DE102022117062A1 - Battery cell housing - Google Patents

Abstract

A battery cell housing (1) for a battery cell (2) for a motor vehicle to accommodate an electrical active material (3) of the battery cell (2) is proposed. According to the invention, the battery cell housing (1) is closed and has an at least partially circumferential tear line (7), the tear line (7) being designed to be opened to form a removal opening (10) for the active material (3).

Description

The invention relates to a battery cell housing for a battery cell for a motor vehicle for accommodating an electrically active material of the battery cell, a battery cell for a battery with a battery cell housing, a motor vehicle with a battery, a method for producing a battery cell and methods with the features for recycling the battery cell.

Current developments in the automotive industry and the electronics industry in general show a constantly growing demand for battery cells in order to be able to cover the growing need for electromobility or electronic devices. In order to be able to cover the need for raw materials or individual components, as in the US 2013 00 59 181 shown, cell lid made of composite material. These can be opened and closed using a tool, open when there is excess pressure inside the cell and burn in the event of a fire.

However, there are also calls for the environment to be less polluted. Currently, the battery cell casings, which are usually permanently closed by welding, are completely shredded, which means that there is no separation of the battery cell casing and the active material. This has a negative impact on the reprocessing and value chain of both the active material and the material of the battery cell housing.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least partially overcome at least one of the disadvantages described above. In particular, it is the object of the invention to easily optimize the reprocessing and value chain of materials of a battery cell.

The above object is achieved by a battery cell housing with the features of independent patent claim 1, by a battery cell with the features of independent patent claim 10, by a motor vehicle with the features of independent patent claim 11, by a method for producing a battery cell with the features of the independent Claim 12 and by a method with the features for recycling the battery cell of independent claim 14. Further features and details of the invention emerge from the subclaims, the description and the drawings. Features and details that are described in connection with the battery cell housing according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the battery cell according to the invention and/or in connection with the motor vehicle according to the invention and/or in connection with the method according to the invention and vice versa, so with regard to the disclosure reference is or can always be made to the individual aspects of the invention.

According to the invention, a battery cell housing is provided for a battery cell for a motor vehicle to accommodate an electrical active material of the battery cell, the battery cell housing being closed and a battery cell housing having an at least partially circumferential tear line, the tear line being set up to form a removal opening for the active material to become.

The electrical active material inside the battery cell housing of the battery cell can be a cell stack or a cell coil. The battery cell housing is optimally adapted to the dimensions of the cell stack or cell coil. To electrically contact the active material with the battery cell housing, terminals can be provided for the anode and the cathode. However, it is also conceivable that a terminal is only provided for the anode, then the cathodic potential is on a housing.

The tear line is partially circumferential, meaning it follows the shape of the battery cell housing to a certain extent or completely. It can follow the circumference of the battery cell housing and/or a longitudinal extent and/or a width extent. The course of the tear line is such that it forms a removal opening when torn open. This removal opening enables the active material and the electrolyte to be removed, which means that the opening is so large that the cell coil or cell stack and the electrolyte can be easily removed from the battery cell housing. This allows the different materials of the active material and the housing to be separated after the battery cell has been used.

At the same time, the tear line is safety-relevant and serves as a defined burst line. The tear line or burst line is designed so that it can withstand an internal gas pressure of 6 to 12 bar, preferably 8 to 10 bar. If there is a higher internal gas pressure in the battery cell due to chemical reactions or overheating, the battery cell housing can burst along the defined breaking point, i.e. the bursting line. Due to the dual function of the tear line, the bursting membrane can be dispensed with. However, it is conceivable to provide these additionally.

By separating the battery cell housing from the active material, the value chain, especially that of the battery cell housing, which is mostly made of aluminum, can be improved. Because the material of the battery cell housing can be fed into a material-specific recycling process without any contamination.

Within the scope of the invention, it can be advantageous that the tear line can be torn open by means of a tear element.

The tear element is used to easily open the battery cell housing along the tear line. In order to ensure safe opening, a targeted application of force is necessary; this can best be achieved if the tear element is surrounded by the tear line. By opening along the tear line, the removal opening for the active material is created, allowing the battery cell housing and the active material inside to be recycled.

Within the scope of the invention, it is conceivable that the cross section of the tear line has a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.4 mm, more preferably 0.15 to 0.25 mm.

The thickness of the tear line is less than that of the battery cell housing surrounding it and is chosen so that it can withstand an internal gas pressure of 6 to 12 bar, preferably 8 to 10 bar, without bursting, and at the same time allows rapid tearing to open the battery cell housing and to separate it of battery cell casings and active material for recycling.

