BATTERY PACKAGE CONTAINING POROUS WAFER BATTERY
A battery package comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries and a housing enclosing the plurality of porous wafer batteries. Each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries may be a one-wafer battery or a two-wafer battery. Each pore of a plurality of pores of the one-wafer battery comprises a respective anode and a respective cathode. A first wafer of the two-wafer battery is an anode and a second wafer of the two-wafer battery is a cathode. The battery package further comprises a plurality of heating wafers and a plurality of cooling wafers. A cavity of the housing may be filled with a liquid.
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This patent application claims benefit of provisional patent applications 62/930,016, 62/930,018, 62/930,019, 62/930,020, and 62/930,021 because of a common inventor, Slobodan Petrovic. The disclosures made in the provisional patent applications 62/930,016, 62/930,018, 62/930,019, 62/930,020, and 62/930,021 are hereby incorporated by reference. The disclosure made in U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,639 to Cho, et al. is also hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to a battery package. More particularly, the present invention relates to a battery package containing one or more porous wafer batteries.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONApplications for vehicles or stationary apparatus require large size batteries. Currently, the industry standard for large size battery is to take standardized or proprietary small scale batteries and package them together to form a large size battery. For example, hundreds or thousands of 18650-type batteries are packaged together to form a large size battery. It is inefficient because each cell requires casing, packaging or housing. Thus, it lowers the energy density of the stack. It also induces problems for cooling, longevity and maintenance, and replacement. Some current players in the industry, Panasonic and Tesla, tried to introduce the 2170-type cell. 2170-type is larger than 18650-type. The large number of individually packaging cells requires packaging with complex heat distribution capability and interconnections between the cells. Other manufacturers also introduced larger cells including cells as large as 20 Ah, in a pouch cell package. It results in packing a large number of pouch cells stacked next to one another or in strings on top of one another. It is still inefficient and faces many challenges due to non-uniform current distribution, sensitivity of welded contact tabs and excessive heat generation issue. Those batteries are also expensive because each 20 Ah cell has a pouch package. In large scale manufacturing, it still does not realize a true cost effective package and application.
Therefore, there is a need for a high-power density, high current and low cost battery stack facilitating efficiently scaling the size of the battery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present disclosure does not require special packing used in current large-size battery industry. A battery stack contains a plurality of single cell batteries is formed.
A battery may be made by one or more wafers. Each wafer has one or more pores. Each pore may include an anode and cathode and form a single battery. Then, the single batteries are stacked. Each wafer may include many cells or batteries.
In one example, each wafer does not need an individual package. Wafers can be stacked together to form a larger battery. It facilitates efficiency in production, space reduction, and cost reduction.
A plurality of wafers may be stacked in a housing. The housing can be a solid housing. The housing may include tabs, slots or grooves for holding the wafers in place. The housing may also include electrical connectors to transmit current to and from the wafers to an external device or destinations.
Liquid or gas may be within the housing. Liquid or heat facilitates heat dissipation so as to reduce the temperature of the wafers. Other wafers including cooling or heating elements may be included in the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA battery package comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries and a housing enclosing the plurality of porous wafer batteries. Each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries may be a one-wafer battery or a two-wafer battery. Each pore of a plurality of pores of the one-wafer battery comprises a respective anode and a respective cathode. A first wafer of the two-wafer battery is an anode and a second wafer of the two-wafer battery is a cathode.
The battery package further comprises a plurality of heating wafers and a plurality of cooling wafers. A cavity of the housing may be filled with a liquid.
In one example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 4 inches. In another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 6 inches. In still another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 8 inches. In yet another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 12 inches. In yet still another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 18 inches.
In examples of the present disclosure, the single porous wafer battery 140 comprises a plurality of pores 142 (shown in dashed lines in a side view plot). The battery package 100 does not contain another porous wafer battery. Each of the plurality of pores 142 comprises a respective anode 143 and a respective cathode 145. Each of the plurality of pores 142 is parallel to one another. A depth of each of the plurality of pores 142 is larger than a half of a thickness of the single porous wafer battery 140.
