System and method for inhibiting thermal runaway of battery and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a system and method for restraining thermal runaway of a battery and a vehicle, the system comprises a protection mechanism, a controller, a driving device, a vacuumizing device and a pushing part, the pushing part is connected with the protection mechanism, the driving device is electrically connected with the pushing part, and the driving device and the vacuumizing device are electrically connected with the controller; the protection mechanism is in a vertically folded state and surrounds the side face of the battery pack, a gap exists between the protection mechanism and the battery pack, and the vacuumizing device communicates with an opening in the outer wall of the protection mechanism through an air pipe; the controller is used for sending a driving signal to the driving device when it is monitored that the vehicle is in thermal runaway, and the driving device is used for controlling the pushing piece to operate so as to drive the protection mechanism to be converted into an extending state from a folding state and integrally seal the battery pack; the controller is further used for starting the vacuumizing device to vacuumize the inner space wrapped by the protection mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery safety control technology, and in particular to a system, method, and vehicle for suppressing battery thermal runaway. Background Technology

[0002] Current technologies and publicly available inventions primarily utilize the addition of sensors to monitor and warn of battery pack thermal runaway. For example, the solution disclosed in patent CN116176350 A includes a temperature detection module, a voltage detection module, a smoke detection module, a judgment module, a vehicle-side warning module, and a cloud-based warning module. The temperature detection module detects the battery temperature, the voltage detection module collects the voltage of each series-connected battery cell, and the smoke detection module detects the smoke concentration inside the battery pack. The temperature, voltage, and smoke detection modules all send the detected signals to the judgment module, which calculates the rate of change of voltage and temperature over time and determines whether the battery has reached the thermal runaway warning condition under the current state. The judgment module then transmits the signals to the vehicle-side warning module and the cloud-based warning module. The vehicle-side warning module receives the vehicle-wide thermal runaway warning signal and issues an alarm. The cloud-based warning module feeds back the vehicle-wide thermal runaway warning signal to the cloud data platform.

[0003] The main drawback of existing technologies is that they only focus on monitoring and early warning of battery pack thermal runaway. They fail to take effective measures to prevent battery packs from thermally running away or to safely isolate battery packs that have been determined to be thermally running away. This makes it impossible to effectively prevent damage to the vehicle and its occupants, poses safety risks to surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, and is extremely likely to cause serious safety accidents. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a system, method, and vehicle for suppressing battery thermal runaway. It can isolate the battery pack from the vehicle when thermal runaway is about to occur or in the initial stage of thermal runaway, and perform vacuuming on the battery pack with thermal runaway, thereby protecting against the root cause of fire and ensuring vehicle safety.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides the following technical solution through an embodiment of the present invention: A system for suppressing battery thermal runaway includes: a protective mechanism, a controller, a drive device, a vacuum pumping device, and a pusher. The pusher is connected to the protective mechanism, the drive device is electrically connected to the pusher, and the drive device, the vacuum pumping device, and the controller are electrically connected. The protective mechanism is folded vertically and surrounds the side of the battery pack, with a gap between the protective mechanism and the battery pack. The vacuum pumping device is connected to an opening in the outer wall of the protective mechanism via an air pipe. When the controller detects that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, it sends a drive signal to the drive device. The drive device controls the pusher to unfold the protective mechanism, thus sealing the battery pack. The controller also activates the vacuum pumping device to evacuate the internal space enclosed by the protective mechanism.

[0006] Preferably, the protective component includes a main protective component and a secondary protective component connected to the main protective component. The pushing component includes at least one telescopic push rod connected to the main protective component. The driving device is used to drive the telescopic push rod to extend, thereby unfolding the main protective component. The secondary protective component includes two folding blocks symmetrically arranged on both sides of the battery pack. Both folding blocks are connected to the top of the main protective component by a sliding shaft. The folding blocks and the main protective component overlap in the vertical direction. The sliding shaft is used to drive the folding blocks to unfold in the horizontal direction where the battery pack is located. The sliding shaft is electrically connected to the driving device. The driving device is also used to control the movement of the sliding shaft after controlling the movement of the pushing component, so that the folding blocks on both sides unfold in the horizontal direction, and control the two folding blocks to lock during the unfolding process.

[0007] Preferably, a single folding block includes multiple sub-folding blocks, adjacent sub-folding blocks are connected by the sliding shaft, and the first sub-folding block among the multiple sub-folding blocks is connected to the first main protective component by the sliding shaft; a threaded electrically controlled push rod is installed in the last sub-folding block of one folding block, and a threaded hole is provided in the last sub-folding block of another folding block, the position and size of the electrically controlled push rod are adapted to the threaded hole, and the electrically controlled push rod is electrically connected to the driving device; the driving device is also used to drive the electrically controlled push rod to rotate outward and move into the threaded hole after controlling both folding blocks to unfold in the horizontal direction, so as to control the two folding blocks to complete the locking.

