General Electric Company

Paul Sudworth

Roger Neil Bull

Grzegorz Maruszak

Mehmet Demiroglu

Kristopher John Frutschy

James Lowe Sudworth

Stuart Towle

Mathew Maury

Apparatus and methods to reduce granule disruption during manufacture of electrochemical cells, such as a metal halide electrochemical cell, are provided. In one embodiment, a current collector can include a diffuser strip extending beneath an aperture configured to receive an injection stream of molten electrolyte. The diffuser strip can be configured to dissipate an injection stream of molten electrolyte when the molten electrolyte is injected into an electrochemical cell. In this way, disruption of a granule bed by the injection of the molten electrolyte during manufacture of the electrochemical cell can be reduced.

Current collector design to reduce granule bed disruption

A method of assembling a rechargeable battery is disclosed. The method includes inserting rechargeable energy storage cells into a battery housing, the battery housing having a base portion, a side portion extending from the base portion, and an aperture defined by the side portion, wherein the rechargeable energy storage cells are inserted into the battery housing through the aperture; installing an insulator on the rechargeable energy storage cells; and securing a housing cover to the battery housing such that the insulator and the rechargeable energy storage cells are maintained in compression between the housing cover and the housing base portion. Also disclosed is a rechargeable battery including a battery housing, a housing cover, a plurality of rechargeable energy storage cells disposed within the battery housing, and an insulator disposed between the rechargeable energy storage cells and the housing cover and maintained in compression.

Rechargeable battery and method

A thermal management device is presently disclosed. The thermal management device includes an insulator with a maximum use temperature of at least 200 degrees Celsius, and a heating element having at least one heater leg, where the heater leg contacts the insulator and is configured to supply thermal energy. The heating element also has lead wires configured to provide a parallel electrical connection between the heater leg and a current source.

Thermal management device

Growing community of inventors

Ashby-de-la-Zouch, United Kingdom

Paul Sudworth