It can be provided within the scope of the invention that the tear element is a tear tab or a trough or a hooking element, the trough or the hooking element being suitable for receiving a tear lever.

Such a tear-open element makes it easy to apply force to the battery cell housing in order to create a removal opening for separating the materials for the recycling process. It is particularly easy to open the housing along the tear line when a pulling force is applied.

If the tear element is in the form of a tab, the cell cover can simply be pulled off. For a tearing element in the form of a trough or a hooking element, a tearing lever is required. This pull lever can be designed to be reused. The shape of the tear element depends on the size of the battery cell and the available installation space. It is conceivable that the tear element can be opened mechanically or manually.

According to the invention, it is conceivable that the tear-open element consists at least partially of an insulating material, in particular plastic. An insulated tear element serves, on the one hand, to distribute potential between the anode and cathode and, on the other hand, it serves to ensure safety for people and machines when opening the battery cell housing along the tear line.

In the battery cell housing, it is conceivable that a cell cup and at least one cell lid are provided, wherein the cell cup and/or the at least one cell lid has the tear line and wherein the cell cup and the at least one cell lid are connected to one another in a connection area.

The connection area can be created by plastic deformation, for example by crimping, or by a joining process, for example welding. This simplifies manufacturing and reduces manufacturing costs.
For an even more efficient and simple separation of the cell cup and the cell lid, it is advantageous if the cell cup has two opposite, tear-open cell lids.

To electrically contact the electrical active material with a battery cell, at least one terminal is provided on the battery cell housing, preferably on the at least one cell cover. This is used to make contact with the anode. Either the battery cell housing or an additional terminal can be used for the cathodic potential. Both the cell cup and the cell lid are made of aluminum.

Within the scope of the invention, it is optionally possible for the tear line to be at a distance from the connection area of the battery cell housing.

The tear line preferably runs parallel and at a distance of 0.5 to 10 mm, preferably 1 to 7 mm, from the connection area. The distance ensures that the connection holds in the connection area and is also tight and is not weakened by the burst or tear line. This increases the safety of the battery cell housing in use and enables easy opening during the recycling process.

Furthermore, it can be provided within the scope of the invention that a sealant is provided in the connection area and/or in the area of the tear line, the sealant being designed for this purpose It is necessary to withstand an internal gas pressure of 6 to 12 bar, preferably 8 to 10 bar.

A sealant can increase safety because it provides additional protection against the leakage of active material and electrolyte from the battery cell housing and against the entry of air into the battery cell housing. The seal can be plastically deformed in the connection area or can be a clamped or glued-in O-ring. By using a seal in the area of the tear line, it is possible to reduce its thickness, as the seal prevents it from bursting, and at the same time the battery cell housing can be opened more easily.

In relation to the present invention, it is conceivable that the sealant is made of plastic, preferably polypropylene. This is easy to handle as it can be easily deformed or glued in and has an increased sealing effect.

The above object is further achieved by a battery cell according to the invention for a battery with a battery cell housing described above, the battery cell housing being filled with an electrical active material.

The battery cell can be easily recycled due to its battery cell housing. Since the battery cell housing can be opened in a simple manner, the active material and the electrolyte can be easily removed through the removal opening and both the housing and the removed material can be fed into a reprocessing process.

The above object is further achieved by a motor vehicle according to the invention with a battery comprising at least one battery cell with the above-mentioned features and advantages.

• - Bereitstellen eines Batteriezellgehäuses, insbesondere ein Batteriezellgehäuse umfassend einen Zellbecher und mindestens einen Zelldeckel,
• - Einfüllen eines Aktivmaterials und eines Elektrolyts,
• - Verschließen des Batteriezellgehäuses.

The above object is further achieved by a method according to the invention for producing a battery cell comprising the following steps:

• - Providing a battery cell housing, in particular a battery cell housing comprising a cell cup and at least one cell cover,
• - Filling in an active material and an electrolyte,
• - Closing the battery cell housing.

It is particularly advantageous if the battery cell housing provided has the properties described above. It is particularly advantageous if a battery cell housing comprises a cell cup and at least one cell cover. In this case, the active material and the electrolyte can be filled into the cell cup in order to then place the cell cover and connect it to the cell cup, i.e. close it, in order to form a closed battery cell housing.

The closure can be carried out by welding or plastically deforming the cell cup with the cell lid in order to form the gas-tight connection area. Through plastic deformation, i.e. the formation of a fold, the heat input to the active material is reduced, as welding can be dispensed with in this case. This can have a positive effect on the lifespan of the battery cell.

