Aluminum housing with a hermetic seal
A housing for an energy storage cell includes an interior which provides beneficial properties to fabricators of the cell. The cell may be hermetically sealed by conventional laser welding techniques.
1 - 40 . (canceled)
41 . An energy storage comprising:
a housing comprising:
a cap; and
a body comprising a multilayer material;
wherein the multilayer material comprises:
a first layer of material that is substantially compatible with an electrolyte of an energy storage cell disposed within the housing; and
at least a second layer at least partially disposed over the first layer, wherein the second layer provides structural integrity for the housing;
wherein at least a portion of the first layer faces an interior of the housing and is exposed to the electrolyte; and
wherein the portion of the first layer that faces the interior of the housing is configured to conduct electricity to or from the energy storage.
42 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the second layer is clad to the first layer.
43 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the second layer comprises steel.
44 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the first layer comprises at least one of aluminum and an aluminum alloy.
45 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the housing comprises a glass-to-metal seal.
46 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the energy storage cell comprises carbonaceous energy storage media.
47 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the first layer of material is substantially electrochemically compatible with the electrolyte.
48 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the energy storage cell is coupled to a first electrical contact of the housing and a second electrical contact of the housing.
49 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the coupling comprises an ultrasonic weld.
50 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the housing is hermetically sealed.
51 . The energy storage of claim 50 , wherein a leak rate of the housing is no greater than about 5.0×10 −6 standard He-cc/sec at temperatures throughout an operational temperature range.
52 . The energy storage of claim 50 , wherein a first glass-to-metal seal disposed in the housing provides a first electrical contact with a first electrode of the energy storage cell, the first electrical contact being electrically insulated from the body of the housing.
53 . The energy storage of claim 52 , wherein a body of the housing provides a second electrical contact with a second electrode of the energy storage cell.
54 . The energy storage of claim 52 , wherein a second glass-to-metal seal disposed in the housing provides a second electrical contact with a second electrode of the energy storage cell, the second electrical contact being electrically insulated from the body of the housing.
55 . The energy storage of claim 41 , wherein the energy storage exhibits a volumetric leakage current that is less than 1,000 mAmp per Liter throughout the operational temperature range and an operational voltage range.
56 . The energy storage of claim 55 , wherein the temperature range is from about 60 degrees Celsius to about 250 degrees Celsius and the voltage range is from about 100 mV to about 5V.
57 . A method for fabricating an energy storage comprising:
selecting a multilayer material; and
incorporating the multilayer material into at least a portion of a housing of the energy storage;
wherein the housing comprises:
a cap; and
a body comprising a multilayer material;
wherein the multilayer material comprises:
a first layer of material that is substantially compatible with an electrolyte of an energy storage cell disposed within the housing; and
at least a second layer of material at least partially disposed over the first layer, wherein the second layer provides structural integrity for the housing;
wherein at least a portion of the first layer faces an interior of the housing exposed to the electrolyte; and
wherein the portion of the first layer that faces the interior of the housing is configured to conduct electricity to or from the energy storage.
58 . The method as in claim 57 , further comprising assembling the energy storage by enclosing an energy storage cell within the housing by hermetically sealing the cap and body together.
59 . The method as in claim 58 , wherein the assembling comprises at least one of laser welding, TIG welding, resistance welding, and ultrasonic welding.
60 . The housing of claim 41 , wherein the cap comprises a cap formed of a multi-layer cap material, the cap comprising a hermetically sealed electrode assembly disposed therein;
wherein a first layer of the multi-layer cap material is compatible with a material of the body, and a second layer of the multi-layer cap material is compatible with hermetically sealing the assembly to the cap, and wherein the hermetically sealed electrode assembly is configured to maintain a leak rate of less than 5.0×10 −6 standard He-cc/sec at temperatures throughout an operational temperature range of −40 degrees Celsius to 210 degrees Celsius.