Electric battery box allowing for the evacuation of flames and gases

Abstract

Electric battery housing for flame and gas evacuation. The electric battery housing (1) defines a housing (4) for receiving a plurality of electric accumulators (2) extending parallel to each other in an elevation direction (Z), said housing (4) comprising a plurality of recesses (12) for receiving said electric accumulators (4), said housing being closed by at least one cover (6) extending opposite the recesses (12) in the elevation direction (Z). The cover (6) comprises at least one channel (20) extending opposite at least a portion of said recesses (12), said channel being closed by an inner face (18) of the cover (6) facing the housing (4) and being in fluidic communication with said portion of said recesses (12), said channel (20) opening to the outside of the housing (4). Figure for the abbreviation: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Electric battery box allowing the evacuation of flames and gases

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric battery case, of the type defining a housing for receiving a plurality of electric accumulators extending parallel to each other in an elevation direction, said housing comprising a plurality of indentations for receiving said electric accumulators, said housing being closed by at least one cover extending opposite the indentations in the elevation direction.

[0002] The invention also relates to an electric battery comprising such an electric battery housing.

[0003] To power a vehicle, such as a naval vessel or other, with electricity, it is known to use one or more electric batteries each comprising a plurality of electric accumulators, also known as cells, placed in a closed electric battery case.

[0004] However, such electric batteries present a risk of runaway electric accumulators during their use, which can lead to ignition of the cells and the generation of flames and the emission of gases in the casing. The battery then risks a high risk of explosion.

[0005] One of the aims of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a battery case making it possible to reduce the risks of a battery exploding in the event of the electric accumulators running wild.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to an electric battery housing of the aforementioned type, in which the cover comprises at least one channel extending opposite at least a portion of said indentations, said channel being closed by an internal face of the cover facing the housing and being in fluid communication with said portion of said indentations, said channel opening outside the housing.

[0007] By providing a channel in fluid communication with the indentations arranged for receiving the accumulators and opening outside the housing, the flames and gas generated in the event of the electric accumulators running wild are directed towards this channel and circulate in it to be evacuated to the outside of the housing. Thus, the accumulation of flames and gas inside the housing is reduced, which limits, or even eliminates, the risks of explosion of the battery.

[0008] The electric battery box according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in any technically conceivable combination: - each impression is in fluid communication with a channel opening outside the housing; - the cover comprises a plurality of channels, each channel being in fluid communication with different indentations of the housing; - the housing is closed in the elevation direction by two covers extending on either side of the housing in the elevation direction, each cover comprising at least one channel in fluid communication with a portion of the cavities of the housing and opening outside the housing; - the electric battery housing comprises at least one fixing element fixing the covers to each other, said fixing element extending in the housing in the direction of elevation from one cover to the other; - the cover comprises at least two projecting elements extending projecting towards the housing in the elevation direction of the internal face of the cover, said projecting elements being spaced from each other, at least a portion of the channel extending between said projecting elements; - the cover comprises a network of projecting elements spaced apart from each other, each projecting element of at least a portion of said projecting elements delimiting a portion of two separate channels; - the impressions are formed in at least one receiving plate extending in the housing, said receiving plate extending opposite the cover in the elevation direction, the receiving plate comprising a through-orifice at the bottom of each impression, said through-orifice placing the impression in fluid communication with a channel of the cover; - the electric battery housing comprises at least one additional functional plate extending between said receiving plate and the cover in the elevation direction, said functional plate comprising a through-hole extending between each through-hole of the receiving plate and the channel of the cover in fluid communication with each through-hole of the receiving plate.

[0009] According to another aspect, the invention relates to an electric battery comprising an electric battery housing as described above and a plurality of electric accumulators arranged in the housing of said electric battery housing and electrically connected to each other, each electric accumulator being mounted and fixed in at least one imprint of said housing.