[0008] Preferably, the protective mechanism includes a first protective member and a second protective member, and the pushing member includes a first pushing member and a second pushing member. Both the first pushing member and the second pushing member are electrically connected to the driving device. The first pushing member is connected to the first protective member, and the second pushing member is connected to the second protective member. The first protective member has an upward opening and is arranged around the upper part of the battery pack. The bottom of the first protective member is connected to the battery pack mounting beam. The second protective member has a downward opening and is arranged around the lower part of the battery pack. The top of the second protective member is connected to the vehicle mounting beam. The driving device is used to control the operation of the first pushing member and the second pushing member to drive the first protective mechanism and the second protective mechanism to unfold and completely enclose the battery pack.

[0009] Preferably, the system further includes: a positioning device and a camera device, the positioning device and the camera device being electrically connected to the controller; the controller is used to determine the target location of the vehicle based on the environmental information obtained by the camera device and the positioning information monitored by the positioning device after detecting that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions; based on the target location, the controller sends a nearby parking signal to the vehicle's intelligent driving assistance system so that the intelligent driving assistance system can park the vehicle in a safe area at a preset safe speed.

[0010] Preferably, the system further includes a monitoring device electrically connected to the controller; the monitoring device is used to collect the vehicle's operating status signal, and the controller is used to determine whether the vehicle meets the thermal runaway early warning conditions based on the operating status signal.

[0011] Secondly, through an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A method for suppressing battery thermal runaway, applied in a controller of a system for suppressing battery thermal runaway as described in any of the first aspects above, the method comprising: When the vehicle is detected to meet the conditions for thermal runaway warning, a drive signal is sent to the drive unit to control the operation of the pusher, which drives the protective mechanism to change from a folded state to an extended state, thus sealing the battery pack as a whole; the vacuum pump is activated to vacuum the internal space enclosed by the protective mechanism.

[0012] Preferably, after detecting thermal runaway of the vehicle, the method further includes: determining the target location of the vehicle based on the external environment information obtained by the camera device and the positioning information detected by the positioning device; and sending a nearby parking signal to the vehicle's intelligent driving assistance system based on the target location, so that the intelligent driving assistance system can park the vehicle in a safe area at a preset speed.

[0013] Preferably, the controller is also connected to a server, and the method further includes: when the vehicle is detected to meet the thermal runaway warning conditions, sending a thermal runaway signal and the positioning information to the server, so that the server sends a warning signal to new energy vehicles within a preset range of the vehicle's location based on the thermal runaway signal and the positioning information.

[0014] Thirdly, through one embodiment of the present invention, the following technical solution is provided: A vehicle includes: a vehicle body and a system for suppressing battery thermal runaway as described in any of the first aspects above.

[0015] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application have at least the following technical effects or advantages: The system for suppressing battery thermal runaway provided in this invention includes a folded protective mechanism surrounding the side of the battery pack. When the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, the protective mechanism unfolds, completely sealing the battery pack and isolating it from the vehicle. A vacuum is then created in the sealed internal space to cool the battery pack, achieving faster temperature reduction. This effectively solves the battery pack isolation problem. For battery packs about to experience thermal runaway, effective measures are needed to prevent it from happening, or for battery packs already confirmed to be experiencing thermal runaway, effective measures are needed to isolate the battery pack from the vehicle to prevent damage to the vehicle and its occupants. When the battery experiences thermal runaway or catches fire, this system can effectively isolate the battery pack and extinguish the fire through vacuuming, preventing ignition of the vehicle and providing good protection. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a system for suppressing battery thermal runaway in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the protective mechanism before it is deployed in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the telescopic push rod and the main protective component in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the protective mechanism after it has been deployed in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the folding block and the sliding shaft in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the folding block in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the process control used to suppress battery thermal runaway in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the method for suppressing battery thermal runaway in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure label: 10-Controller; 20-Drive device; 30-Vacuum pumping device; 40-Pushing component; 50-Sliding shaft; 60-Electrically controlled push rod; 70-Positioning device; 80-Camera device; 90-Temperature detector; 100-Carbon monoxide detector; 110-Vacuum detector; 120-Server; 1-Left first main protective component; 2-Left first folding block; 3-Left second folding block; 4-Left third folding block; 5-Right third folding block; 6-Right second folding block; 7-Right first folding block; 8-Right first main protective component; 9-Battery pack mounting beam; 11-Battery pack; 12-First folding block; 13-Second folding block; 14-Vehicle mounting beam; 15-Protective mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The applicant found that traditional technologies are unable to assess the current driving conditions of a vehicle in the event of battery thermal runaway and take effective measures. This could easily lead to safety risks to surrounding vehicles and pedestrians when the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, potentially resulting in serious safety accidents.

