Battery system, vehicle comprising a battery system, and method of operating a battery system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a battery system, a vehicle including the battery system, and a method of operating the battery system. A battery system includes a battery pack including a housing and a plurality of battery cells housed within the housing, a fire suppression pump including: a chamber having a first portion and a second portion separated from one another by a movable barrier member between the first portion and the second portion; a fire suppressant material in the first portion; an explosive material in the second portion; and an outlet in the first portion of the chamber and configured to release the fire suppressant material toward at least one of the battery cells, and an explosion trigger system configured to cause the explosive material to explode in response to an ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the battery cells, thereby moving the movable barrier member to push at least some of the fire suppressant material through the outlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One aspect of the embodiments disclosed herein relates to a battery system having a fire extinguishing pump. Background Technology

[0002] A battery pack is a group of any number (usually the same) of battery modules or individual battery cells. Battery modules or individual battery cells can be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of both to provide desired voltage, capacity, and / or power density. The components of a battery pack generally include individual battery modules and interconnections that provide conductivity between the battery modules.

[0003] The battery system may also include a battery management system (BMS), which is any suitable electronic system configured to manage rechargeable battery cells, battery modules, and battery packs, such as by protecting the batteries from operation outside their safe operating areas, monitoring their status, calculating secondary data, reporting that data, controlling their environment, validating them, and / or balancing them. For example, the BMS may monitor the status of a battery cell, which is represented by: voltage (e.g., the total voltage of the battery pack or battery module and / or the voltage of an individual battery cell), temperature (e.g., the average temperature of the battery pack or battery module, the coolant inlet temperature, the coolant outlet temperature, or the temperature of an individual battery cell), coolant flow (e.g., flow rate and / or coolant pressure), and current. In addition, the BMS can calculate values ​​such as the following based on the above characteristics or measurements: minimum and maximum cell voltage, state of charge (SOC) or depth of discharge (DOD) indicating the charge level of a cell, state of health (SOH, a measurement of the percentage of a cell's remaining capacity relative to its original capacity according to various definitions), state of power (SOP, the amount of power available within a defined time interval considering current power usage, temperature, and other conditions), state of safety (SOS), maximum charging current as charge current limit (CCL), maximum discharging current as discharge current limit (DCL), and the cell's internal impedance (used to determine the open-circuit voltage).

[0004] A Battery Management System (BMS) can be centralized, where a single controller is connected to the battery cells via multiple wires. In another example, the BMS can be distributed, with the BMS board mounted at each battery cell and only a single communication cable between the battery cell and the controller. Yet another example shows a modular BMS comprising several controllers, each controlling a number of battery cells (e.g., a group of battery cells), while also communicating with each other. Centralized BMSs are the most economical but the least scalable and plagued by multiple wires. Distributed BMSs are the most expensive but the simplest to install and offer the cleanest assembly. Modular BMSs offer a trade-off between the benefits and problems of the other two technologies.

[0005] The exothermic decomposition of individual battery cells can lead to what is known as thermal runaway. Generally, thermal runaway describes the accelerated release of energy due to rising temperatures, which in turn cause the temperature to rise further. Thermal runaway occurs when an increase in temperature alters the conditions of a battery cell, leading to a further increase in temperature, and it typically results in destructive consequences. In rechargeable battery systems, thermal runaway is associated with a violently exothermic reaction accelerated by rising temperatures. During thermal runaway, the temperature of a battery cell rises very rapidly, and the stored energy is released very suddenly. In extreme cases, thermal runaway can cause the battery cell to explode and catch fire. In milder cases, it can damage the battery cell beyond repair.

[0006] When a battery cell is heated above a critical temperature (e.g., above approximately 150°C), it can enter thermal runaway. Generally, high temperatures outside the safe zone on the low or high side can cause irreversible damage to the battery cell and may thus trigger thermal runaway. Thermal runaway can also occur due to internal or external short circuits within the battery cell or poor battery maintenance. For example, overcharging or fast charging can lead to thermal runaway.

[0007] During thermal runaway, the faulty battery cell can reach temperatures exceeding approximately 700°C. Furthermore, a large amount of hot gas is ejected from the inside of the faulty cell into the battery pack through venting openings in the cell casing. The main components of the emitted gases are H2, CO2, CO, electrolyte vapor, and other hydrocarbons. Therefore, the emitted gases are flammable and potentially toxic. The emitted gases also cause an increase in gas pressure within the battery pack. In the worst-case scenario, the high temperature causes this process (e.g., thermal runaway) to spread to adjacent battery cells, leading to a fire throughout the entire battery pack. At this stage, the fire is extremely difficult to extinguish.

