Modular approach for advanced battery modules having different electrical characteristics

Abstract

Present embodiments include a series of lithium battery modules having a plurality of electrochemical cells having different electrical characteristics such as voltages and/or capacities. The battery modules are each constructed using components, architectures, production methods, among other things, in common with each other. The lithium ion battery modules may include a first battery module type having a first capacity and a first voltage, a second battery module type having a second capacity and a second voltage, and, in some embodiments, additional battery module types (e.g., a third battery module type having a third capacity and a third voltage) having different voltages and/or capacities. The lithium ion battery modules may all have the same footprint.

1 . A lithium ion battery module product portfolio, comprising:
 a first lithium ion battery module product comprising a first housing configured to receive a first set of prismatic electrochemical cells, the housing including a base having a first footprint;   a second lithium ion battery module product comprising a second housing configured to receive a second set of prismatic electrochemical cells, the second housing including a base having a second footprint that is substantially the same as the first footprint, wherein a vertical profile opposing the base of the first and second housings is different for each of the first and second lithium ion battery module products;   each prismatic electrochemical cell of the first and second sets of prismatic electrochemical cells conforming to the same manufacturing specifications, wherein the first housing of the first lithium ion battery module product is sized to fit a first number of the prismatic electrochemical cells, the second housing of the second lithium ion battery module product is sized to fit a second number of the prismatic electrochemical cells, and the first and second numbers of the prismatic lithium ion electrochemical cells are different; and   a component configured to interchangeably couple with a first region of the first housing of the first lithium ion battery module product and a second region of the second housing of the second lithium ion battery module product, the first and second regions having corresponding locations on the first and second housings.   
     
     
         2 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second housings each comprise a pair of terminal regions and a pair of terminals located in the pair of terminal regions, the respective pairs of terminal regions of the first lithium ion battery module product and the second lithium ion battery module product have the same size and are located in corresponding locations on the respective first and second housings. 
     
     
         3 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the component is a relay configured to interchangeably couple with both of the first and second lithium ion battery module products, wherein the first region comprises a first relay region and the second region comprises a second relay region, and the first and second relay regions each comprises a set of connectors configured to mechanically couple to the relay. 
     
     
         4 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the component is a control board having control circuitry configured to control operational parameters of the first and second lithium ion battery module products, wherein the first region comprises a first control board region and the second region comprises a second control board region, and the first and second control board regions each comprises a set of connectors configured to mechanically couple to the control board, and wherein the first and second control board regions are positioned on corresponding top portions of the first and second housings, the corresponding top portions being located opposite the respective bases of the first and second lithium ion battery module products. 
     
     
         5 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the component is a barbed fitting configured to interface with a vent hose of an xEV, wherein the first region comprises a first vent region located on a side of the first housing of the first lithium ion battery module product and the second region comprises a second vent region located on a side of the housing of the second lithium ion battery module product, the first and second vent regions are configured to mechanically couple to the barbed fitting, and are each positioned on a corresponding side portion of the respective housing, the corresponding side portion being located between the respective base and a respective top portion opposite the respective base. 
     
     
         6 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the component is a fan assembly having a fan, a fan cover, a fan filter, and a fan filter cover, wherein the first and second housings of the first and second lithium ion battery module products each comprise a top portion configured to mechanically couple to the fan assembly, and the fan cover is shaped to conform around a section of the respective top portions. 
     
     
         7 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second housings comprise respective top portions opposite the bases, the top portions having electrical layouts comprising regions configured to mechanically couple with a control board and a relay, and the component comprises a top cover configured to interchangeably cover the top portion of the first and second lithium ion battery module products. 
     
     
         8 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing and the second housing each have a layout comprising a plurality of regions, each region of the plurality of regions having a particular location on the respective housing and being configured to mechanically couple to a particular component, and the particular locations and particular components of the plurality of regions of the first and second lithium ion battery module products are matching. 
     
     
         9 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second lithium ion battery module products each comprise a respective set of the particular components, the particular components representing between 60% and 95% of a total part count of the first and second lithium ion battery module products. 
     
     
         10 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 9 , wherein the particular components of each of the first and second lithium ion battery module products comprise a relay configured to couple a voltage output of the respective number of prismatic electrochemical cells with a terminal of the respective battery module product, a top cover for a corresponding top portion of the first and second housings positioned opposite their respective bases, a control board comprising circuitry configured to control operational parameters of the first and second lithium ion battery module products, a low voltage connector configured to couple the relay with an xEV, and terminals configured to provide a voltage output of the first and second lithium ion battery module products. 
     
     
         11 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 10 , wherein the first housing comprises a first cell receptacle region, and wherein the second housing comprises a second cell receptacle region that is larger than the first cell receptacle region, and the first and second cell receptacle regions are configured to hold the first and second numbers of prismatic electrochemical cells in the first and second lithium ion battery module products, respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 11 , wherein the first number of the prismatic electrochemical cells of the first lithium ion battery module product are electrically coupled as a group such that the first lithium ion battery module product has a first voltage output and a first capacity, and wherein the second number of the prismatic electrochemical cells of the second lithium ion battery module product are electrically coupled as a group such that the second lithium ion battery module product has a second voltage output and a second capacity, wherein the second voltage output is the same as the first voltage output, and the second capacity is larger than the first capacity. 
     
     
         13 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second voltage outputs are 12 volts (V), the first capacity is 10 amp-hours (Ah), and the second capacity is 20 Ah. 
     
