Lithium ion battery module with free floating prismatic battery cells

1. A lithium ion battery module, comprising:

a lineup of prismatic lithium ion battery cells positioned within a cell receptacle area of a housing of the lithium ion battery module, wherein adjacent prismatic battery cells of the lineup are spaced apart from one another by fixed protrusions and a gap formed between the fixed protrusions, the fixed protrusions extending inwardly with respect to a width direction of the prismatic battery cells from internal surfaces of the housing forming the cell receptacle area, the width direction extending from respective first sides of the prismatic battery cells to respective second sides of the prismatic battery cells, wherein the fixed protrusions only contact a periphery of the prismatic battery cells at the respective first sides and respective second sides, wherein the fixed protrusions are oriented along a length direction of the prismatic battery cells, the length direction extending from respective bases of the prismatic battery cells to respective terminal ends of the prismatic battery cells.

2. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic battery cells are suspended horizontally by the fixed protrusions to produce a vertically-spaced arrangement.

3. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the internal surfaces of the housing comprise an internal sidewall of the housing and a surface of a cell column divider spaced apart from the internal sidewall.

4. The lithium ion battery module of claim 3 , comprising an additional lineup of additional prismatic battery cells positioned within an additional cell receptacle area of the housing, the additional cell receptacle area being adjacent to the cell receptacle area, wherein the additional prismatic battery cells of the additional lineup are spaced apart from one another by additional fixed protrusions and an additional gap formed between the additional fixed protrusions, the fixed protrusions extending inwardly with respect to a width direction of the prismatic battery cells from additional internal surfaces of the housing.

5. The lithium ion battery module of claim 4 , wherein the additional internal surfaces comprise an additional internal sidewall opposite from the internal sidewall and an additional surface of the cell column divider, wherein the cell column divider is positioned approximately midway between the internal sidewall and the additional internal sidewall.

6. The lithium ion battery module of claim 4 , wherein the fixed protrusions and the additional fixed protrusions are only in contact with respective side peripheries of the prismatic battery cells and the additional prismatic battery cells, respectively.

7. The lithium ion battery module of claim 4 , wherein the prismatic battery cells and the additional prismatic battery cells are electrically connected as a group at their respective terminals by an integrated bus bar and voltage sense assembly to produce a voltage output of the lithium ion battery module, wherein respective terminals of the prismatic battery cells and the additional prismatic battery cells extend outwardly from the cell receptacle region and the additional cell receptacle region, respectively, in the same direction.

8. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic battery cells are held in an uncompressed state within the cell receptacle region.

9. The lithium ion battery module of claim 8 , wherein the uncompressed state is defined by a lack of opposing normal forces placed on respective active areas of the prismatic battery cells.

10. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic battery cells are not fastened to the fixed protrusions.

11. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic battery cells in the cell receptacle area comprise respective active areas that are free to contact a thermal management fluid.

12. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic battery cells each comprise a casing only in contact with the fixed protrusions.

13. The lithium ion battery module of claim 11 , wherein the prismatic battery cells each comprise a bottom portion oriented crosswise to the body, the bottom portion being in contact with a thermal management feature of the lithium ion battery module.

14. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic battery cells comprise Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) as an anode active material.

15. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic battery cells comprise LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NMC) as a cathode active material.

16. The lithium ion battery module of claim 1 , comprising control circuitry configured to maintain a state of charge (SOC) of the prismatic battery cells between a first SOC and a second SOC, and the prismatic battery cells are configured to swell by no more than 5% in any direction when the SOC is maintained between the first SOC and the second SOC such that respective active areas of the prismatic battery cells do not touch during operation.

17. The lithium ion battery module of claim 16 , wherein the first SOC is 25% and the second SOC is 50%.