[0008] Battery Management Systems (BMS) are crucial for the safe operation and optimal performance of rechargeable battery cells and help reduce or minimize the possibility of thermal runaway. For example, if the BMS detects excessively high temperatures, it can regulate the temperature by controlling cooling fans. Alternatively, if a battery cell cannot be cooled and cannot return to safe conditions, the BMS can shut down necessary battery cells to protect the entire system. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Further solutions are needed to address thermal runaway events within individual battery cells, preventing the spread of thermal runaway to adjacent cells and effectively extinguishing the fire with a short response time. Furthermore, more efficient battery systems are desired, for example, systems that do not require additional computing resources and / or additional electrical wiring that would burden the processor load of the BMS or other control units, or systems that can locally extinguish the combustion of different battery cells.

[0010] This disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. The following description is subject to this limitation. Any disclosure outside the scope of the claims and their equivalents is intended for illustrative and comparative purposes.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a battery system includes a battery pack comprising a housing and a plurality of battery cells housed within the housing. The battery system also includes a fire extinguishing pump. The fire extinguishing pump includes a chamber having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being separated from each other by a movable barrier between the first and second portions. An extinguishing agent material is provided in the first portion, and an explosive material is provided in the second portion. An outlet is provided in the first portion of the chamber to release the extinguishing agent material toward at least one of the plurality of battery cells or its vicinity. The battery system also includes an explosion triggering system configured to move the movable barrier to propel at least some of the extinguishing agent material through the outlet in response to an explosion of the explosive material caused by the ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the plurality of battery cells.

[0012] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a method of operating a battery system includes providing the battery system as described above, and in response to an explosive material explosion caused by the ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the plurality of battery cells, moving a movable blocking member to push at least some of the extinguishing agent material through an outlet toward at least one of the plurality of battery cells.

[0013] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a vehicle including the battery system described above.

[0014] Other aspects and features of this disclosure may be understood from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The aspects and features of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 It is a block diagram describing a battery system according to an embodiment;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fire extinguishing pump according to an embodiment;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic top view of the battery system according to the embodiment;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic top view of a battery system according to another embodiment;

[0020] Figure 5This is a schematic top view of a battery system according to another embodiment;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic top view of a battery system according to another embodiment;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic top view of a battery system according to another embodiment;

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic top view of a battery system according to another embodiment; and

[0024] Figure 9 This is a block diagram describing a method of operating a battery system according to an implementation method. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Aspects and features of the embodiments and methods of implementation thereof will be described with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure may be implemented in a variety of different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments shown herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey to those skilled in the art the aspects and features of this disclosure.

[0026] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Furthermore, when describing embodiments of this disclosure, the use of “may” means “one or more embodiments of this disclosure.” Expressions such as “at least one of…” and “any one of…”, when following a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements, not individual elements within the list. For example, the expression “at least one of a, b, or c” means only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, all of a, b, and c, or variations thereof. As used herein, the terms “use,” “using…,” and “being used” can be considered synonymous with the terms “utilize,” “using…,” and “being exploited,” respectively. As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “about,” and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than terms of degree and are intended to account for inherent variations in measured or calculated values ​​that would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0027] It will be further understood that the terms “comprising,” “including,” “including…” or “containing…” specify properties, areas, fixed quantities, steps, processes, elements, components, and combinations thereof, but do not exclude other properties, areas, fixed quantities, steps, processes, elements, components, and combinations thereof.

[0028] In this document, the terms "upper" and "lower" are defined according to the z-axis. For example, the upper cover is positioned above the z-axis, and the lower cover is positioned below it. In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of the elements may be exaggerated for clarity. For example, in the accompanying drawings, the dimensions or thickness of each element may be arbitrarily shown for illustrative purposes, and therefore the embodiments of this disclosure should not be construed as limited thereto. The same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0029] It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on" another element or layer, "connected" to another element or layer, or "bonded" to another element or layer, it can be directly on, directly connected to, or directly bonded to the other element or layer, or there may be one or more intermediate elements or layers. When an element or layer is referred to as being "directly on" another element or layer, "directly connected" to another element or layer, or "directly bonded" to another element or layer, there are no intermediate elements or layers. For example, when a first element is described as being "bonded" or "connected" to a second element, the first element can be directly bonded or connected to the second element, or the first element can be indirectly bonded or connected to the second element via one or more intermediate elements.

[0030] It will be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or portion from another element, component, region, layer, or portion. Therefore, the first element, first component, first region, first layer, or first portion discussed below may be referred to as a second element, second component, second region, second layer, or second portion without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0031] The electronic or electrical devices and / or any other related devices or components described herein according to embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented using any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits), software, or a combination of software, firmware, and hardware. Furthermore, various components of these devices can be implemented on flexible printed circuit films, tape-on-a-carrier packages (TCPs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), or formed on a substrate. The electrical connections or interconnections described herein can be implemented, for example, by wires or conductive elements on a PCB or another circuit carrier. Conductive elements may include metallizations (e.g., surface metallizations and / or pins) and / or may include conductive polymers or ceramics. Furthermore, electrical energy can be transmitted via wireless connections (e.g., by using electromagnetic radiation and / or light).