If the battery cell housing has two cell covers, one of the cell covers is connected to the cell cup before the active material and the electrolyte are filled. Battery cell housing with two cell lids can be opened quickly and easily. Since there are two openings in this case, the active material can be removed more easily and fed into the processing process.

Within the scope of the invention, it can be advantageous that the tear line is introduced into the cell cup and/or the at least one cell cover using a tool before the housing is closed.

This allows the necessary thickness of the tear line to be introduced. This ensures that the tear lines can withstand an internal gas pressure of 6 to 12 bar, preferably 8 to 10 bar, but only opens by bursting at a higher internal gas pressure in order to meet safety requirements.
The introduction of the tear line is a defined weakening of the material along this defined line. The tear line can be easily introduced by rolling, but it can also be punched in. The introduction of the tear line allows the thickness of the tear line to be defined, so that the internal gas pressure that can prevail before bursting can be determined and at the same time easy tearing in the recycling process is possible.

Method for recycling a battery cell with a battery cell housing, wherein by applying a force, the tear line is opened to remove the active material, and wherein the electrically active material is removed from the cell cup, and wherein the electrically active material, the cell cup and the cell lid are fed to their respective recycling process become.

A tensile force is particularly advantageously applied here in order to open the battery cell housing along the tear line.

By feeding the individual components of a battery cell into the respective recycling process, its value chain is improved. They can be reprocessed and fed into a new battery cell. This not only reduces costs, as new mineral resources are not constantly needed, but also protects the environment.

It can be provided within the scope of the invention that the tear line is opened by applying a tensile force to the tear element.

This enables the battery cell housing to be opened easily and safely, meaning that both manual and mechanical opening is possible.

It is also conceivable that after removal, a cleaning step to clean the battery cell housing is first carried out. This allows the remaining active material and electrolyte to be removed. The battery cell housing is therefore protected from chemical reactions and can be stored for longer before recycling.

• 1 schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Batteriegehäuses,
• 2 schematische Darstellung eines Verbindungsbereiches des Batteriegehäuses,
• 3 Flow-Chart eines Herstellungsverfahrend für eine Batteriezelle,
• 4 schematische Darstellung des Verfahrens zum Recyceln einer Batteriezelle.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description, in which several exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description can be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. The invention is shown in the following figures:

• 1 schematic representation of a battery housing according to the invention,
• 2 schematic representation of a connection area of the battery housing,
• 3 Flow chart of a manufacturing process for a battery cell,
• 4 Schematic representation of the process for recycling a battery cell.

The 1 shows the battery cell housing 1 for a battery cell 2 for a motor vehicle for holding an electrical active material 3 of the battery cell 2. This has a closed battery cell housing 1 consisting of a cell cup 4 and a cell cover 5. The cell cover 5 has a terminal 6 for contacting the anode, In this case, the potential of the cathode lies on the battery cell housing 1. The battery cell housing 1 can be opened in a recycling process along the tear line 7, and then forms the removal opening 10 in order to remove the active material 3, i.e. the cell stack 8 or cell coil, and the electrolyte 9 through this to be able to.

The tear line 7 is designed here all around the cell cover 5 and has a thickness of 0.3mm. In order to be able to open the battery cell housing 1, it is sufficient that the tear line 7 is only partially circumferential, provided that it forms a removal opening 10 when torn open.

To easily open the battery cell housing 1, the tear element 11 in the form of a tear tab 12 is provided on the cell cover 5. By engaging the tear tab 12 and applying a tensile force 16, the cell cover 5 can be opened along the tear line 7. This creates the removal opening 10 for removing the active material 3 and the electrolyte 9. To protect it when it is torn open, the tear element 11 is surrounded by a plastic, i.e. an insulating material. As a result, the pull tab 12 does not have the cathodic potential present on the rest of the battery cell housing 1.

In 2 a section of the connection area 13 of the cell cup 4 with the cell cover 5 is shown in an enlarged form. In the present exemplary embodiment, the cell cup 4 and the cell cover 5 are connected to one another in a media-tight manner in a connecting region 13 by means of a plastic deformation in the form of a fold 14. A seal 15 made of polypropylene is arranged in the connection area 13 between the cell cover 5 and the cell cup 4 in order to further improve the media density. In addition, the seal 15 is able to withstand an internal gas pressure of 12 bar. In order to ensure a secure connection, the tear line 7 is arranged at a distance of 4 mm from the connection area 13.

