Battery module including nodal cell compression and heat rejection

A battery cell assembly method, comprising:

• securing a growth plate within a first cell frame on at least two sides of the growth plate, the growth plate having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, wherein the first face of the growth plate includes a plurality of spacing features disposed along the first face of the growth plate, and each of the plurality of spacing features having a protruding portion extending away from the first face of the growth plate and contacting the first cell frame, the plurality of spacing features offsetting the first face of the growth plate from the first cell frame;
• placing a battery cell having a first face and a second face opposite the first face within the first frame such that the first face of the battery cell contacts the second face of the growth plate;
• aligning an outer peripheral of a second cell frame within an outer peripheral of the first cell frame such that the second cell frame contacts the second face of the battery cell;
• and
• coupling the first cell frame to the second cell frame along an overlap of the outer peripheral of the first cell frame and the outer peripheral of the second cell frame such that a uniform pressure is applied along both the first and second faces of the battery cell.

A battery module, comprising:

• a first battery cell capable of expanding and having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, with the first face moving away from the second face as a result of the first battery cell expanding;
• a first growth plate having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the first face of the first battery cell contacting the second face of the first growth plate;
• a first cell frame securing the first growth plate on at least two sides of the first growth plate;
• the first face of the first growth plate including a first plurality of spacing features disposed along the first face of the first growth plate, each of the first plurality of spacing features having a protruding portion extending away from the first face of the first growth plate and contacting the first cell frame, the first plurality of spacing features offset the first face of the first growth plate from the first cell frame creating a first cavity between the first face of the first growth plate and the first cell frame;
• a second battery cell capable of expanding and having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, with the first face moving away from the second face as a result of the second battery cell expanding;
• a second cell frame having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the first face of the second cell frame contacting the second face of the first battery cell, and the second face of the second cell frame contacting the first face of the second battery cell;
• a second growth plate having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the second face of the second battery cell contacting the first face of the second growth plate;
• a third cell frame securing the second growth plate on at least two sides of the second growth plate;
• the second face of the second growth plate including a second plurality of spacing features disposed along the second face of the second growth plate, each of the second plurality of spacing features having a protruding portion extending away from the second face of the second growth plate and contacting the third cell frame, the second plurality of spacing features offset the second face of the second growth plate from the third cell frame creating a second cavity between the second face of the second growth plate and the third cell frame;
• and
• wherein the first cavity decreases when the first battery cell expands, and the second cavity decreases when the second battery cell expands.