[0032] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that the functions of various computing devices can be combined or integrated into a single computing device, or the functions of a particular computing device can be distributed across one or more other computing devices without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms (such as those defined in general dictionaries) shall be interpreted as having the same meaning as they have in the context of the relevant field and / or the context of this specification, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0034] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in view of the entirety of this disclosure, each suitable feature of the various embodiments of this disclosure may be combined in part or in whole, or combined with one another, and may be technically interlocked and operated in various suitable ways, and each embodiment may be implemented independently of or in combination with one another in any suitable manner, unless otherwise stated or implied.

[0035] Furthermore, any numerical range disclosed and / or described herein is intended to include all subranges containing the same numerical precision within the described range. For example, the range “1.0 to 10.0” is intended to include all subranges between (and including) the minimum value of 1.0 and the maximum value of 10.0, that is, all subranges having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or less than 10.0, such as, for example, 2.4 to 7.6. Any maximum numerical limit described herein is intended to include all lower numerical limits contained therein, and any minimum numerical limit described in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limits contained therein. Therefore, the applicant reserves the right to amend this specification (including the claims) to expressly describe any subranges contained within the range expressly described herein.

[0036] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a battery system includes a battery pack comprising a housing and a plurality of battery cells housed within the housing. The battery system also includes a fire extinguishing pump. The fire extinguishing pump has a chamber (e.g., a housing) having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being separated from each other by a movable blocking member between the first and second portions. Extinguishing agent material is provided in the first portion, and explosive material is provided in the second portion. An outlet is provided in the first portion of the chamber to release the extinguishing agent material toward at least one of the battery cells. The battery system also includes an explosion triggering system configured to move the movable blocking member in response to an explosion of the explosive material caused by the ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the battery cells, thereby propelling at least some of the extinguishing agent material through the outlet.

[0037] The fire pump can be, for example, a fire extinguishing unit or device. The explosive material can be a propellant material. The movable blocking member can be a movable piston member or another pressure transmission member. The first part and / or the second part can be considered sub-chambers of a chamber. The first part can be a tank for storing the extinguishing agent material. The chamber can be, for example, a shell. The extinguishing agent material can be a liquid (such as ash water or a solution containing a non-flammable chemical agent dissolved in the liquid) or extinguishing agent foam. The explosive material is not limited to the specific examples, and any suitable material capable of rapidly detonating in a controlled manner to eject the extinguishing agent material in a direction toward the battery cell can be used.

[0038] The battery system enhances operational safety by providing an explosion triggering system that rapidly reacts to the ejection of vented gas from at least one battery cell (e.g., in the event of thermal runaway or its precursor) to execute a controlled explosion of explosive material, thereby releasing extinguishing agent material into the battery cell due to movement of a movable barrier. Thus, the battery system responds rapidly when vented gas occurs due to a possible thermal runaway event in at least one battery cell. The battery system delivers (or moves) extinguishing agent material (FEM) to or at least to the vicinity of the burning battery cell to extinguish it. Therefore, an effective extinguishing agent is provided for burning battery cells.

[0039] According to another embodiment, the explosion triggering system is configured to detonate the explosive material of the fire extinguishing pump in the event of thermal runaway by ejecting exhaust gas from at least one of the battery cells. For example, the exhaust gas (ejected through the exhaust valve of the battery cell) serves as the triggering material for the explosion. Therefore, the explosion event is directly related to or caused by the ejection of the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas has a very high temperature and creates high pressure within the casing. These properties can be directly used to trigger an explosion without requiring any separate detection (such as additional sensors) or any active controller (such as a battery management system (BMS)). Therefore, by directly using the exhaust gas as the triggering material for the explosion, the explosion triggering system can automatically and very quickly respond to a fire in a battery cell due to thermal runaway without additional controllers or sensors, thereby extinguishing the fire rapidly with minimal time loss. Therefore, the battery system does not require additional computing resources or additional sensors, thus reducing electronic circuitry and avoiding additional burden on the processor load of the BMS or other control units.

[0040] According to another embodiment, the chamber has an opening in the second portion. This opening has a binding function, for example, facilitating the interaction between the exhaust gas and the explosive material, thereby increasing sensitivity. The opening allows for close contact between the explosive material and the exhaust gas to trigger an explosion more quickly, and at least reduces shielding caused by the chamber.