[0020] In view of this, the embodiments of this application provide a system, method and vehicle for suppressing battery thermal runaway, which can isolate the battery pack from the vehicle when the battery pack is about to experience thermal runaway or in the initial stage of thermal runaway, and perform vacuuming treatment on the battery pack that is experiencing thermal runaway.

[0021] The technical solution of this application embodiment is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, and the general idea is as follows: A system for suppressing battery thermal runaway includes: a protective mechanism, a controller, a drive unit, a vacuum pumping device, and a pusher. The pusher is connected to the protective mechanism, the drive unit is electrically connected to the pusher, and the drive unit, the vacuum pumping device, and the controller are electrically connected. The protective mechanism is folded vertically and surrounds the side of the battery pack, with a gap between the protective mechanism and the battery pack. The vacuum pumping device is connected to an opening in the outer wall of the protective mechanism via an air pipe. When the controller detects that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, it sends a drive signal to the drive unit. The drive unit controls the pusher to unfold the protective mechanism and completely seal the battery pack. The controller also activates the vacuum pumping device to evacuate the internal space enclosed by the protective mechanism.

[0022] To better understand the above technical solutions, the following will provide a detailed explanation of the technical solutions in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0023] Firstly, embodiments of the present invention provide a system for suppressing battery thermal runaway, specifically, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a protective mechanism (not shown in the figure), a controller 10, a drive device 20, a vacuum pumping device 30, and a pusher 40. The pusher 40 is connected to the protective mechanism, the drive device 20 is electrically connected to the pusher 40, and the drive device 20 and the vacuum pumping device 30 are electrically connected to the controller 10. The protective mechanism is folded up and down and is arranged around the side of the battery pack, with a gap between the protective mechanism and the battery pack. The vacuum pumping device 30 is connected to an opening in the outer wall of the protective mechanism through an air pipe. like Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the protective mechanism before it is deployed. The left side is the X-direction view of the vehicle, and the right side is the Y-direction view of the vehicle. 14 is the vehicle mounting beam, 11 is the battery pack, and 15 is the protective mechanism.

[0024] The controller 10 sends a drive signal to the drive unit 20 when it detects that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions. The drive unit 20 controls the pusher 40 to move, so as to drive the protective mechanism to unfold and seal the battery pack as a whole. The controller 10 is also used to activate the vacuum pump 30 to vacuum the internal space of the protective mechanism.

[0025] The controller 10 can be a microcontroller and can be integrated into the battery management system (BMS). The drive device 20 can be a motor, such as a stepper motor or a servo motor, and the vacuum pumping device 30 can be a vacuum pump or an ion pump.

[0026] In a specific embodiment, in order to obtain the vacuum level in the enclosed space, a vacuum detector 110 can also be provided on the outer surface of the battery pack to obtain the vacuum level around the battery pack.

[0027] In one embodiment, the protective mechanism can be made of composite material plates, and the inner wall of the protective mechanism is coated with a fire-retardant coating. When the battery thermal runaway protection mechanism is activated, it encloses the battery pack inside the entire mechanism. The inner wall of the composite material plates is coated with a fire-retardant coating to prevent it from being ignited by fire.

[0028] In a specific embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the protective mechanism includes main protective components (numbered 1 and 8) and secondary protective components (numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7), with the secondary protective components connected to both ends of the main protective components. The main protective components have an up-and-down folding structure, similar to a spring structure. The middle position of the entire main protective component can be fixedly installed on the vehicle mounting beam 14 around the battery pack. The pushing component 40 may include at least one telescopic push rod, which is connected to the main protective component; for example, the two ends of the telescopic push rod are connected to the two ends of the main protective component. Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the connection between the pusher 40 (i.e., the telescopic push rod) and the main protective component 1.

[0029] For example, the pusher 40 may include two, three, four or more telescopic push rods, each of which is electrically connected to the drive unit 20.

[0030] When the battery pack is in normal operation, the telescopic push rod is in a retracted state. When the battery pack meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, the drive device 20 is used to control the telescopic push rod to extend, causing the main protective component, which is in a folded state, to unfold and wrap the side of the battery pack.

[0031] It should be noted that the protective component includes upper and lower protective components, and their structures and principles are completely different. This application uses the upper protective component as an example for explanation: like Figure 3 As shown, the protective component includes two folding blocks symmetrically arranged on both sides of the battery pack. Both folding blocks are connected to the top of the main protective component 1 by a sliding shaft 50. The folding blocks and the main protective component overlap in the vertical direction. The sliding shaft 50 is used to drive the folding blocks to unfold in the horizontal direction where the battery pack is located. The sliding shaft 50 is electrically connected to the driving device 20. The drive unit 20 is also used to control the movement of the sliding shaft 50 after controlling the movement of the pusher 40, so that the folding blocks on both sides unfold in the horizontal direction, and the two folding blocks lock together during the unfolding process to cover the top of the battery pack and complete the sealing of the battery pack.

