Electrochemical cell designs with anode plates and connections which facilitate heat dissipation

摘要

Heat generation is an important concern of electrochemical cell design. The invention is directed toward a cell design that efficiently and responsively dissipates heat by transfer from the cell to the casing through multiple parallel connections. This invention relates to battery designs having cell stacks in which both the anode and cathode are of a plate structure and the anode plates are independently connected to the cell casing or connected thereto via a bridge or bus. They may also consist of cell assemblies of wound electrode configurations or plate-serpentine configurations having multiple parallel connections to the cell casing. Surface area is an important criterion in battery design since it increases the current draw capability of the battery. The total surface area of this cell is potentially larger than any of the above mentioned types without sacrificing safety since the rate of heat conduction along the electrode pathway is approximately proportional to half an individual plate length, rather than the total anode length. Also, since the rate of heat leaving the cell is in excess of that found in traditional, galaxy or cathode plate and serpentine anode types of cells, the probability of cell venting is minimal.