Sealed sodium-based thermal batteries and methods of sealing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9735401-B2
Application number	US-201313852690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2013
Priority date	Mar 28, 2013
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

The present application provides configurations, components, assemblies and methods for sealing cells of sodium-based thermal batteries, such as NaMx cells. In some embodiments the cells may include an integrated bridge member hermetically sealed to an electrically conductive case and a ceramic collar of the cell to hermetically seal an anodic chamber of the cell. In some embodiments the cells may include the ceramic collar hermetically sealed to an electrolyte separator tube of the cell to hermetically seal the anodic chamber of the cell. In some embodiments the anodic chamber may be defined, at least in part, by the case, integrated bridge member, ceramic collar and electrolyte separator tube. In some embodiments the cells may include a current collector hermetically sealed to the ceramic collar, and a cap member hermetically sealed to the current collector tube to hermetically seal a cathodic chamber of the cell.

First claim

We claim:

1. A sub-assembly for at least partially sealing a cell of a sodium-based thermal battery, the sub-assembly including:
an electrically conductive case;
an electrolyte separator tube positioned within the case and defining, at least in part, a cathodic chamber with an opening;
a ceramic collar positioned at the opening of the cathodic chamber of the electrolyte separator tube and defining an aperture in communication with the opening and the cathodic chamber; and
an integrated bridge member,
wherein the electrically conductive case, electrolyte separator tube, ceramic collar, and integrated bridge member define, at least in part, an anodic chamber therebetween, and wherein the integrated bridge member is hermetically sealed and operable electrically coupled to the metal case and hermetically sealed to the ceramic collar to hermetically seal, at least in part, the cathodic chamber.

2. The sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the integrated bridge member is hermetically sealed and operable electrically coupled to the metal case via at least one weld.

3. The sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the integrated bridge member is hermetically sealed and operable electrically coupled to the ceramic collar via at least one active braze.

4. The sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least the portion of the integrated bridge member that extends between the portion thereof hermetically sealed to the electrically conductive case and the portion thereof hermetically sealed to the ceramic collar is of one-piece construction.

5. The sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the integrated bridge member is electrically conductive and includes an aperture in communication with the aperture of the ceramic collar and the cathodic chamber, wherein the sub-assembly includes an electrically conductive current collector directly or indirectly sealed to the ceramic collar and extending into the cathodic chamber, and wherein the ceramic collar electrically insulates the integrated bridge member and the current collector.

6. The sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube and ceramic collar are separate and distinct components hermetically sealed to one another.

7. The sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube and ceramic collar are portions of a one-piece member.

8. The sub-assembly of claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube portion of the one-piece member is substantially beta-alumina and the ceramic collar portion of the one-piece member is substantially alpha-alumna, and wherein the one-piece member is formed by cosintering the electrolyte separator tube and ceramic collar portions.

9. A sodium-based thermal battery with at least one cell including a hermetically sealed anodic chamber, the battery including:
an electrically conductive case;
an electrolyte separator tube positioned within the case;
a ceramic collar; and
an integrated bridge member,
wherein the electrically conductive case, electrolyte separator tube, ceramic collar, and integrated bridge member define, at least in part, the anodic chamber therebetween, and wherein the integrated bridge member is hermetically sealed and operable electrically coupled to the metal case and hermetically sealed to the ceramic collar.

10. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the integrated bridge member is hermetically sealed and operable electrically coupled to the metal case via at least one weld, and wherein the integrated bridge member is hermetically sealed to the ceramic collar via at least one active braze.

11. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube and ceramic collar are separate and distinct components hermetically sealed to one another.

12. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube and ceramic collar are portions of a one-piece member.

13. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube portion of the one-piece member is substantially beta-alumina and the ceramic collar portion of the one-piece member is substantially alpha-alumna, and wherein the electrolyte separator tube and ceramic collar portions are cosintered to form the one-piece member.

14. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube defines, at least in part, a cathodic chamber with an opening, and wherein the ceramic collar is positioned at the opening of the cathodic chamber of the electrolyte separator tube and defines an aperture in communication with the cathodic chamber.

15. The battery of claim 14 , wherein the integrated bridge member is electrically conductive and includes an aperture in communication with the aperture of the ceramic collar and the cathodic chamber, wherein the battery includes an electrically conductive current collector directly and indirectly sealed to the ceramic collar and extending into the cathodic chamber, and wherein the ceramic collar electrically insulates the integrated bridge member and the current collector.

16. A method of at least partially sealing an anodic chamber a cell of a sodium-based rechargeable thermal battery, the method including:
obtaining an electrically conductive case;
positioning an electrolyte separator tube and a ceramic collar within the case such that the anodic chamber is formed, in part, between the case and the electrolyte separator tube and ceramic collar, wherein in the electrolyte separator tube defines a cathodic chamber;
hermetically sealing and operably electrically coupling an integrated bridge member to the case; and
hermetically sealing the integrated bridge member to the ceramic collar.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein hermetically sealing and operably electrically coupling the integrated bridge member to the electrically conductive case includes welding the integrated bridge member and the electrically conductive case to one another.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein hermetically sealing the integrated bridge member to the ceramic collar includes active brazing the integrated bridge member and the ceramic collar to one another.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the electrolyte separator tube and the ceramic collar are separate and distinct components, and wherein the method further includes:
obtaining the distinct electrolyte separator tube;
obtaining the distinct ceramic collar; and
hermetically sealing the distinct electrolyte separator tube and the distinct ceramic collar to one another.

20. The method of claim 16 , further including cosintering beta-alumina and at least one of alpha-alumina, yttria, yttria stabilized zirconia, yttrium aluminum garnet, magnesia alumina spinel, and yttrium aluminate perovskite to form a one-piece member including a beta-alumina portioning defining the electrolyte separator tube and a portion defining the ceramic collar including at least one of alpha-alumina, yttria, yttria stabilized zirconia, yttrium aluminum garnet, magnesia alumina spinel, and yttrium aluminate perovskite.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kumar Sundeep
• Rahmane Mohamed
• Johnson Neil A
• Willson Patrick D
• Cole Raymond R
• Yosenick Timothy
• Angeliu Thomas
• Juetting Tobias

Classifications

• H01M50/191

  Inorganic material · CPC title

• H01M50/186

  characterised by the disposition of the sealing members · CPC title

• H01M10/3963

  Sealing means between the solid electrolyte and holders · CPC title

• H01M2/065

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M10/39 Primary

  working at high temperature · CPC title