In-situ short circuit protection system and method for high-energy electrochemical cells

Patent · 31 December 1999

OSTI ID:873139

Gauthier, Michel ^[1]; Domroese, Michael K ^[2]; Hoffman, Joseph A ^[3]; Lindeman, David D ^[4]; Noel, Joseph-Robert-Gaetan ^[5]; Radewald, Vern E ^[6]; Rouillard, Jean ^[7]; Rouillard, Roger ^[8]; Shiota, Toshimi ^[9]; Trice, Jennifer L ^[10]

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1. La Prairie, CA
2. South St. Paul, MN
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Hudson, WI
5. St-Hubert, CA
6. Austin, TX
7. Saint-Luc, CA
8. Beloeil, CA
9. St. Bruno, CA
10. Eagan, MN

An in-situ thermal management system for an energy storage device. The energy storage device includes a plurality of energy storage cells each being coupled in parallel to common positive and negative connections. Each of the energy storage cells, in accordance with the cell's technology, dimensions, and thermal/electrical properties, is configured to have a ratio of energy content-to-contact surface area such that thermal energy produced by a short-circuit in a particular cell is conducted to a cell adjacent the particular cell so as to prevent the temperature of the particular cell from exceeding a breakdown temperature. In one embodiment, a fuse is coupled in series with each of a number of energy storage cells. The fuses are activated by a current spike capacitively produced by a cell upon occurrence of a short-circuit in the cell, thereby electrically isolating the short-circuited cell from the common positive and negative connections.

• Research Organization: United States Advanced Battery Consortium, Dearborn, MI (US)
• DOE Contract Number: FC02-91CE50336
• Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (Saint Paul, MN); Hydro-Quebec (Montreal, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6099986
• OSTI ID: 873139
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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