[0032] In a specific embodiment, a single folding block may include multiple sub-folding blocks, adjacent sub-folding blocks are connected by a sliding shaft 50, and the first sub-folding block among the multiple sub-folding blocks is connected to the first main protective component by a sliding shaft 50. One of the folding blocks has a threaded electrically controlled push rod 60 installed in its outermost sub-folding block, while the other folding block has a threaded hole in its outermost sub-folding block. The position and size of the electrically controlled push rod 60 are matched with the threaded hole, and the electrically controlled push rod 60 is electrically connected to the drive device 20. The drive device 20 is also used to drive the electrically controlled push rod 60 to rotate outward and move into the threaded hole after both folding blocks have been unfolded horizontally, so as to control the two folding blocks to lock together. Figure 5 The diagram shows the structure of the protective mechanism after it has been deployed. The left side is a view of the vehicle from the X direction, and the right side is a view of the vehicle from the Y side.

[0033] For example, a single fold block can include 1 to 4 sub-fold blocks, such as Figure 1 As shown, a single fold block is composed of 3 sub-fold blocks.

[0034] Alternatively, the protective structure surrounding the battery pack can be a polyhedral, cylindrical, cubic, or cuboid structure, etc.

[0035] For example, when the protective mechanism is a cube, the shape of the folding block can be a square or rectangular block; when the protective mechanism is a polyhedron, the shape of the folding block can be a polygon that is just used to enclose the battery pack.

[0036] It should be noted that the electrically controlled push rod 60 can be embedded inside the folding block. The electrically controlled push rod 60 itself has threads. When the drive device 20 (e.g., a stepper motor) controls the electrically controlled push rod 60 to move forward, the electrically controlled push rod 60 rotates and moves forward, inserting into the threaded hole of the folding block on the other side.

[0037] Of course, as another alternative embodiment, the end folding block on one side can be magnetically connected to the end folding block on the other side.

[0038] Furthermore, in order to better position the two folding blocks, the last folding block is provided with a positioning groove, through which the folding block is initially installed.

[0039] like Figure 6 The diagram shows the specific structure of the adjacent folding blocks (i.e., the first folding block 12 and the second folding block 13) and the sliding shaft 50 as illustrated in this application. The left side shows the structure after unfolding, and the right side shows the structure before unfolding. The center of the sliding shaft 50 can be a bearing structure, and the two sides of the sliding shaft 50 are fixed members. The fixed members are connected to the first folding block 12 and the second folding block 13. When the driving device 20 controls the bearing structure to rotate, the second folding block 13 will unfold or retract.

[0040] For example, when the motor-controlled bearing structure rotates forward, the folding block unfolds; when the motor-controlled bearing structure rotates in reverse, the folding block retracts.

[0041] It should be noted that, for the structure where the battery pack mounting beam 9 is located in the middle of the battery pack, in order to avoid the battery pack mounting beam 9 isolating the upper and lower parts of the battery pack and to ensure that the sealed space is an interconnected space for easy vacuuming, the protective mechanism can be set through the battery pack mounting beam 9 on the outside of the battery pack. In the area covered by the protective mechanism, the battery pack mounting beam 9 is provided with multiple through holes to connect the upper and lower parts of the battery pack with air.

[0042] Alternatively, openings can be provided on the outer walls of both the upper and lower parts of the protective mechanism, and the two openings can be connected by external pipelines to allow air to flow between the upper and lower parts of the battery pack.

[0043] In other embodiments, the protective mechanism may include a first protective member and a second protective member, and the pushing member 40 includes a first pushing member and a second pushing member. Both the first pushing member and the second pushing member are electrically connected to the driving device 20. The first pushing member is connected to the first protective member, and the second pushing member is connected to the second protective member. The first protective component has an opening facing upwards and is positioned around the upper part of the battery pack. The bottom of the first protective component is connected to the battery pack mounting beam 9. The second protective component has an opening facing downwards and is positioned around the lower part of the battery pack. The top of the second protective component is connected to the vehicle mounting beam 14. The drive device 20 is used to control the operation of the first and second push components to drive the first and second protective mechanisms to unfold and completely seal the battery pack. There are gaps between the first and second protective components and the battery pack.