• - Bereitstellen eines Batteriezellgehäuses umfassend einen Zellbecher 4 und mindestens einen Zelldeckel 5 - 110,
• - Einbringen einer Aufreißlinie in den Zelldeckel 5 mittels eines Walzwerkzeugs - 120,
• - Einfüllen eines Aktivmaterials und eines Elektrolyts - 130,
• - Verschließen des Batteriezellgehäuses - 140.

In 3 is the method for producing a battery cell 100 according to 1 shown. The following steps are carried out for this:

• - Providing a battery cell housing comprising a cell cup 4 and at least one cell cover 5 - 110,
• - introducing a tear line into the cell cover 5 using a rolling tool - 120,
• - filling an active material and an electrolyte - 130,
• - Closing the battery cell housing - 140.

The 4 shows the method for recycling 200 a battery cell 2. In a first In step 210, a tensile force 16 is applied to the tear element 11, here the tear tab 12, in order to open the battery cell housing 1 along the tear line 7 in a step 220. Subsequently, in a second step 230, the active material 3 and the electrolyte 9 are removed from the cell cup 4 of the battery cell housing 1 in order to supply the battery cell housing 1 and the active material 3 with electrolyte 9 to the respective recycling process.

Reference symbol list

1

Battery cell housing

2

Battery cell

3

Active material

4

cell cup

5

Cell cap

6

terminal

7

Tear line

8th

Cell stack

9

electrolyte

10

removal opening

11

Tear element

12

Pull tab

13

Connection area

14

fold

15

poetry

16

traction

100

Manufacturing process

110

Providing a battery cell housing

120

Insertion of a tear line

130

Filling in an active material and an electrolyte

140

Closing the battery cell housing

200

Process for recycling

210

Applying a force

220

Opening the cell lid

230

Removal of the active material and feeding it into the recycling process

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 20130059181 [0002]

Claims (15)

Battery cell housing (1) for a battery cell (2) for a motor vehicle for holding an electrical active material (3) of the battery cell (2), the battery cell housing (1) being closed and the battery cell housing (1) having an at least partially circumferential tear line (7). , wherein the tear line (7) is designed to be opened to form a removal opening (10) for the active material (3). Battery cell housing Claim 1 , characterized in that the tear line (7) can be torn open by means of a tear element (11). Battery cell housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross section of the tear line (7) has a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.4 mm, more preferably 0.15 to 0 .25 mm. Battery cell housing (1) according to one of the Claims 2 or 3 , characterized in that the tear element (11) is a tear tab (12) or a trough or a hooking element, the trough or the hooking element being suitable for receiving a tear lever. Battery cell housing (1) according to one of the Claims 2 until 4 , characterized in that the tear-open element (11) consists at least partially of an insulating material, in particular plastic. Battery cell housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cell cup (4) and at least one cell cover (5) are provided, the cell cup (4) and/or the at least one cell cover (5) forming the tear line (7). and wherein the cell cup (4) and the at least one cell cover (5) are connected to one another in a connection area (13). Battery cell housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tear line (7) is at a distance from the connecting region (13) of the battery cell housing (1). Battery cell housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sealant is provided in the connection area (13) and/or in the area of the tear line (7), the sealant being designed to have an internal gas pressure of 6 to 12 bar, preferably 8 up to 10 bar. Battery cell housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealant is made of plastic, preferably polypropylene. Battery cell (2) for a battery with a battery cell housing (1) according to one of Claims 1 until 9 , wherein the battery cell housing (1) is filled with an electrical active material (3). Motor vehicle with a battery comprising at least one battery cell (2) according to Claim 10 . Method for producing (100) a battery cell (2) according to Claim 10 , comprising the following steps: - Providing (110) a battery cell housing, in particular a battery cell housing (1) comprising a cell cup (4) and at least one cell cover (5), according to one of Claims 1 until 9 , - Filling (130) with an active material and an electrolyte, - Closing (140) of the battery cell housing. Procedure according to Claim 12 , characterized in that the tear line (7) is introduced into the cell cup (4) and/or the cell cover (5) by means of a rolling tool (120) before the housing is closed. Method for recycling (200) a battery cell (2). Claim 10 with a battery cell housing (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , wherein - by applying a force (210), in particular a tensile force (16), the tear line (7) is opened (220) to remove the active material, and wherein - the electrical active material (3) is removed from the cell cup (4). (230), and wherein - the electrically active material (3), the cell cup (4) and the cell cover (5) are fed to their respective recycling process (230). Procedure according to Claim 14 , characterized in that the tear line (7) is opened by applying a tensile force (16) to the tear element (11).

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