[0010] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0011] [Fig-1] - [Fig. 1] is a schematic representation in partial section of an electric battery box according to the invention,

[0012] [Fig.2] - [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective representation of the housing of electric battery of [Fig.l] seen from the side,

[0013] [Fig.3] - [Fig.3] is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the electric battery box of [Fig.l], with the side wall of the electric battery box removed,

[0014] [Fig.4] - [Fig.4] is a schematic perspective representation of part of the electric battery case of [Fig.l], electric accumulators being received in certain indentations of the case, and

[0015] [Fig.5] - [Fig.5] is a schematic perspective representation of an electric battery box cover according to [Fig.l].

[0016] With reference to the figures, an electric battery is described comprising an electric battery housing 1 and a plurality of electric accumulators 2. Such an electric battery is used, for example, to supply electricity to a vehicle, such as a naval vessel or the like. The invention applies more particularly to a lithium battery.

[0017] The electric battery housing 1 forms a housing 4 for receiving the electric accumulators 2 which extend inside the housing parallel to each other in an elevation direction Z.

[0018] The electric battery housing 1 is closed, that is to say that the housing 4 is isolated from the external environment of the electric battery, apart from openings which will be described later. More particularly, the electric battery housing 1 is closed in the elevation direction Z by at least one cover 6. The cover 6 extends for example over at least one side wall 8, extending around the housing 4 in the directions perpendicular to the elevation direction Z, opposite a bottom 10 of the housing 4. According to a preferred embodiment, the bottom 10 is also formed by a cover, substantially identical to the cover 6 which will be described later. In other words, according to this embodiment, the housing 4 is closed in the elevation direction Z by two covers 6 extending on either side of the housing 4 in the elevation direction Z.The side wall 8 can be made from a single piece or from several sections assembled together. The electric battery housing 1 can have any suitable shape, for example a substantially parallelepiped shape. In other words, the shapes of housing 1 and cover 6 shown in the figures are only examples and other shapes of housing and cover 6 can be envisaged.

[0019] The housing 4 comprises a plurality of indentations 12 for receiving the electric accumulators 2. More particularly, each electric accumulator 2 is received in a lower imprint and in an upper imprint 12 extending opposite each other in the elevation direction Z. The lower imprints 12 extend for example in a hollow in a lower receiving plate 14 extending opposite the bottom 10 of the electric battery housing 1 and the upper imprints 12 extend for example in a hollow in an upper receiving plate 16 extending opposite the cover 6. The receiving plates 14, 16 are received in the housing 4 opposite each other, the lower receiving plate 14 extending opposite the bottom 10 in the elevation direction Z and the upper receiving plate 16 extending opposite the cover 6 in the elevation direction Z.The lower and upper indentations are shaped to receive the lower and upper ends of the electric accumulators 2 and for this purpose have, for example, a shape substantially complementary to that of these ends of the electric accumulators 2, for example a shape of a cylinder of revolution open towards the indentation 12 extending opposite.

[0020] The cover 6 comprises an internal face 18 facing the housing 4, more particularly visible in [Fig. 5]. The cover 6 comprises at least one channel 20 extending opposite a portion of the indentations 12, more particularly the upper indentations, and closed by the internal face 18 of the cover 6. On the side opposite the internal face 18, the channel 20 is open so as to be in fluid communication with the portion of the indentations 12 opposite which the channel 20 extends, as will be described in more detail later. The channel 20 extends in at least one direction substantially perpendicular to the elevation direction Z to an edge of the cover 6 so that the channel 20 opens outside the housing 4, that is to say that the channel 20 places the interior of the housing 4 in fluid communication with the external environment of the electric battery box 1.More particularly, the channel 20 opens outside the housing 4 at at least one opening 22 extending in line with the side wall 8, as shown in [Fig. 2]. According to one embodiment, the channel 20 extends in a rectilinear direction and opens outside the housing 4 at two openings 22 extending in opposite edges of the cover 6.