[0041] According to another embodiment, the fire extinguishing pump is positioned at the exhaust gas outlet of the casing, such that the exhaust gas discharged through the exhaust gas outlet causes the explosive material to explode. Most battery packs have an exhaust gas outlet where the exhaust gas is concentrated and output in a concentrated form. Therefore, positioning the fire extinguishing pump at the exhaust gas outlet increases the interaction between the exhaust gas and the explosive material. This allows for a faster response and explosion to extinguish the combustion, and improves the sensitivity of the fire extinguishing pump.

[0042] According to another embodiment, the fire pump is positioned at a dedicated location within the housing in the exhaust gas flow, such that the exhaust gas causes an explosion of explosive materials. Therefore, the fire pump can also be integrated into the housing, reducing the interaction distance to the battery cells, which can result in a shorter response time. The dedicated location within the housing can also be near the exhaust gas outlet, or at other locations where a higher concentration of exhaust gas is determined or anticipated due to guiding elements or by designing the flow profile (or flow path) within the housing.

[0043] According to another embodiment, the explosion triggering system includes at least one vent pipe (e.g., a vent pipe structure) extending from at least one of the plurality of battery cells to a fire suppression pump, such that vented gases released from at least one battery cell are directed to the fire suppression pump to cause an explosion of explosive material. This allows vented gases from different locations within the battery pack to be directed toward the fire suppression pump via the vent pipe. For example, during a thermal runaway event, this can optimize the direct interaction of the vented gases with the explosive material to reduce reaction time.

[0044] According to another embodiment, the explosion triggering system includes at least one pyrotechnic fuse (e.g., a pyrotechnic fuse structure) extending from the exhaust gas outlet of at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the casing to a fire extinguishing pump, such that the exhaust gas ignites the pyrotechnic fuse, and the combustion propagates along the pyrotechnic fuse to the fire extinguishing pump, thereby causing an explosion of the explosive material. Thus, in this embodiment, the exhaust gas is used to ignite the pyrotechnic fuse, and then the combustion propagates to the fire extinguishing pump to cause the desired explosion of the explosive material to achieve a fire extinguishing response. Using a pyrotechnic fuse allows for very close proximity to the battery cells, enabling the rapid transmission of the exhaust gas with a high probability. In other words, the pyrotechnic fuse can be an explosion fuse.

[0045] According to another embodiment, at least a portion of the pyrotechnic fuse or at least one opening of the exhaust pipe extends to or is provided at a position above the exhaust valve of the corresponding battery cell. Therefore, combustion can be easily transferred from the corresponding battery cell to the fire suppression system, and an early fire suppression response can be achieved against exhaust gas ejection and / or thermal runaway.

[0046] According to another embodiment, the explosion triggering system includes a mechanical pressure chamber provided within a housing. The mechanical pressure chamber includes a spark generator and a movable member actuated by a pressure within the housing exceeding a reference pressure (or threshold pressure). The movable member is configured to mechanically actuate the spark generator to cause an explosion of the explosive material. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pressure increase due to the release of exhaust gas is used to cause the explosion of the explosive material. The spark generator may be a piezoelectric element. No additional detector or control unit is required in this embodiment of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the exhaust gas is used directly from the perspective of the pressure increase caused by the ejected exhaust gas.

[0047] According to another embodiment, the fire extinguishing pump includes a rupture plate located at the outlet to contain extinguishing agent material within a chamber. The rupture plate is configured to open (e.g., burst or tear) in response to pressure from the extinguishing agent material (e.g., an increase in the pressure of the extinguishing agent material). Therefore, the extinguishing agent material can be safely contained within the chamber before being activated by an explosion caused by exhaust gases and / or thermal runaway. In other words, the rupture plate can be a rupture element.

[0048] According to another embodiment, the outlet of the fire extinguishing pump is open to the interior of the housing, such that the housing is at least partially filled with extinguishing agent material in response to the ejection of exhaust gas and / or a thermal runaway event. This prevents the thermal runaway from spreading to other battery cells, as the combustion of adjacent battery cells is also extinguished, thereby preventing potential spread during the reaction time. In this embodiment, the fire extinguishing pump is housed within the housing.

[0049] According to another embodiment, the battery system includes a delivery pipe system comprising multiple delivery pipes connected to an outlet and extending to multiple battery cells, such that extinguishing agent material is supplied to the multiple battery cells through the multiple delivery pipes in response to the ejection of exhaust gases and / or a thermal runaway event. This allows the extinguishing material to be directed to the specific location where extinguishing is most effective. Therefore, an improvement in the efficiency of extinguishing fires and / or suppressing thermal runaway is achieved.

[0050] According to another embodiment, the delivery pipe system includes a main supply delivery pipe and a plurality of branch delivery pipes. The main supply delivery pipe is connected to an outlet, and the plurality of branch delivery pipes are connected to and branch from the main supply delivery pipe to extend along at least one stack of battery cells. This provides an efficient delivery pipe network for delivering fire extinguishing material to rows of battery cells in the battery pack.

