Tamper-resistant water access port for rechargeable energy storage system of vehicle

Abstract

A battery assembly of a vehicle includes one or more battery cells, a battery housing in which the one or more battery cells are positioned, and a fire extinguishing agent conduit extending from the battery housing and configured to deliver a flow of fire extinguishing agent to the one or more battery cells. The activation element is configured to block the fire extinguishing agent conduit and to activate when a pressure exceeding a preselected threshold pressure is applied to the activation element, thereby allowing a flow of fire extinguishing agent into the battery housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle and a vehicle having a high-capacity battery assembly. Background Art

[0002] High capacity battery assemblies are used in many consumer and industrial sectors, including transportation and grid applications. High capacity battery packs are known to include multiple battery assembly modules, allowing flexibility in configuration and adaptation to application requirements. When placed under load, such battery assemblies generate heat and internal pressure. Heat may have an adverse effect on battery efficiency and / or battery life, and the buildup of internal temperature and pressure may lead to failure of the battery assembly.

[0003] In the event of a thermal event greater than the design conditions, it is desirable to direct a fire extinguishing agent such as water to the battery assembly. However, since the battery assembly is typically embedded within the vehicle structure, it is difficult to direct water directly to the battery assembly. One solution is to provide a conduit to the outside of the vehicle through which water can flow directly to the battery assembly. However, such a conduit may be tampered with, such that fluid or other foreign matter may enter the battery assembly through the conduit. Summary of the invention

[0004] In one exemplary embodiment, a battery assembly of a vehicle includes one or more battery cells, a battery housing in which the one or more battery cells are positioned, and a fire extinguishing agent conduit extending from the battery housing and configured to deliver a flow of fire extinguishing agent to the one or more battery cells. An activation element is configured to block the fire extinguishing agent conduit and is activated when a pressure exceeding a preselected threshold pressure is applied to the activation element, thereby allowing the flow of fire extinguishing agent to flow into the battery housing.

[0005] In addition to one or more features described herein, the conduit fitting is secured to the battery housing, and the fire extinguishing agent flow conduit is operably connected to the battery housing. The activation element is positioned within the conduit fitting.

[0006] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is secured in the catheter fitting by one of welding, brazing, crimping, or sealing.

[0007] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is configured to activate at a pressure of 50 psi or greater.

[0008] In addition to one or more features described herein, the pressure disc is configured to activate at a temperature greater than 1200 degrees Celsius.

[0009] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element includes one or more localized reductions in thickness to enable activation at a preselected threshold pressure.

[0010] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is formed of a metallic material.

[0011] In addition to one or more features described herein, the fire extinguishing agent flow conduit extends from the battery housing to an overflow port located outside the vehicle.

[0012] In another exemplary embodiment, a vehicle includes a vehicle body defining a passenger compartment and a battery assembly located at the vehicle body. The battery assembly includes one or more battery cells, a battery housing in which the one or more battery cells are positioned, and a fire extinguishing agent flow conduit extending from the battery housing and configured to deliver a fire extinguishing agent flow to the one or more battery cells. An activation element is configured to block the fire extinguishing agent flow conduit and activate when a pressure exceeding a preselected threshold pressure is applied to the activation element, thereby allowing the fire extinguishing agent flow to flow into the battery housing.

[0013] In addition to one or more features described herein, the conduit fitting is secured to the battery housing, and the fire extinguishing agent flow conduit is operably connected to the battery housing. The activation element is positioned within the conduit fitting.

[0014] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is secured in the catheter fitting by one of welding, brazing, crimping, or sealing.

[0015] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is configured to activate at a pressure of 50 psi or greater.

[0016] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is configured to activate at a temperature greater than 1200 degrees Celsius.

[0017] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element includes one or more localized reductions in thickness to enable activation at a preselected threshold pressure.

[0018] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is formed of a metallic material.

[0019] In addition to one or more features described herein, a fire extinguishing agent flow conduit extends from the battery housing to an overflow port located outside the vehicle body.

[0020] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method includes positioning an activation element between a fire extinguishing agent flow conduit and a battery assembly of a vehicle, directing a fire extinguishing agent flow along the fire extinguishing agent conduit toward the battery assembly, activating the activation element via fire extinguishing agent flow pressure on the activation element, and flowing the fire extinguishing agent flow into the battery assembly.

[0021] In addition to one or more features described herein, the activation element is configured to activate at a pressure of 50 psi or greater.

[0022] In addition to one or more features described herein, the conduit fitting is fixed to the battery assembly and the fire extinguishing agent flow conduit is operably connected thereto. The activation element is positioned within the conduit fitting and the activation element is fixed in the conduit fitting by one of welding, brazing, crimping or sealing.

[0023] In addition to one or more features described herein, the fire extinguishing agent flow is directed along the fire extinguishing agent flow conduit through an overflow port external to the vehicle. .

[0024] The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, from the following detailed description, which refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle;

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a battery assembly;

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a fire extinguishing agent conduit connected to a housing of a battery assembly;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a fire extinguishing agent conduit connected to a housing of a battery assembly;

[0030] Figure 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pressure plate; and

[0031] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a method for assembling a battery component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts and features.

