High thermal conductivity battery assembly
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a battery assembly with high thermal conductivity. The battery assembly comprises a metal case having a hollow accommodation cavity formed therein, a plurality of battery cells installed parallel to one another within the metal case, and a common electrode for connection to the other electrode in each of the battery cells. Each of the battery cells has two electrodes, with one of the electrodes that corresponds to those of the rest of the battery cells being connected in a thermally conductive manner to the metal case. The invention takes advantage of high thermal conductivity of metallic material and dissipates heat by connecting the metal case to the battery electrodes. The invention further comprises fixation troughs formed on the metal case, thereby reducing the size of the assembly.
1. A high thermal conductivity battery assembly, comprising:
a metal case, having a hollow accommodation cavity formed therein;
a plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells arranged in a first row of battery cells and a second row of battery cells, the first row and the second row installed parallel to one another within the metal case, each of the battery cells having two electrodes with a first electrode of each of the plurality of battery cells in the first row and the second row being connected in a thermally conductive manner to the metal case; and
a common electrode extending along a central portion of the hollow accommodation cavity for connection to a second electrode of each of the battery cells, wherein the second electrode of each of the battery cells of the first row are opposed to a first surface of the common electrode and wherein the second electrode of each of the battery cells of the second row are opposed to a second surface of the common electrode wherein the first electrode of each of the plurality of battery cells in the first row and the second row are connected to a second common electrode and wherein a thermally conductive flexible metal gasket is positioned between the second common electrode and the metal case;
wherein the metal case includes an exterior side facing away from the hollow accommodation cavity and an interior side facing toward the hollow accommodation cavity, and wherein each of the battery cells has an axial direction, and wherein a plurality of fixation troughs are formed on the metal case from the interior side toward the exterior side in a manner extending along the axial directions of the respective battery cells.
2. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the fixation troughs extend across the interior side and the exterior side of the metal case.
3. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a fuse device installed within the metal case.
4. The battery assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the respective battery cells are connected at their negative poles to the metal case in a thermally conductive manner, with their positive poles being connected to the common electrode, and wherein the fuse device comprises a plurality of fuse wires, each being installed between the common electrode and a different one of the positive poles of the battery cells so that each of the battery cells has a dedicated fuse.
5. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one exhaust valve installed on the metal case.
6. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the metal case includes an insulating outer surface layer.
7. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a phase change material filled within the hollow accommodation cavity, and the phase change material has a phase change temperature below a predetermined safety threshold.
8. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a flame retardant material filled within the hollow accommodation cavity.
9. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor installed within the hollow accommodation cavity.
10. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the metal case is cuboid-shaped and chamfered at corners thereof.
11. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first row of battery cells and the second row of battery cells are coplanar.
12. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode of each of the battery cells of the first row faces the second electrode of a corresponding one of the battery cells of the second row.
13. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode of each of the battery cells of the first row is proximate to the common electrode, the second electrode of each of the battery cells of the second row is proximate to the common electrode, the first electrode of each of the battery cells in the first row is distal to the common electrode, and the first electrode of each of the battery cells in the second row is distal to the common electrode.
14. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode of each of the plurality of battery cells in the first row and the second row are connected to the metal case by at least one metal braid.
15. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode of each of the plurality of battery cells in the first row and the second row are connected to the metal case by welding.
16. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the second electrode of each of the battery cells coupled to the common electrode by a fuse individual to the battery cell, such that the battery cell is disconnected from the common electrode when the fuse individual to the battery cell opens.
17. The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a mixture of flame retardant material and phase change material inside the metal case.