[0044] Specifically, the first protective component includes a first main protective component and a first secondary protective component connected to the first main protective component. The first pushing component includes at least one telescopic push rod, the two ends of which are connected to the two ends of the first main protective component (i.e., the top of the telescopic push rod is connected to the top of the first main protective component, and the bottom of the telescopic push rod is connected to the bottom of the first main protective component). The driving device 20 is used to drive the telescopic push rod to extend, so as to drive the first main protective component to unfold. The first protective component includes two folding blocks symmetrically arranged on both sides of the battery pack. Both folding blocks are connected to the top of the first main protective component by a sliding shaft 50. The folding blocks and the first main protective component overlap in the vertical direction. The sliding shaft 50 is used to drive the folding blocks to unfold horizontally. The sliding shaft 50 is electrically connected to the driving device 20. The driving device 20 is also used to control the movement of the sliding shaft 50 after controlling the movement of the pusher 40, so that the folding blocks on both sides unfold horizontally, and the two folding blocks are locked during the unfolding process.

[0045] The second protective component has the same structure as the first protective component, and will not be described again in this application.

[0046] It should be noted that the connection between the telescopic push rod and the main protective component can also be that the center position of the telescopic push rod is connected to the center position of the main protective component.

[0047] In a specific embodiment, the extension height of the first main protective member can be lower than, equal to, or higher than the top surface of the battery pack. When it is lower than the top surface of the battery pack, a single folding block preferably uses multiple sub-folding blocks, with the unfolding angle gradually increasing from the unfolding angle of the first sub-folding block to the unfolding angle of the last sub-folding block, so as to achieve coverage of the top surface of the battery pack.

[0048] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, 1 is the first main protective component (connected to the battery pack mounting beam 9), 2 is the first folding block on the left, 3 is the second folding block on the left, 4 is the third folding block on the left, 5 is the third folding block on the right, 6 is the second folding block on the right, 7 is the first folding block on the right, 8 is the first main protective component (connected to the battery pack mounting beam 9), 14 is the vehicle mounting beam, and 11 is the battery pack.

[0049] The protective mechanism can be equipped with flexible circuits, and the mounting mechanisms above and below the battery pack mounting beam 9 are symmetrical. All folding parts of the protective mechanism are connected by motor-driven sliding shafts 50. For example, a motor-driven sliding shaft 50 is also installed between the first folding block 2 on the left and the second folding block 3 on the left, and simultaneously between the first main protective component and the first folding block 2 on the left.

[0050] When the protective mechanism unfolds, a trigger signal from the drive device 20 drives the sliding shafts 50 between the folding parts to rotate, turning each folding part to a pre-set angle, such as the angle between the first main protective component 1 and the left first folding block 2, or the angle between the left first folding block 2 and the left second folding block 3. When each part reaches its designated angle, the left third folding block 3 and the right third folding block 5 are connected via positioning grooves. After connection, a threaded electrically controlled push rod 60 is installed on the left third folding block 3. The push rod is driven by a motor to lock with the threaded hole on the right third folding block 5, thus connecting the left and right protective mechanisms. When folding, the angle of deflection is controlled by adjusting the connecting shafts of each folding part for folding.

[0051] Of course, as another alternative embodiment, a single folding block may also include only one sub-folding block, one end of which is connected to the end of the main protective component by a sliding shaft 50, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to one end of another sub-folding block by an electrically controlled push rod 60.

[0052] The protective mechanism has an air pipe installed on its outer wall, which is connected to a vacuum pump. This air pipe can adjust the interior of the protective mechanism to a vacuum state, preventing the battery pack from catching fire or exploding. In this application, an opening is provided at any location on the outer wall of the protective mechanism. The vacuum pump is connected to the opening of the protective mechanism through the air pipe, and blows the vacuum from the opening into the enclosed space enclosed by the protective mechanism.

[0053] In an optional embodiment, the system may include a first vacuum pumping device 30 and a second vacuum pumping device 30. The first vacuum pumping device 30 is connected to the upper part of the battery pack via a pipe, and the second vacuum pumping device 30 is connected to the lower part of the battery pack via a pipe. When the battery pack meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, one of the first and second vacuum pumping devices 30 can be activated to cool the battery pack, depending on the location of the thermal runaway. Alternatively, both the first and second vacuum pumping devices 30 can be activated.

[0054] As an alternative embodiment, the main protective component in the protective mechanism can adopt another structure, namely, the main protective component includes multiple sealing plates, which are horizontally overlapping in the normal state, and a telescopic push rod connects one sealing plate. Each sealing plate is provided with a groove and a protrusion. When there is a risk of thermal runaway in the battery pack, the protective mechanism is activated, and the motor controls the telescopic push rod to extend, driving the sealing plate to extend. The upper and lower parts of the sealing plate are respectively provided with protrusions and grooves, which can insert the protrusion of the lower sealing plate into the groove of the upper sealing plate when the sealing plate is unfolded, forming a sealed structure.