[0033] According to an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle according to a non-limiting example is Figure 110. The vehicle 10 includes a body 12 supported on a plurality of wheels 16. In a non-limiting example, two of the plurality of wheels 16 are steerable. The body 12 partially defines a passenger compartment 20 having a seat 22 positioned behind an instrument panel 26. A steering controller 30 is disposed between the seat 22 and the instrument panel 26. The steering controller 30 is operated to control the orientation of the steerable wheels. The vehicle 10 includes an electric motor 34 connected to a transmission that provides power to one or more of the plurality of wheels 16. A rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) or battery assembly 38 provides power to the electric motor 34.

[0034] Reference now Figure 2 The battery assembly 38 includes a plurality of battery cells 40 disposed in a battery housing 42. A fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 is fluidly connected to the battery assembly 38 at a conduit port 46 in the battery housing 42. In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 is a tubular element formed of, for example, a plastic or rubber material. Referring again to Figure 1 , the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 extends from the battery assembly 38 to an external location on the vehicle body 12 at a first conduit end 48 and terminates at an overflow port 50 in an external location on the vehicle body 12 at a second conduit end 52. In some embodiments, the overflow port 50 is at a rear portion of the vehicle body 12, such as at a rear bumper cover 54 of the vehicle body 12. In some embodiments, a movable or removable port cover 56 is installed over the overflow port 50.

[0035] Refer again Figure 2 , the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 provides access to the battery assembly 38 from the exterior of the vehicle 10 so that in the event of a thermal runaway event greater than the design conditions, a fire extinguishing agent (such as water, etc.) can be injected directly into the battery assembly 38. However, an open conduit from an external location on the vehicle body 12 to the battery assembly 38 may expose the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 and therefore the battery assembly 38 to tampering, and may also prevent the battery assembly 38 from being sealed in the battery housing 42.

[0036] Reference now Figure 3, which shows the connection of the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 to the battery housing 42 at the conduit port 46. The connection is achieved via a conduit fitting 58. In some embodiments, the conduit fitting 58 is a flared joint fixed to the battery housing 42 at the conduit port 46 by, for example, welding, brazing, crimping, etc. The conduit sleeve 60 is mounted on the conduit fitting 58, and in some embodiments is a tubular element having a first sleeve portion 62 fixed to the conduit fitting 58. In some embodiments, a sealant is used to seal the connection between the first fitting portion 62 and the conduit fitting 58. The fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 is mounted to the second sleeve portion 64 of the conduit sleeve 60 and is fixed thereto by, for example, a plurality of barbs 66 extending radially inwardly from the second sleeve portion 64, and the barbs 66 engage the outer conduit surface 68 of the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44. However, this connection of the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 to the second sleeve portion 64 is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 can be fixed to the conduit sleeve 60 by other means (such as clamps, etc.). In addition, although in Figure 3 In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 is mounted into the sleeve inner surface 70 of the second sleeve portion 64, but in other embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 is mounted to the exterior of the second sleeve portion 64 at the sleeve outer surface 72.

[0037] To prevent tampering with the battery assembly 38 and to seal the battery housing 42, an activation element 74, such as a disk or the like, is mounted to the interior of the catheter sleeve 60, e.g., as Figure 3 As shown, inside the conduit fitting 58, or alternatively, at the inlet 71 of the conduit fitting 58 or as shown in FIG. Figure 4 64. The activation element 74 is actuated based on one or more of a pressure exceeding a pressure threshold or a temperature exceeding a temperature threshold. The activation element 74 can be formed of, for example, a metal or non-metal material, and in some embodiments, is formed of an aluminum material. The activation element 74 can be secured to the interior of the conduit fitting 58 or conduit sleeve 60 by, for example, brazing, welding, crimping, sealing, etc., and provides a pressure barrier to seal the interior 41 of the battery housing 42. The size of the activation element 74 can be designed so that the thermal inertia of the activation element 74 in a designed thermal event will not deteriorate and cause rupture, but in an extreme failure mode requiring first responder access, the activation element 74 will open.

[0038] In some embodiments, the activation element 74 includes one or more features to enable the activation element 74 to rupture when a pressure within a preselected pressure range is applied to the activation element 74. In some embodiments, the activation element 74 is formed of an aluminum material, while in other embodiments, the activation element 74 may be formed of other metal or plastic materials that are configured to provide the desired rupture characteristics while also withstanding the temperatures and pressures associated with the designed thermal runaway event. In addition, as an alternative to brazing or welding the rupture disk 74 into place in the conduit fitting 58 or conduit sleeve 60, a sealant or rubber seal may be used to secure the activation element 74 in place.