In examples of the present disclosure, the battery package 100 is communicated with an optional external system 192 (shown in dashed lines because it is optional) by a wired or wireless connection 191. The optional external system 192 may be a mobile device or a power grid in a house. The battery package 100 is connected to an optional heating device 194 (shown in dashed lines because it is optional) through a pipe 193 to heat up the battery package 100 in an initial ramping up state to increase efficiency. The optional heating device 194 may be a heater or a heat exchanger. The battery package 100 is connected to an optional conditional device 196 (shown in dashed lines because it is optional) through a pipe 195 to reduce the temperature of the battery package 100 during operation. The optional conditional device 196 may be a radiator, a compressor, or a heat sink.
In examples of the present disclosure, the battery package 100 excludes a wafer-level sub-housing 121 (shown in dotted lines because of being excluded) enclosing the single porous wafer battery 140.
In examples of the present disclosure, the single porous two-wafer battery 230 does not contain another porous wafer battery.
In examples of the present disclosure, the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is filled with liquid or air so as to increase damping and to reduce damage when the battery package 200 is under shock or vibration. In one example, the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is filled with water. In another example, the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is filled with water containing coolant.
When the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is in a positive pressure environment, it may reduce leaching of exterior ambient substance into the battery package 200. When the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is in a vacuum state (in one example, less than one torr), it may reduce leaching of substance of the battery package 200 into environment.
In examples of the present disclosure, a plurality of inner surfaces of the housing 220 is coated with a layer 271 (shown in dashed line because of being optional) of fire retardant material. A plurality of outer surfaces of the housing 220 is coated with a layer 273 (shown in dashed line because of being optional) of fire retardant material. The fire retardant material may be made of Parylene-F.
The porous wafer battery 310 is inserted in the first slot 371. The first porous wafer 340 is inserted in the second slot 373. The second porous wafer 350 is inserted in the third slot 375. A shortest distance 381 between the porous wafer battery 310 and the porous two-wafer battery 330 is larger than a distance 383 between the first porous wafer 340 and the second porous wafer 350.
The housing 420 comprises a cavity 422. The cavity 422 of the housing 420 is filled with liquid or air so as to increase damping and to reduce damage when the battery package 400 is under shock or vibration. In one example, the cavity 422 of the housing 420 is filled with water. In another example, the cavity 422 of the housing 420 is filled with water containing coolant. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 410 are sealed. The sealing process may use one or more caps similar to those of U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,639 to Cho, et al. except that no dicing process is needed. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 410 are submerged in the liquid.
In examples of the present disclosure, the battery package 400 further comprises a plurality of spacers 490 (shown in dashed lines because of being optional). Each of the plurality of spacers 490 is between a respective pair of the plurality of slots 470. Each of the plurality of spacers 490 is of a circular ring shape or of arc sections of a ring shape.
In examples of the present disclosure, the housing 520 further comprises an anode tab 527 and a cathode tab 529. The anode tab 527 and the cathode tab 529 are on a same end of the housing 520. The battery package 500 further comprises a first plurality of conductive members 591 and a second plurality of conductive members 593 (shown in dashed lines because of being an example). The first plurality of conductive members 591 connect a respective anode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 510 to the anode tab 527 of the housing 520. A second plurality of conductive members 593 connect a respective cathode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 510 to the cathode tab 529 of the housing 520. The first plurality of conductive members 591 and the second plurality of conductive members 593 may be conductive traces, connectors, or wires.
In examples of the present disclosure, the plurality of porous wafer batteries 510 are configured in parallel in the circuit including the first plurality of conductive members 591 and the second plurality of conductive members 593. Therefore, even the porous wafer battery corresponding to the slot 579 is removed, the battery package 500 is still functioning.