[0055] Specifically, the sealing plate can also be a magnetic component. In the contracted state, the sealing plate has a stacked structure. Each telescopic push rod is electrically connected to the drive device 20. Each sealing plate is connected to the telescopic push rod. The telescopic length between adjacent telescopic push rods is equal to the height of the sealing plate. When the battery meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, the telescopic push rod drives the sealing plate to unfold. In the normally open state, adjacent sealing plates are fitted together by protrusions and grooves to form a sealed structure.

[0056] In a specific embodiment, the system may further include a monitoring device electrically connected to the controller 10; the device is used to collect the vehicle's operating status signal, and the device is used to determine whether the vehicle meets the thermal runaway early warning conditions based on the operating status signal.

[0057] Specifically, the monitoring device may include a temperature detector 90 and / or a carbon monoxide detector 100. Both the temperature detector 90 and the carbon monoxide detector 100 are electrically connected to the controller 10. The temperature detector 90 is used to monitor the temperature of the battery pack, and the carbon monoxide detector 100 is used to detect the concentration of carbon monoxide inside the battery pack. The controller 10 can directly acquire the voltage signal of the battery pack cells to obtain the voltage drop of the battery pack. The voltage drop refers to the difference between the actual output voltage of the battery pack when it is outputting current (i.e., under load) and the open-circuit voltage (the voltage when there is no load).

[0058] Carbon monoxide is monitored, as it can occur in the early stages of thermal runaway, and its concentration rises rapidly as the reaction intensifies. The controller 10 determines that the vehicle meets the conditions for a thermal runaway warning when the concentration value detected by the carbon monoxide detector 100 exceeds the concentration limit. For example, the concentration limit could be 200-500 ppm (confirming the risk of thermal runaway and initiating intervention measures).

[0059] Alternatively, the controller 10 determines that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions when it detects that the voltage drop of the battery pack is greater than the pressure limit and the temperature rise rate of the battery pack is greater than the temperature rise limit, and the duration of these conditions is greater than a preset duration. For example, the pressure limit can be 25% of the initial voltage, the temperature rise limit can be 1℃ / s, and the preset duration is 3 seconds. For instance, when the voltage drop exceeds 25% of the initial voltage and the temperature rise rate is ≥1℃ / s and lasts for more than 3 seconds, the controller determines that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions.

[0060] Alternatively, the controller 10 may determine that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions when it detects that the battery pack temperature exceeds a safety limit, and that the battery pack temperature rise rate exceeds a temperature rise limit, and the duration of these conditions exceeds a preset duration. For example, the safety limit can be between 55 and 60 degrees Celsius. For instance, if the battery pack temperature exceeds 55 degrees Celsius, and the temperature rise rate is ≥1°C / s for more than 3 seconds, the vehicle is deemed to meet the thermal runaway warning conditions.

[0061] Furthermore, to avoid the impact of a malfunctioning vehicle on surrounding vehicles and people, when the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, while controlling the battery pack's status, the vehicle should be stopped in a safe location based on the current road conditions and speed to prevent traffic accidents.

[0062] Specifically, the system may also include a positioning device 70 and a camera device 80, which are electrically connected to the controller 10. After detecting that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, the controller 10 can also determine the target location of the vehicle based on the environmental information obtained by the camera device 80 and the positioning information monitored by the positioning device 70. Based on the target location, the controller sends a nearby parking signal to the vehicle's intelligent driving assistance system so that the intelligent driving assistance system can park the vehicle in a safe area at a preset safe speed.

[0063] The positioning device 70 can be GPS, Beidou, etc., and the safe area can be a roadside area, an open area, or an area with few people. The preset safe speed can be 10~15km / h. The camera device 80 can be installed on the outside of the vehicle to obtain information about the vehicle's surroundings in real time.

[0064] Specifically, the controller 10 can be linked with the vehicle's internet system. When the vehicle experiences thermal runaway, on the one hand, it isolates the battery pack from the vehicle and manages the thermal runaway. On the other hand, to prevent accidental operation, the intelligent driving assistance system will automatically take over the vehicle and issue a voice warning that the vehicle is experiencing thermal runaway. Based on the vehicle's location, it will stop the vehicle in a safe area at a preset speed to avoid obstructing traffic. For example, if the system detects that the vehicle is located near a school, it will drive the vehicle to a safe area far away from the school.

[0065] Furthermore, in order to maintain the disabled vehicle as quickly as possible, after the vehicle is parked in a safe area, the system also includes automatically sending the vehicle's location information and fault signals back to the vehicle brand's service center to await assistance and avoid traffic accidents.