[0039] Reference now Figure 5 As described above, the activation element disk 74 includes one or more features that enable the activation element 74 to rupture at a preselected pressure. In the illustrated embodiment, the activation element 74 includes one or more grooves 78 or other areas of locally reduced thickness in the activation element 74 to enable activation at a preselected pressure. In other embodiments, the activation element 74 as a whole has a material thickness such that the activation element 74 will, for example, rupture, fold, collapse, etc. at a preselected pressure. The preselected pressure is greater than the pressure for which a thermal runaway event is designed, and is also greater than the standard pressure test to which the battery assembly 38 is subjected during assembly and testing of the battery assembly 38. The preselected pressure is selected to be the pressure of water from a standard fire hose that utilizes a fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 entered by an overflow port 50 to direct a flow of a fire extinguishing agent, such as water, into the battery assembly 38.

[0040] A typical thermal runaway event may show a pressure of about 6.52 psi gauge (21.03 absolute pressure) or more during the event, or alternatively show a gauge pressure increase of 2 psi or more during the thermal runaway event. The activation element 74 is configured to activate at a pressure much greater than such an event pressure. The fire hose will supply water at a preselected pressure significantly higher than the pressure during the thermal runaway event. In some embodiments, the preselected pressure is in the range of about 50 psi to 200 psi, and in some embodiments, the preselected pressure is 100 psi or more, allowing the water flow to be directed into the battery assembly 38. In addition, the pressure disc 74 can be configured to rupture or melt in an extreme thermal event at a temperature exceeding the temperature of the designed thermal runaway (which is in the range of about 500-1200 degrees Celsius). In some embodiments, the temperature rupture threshold is based on one or more of the absolute maximum temperatures experienced by the pressure disc 74, or can alternatively be based on a dynamic temperature over time.

[0041] Reference now Figure 6, a method of assembling the battery assembly 38 is shown. At step 100, the pressure disc 74 is secured to the conduit fitting 58 by, for example, welding or brazing. In one embodiment, the securing of the pressure disc 74 is achieved by oven brazing. At step 102, the conduit fitting 58 is mounted to the battery housing 42 and secured to the battery housing 42 by, for example, a welding or brazing process, particularly at the conduit port 46. In some embodiments, a sealant is installed to the joint between the conduit fitting 58 and the conduit port 46. The assembly is now a sealed pressure vessel and can be pressure tested and / or leak tested at step 104. At step 106, the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 is installed and secured to the conduit fitting 58 via, for example, the conduit sleeve 60.

[0042] Utilizing a pressure disc 74 in the conduit fitting 58 prevents tampering of the battery assembly 38 via the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44, but allows activation or rupture when, for example, first responders utilize a fire hose to direct a stream of water through the fire extinguishing agent conduit 44 toward the battery assembly 38. The pressure disc 74 ruptures at pressures and / or temperatures that only greatly exceed the designed thermal runaway event. In addition, mounting and sealing the pressure disc 74 into the conduit fitting 68 allows for improved ease of leak testing of the battery assembly 38.

[0043] The terms "a" and "an" do not indicate a limitation of quantity, but rather indicate the presence of at least one of the referenced item. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term "or" means "and / or." References to "aspects" throughout the specification mean that a particular element (e.g., a feature, structure, step, or characteristic) described in conjunction with that aspect is included in at least one aspect described herein, and may or may not be present in other aspects. In addition, it should be understood that the described elements may be combined in any suitable manner in the various aspects.

[0044] When an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there are no intervening elements present.

[0045] Unless defined otherwise, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0046] Although the above disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for its elements without departing from its scope. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt specific circumstances or materials to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the basic scope of the disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but will include all embodiments falling within its scope.

Claims

1. A battery assembly for a vehicle, comprising: one or more battery cells; a battery housing in which the one or more battery cells are disposed; a fire extinguishing agent conduit extending from the battery housing and configured to deliver a flow of fire extinguishing agent to the one or more battery cells; as well as An activation element is configured to block the fire suppressant conduit and activate when a pressure exceeding a preselected threshold pressure is applied to the activation element, thereby allowing a flow of fire suppressant into the battery housing.

2. The battery assembly of claim 1, further comprising a conduit fitting secured to the battery housing and to which the fire extinguishing agent conduit is operably connected; Wherein the activation element is disposed within the catheter fitting.

3. The battery assembly of claim 2, wherein the activation element is secured in the conduit fitting by one of welding, soldering, crimping or sealing.

4. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation element is configured to be activated at a pressure of 50 psi or greater.

5. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the pressure disk is configured to be activated at a temperature greater than 1200 degrees Celsius.

6. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation element comprises one or more localized reductions in thickness to enable activation at the preselected threshold pressure.

7. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the activation element is formed of a metal material.

8. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The fire extinguishing agent conduit extends from the battery housing to an overflow port disposed outside the vehicle.

9. A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body defining a passenger compartment; as well as The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the battery assembly is arranged at the vehicle body.

10. A method comprising: positioning the activation element between the fire extinguishing agent conduit and the battery assembly of the vehicle; directing a flow of fire extinguishing agent along the fire extinguishing agent conduit toward the battery assembly; activating the activation element via the extinguishing agent pressure on the activation element; as well as The fire extinguishing agent is allowed to flow into the battery assembly.

Images