[0051] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the explosion triggering system includes at least one sensor for detecting the ejection of exhaust gas and / or thermal runaway of at least one of the battery cells, and at least one control unit is configured to trigger an explosive material explosion by an electrical signal in response to the at least one sensor sensing the ejection of exhaust gas and / or thermal runaway of at least one battery cell. In this embodiment, the electrical signal is used to trigger the explosion.

[0052] According to another embodiment, the delivery pipe system includes multiple branch delivery pipes, each branch delivery pipe including a release opening corresponding to at least one battery cell and branching from a main supply delivery pipe connected to an outlet. Furthermore, the delivery pipe system includes multiple valves, each valve provided in a corresponding branch delivery pipe. The battery system also includes multiple sensors, each sensor associated with one or a subset of the multiple battery cells. The battery system includes at least one control unit (e.g., a controller) configured to detect the ejection of exhaust gas and / or thermal runaway via at least one of the multiple sensors; identify the branch delivery pipe associated with the at least one sensor that detected the ejection of exhaust gas and / or thermal runaway; and control the multiple valves such that extinguishing agent material is delivered to the identified branch delivery pipe. Therefore, while ensuring that an appropriate amount of extinguishing agent material is supplied to the location most in need of extinguishing action, unnecessary waste of extinguishing agent material is avoided, thereby improving the efficiency of the extinguishing operation. The sensors may be temperature sensors to individually detect (or measure) the local temperature environment of the battery cells for sensing thermal runaway or exhaust gas ejection cell differentiation.

[0053] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a method of operating a battery system is provided, the method comprising providing the battery system as described above, and, in response to an explosive material explosion caused by an exhaust gas ejected from at least one of the battery cells, moving a movable blocking member to push at least some of the extinguishing agent material through an outlet toward at least one of the battery cells. The method may also include additional steps as described above in the context of the battery system.

[0054] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a vehicle including the battery system described above.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a block diagram describing a battery system according to an implementation method. Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fire extinguishing pump according to an embodiment.

[0056] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery system 100 and the fire extinguishing pump 20 are described according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0057] like Figure 1 As illustrated in the diagram, or in reference Figures 3 to 8 In the various embodiments described, the battery system 100 includes a battery pack 10. The battery pack 10 includes a plurality of individual battery cells 12 housed within a housing 14. For example, as... Figures 3 to 8As shown, each battery cell 12 includes a positive terminal 17 and a negative terminal 18. The battery pack 10 may include one or more battery modules, which comprise a subset of battery cells 12 stacked together in a row. At least one of the battery cells 12 may experience thermal runaway and / or may eject (or emit) exhaust gases, which may cause the battery cell 12 to ignite and / or may spread from one battery cell to another in the battery pack 10.

[0058] For fire suppression and / or to prevent the spread of thermal runaway, the battery system 100 includes Figure 1 The fire pump 20 is shown schematically in the diagram. See below for reference. Figure 2 A more detailed explanation of fire pump 20.

[0059] The fire pump 20 includes a chamber 22. The chamber 22 forms a shell or container. The chamber 22 has a first portion 30 and a second portion 40. The first portion 30 and the second portion 40 are separated by a movable blocking member 35. The movable blocking member 35 divides the chamber 22 into the first portion 30 and the second portion 40. The movable blocking member 35 is movable in an axial direction A of the chamber 22. When the movable blocking member 35 moves in the axial direction A, the volume of the first portion 30 decreases while the volume of the second portion 40 increases. The movable blocking member 35 may be a pressure transmitting element, such as a piston member. A fire extinguishing agent material 32 is provided in the first portion 30 of the chamber 22. For example, the fire extinguishing agent material 32 may be a liquid (such as water, an aqueous solution including a flame retardant) or a fire extinguishing agent foam material, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. An explosive material 42 (such as an explosive material or propellant material) is provided in the second portion 40. The explosive material 42 may be an explosive powder material, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0060] In addition, such as Figure 2 As shown, chamber 22 includes an outlet 34. The outlet 34 is located within a first portion 30 of chamber 22 (e.g., in fluid communication with the first portion 30 of chamber 22). Therefore, extinguishing agent material 32 can be released (e.g., sprayed or propelled) through the outlet 34 toward at least one of the battery cells 12 of the battery pack 10 or at least in its vicinity. This will be described in more detail below.