[0066] Furthermore, the controller 10 can also be connected to the server 120. When the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, it sends a thermal runaway signal and the vehicle's location information to the server 120. This allows the server 120 to send warning signals to new energy vehicles within a preset range of the vehicle's location based on the thermal runaway signal and the location information. This facilitates the owners of surrounding vehicles to quickly obtain information, evacuate, and prevent the accident from escalating.

[0067] For example, the preset range can be a radius of 10 to 20 meters centered on the disabled vehicle.

[0068] like Figure 7As shown, this application uses a carbon monoxide detector and a temperature sensor to monitor the gas composition and temperature inside the battery pack, respectively, to determine whether there is a risk of thermal runaway. When the conditions for determining thermal runaway are met, the controller disconnects the high voltage of the battery pack, activates the protection mechanism, seals the battery pack, and then activates the vacuum pump to create a vacuum inside the battery pack, preventing the risk of fire and isolating the battery pack from the vehicle. Simultaneously, combined with the vehicle's GPS and external cameras, the system determines the vehicle's location and, by reducing speed and communicating with the intelligent driving assistance system, parks the vehicle in a safe area. The system also simultaneously sends the vehicle's location and fault signal to the vehicle brand's service center for assistance. Once the battery pack temperature returns to normal, the vacuum pump stops operating, and when the gas composition sensor detects no abnormalities, the battery thermal runaway protection mechanism is disassembled and retracted.

[0069] This system can identify the risk of thermal runaway in the battery pack in advance and isolate it in a closed space, preventing fire and explosion through vacuuming. In the event of thermal runaway or fire, it can effectively isolate the battery pack and extinguish the fire through vacuuming, preventing it from igniting the vehicle. If the battery pack does catch fire, while controlling its status, it can stop the vehicle in a safe location based on current road conditions and speed, preventing traffic accidents. It also relays the vehicle's location and malfunction signals to the vehicle brand's service center for rapid assistance.

[0070] In summary, the system for suppressing battery thermal runaway provided by the embodiments of the present invention can effectively solve the problem of battery pack isolation. For battery packs that are about to experience thermal runaway, effective measures need to be taken to prevent it from happening, or for battery packs already determined to be prone to thermal runaway, effective measures need to be taken to isolate the battery pack from the vehicle to prevent damage to the vehicle and its occupants. When a battery experiences thermal runaway or catches fire, this system can effectively isolate the battery pack and extinguish the fire by vacuuming, preventing it from igniting the vehicle and providing good protection.

[0071] Secondly, based on the same inventive concept, this embodiment provides a method for suppressing battery thermal runaway, such as... Figure 8 As shown, in a controller applied to any of the aforementioned first aspects of a system for suppressing battery thermal runaway, the method includes the steps S101 to S102: Step S101: When the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, a drive signal is sent to the drive device to control the operation of the pusher, which drives the protective mechanism to change from a folded state to an extended state, thereby sealing the battery pack as a whole. Step S102: Activate the vacuum pumping device to evacuate the internal space enclosed by the protective mechanism.

[0072] As an optional embodiment, after detecting thermal runaway of the vehicle, the method may further include: determining the target location of the vehicle based on the external environment information obtained by the camera device and the positioning information monitored by the positioning device; and sending a nearby parking signal to the vehicle's intelligent driving assistance system based on the target location, so that the intelligent driving assistance system can park the vehicle in a safe area at a preset speed.

[0073] As an optional embodiment, the controller is also connected to a server, and the method may further include: when the vehicle is detected to meet the thermal runaway warning conditions, sending a thermal runaway signal and location information to the server, so that the server sends a warning signal to new energy vehicles within a preset range of the vehicle's location based on the thermal runaway signal and location information.

[0074] The method for suppressing battery thermal runaway provided in this embodiment of the invention has the same implementation principle and technical effect as the aforementioned system embodiment. For the sake of brevity, any part not mentioned in the method embodiment can be referred to the corresponding content in the aforementioned system embodiment.

[0075] Thirdly, based on the same inventive concept, this embodiment provides a vehicle 500, such as... Figure 9 As shown, it includes: a vehicle body 502 and a system 501 for suppressing battery thermal runaway as described in any of the first aspects above.

[0076] Since the system for suppressing battery thermal runaway included in the vehicle described in the embodiments of the present invention has been described above, those skilled in the art can understand the specific structure and working principle of the vehicle based on the system for suppressing battery thermal runaway described in the embodiments of the present invention, and will not be repeated here. All vehicles that include the system for suppressing battery thermal runaway described in the embodiments of the present invention fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0077] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the present invention can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, the present invention can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0078] This invention is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A module that specifies the function in one or more boxes.

[0079] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction modules implemented in a process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0080] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0081] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including both the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the invention.

