formation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising lithiating electrodes of a lithium ion battery during operation of the lithium ion battery, carried out electrochemically between the electrodes and a metal ion source in the lithium ion battery, and controllably with respect to a state of health (SoH) of the lithium ion battery that is a resistance of the lithium ion battery,
wherein the lithiating comprises controllably lithiating at least one cathode of the lithium ion battery, during lithium ion battery operation;
wherein the controllably lithiating of the at least one cathode of the lithium ion battery comprises generating lithiation pulses;
wherein the method further comprises providing, by the metal ion source, to at least one of the electrodes, an other metal ion that differs from lithium.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating the metal ion source with solid state electrolyte, and controlling the lithiating of the at least one cathode electrically.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the metal ion source as dot(s) and/or wire(s) in ionic communication with the at least one cathode.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prelithiating at least one anode of the lithium ion battery from the metal ion source during a formation stage of the lithium ion battery.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising lithiating the at least one cathode during operation upon detected specified decrease in the SoH.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising lithiating the at least one cathode after discharging of the lithium ion battery.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithiation pulses are spaced apart by time differences that are equal to each other.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein different lithiation pulses add a same amount of lithium to the lithium ion battery.

9. A system comprising:
a cell stack of a lithium ion battery, comprising alternating anodes, separators and cathodes, packaged in a pouch cover, the anodes and cathodes being electrodes of the cell stack, a metal ion source within the pouch cover, having an external contact and being in ionic communication with at least one of the cathodes,
electric circuitry, configured to lithiate, electrochemically, the at least one of the cathodes during lithium ion battery operation, by applying specified voltage between the at least one of the cathodes and the metal ion source in the pouch cover via its external contact, controllably with respect to a state of health (SoH) of the lithium ion battery that is a resistance of the lithium ion battery;
wherein the metal ion source is further configured to provide to at least one of the electrodes, an other metal ion that is a magnesium ion;
wherein the controllably lithiating of the at least one of the cathodes of the lithium ion battery comprises generating lithiation pulses.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a battery monitoring system (BMS) configured to monitor the SoH of the lithium ion battery and control the electric circuitry to carry out the lithiating upon detected specified decrease in the SoH.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the metal ion source comprises one or more dots and/or one or more wires, in ionic communication with the at least one of the cathodes.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the metal ion source is coated with solid state electrolyte.

13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the lithiation pulses are spaced apart by time differences that are equal to each other.

14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the metal ion source is configured to provide the other metal ion before the lithiating.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the metal ion source is configured to provide mainly the magnesium ion for SEI formation and is configured to lithiate after a formation step of the lithium ion battery.

16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the metal ion source comprises multiple taps.

Assignees

• Storedot Ltd

Inventors

• Rosenne Shaked
• Paz Ron
• Kedem Nir
• Burshtain Doron
• Baram Nir
• Pour Nir
• Aronov Daniel

Classifications

• H01M2010/4271

  Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing · CPC title

• H01M4/0447 Primary

  of complete cells or cells stacks · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/42

  Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells (H01M10/60 takes precedence) · CPC title