[0061] To allow the extinguishing agent material 32 to be ejected through outlet 34 (and toward battery cell 12) (i.e., ejected into housing 14), the battery system 100 also includes an explosion triggering system 50. The explosion triggering system 50 is configured to cause the explosive material 42 to explode in response to the ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the battery cells 12 and / or thermal runaway of at least one of the battery cells 12. The explosion of the explosive material 42 (and the increase in pressure or volume expansion) then causes a movable blocking member 35 to move in the direction toward outlet 34 (e.g., toward outlet 34), thereby reducing the volume of the first portion 30. Thus, in response to the ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the battery cells 12, the movable blocking member 35, through its movement, pushes at least some of the extinguishing agent material 32 through outlet 34.

[0062] Therefore, a fire in one or more battery cells 12 can be caused by, for example, Figure 1 The fire extinguishing pump 20, triggered by the explosion triggering system 50 shown, is effectively extinguished. Therefore, the explosion triggering system 50 causes the explosive material 42 of the fire extinguishing pump 20 to explode in response to the ejection of exhaust gas 52 from at least one of the battery cells 12.

[0063] Because the exhaust gas 52 is used directly as the explosion triggering medium, the explosion triggering system 50 can respond rapidly to fires in battery cells caused by thermal runaway, thereby extinguishing the fire quickly with minimal time loss. Therefore, the battery system 100 does not require additional computing resources or additional sensors, thus reducing electronic circuitry and avoiding additional burden on the processor load of the battery management system (BMS) or other control units. Thus, for example, in a thermal runaway event, the explosion event is directly related to the ejection of the exhaust gas 52 without requiring any separate detection (such as additional sensors or any active controllers (such as the BMS)). The fire extinguishing pump 20 can automatically and without additional controllers or sensors respond very quickly to fires in battery cells caused by the ejection of exhaust gas and / or thermal runaway, thereby extinguishing the fire quickly with minimal time loss.

[0064] refer to Figure 2 The chamber 22 has an opening 44 in the second part 40. The opening 44 prevents the explosive material 42 and the exhaust gas 52, which serves as the explosion triggering medium, from being shielded by the chamber walls (e.g., the explosive material 42 can be placed in fluid communication with the outside of the chamber 22). This also allows for a faster reaction and enables a quicker explosion response because it allows the explosive material 42 to have better contact with the exhaust gas 52.

[0065] like Figure 2As shown, the fire pump 20 includes a rupture plate 38 located at the outlet 34. This ensures that, in the inactive state (without thermal runaway), the extinguishing agent material 32 is contained within the chamber 22, i.e., it prevents leakage. The rupture plate 38 is configured to open (or rupture) in response to being pressed by the extinguishing agent material 32 in the event of ejection of the exhaust gas and / or thermal runaway, as described above. This is caused by the explosion and the responsive movement of the extinguishing agent material 32.

[0066] In one embodiment, outlet 34 is open to the interior of housing 14. Therefore, in response to an event of exhaust gas ejection and / or thermal runaway, housing 14 is at least partially filled with extinguishing agent material 32. In such an embodiment, rapid propagation of thermal runaway can be prevented because the extinguishing reaction also involves adjacent battery cells. The fire pump 20 can be implemented in various ways (such as referenced in...). Figures 3 to 8 Installation (described in the implementation method).

[0067] Figure 3 This is a schematic top view of the battery system 100 according to an embodiment.

[0068] according to Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, the fire pump 20 is positioned to optimize the interaction between the explosive material 42 and the exhaust gas 52, which serves as the triggering medium, in order to provide a shorter response time. Figure 3 As shown, the fire extinguishing pump 20 is positioned at the exhaust gas outlet 16 of the housing 14. Therefore, the exhaust gas 52 discharged through the exhaust gas outlet 16 causes the explosive material 42 to explode. Thus, due to the positioning of the fire extinguishing pump 20, the interaction between the explosive material 42 and the exhaust gas 52 is increased, as the exhaust gas 52 is concentrated at the exhaust gas outlet 16. In this way, the exhaust gas 52 can directly cause the explosion of the explosive material 42, triggering a response from the sprayed extinguishing agent material 32, thereby extinguishing the fire.

[0069] according to Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, the battery system 100 may include a delivery pipe system 90 having a plurality of delivery pipes 92 connected to an outlet 34. The delivery pipes 92 extend to a plurality of battery cells 12, such that extinguishing agent material 32 is supplied to the plurality of battery cells 12 through the plurality of delivery pipes 92 in response to an event of exhaust gas ejection and / or thermal runaway. Release openings 94 may be provided in the delivery pipes 92, corresponding to a respective battery cell 12. Therefore, the extinguishing agent material 32 can be released locally and at the location of the battery cell 12. This feature may be referenced in the following section. Figures 4 to 8 Implemented in any of the described embodiments.