[0021] As indicated previously, the bottom of the channel 20 is formed by the internal face 18 of the cover 6. As shown in [Fig. 5], the channel 20 is further delimited along its width by at least two projecting elements 24 extending projectingly along the elevation direction Z of the internal face 18 of the cover 6 towards the interior of the housing 4. The projecting elements 24 are spaced apart from each other along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the channel 20 extends and to the elevation direction Z so that the channel 20 passes between the two projecting elements 24. The depth of the channel 20, corresponding to the dimension of the projecting elements 24 according to the elevation direction Z, is for example substantially between 2 mm and 4 mm.

[0022] As shown in the figures, according to one embodiment, the cover 6 comprises several channels 20 so that each imprint 12 is in fluid communication with a channel 20 opening out to the outside of the housing. The arrangement of the channels 20 is more particularly provided to optimize the release of the flames and gas generated in the housing 4 during a runaway of the electric accumulators 2 towards the outside of the housing 4. Thus, it is more particularly provided so that the flames and / or the gas generated by an individual electric accumulator 2 are guided towards the outside of the housing 4 by a channel 20 removing the obstacles between the electric accumulator 2 and an opening 22 opening out to the outside of the housing 1.For this purpose, the channels 20 are for example all rectilinear and form a pattern corresponding to the pattern seen from above formed by the electric accumulators 2, as shown in [Fig.5].

[0023] To form the channels 20, the cover 6 comprises, according to the embodiment described above, a network of projecting elements 24 spaced apart from each other. More particularly, as shown in [Fig. 5], each projecting element 24 of at least a portion of the projecting elements 24 comprises, for example, several walls 26 rising in the elevation direction, each wall 26 delimiting a portion of a different channel 20. In other words, each projecting element 24 of at least a portion of the projecting elements 24 delimits at least a portion of two distinct channels 20. Thus, by way of example, each projecting element 24 has a hexahedron shape, four faces of which delimit a portion of four different channels 20, as shown in [Fig. 5].

[0024] According to one embodiment, the cover 6 is made of a composite material comprising a resin reinforced by fibers, for example an epoxy resin reinforced by glass fibers having a flame-retardant character.

[0025] To place an imprint 12 in fluid communication, the plate forming this imprint 12, that is to say the upper receiving plate 16, in the case of the cover 6 opposite the bottom 10, comprises for example a through orifice 28 extending at the bottom of each imprint 12 in the elevation direction Z towards the cover 6. The through orifices 28 thus make it possible to direct the flames and the gas generated by the electric accumulators 2 towards the channels 20 by passing through these orifices 28.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the electric battery housing 1 further comprises at least one additional functional plate 30 extending between the upper receiving plate 16 and the cover 6. Such a functional plate 30 is for example a plate comprising electrical conductors making it possible to electrically connect the electric accumulators 2 to each other. Such a functional plate 30 may also be an electrical insulating plate or a mechanical part for fixing the electrical accumulators 2 in the housing 4. According to one embodiment, several additional functional plates 30 are provided, these functional plates 30 being stacked between the upper receiving plate 16 and the cover 6. In any event, the functional plate(s) 30 comprise through-holes 32, as more particularly visible in [Fig. 5], in which a part of the functional plate 30 is shown. Each through-hole 32 extends between a through-hole 28 of the upper receiving plate 16 and the channel 20 with which the impression 12 comprising this through-hole 28 is in fluid communication.In other words, the additional functional plate(s) 30 are arranged so as not to prevent fluid communication between the indentations 12 and the corresponding channels 20 so as not to prevent the circulation of flames and gases from the electrical accumulators 2 to the channels 20.

[0027] As indicated previously, the bottom 10 of the electric battery housing 1 is, according to an advantageous embodiment, also formed by a cover such as the cover 6 described above. In other words, the cover forming the bottom 10 also comprises channels 20 in fluid communication with the indentations 12 provided in the lower receiving plate 14, which comprises a through opening 28 at the bottom of each indentation 12 to ensure this fluid communication. The bottom 10 has for example an arrangement identical to that of the cover 6 so that the cover 6 shown in [Fig. 5] can also form the bottom 10 of the housing 1. Thus, the bottom 10 comprises for example a network of projecting elements 24 forming the channels 20 in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the electric accumulators 2 in the housing 4 seen from below.