[0082] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A system for suppressing battery thermal runaway, characterized in that, include: The system includes a protective mechanism, a controller, a drive unit, a vacuum pumping device, and a pusher, wherein the pusher is connected to the protective mechanism, the drive unit is electrically connected to the pusher, and the drive unit, the vacuum pumping device, and the controller are electrically connected. The protective mechanism is folded up and down and is arranged around the side of the battery pack, with a gap between the protective mechanism and the battery pack. The vacuum pump is connected to an opening on the outer wall of the protective mechanism through an air pipe. The controller is used to send a drive signal to the drive device when the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions. The drive device is used to control the movement of the pusher to drive the protective mechanism to unfold and completely seal the battery pack. The controller is also used to activate the vacuum pump to evacuate the internal space enclosed by the protective mechanism.

2. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The protective mechanism includes a main protective component and a secondary protective component connected to the main protective component. The pushing component includes at least one telescopic push rod connected to the main protective component. The driving device is used to drive the telescopic push rod to extend so as to unfold the main protective component. The auxiliary protective component includes two folding blocks symmetrically arranged on both sides of the battery pack. Both folding blocks are connected to the top of the main protective component by a sliding shaft. The folding blocks and the main protective component overlap in the vertical direction. The sliding shaft is used to drive the folding blocks to unfold in the horizontal direction where the battery pack is located. The sliding shaft is electrically connected to the driving device. The drive device is also used to control the movement of the sliding shaft after controlling the movement of the pusher, so that the folding blocks on both sides unfold in the horizontal direction, and to control the two folding blocks to lock tightly during the unfolding process.

3. The system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A single folding block includes multiple sub-folding blocks, adjacent sub-folding blocks are connected by the sliding shaft, and the first sub-folding block among the multiple sub-folding blocks is connected to the main protective component by the sliding shaft. A threaded electrically controlled push rod is installed in the sub-folding block at the very end of one of the folding blocks, and a threaded hole is provided in the sub-folding block at the very end of the other folding block. The position and size of the electrically controlled push rod are adapted to the threaded hole, and the electrically controlled push rod is electrically connected to the drive device. The drive device is also used to drive the electrically controlled push rod to rotate outward and move into the threaded hole after the folding blocks on both sides are unfolded in the horizontal direction, so as to control the two folding blocks to complete the locking.

4. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The protective mechanism includes a first protective component and a second protective component, and the pushing component includes a first pushing component and a second pushing component. Both the first pushing component and the second pushing component are electrically connected to the driving device. The first pushing component is connected to the first protective component, and the second pushing component is connected to the second protective component. The first protective component has an opening facing upwards and is arranged around the upper part of the battery pack. The bottom of the first protective component is connected to the battery pack mounting beam. The second protective component has an opening facing downwards and is arranged around the lower part of the battery pack. The top of the second protective component is connected to the vehicle mounting beam. The driving device is used to control the operation of the first and second pushing members to drive the first and second protective mechanisms to unfold and completely seal the battery pack.

5. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The positioning device and the camera device are electrically connected to the controller; After detecting that the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions, the controller is used to determine the target location of the vehicle based on the environmental information obtained by the camera device and the positioning information monitored by the positioning device; based on the target location, it sends a nearby parking signal to the vehicle's intelligent driving assistance system so that the intelligent driving assistance system can park the vehicle in a safe area at a preset safe speed.

6. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a monitoring device, which is electrically connected to the controller; The monitoring device is used to collect the vehicle's operating status signals, and the controller is used to determine whether the vehicle meets the thermal runaway warning conditions based on the operating status signals.

7. A method for suppressing battery thermal runaway, characterized in that, The method, applied in a controller of a system for suppressing battery thermal runaway as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, comprises: When the vehicle is detected to meet the thermal runaway warning conditions, a drive signal is sent to the drive unit to control the operation of the pusher, which drives the protective mechanism to change from a folded state to an extended state, thereby sealing the battery pack as a whole. Turn on the vacuum pump to evacuate the internal space enclosed by the protective mechanism.

8. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The process of detecting thermal runaway in a vehicle also includes: Based on the external environmental information obtained by the camera device and the positioning information monitored by the positioning device, the target location of the vehicle is determined. Based on the target location, a nearby parking signal is sent to the vehicle's intelligent driving assistance system, so that the intelligent driving assistance system can park the vehicle in a safe area at a preset speed.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The controller is also connected to a server, and the method further includes: When a vehicle is detected to meet the conditions for thermal runaway warning, a thermal runaway signal and the location information are sent to the server, so that the server sends a warning signal to new energy vehicles within a preset range of the vehicle's location based on the thermal runaway signal and the location information.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the vehicle body and the system for suppressing battery thermal runaway as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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