[0070] In this embodiment, the delivery pipe system 90 includes a main supply delivery pipe P and a plurality of branch delivery pipes P1, P2, and P3. The main supply delivery pipe P is connected to an outlet 34, and the plurality of branch delivery pipes P1, P2, and P3 are connected to and branch from the main supply delivery pipe P to extend along a corresponding stack of at least one battery cell 12. This effectively provides a delivery pipe network for conveying extinguishing agent material 32 to rows of battery cells in the battery pack 10. The branch delivery pipes P1, P2, and P3 include release openings 94.

[0071] Figure 4 This is a schematic top view of a battery system 100 according to another embodiment. The following mainly describes the battery system relative to... Figure 3 The differences in the implementation methods shown. According to Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, the fire extinguishing pump 20 is positioned, according to another embodiment, at a location (e.g., a dedicated location) that optimizes the interaction between the explosive material 42 and the exhaust gas 52 as a triggering medium.

[0072] In this embodiment, the fire pump 20 is positioned at a dedicated location inside the housing 14. This dedicated location is where an exhaust gas flow 54 is formed in the event of exhaust gas injection and / or thermal runaway events. Therefore, the exhaust gas 52 of the exhaust gas flow 54 causes the explosive material 42 to explode, triggering a response of the ejected extinguishing agent material 32, thereby extinguishing the fire. As shown, the fire pump 20 may be positioned within the housing 14 near the exhaust gas outlet 16 or at another location where the exhaust gas 52 will have a higher concentration.

[0073] Figure 5 This is a schematic top view of a battery system 100 according to another embodiment. The following mainly describes the battery system relative to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 The differences between the implementation methods shown.

[0074] In this embodiment, the explosion triggering system 50 includes at least one vent pipe (e.g., vent pipe structure) 60. The at least one vent pipe 60 extends from at least one of the plurality of battery cells 12 to the fire extinguishing pump 20. The vent pipe 60 includes at least one opening 62. The opening 62 is provided such that exhaust gas 52 released from at least one battery cell 12 is conveyed into the vent pipe 60 and then conveyed through the vent pipe 60 to the fire extinguishing pump 20. Therefore, the conveyed exhaust gas 52 can be directed to the fire extinguishing pump 20 to trigger an explosive reaction of the explosive material 42, thereby extinguishing the combustion of the at least one battery cell 12.

[0075] The exhaust pipe 60 can extend to a position such that the opening 62 is located above (e.g., near) the exhaust valve 13 of the corresponding battery cell 12 (from which exhaust gas 52 is released). Therefore, the entry of exhaust gas 52 into the exhaust pipe 60 is optimized. Figure 5 As shown, each exhaust pipe 60 may include multiple openings 62, each opening 62 being associated with a battery cell 12 of the battery pack 10. The exhaust pipe 60 can direct the exhaust gas 52 directly to the location of the fire pump 20.

[0076] Figure 6 This is a schematic top view of a battery system 100 according to another embodiment. The differences from the embodiment described above will be mainly described below.

[0077] The explosion triggering system 50 includes at least one pyrotechnic fuse 70 (or fuse structure). At least one pyrotechnic fuse 70 extends from at least one of the plurality of battery cells 12 to the fire extinguishing pump 20. Thus, exhaust gas 52 released from the battery cell 12 causes combustion of at least one pyrotechnic fuse 70, which propagates along the pyrotechnic fuse 70 to the fire extinguishing pump 20. Therefore, the pyrotechnic fuse 70 functions as a transmitter triggered by the exhaust gas 52 to cause the explosive material 42 to detonate. This embodiment can be easily set up and rearranged, and the pyrotechnic fuse 70 can be placed close to the battery cells.

[0078] In the same embodiment, the pyrotechnic fuse 70 extends above (e.g., overlapping with or near) the exhaust valve 13 of the corresponding battery cell 12. Therefore, once the exhaust gas 52 is released from the battery cell 12, it can directly transfer heat to the pyrotechnic fuse 70, causing the pyrotechnic fuse 70 to burn toward the explosive material 42 and trigger an explosion.

[0079] Figure 7 This is a schematic top view of a battery system 100 according to another embodiment. According to this embodiment, a mechanical pressure box 80 is provided inside a housing 14. The mechanical pressure box 80 includes a movable member 82, such as a piston member. In the event of exhaust gas ejection from at least one of the battery cells 12 and / or thermal runaway of at least one of the battery cells 12, the pressure inside the housing 14 increases due to the exhaust gas 52. The movable member 82 can be actuated by the gas pressure inside the housing 14 exceeding a reference pressure (or threshold pressure). The mechanical pressure box 80 may also include a spark generator 84, such as a piezoelectric element. In this embodiment, the movable member 82 is configured to mechanically actuate the spark generator 84. Thus, a spark can cause the explosive material 42 to explode, thereby providing a fire extinguishing effect directly initiated and caused by the ejected exhaust gas 52.