     
         14 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , comprising a third lithium ion battery module product comprising a third housing configured to receive a third set of prismatic electrochemical cells, the third housing having a respective base with a third footprint as the first and second lithium ion battery module products, and a respective vertical profile of the third housing is different than the respective vertical profiles of the first and second lithium ion battery module products;
 wherein the third housing is sized to fit a third number of the prismatic electrochemical cells, and the third number of the prismatic electrochemical cells is greater than the first and second numbers; and   wherein the third housing comprises a third region, and the component is configured to interchangeably couple with the first, second, and third regions.   
     
     
         15 . The lithium ion battery module product portfolio of  claim 1 , wherein the prismatic electrochemical cells each have a cathode including lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NMC) (e.g., LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 ) as a cathode active material, and an anode including LTO (Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 ) as an anode active material. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules, comprising:
 producing a first lithium ion battery module by a first process comprising:
 disposing a first number of prismatic electrochemical cells having a set of standardized dimensions in a first housing, the first housing having a first base with a length and a width; and 
 electrically connecting the first number of prismatic electrochemical cells such that the first lithium ion battery module has a first voltage and a first capacity; 
   producing a second battery module by a second process comprising:
 disposing a second number of prismatic electrochemical cells having the set of standardized dimensions in a second housing different from the first housing, the second housing having a second base with the length and the width; and 
 electrically connecting the second number of prismatic electrochemical cells such that the second lithium ion battery module has a second voltage and a second capacity; 
   wherein the first process and the second process collectively comprise using a type of component configured to interchangeably couple with a first region of the first housing of the first lithium ion battery module and a second region of the housing of the second lithium ion battery module, the first and second regions having the same location on their first and second housings, respectively.   
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules of  claim 16 , wherein electrically connecting the first number of prismatic electrochemical cells such that the first lithium ion battery module has the first voltage and the first capacity comprises connecting the first number of prismatic electrochemical cells serially to provide a 12 volt (V) output, and a 10 amp-hour (Ah) capacity, and wherein electrically connecting the second number of prismatic electrochemical cells such that the second lithium ion battery module has the second voltage and the second capacity comprises connecting the second number of prismatic electrochemical cells in a combination of serial and parallel connections to provide a 12 V output, and a 20 Ah capacity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules of  claim 16 , comprising:
 producing a third lithium battery module by a third process comprising:
 disposing a third number of prismatic electrochemical cells having the standardized dimensions in a third housing different from the first and second housings, the third housing having a third base with the length and the width; and 
 electrically connecting the third number of prismatic electrochemical cells such that the third lithium ion battery module has a third voltage and a third capacity; and 
 wherein the first, second, and third number of prismatic electrochemical cells are different, and the first base, the second base, and the third base all have the same length and width. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules of  claim 18 , comprising performing the first and second processes using a plurality of components that are each configured to interchangeably couple with the first and second lithium ion battery modules and third lithium ion battery modules, but not the third lithium ion battery module. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules of  claim 19 , wherein the components comprise a relay configured to couple a voltage output of the respective number of prismatic electrochemical cells with a terminal of the respective battery module, a top cover for a top portion of the respective housings positioned opposite the respective bases, a control board comprising circuitry configured to control operational parameters of the first and second lithium ion battery modules, a low voltage connector configured to couple the relay with an xEV, and terminals configured to provide a voltage output of the first and second lithium ion battery modules. 
     
     
         21 . The method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules of  claim 19 , comprising performing the first, second, and third processes using a plurality of components that are each configured to interchangeably couple with the first, second, and third lithium ion battery modules. 
     
     
         22 . The method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules of  claim 18 , wherein the prismatic electrochemical cells each have a cathode including lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NMC) (e.g., LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 ) as a cathode active material, and an anode including LTO (Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 ) as an anode active material. 
     
     
         23 . The method of manufacturing lithium ion battery modules of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second processes collectively comprise:
 conveying the first and second housings along a first path and a second path, respectively, in a manufacturing system;   converging the first and second paths in a first module integration region of the manufacturing system where a source of the component configured to interchangeably couple with the first and second lithium ion battery modules is located;   integrating a first one of the component with the first housing and a second one of the component with the second housing;   converging the first and second paths in an additional module integration region of the manufacturing system where a source of an additional component configured to interchangeably couple with the first and second lithium ion battery modules is located; and   integrating a first one of the additional component with the first housing and a second one of the additional component with the second housing.   
     
     
         24 . A lithium ion battery module product portfolio, comprising:
 a first lithium ion battery module product having a first layout, comprising:
 a first module housing configured to house a first set of electrochemical cells, wherein the first module housing comprises:
 a first top portion having terminals configured to provide a voltage output of the first lithium ion battery module product; 
 a first base disposed opposite the top portion and having a set of dimensions; and 
 a first cell receptacle region disposed between the first top portion and the first base, the first cell receptacle region being configured to receive the first set of electrochemical cells in an orientation; and 
 
   a second lithium ion battery module product having a second layout, comprising:
 a second module housing configured to house a second set of electrochemical cells, the second set of electrochemical cells having a greater number of electrochemical cells compared to the first set of electrochemical cells, wherein the second module housing comprises:
 a second top portion having terminals configured to provide a voltage output of the second lithium ion battery module product; 
 a second base disposed opposite the second top portion and having the same set of dimensions as the first base; and 
 a second cell receptacle region disposed between the second top portion and the second base, the second cell receptacle region being configured to receive the second set of electrochemical cells in the orientation; and 
 
 a plurality of components configured to interchangeably couple with a plurality of corresponding first regions of the first battery module housing and a plurality of corresponding second regions of the second module housing, and the first and second layouts are such that the corresponding first and second regions have the same location on their respective housings.