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EP-4738530-A1 - BATTERY CELL FOR A BATTERY PACK OF A VEHICLE, VEHICLE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A BATTERY CELL FOR A BATTERY PACK OF A VEHICLE

EP4738530A1EP 4738530 A1EP4738530 A1EP 4738530A1EP-4738530-A1

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a battery cell (14) for a battery pack of a vehicle. The battery cell (14) comprises a chemically active portion (20) comprising an anode, a cathode, and a separator. Moreover, the battery cell (14) comprises an enclosure (18), wherein the chemically active portion (20) is arranged inside the enclosure (18). Furthermore, the battery cell (14) comprises at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) thermally coupled to the chemically active portion (20) and the enclosure (18) such that the thermally conductive bridge element (36) may transfer heat from the chemically active portion (20) to the enclosure (18). The disclosure is also directed to a vehicle comprising the battery cell (14) and to a method for manufacturing the battery cell (14) for the battery pack of the vehicle.

Inventors

  • KARLSSON, DANIEL
  • PERSSON, KLAS

Assignees

  • Volvo Car Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241104

Claims (15)

  1. A battery cell (14) for a battery pack (12) of a vehicle (10), the battery cell (14) comprising: - a chemically active portion (20) comprising an anode, a cathode, and a separator, - an enclosure (18), wherein the chemically active portion (20) is arranged inside the enclosure (18), and - at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) thermally coupled to the chemically active portion (20) and the enclosure (18) such that the thermally conductive bridge element (36) may transfer heat from the chemically active portion (20) to the enclosure (18).
  2. The battery cell (14) of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) is mechanically connected to the chemically active portion (20) and/or to the enclosure (18).
  3. The battery cell (14) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the thermally conductive bridge element (36) has the form of an elongated bar.
  4. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermally conductive bridge element (36) extends over at least 80% of a length of the chemically active portion (20).
  5. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a surface of the thermally conductive bridge element (36) contacting the chemically active portion (20) is substantially flat or concave.
  6. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the enclosure (18) has a prismatic shape having a substantially rectangular cross-section, wherein the substantially rectangular cross-section has two longer sides being opposed to each other and two shorter sides being opposed to each other, and wherein the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) is thermally coupled to the enclosure (18) on at least one of the two shorter sides of the substantially rectangular cross-section.
  7. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery cell (14) comprises at least two thermally conductive bridge elements (36) each thermally conductive bridge element (36) thermally coupled to the enclosure (18) and to the chemically active portion (20).
  8. The battery cell (14) of claim 7, wherein the at least two thermally conductive bridge elements (36) are arranged at opposite ends of the chemically active portion (20).
  9. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) comprises a mounting slope (48) on at least one end (44, 46).
  10. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) comprises an electrolyte guiding feature (50).
  11. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein the electrolyte guiding feature (50) comprises a groove (52) arranged on an outer side of the thermally conductive bridge element (36) and/or a channel extending through an interior of the thermally conductive bridge element (36).
  12. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermally conductive bridge element (36) comprises a porous structure configured to hold and/or guide an electrolyte.
  13. The battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) comprises a thermally conductive polymer material.
  14. A vehicle (10) comprising a battery cell (14) of any one of the preceding claims.
  15. A method for manufacturing a battery cell (14) of any one of claims 1 to 12 for a battery pack (12) of a vehicle (10), the method comprising: - providing the chemically active portion (20), mechanically connecting the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) to the chemically active portion (20) and, subsequently, arranging the chemically active portion (20) together with the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) in the enclosure (18), or - providing the enclosure (18), mechanically connecting the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) to the enclosure (18) and, subsequently, arranging the chemically active portion (20) in the enclosure (18), or - providing the enclosure (18), arranging the chemically active portion (20) in the enclosure (18), and, subsequently, inserting the at least one thermally conductive bridge element (36) in a gap between the enclosure (18) and the chemically active portion (20).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a battery cell for a battery pack of a vehicle. The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle comprising the battery cell for a battery pack of the vehicle. Moreover, the disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing a battery cell for a battery pack of a vehicle. BACKGROUND ART A battery pack for a vehicle may comprise a plurality of battery cells. During charging or discharging, the battery cells of the battery pack heat up due to chemical conversion processes in their chemically active portions. Accumulated heat may however damage the battery cells or at least cause premature ageing of the chemically active portions of the battery cells. Thus, being able to efficiently transfer heat generated inside the chemically active portion of a battery cell to an outside of the battery cell is paramount in maintaining a high level of health of the battery pack for a long period of time during usage of the battery pack. SUMMARY It is therefore an objective of the present disclosure to provide a battery cell that has improved heat dissipating capacities. The problem is at least partially solved or alleviated by the subject matter of the independent claims of the present disclosure, wherein further examples are incorporated in the dependent claims. According to a first aspect, there is provided a battery cell for a battery pack of a SE:TOP vehicle. The battery cell comprises: a chemically active portion comprising an anode, a cathode and a separator,an enclosure, wherein the chemically active portion is arranged inside the enclosure, andat least one thermally conductive bridge element thermally coupled to the chemically active portion and the enclosure such that the thermally conductive bridge element may transfer heat from the chemically active portion to the enclosure. The chemically active portion allows storing electric energy in chemical form. This means that during charging of the battery cell, electric energy is converted into chemical energy in the chemically active portion with the help of an electrolyte. During discharging of the battery cell, chemical energy stored in the chemically active portion is converted back to electric energy, again with the help of the electrolyte. The anode and the cathode of the chemically active portion each are electrically connectable to an electric terminal or pole of the battery cell arranged on an outside of the enclosure of the battery cell. Thus, charging the battery cell is accomplished by applying an electric voltage across the poles of the battery cell connected to the anode and cathode, respectively. Discharging the battery cell is accomplished by connecting the poles of the battery cell in an electric circuit outside the battery cell. Since the chemically active portion is arranged inside the enclosure, the enclosure provides protection to the chemically active portion from environmental influences, such as mechanical impact and/or environmental media. Additionally, the enclosure holds electrolyte within the battery cell and prevents it from leaking to an environment. The enclosure may be flexible, e.g. in the form of a bag, or rigid, e.g. in the form of a can, particularly a metal can. In the present configuration, the chemically conductive bridge element is thermally coupled to both the chemically active portion and to the enclosure. This way, heat generated within the chemically active portion during charging or discharging may efficiently be transferred to the enclosure of the battery cell and from there to an outside of the battery pack comprising the battery cell. In other words, the battery cell of the battery pack may be efficiently and effectively cooled. Cooling of the battery cell is of particular importance if the battery pack constitutes a traction battery of the vehicle. This is due to high power supply to the battery cells of the traction battery during charging of the traction battery and due to high power drain from the battery cells of the traction battery while driving, especially while accelerating, the vehicle. Efficient and effective cooling enhances the performance of the battery cell and/or improves ageing properties of the battery cell. In an example, the chemically active portion may be provided as a stack of the anode, the separator and the cathode. The stack may comprise multiple layers of the anode, the separator and the cathode. Such chemically active portions may be used in so-called prismatic battery cells, in so-called pouch battery cells, and/or in so-called blade battery cells. In another example, the chemically active portion may be provided as a wound assembly of the anode, the separator and the cathode. The wound assembly of the chemically active portion may comprise a substantially cylindrical shape having a substantially circular base area. Such chemically active portions may be used in so-called cylindrical battery cells. Alternatively, the wound assembly may comprise