[0028] Thus, according to this embodiment, the flames and the gas generated by the runaway of the electric accumulators 2 can be evacuated by the channels 20 extending on the cover 6 and / or by the channels 20 extending on the cover forming the bottom 10 of the housing, which improves this evacuation.

[0029] According to this embodiment, one or more additional functional plates 30 may be provided between the lower receiving plate 14 and the bottom 10. This or these functional plates 30 then comprise through-orifices extending between the through-orifices 28 of the lower receiving plate 14 and the corresponding channels 20 provided on the bottom 10.

[0030] The covers closing the housing 1 in the elevation direction Z, i.e. the cover 6 and the cover forming the bottom 10, are for example fixed to each other by at least one fixing element 34 extending in the housing 4 in the elevation direction from one cover to the other. Such a fixing element 34 is for example fixed by screwing to each of the covers. According to one embodiment, several elements 34 fixing points distributed in the housing 4 are provided.

[0031] The electric battery housing 1 described above allows effective evacuation of the flames and / or gas generated during the runaway of one or more electric accumulators 2, which reduces the risks of explosion of the electric battery and makes its use safer.

Claims

Claims

1. Electric battery case (1) defining a housing (4) for receiving a plurality of electric accumulators (2) extending parallel to each other in an elevation direction (Z), said housing (4) comprising a plurality of indentations (12) for receiving said electric accumulators (4), said housing being closed by at least one cover (6) extending opposite the indentations (12) in the elevation direction (Z), characterized in that the cover (6) comprises at least one channel (20) extending opposite at least a portion of said indentations (12), said channel being closed by an internal face (18) of the cover (6) facing the housing (4) and being in fluid communication with said portion of said indentations (12), said channel (20) opening outside the housing (4).

2. An electric battery case according to claim 1, wherein each imprint (12) is in fluid communication with a channel (20) opening to the outside of the housing (4).

3. An electric battery case according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover (6) comprises a plurality of channels (20), each channel (20) being in fluid communication with different indentations (12) of the housing (4).

4. Electric battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the housing (4) is closed in the elevation direction (Z) by two covers (6) extending on either side of the housing (4) in the elevation direction (Z), each cover (6) comprising at least one channel (20) in fluid communication with a part of the cavities (12) of the housing (4) and opening outside the housing (4).

5. An electric battery case according to claim 4, comprising at least one fixing element (34) fixing the covers (6) to each other, said fixing element (34) extending in the housing (4) in the elevation direction (Z) from one cover (6) to the other.

6. An electric battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cover (6) comprises at least two projecting elements (24) extending projecting towards the housing (4) in the elevation direction (Z) of the internal face (18) of the cover (6), said projecting elements (24) being spaced from each other, at least a portion of the channel (20) extending between said projecting elements (24).

7. An electric battery case according to claim 6, wherein the cover (6) comprises an array of projecting elements (24) spaced apart from each other, each projecting element (24) of at least a portion of said projecting elements (24) delimiting a portion of two separate channels (20).

8. An electric battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the indentations (12) are formed in at least one receiving plate (14, 16) extending into the housing (4), said receiving plate (14, 16) extending opposite the cover (6) in the elevation direction (Z), the receiving plate (14, 16) comprising a through-orifice (28) at the bottom of each indentation (12), said through-orifice (28) placing the indentation (12) in fluid communication with a channel (20) of the cover (6).

9. An electric battery case according to claim 8, comprising at least one additional functional plate (30) extending between said receiving plate (14, 16) and the cover (6) in the elevation direction (Z), said functional plate (30) comprising a through-hole (32) extending between each through-hole (28) of the receiving plate (14, 16) and the channel (20) of the cover (6) in fluid communication with each through-hole (28) of the receiving plate (14, 16).

10. An electric battery comprising an electric battery housing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and a plurality of electric accumulators (2) arranged in the housing (4) of said electric battery housing (1) and electrically connected to each other, each electric accumulator (2) being mounted and fixed in at least one imprint (12) of said housing (4).

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