Back to results
US 6,146,786 AGranted
Electrochemical storage cell having a central core providing mechanical, thermal, and electrical functions
AssigneeHughes Electronics Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Stadnick, Walter R. Oswald
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An energy storage cell includes a vessel having a wall with a pair of oppositely disposed apertures therethrough, and an electrochemical cell, such as a nickel-hydrogen cell, within the vessel interior. A central core extends through the oppositely disposed apertures and performs all basic electrical, compressive support, and thermal removal functions for the energy storage cell. The central core includes electrical interconnects for the plate sets of the electrochemical cell, axial compression loading supports for the plate sets, and a heat pipe or other structure for removing heat from the interior of the vessel.
Claims20
An energy storage cell, comprising:
- a vessel having a wall with a pair of oppositely disposed apertures therethrough, and a vessel interior within the wall;
- an electrochemical cell within the vessel interior, the electrochemical cell comprising at least one plate set, each plate set comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode;
- a thermally conductive central core extending through the oppositely disposed apertures, the central core including an electrically conductive first length, an electrically conductive second length joined to but insulated from the first length, and an electrical insulator between the first length and the second length, the electrical insulator lying within the vessel interior;
- a pair of pressure seals, one pressure seal between the central core and the vessel wall at each of the oppositely disposed apertures;
- a negative electrical interconnect extending between the negative electrode of the at least one plate set and the first length of the central core at a location within the vessel interior;
- a negative terminal in electrical communication with the first length of the central core at a location outside the vessel interior;
- a positive electrical interconnect extending between the positive electrode of the at least one plate set and the second length of the central core at a location within the vessel interior;
- a positive terminal in electrical communication with the second length of the central core at a location outside the vessel interior;
- a first compressive support affixed to the central core at a first location;
- and
- a second compressive support affixed to the central core at a second location, with the at least one plate set being captured between the first compressive support and the second compressive support and loaded in compression between the first compressive support and the second compressive support.
8 more elements
An energy storage cell, comprising:
- a vessel having a wall with a pair of oppositely disposed apertures therethrough, and a vessel interior within the wall;
- an electrochemical cell within the vessel interior, the electrochemical cell comprising at least one plate set, each plate set comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode;
- a central core extending through the oppositely disposed apertures, the central core comprising an electrically conductive first length, an electrically conductive second length, and an insulator disposed between and joining the first length and the second length, the central core including
- means for providing electrical contact of the first length to the positive electrodes of each plate set and for providing electrical contact of the second length to the negative electrodes of each plate set,
- means for applying an axial compressive load acting through each of the plate sets, and
- means for removing heat from the electrochemical cell;
- and
- a pair of pressure seals, one pressure seal between the central core and the vessel wall at each of the oppositely disposed apertures.
5 more elements
An energy storage cell, comprising:
- a pressure vessel having a wall with a pair of oppositely disposed apertures therethrough, and a pressure vessel interior within the wall;
- a nickel-hydrogen electrochemical cell within the pressure vessel interior, the electrochemical cell comprising a plurality of plate sets in facing relationship to each other, each plate set comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode;
- a thermally conductive central core extending through the oppositely disposed apertures, the central core including an electrically conductive first length, an electrically conductive second length joined to but insulated from the first length, and an electrical insulator between the first length and the second length, the electrical insulator lying within the vessel interior;
- a heat pipe within an interior of the central core;
- a pair of pressure seals, one pressure seal between the central core and the vessel wall at each of the oppositely disposed apertures;
- a negative electrical interconnect extending between the negative electrode of each plate set and the first length of the central core at a location within the vessel interior;
- a negative terminal in electrical communication with the first length of the central core at a location outside the vessel interior;
- a positive electrical interconnect extending between the positive electrode of each plate set and the second length of the central core at a location within the vessel interior;
- a positive terminal in electrical communication with the second length of the central core at a location outside the vessel interior;
- a first compressive support affixed to the central core at a first location;
- and
- a second compressive support affixed to the central core at a second location, with the plurality of plate sets being captured between the first compressive support and the second compressive support and loaded in compression between the first compressive support and the second compressive support.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.