In examples of the present disclosure, the housing 720 further comprises an anode tab 727 and a cathode tab 729. The anode tab 727 and the cathode tab 729 are on opposite ends of the housing 720 respectively. The battery package 700 further comprises a first plurality of conductive members 791 and a second plurality of conductive members 793 (shown in dashed lines because of being an example). The first plurality of conductive members 791 connect a respective anode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 710 to the anode tab 727 of the housing 720. A second plurality of conductive members 793 connect a respective cathode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 710 to the cathode tab 729 of the housing 720. The first plurality of conductive members 791 and the second plurality of conductive members 793 may be conductive traces, connectors, or wires.
Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein are possible. For example, a number of the plurality of pores may vary. A number of wafers in a battery package may vary. Other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in this art, and all such modifications are deemed to fall within the purview of the present invention, as defined by the claims.
Claims
1. A battery package comprising
- one or more porous wafer batteries; and
- a housing enclosing the one or more porous wafer batteries.
2. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the battery package excludes a respective wafer-level sub-housing enclosing each of the one or more porous wafer batteries.
3. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries comprises
- a single porous wafer battery comprising a plurality of pores;
- wherein the battery package excludes an additional porous wafer battery; and
- wherein each of the plurality of pores comprises a respective anode; and a respective cathode.
4. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries comprises
- a single porous two-wafer battery comprising a first porous wafer serving as an anode, the first porous wafer comprising a first plurality of pores; and a second porous wafer serving as a cathode, the second porous wafer comprising a second plurality of pores.
5. The battery package of claim 1, wherein a plurality of inner surfaces of the housing is coated with a layer of fire retardant material.
6. The battery package of claim 1 further comprising
- a heating wafer enclosed by the housing, the heating wafer comprising a heating element.
7. The battery package of claim 1, further comprising
- a cooling wafer enclosed by the housing, the cooling wafer comprising a cooling element.
8. The battery package of claim 1, further comprising
- a cooling wafer comprising a cooling element;
- wherein a majority portion of the cooling wafer is disposed external to the housing; and
- wherein a minority portion of the cooling wafer is disposed in the housing.
9. The battery package of claim 1, further comprising
- a temperature-adjusting wafer enclosed by the housing, the temperature-adjusting wafer comprising
- a heating wafer enclosed by the housing, the heating wafer comprising a heating element; and
- a cooling wafer enclosed by the housing, the cooling wafer comprising a cooling element.
10. The battery package of claim 1, wherein an internal volume of the housing is filled with a liquid; and
- wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries are sealed; and
- wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries are submerged in the liquid.
11. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises one or more slots; and
- wherein each porous wafer of the one or more porous wafers is inserted into a respective slot of the one or more slots.
12. The battery package of claim 11, wherein each slot of the one or more slots comprises a groove; and wherein a contact region of each porous wafer of the one or more porous wafers is inserted into the groove of the respective slot of the one or more slots.
13. The battery package of claim 12, wherein a spacer is between a selected slot of the one and more slots and an adjacent slot of the one and more slots.
14. The battery package of claim 12, wherein the housing further comprises wherein the battery package further comprises
- an anode tab; and
- a cathode tab; and
- a first plurality of conductive members connecting a respective anode of each of the one or more wafer batteries to the anode tab of the housing; and
- a second plurality of conductive members connecting a respective cathode of each of the one or more wafer batteries to the cathode tab of the housing.
15. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries comprises
- a porous one-wafer battery comprising a plurality of pores; and
- a porous two-wafer battery comprising a first porous wafer serving as an anode; and a second porous wafer serving as a cathode;
- wherein each of the plurality of pores of the porous one-wafer battery comprises a respective anode; and a respective cathode.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 2, 2020
Publication Date: May 6, 2021
Applicant: Xnrgi, Inc. (Bothell, WA)
Inventors: Gerard Christopher D'Couto (Edmonds, WA), Slobodan Petrovic (Happy Valley, OR)
Application Number: 17/087,604