Hydraulic isotropically-pressurized battery modules

Abstract

Various arrangements of pressurized battery modules are detailed herein. Such a pressurized battery module may include a sealed battery module housing. The pressurized battery module may include multiple pouch cells. Each pouch cell may be located within the sealed battery module housing. The pressurized battery module may further include an insulative oil that is pressurized within the sealed housing. This insulative oil may exert pressure on an external surface of each pouch cell within the pressurized battery module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pressurized battery module, comprising:
 a sealed battery module housing, comprising a housing top and a housing bottom;   a plurality of support pillars;   a plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches, wherein each cylindrical battery cell pouch is supported by a subset of the plurality of support pillars;   a plurality of insulative seals, wherein:
 each insulative seal of the plurality of insulative seals is located between a cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches and the housing top; 
   a plurality of base insulators, wherein:
 each base insulator of the plurality of base insulators is located between a cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches and the housing bottom; and 
   a liquid that is pressurized within the sealed housing, wherein the liquid exerts pressure on an external surface of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches.   
     
     
         2 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , wherein three support pillars of the plurality of support pillars support each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches within the sealed battery module housing. 
     
     
         3 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid exerts isotropic pressure to a curved sidewall of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches. 
     
     
         4 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 3 , wherein the liquid exerts isotropic pressure on a top, a bottom, and a curved sidewall of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches. 
     
     
         5 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is an electrically-insulative oil. 
     
     
         6 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , wherein a center region of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches is an airspace. 
     
     
         7 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , wherein a center region of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches is a metallic pole. 
     
     
         8 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of leads; and   a polymer-based sealant, wherein the polymer-based sealant creates a seal for each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches through which a lead of the plurality of leads passes between the cylindrical battery cell pouch and an external environment outside of the sealed battery module housing.   
     
     
         9 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , wherein each pouch cell comprises a sulfur-based solid-state electrolyte. 
     
     
         10 . The pressurized battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed battery module housing is connected with a heating system that comprises a heating element and a circulator. 
     
     
         11 . A pressurized battery module system, comprising:
 a heating system, comprising:
 one or more heating elements; and 
 a circulator configured to circulate a liquid that is pressurized; 
   a sealed battery module housing, comprising a housing top and a housing bottom;   a plurality of support pillars;   a plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches, wherein each cylindrical battery cell pouch is supported by a subset of the plurality of support pillars;   a plurality of insulative seals, wherein:
 each insulative seal of the plurality of insulative seals is located between a cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches and the housing top; 
   a plurality of base insulators, wherein:
 each base insulator of the plurality of base insulators is located between a cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches and the housing bottom; and 
   the liquid that is pressurized within the sealed housing, wherein the liquid exerts pressure on an external surface of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches.   
     
     
         12 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more heating elements are exterior to the sealed battery module housing. 
     
     
         13 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 11 , wherein three support pillars of the plurality of support pillars support each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches within the sealed battery module housing. 
     
     
         14 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 11 , wherein the liquid exerts isotropic pressure to a curved sidewall of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches. 
     
     
         15 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 14 , wherein the liquid exerts isotropic pressure on a top, a bottom, and a curved sidewall of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches. 
     
     
         16 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid is an electrically-insulative oil. 
     
     
         17 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a plurality of leads; and   a polymer-based sealant, wherein the polymer-based sealant creates a seal for each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches through which a lead of the plurality of leads passes between the cylindrical battery cell pouch and an external environment outside of the sealed battery module housing.   
     
     
         18 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 17 , wherein a center region of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches is an airspace. 
     
     
         19 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 17 , wherein a center region of each cylindrical battery cell pouch of the plurality of cylindrical battery cell pouches is a metallic pole. 
     
     
         20 . The pressurized battery module system of  claim 11 , wherein each pouch cell comprises a sulfur-based solid-state electrolyte.