[0080] The above-described embodiments can be combined with each other. That means that different mechanisms and their arrangements that trigger the explosion can be combined to increase safety, thereby providing redundancy in the system.

[0081] Figure 8 This is a schematic top view of a battery system 100 according to another embodiment. This embodiment includes a battery system 100 that can locate battery cells 12 experiencing exhaust gas ejection and / or thermal runaway. The following will mainly describe the situation relative to... Figure 3 The differences from the previous implementation shown.

[0082] In this embodiment, the delivery pipe system 90 includes multiple valves V1, V2, V3, each provided in one of the branch delivery pipes P1, P2, P3. Multiple sensors S1a, S1b, S1c, S1d, S1e; S2a, S2b, S2c, S2d, S2e; S3a, S3b, S3c, S3d, S3e are each associated with one or a subset of multiple battery cells 12. Furthermore, each sensor group in the sensor groups S1a, ..., S1e, S2a, ..., S2e, and S3a, ..., S3e is associated with a corresponding row of battery cells 12. In other embodiments, to reduce the number of sensors and wiring, only one sensor may be provided for each row of battery cells. The sensor may be a temperature sensor to detect the local temperature environment of each battery cell or its row (battery stack).

[0083] This embodiment also includes at least one control unit (e.g., a controller) 110. The at least one control unit 110 monitors (e.g., controls) sensors S1a, ..., S1e; S2a, ..., S2e; S3a, ..., S3e to detect the ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the respective battery cells 12 and / or thermal runaway of at least one of the respective battery cells 12.

[0084] In this embodiment, at least one control unit 110 is configured to cause an explosive material explosion by an electrical signal in response to the detection by at least one sensor of exhaust gas being ejected from at least one battery cell 12 and / or thermal runaway of at least one battery cell 12.

[0085] In this embodiment, at least one control unit 110 can identify a branch delivery pipe associated with at least one of the plurality of sensors S1a, ..., S1e; S2a, ..., S2e; S3a, ..., S3e that has detected exhaust gas injection and / or thermal runaway. For example, to identify this, an input to at least one control unit 110 can be used as an input corresponding to the respective sensor, such that a sensor signal received via a corresponding input terminal indicating exhaust gas injection and / or thermal runaway can be associated with, i.e., linked to, a specific branch delivery pipe. Based on this information, at least one control unit 110 can determine the branch delivery pipe associated with the at least one sensor (and / or the affected battery cell). In the illustrated example, the specific sensor S2c (see, for example...) Figure 8 The sensor can be identified as having detected ejected exhaust gas and / or thermal runaway. Therefore, the second branch delivery pipe P2 associated with the specific sensor S2c can be identified.

[0086] In response to this detection, at least one control unit 110 can control multiple valves V1, V2, V3, such that extinguishing agent material 32 is delivered (e.g., pushed) to the identified delivery pipe. For example, valves belonging to the identified delivery pipe are opened (e.g., moved to or placed in the open state), while other valves are closed (e.g., moved to or held in the closed state). In the illustrated example, valves V1 and V3 remain closed and valve V2 is open. Therefore, the extinguishing agent material 32 is supplied in a targeted manner to locations where exhaust gases have been ejected and / or where thermal runaway has occurred to improve efficiency. This avoids unnecessary waste of extinguishing agent material 32 and ensures that an appropriate amount of extinguishing agent material (FEM) is supplied to the locations where extinguishing action is most needed.

[0087] Figure 9 This is a block diagram describing a method of operating a battery system according to an implementation method.

[0088] The method includes step S100 of providing a battery system 100 as described in one of the above embodiments.

[0089] The method further includes step S200, which causes the explosive material 42 to explode to move the movable blocking member 35, thereby propelling at least some of the extinguishing agent material 32 through outlet 34 toward said at least one of the battery cells 12 in response to the exhaust gas ejected from at least one of the battery cells 12. Further method steps follow various embodiments described above.

[0090] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a battery system 100 with a fire extinguishing pump 20 is provided, which can quickly and effectively respond to fires in battery cells caused by the ejection of exhaust gases and / or thermal runaway, thereby extinguishing the fire rapidly with minimal time loss. By using exhaust gases to trigger the explosion of explosive materials, the battery system 100 does not require additional computing resources or additional sensors, thereby reducing electronic circuitry and avoiding additional burden on the processor load of the BMS or other control units.

[0091] Some reference symbols

[0092] 100 Battery System

[0093] 10 battery packs

[0094] 12 battery cells

[0095] 13. Exhaust valve

[0096] 14. Shell

[0097] 16. Exhaust gas outlet

[0098] 17 Positive extremes

[0099] 18 Negative extremes

[0100] 20 fire pumps

[0101] 22 chambers

[0102] 30 Part 1

[0103] 32 Fire extinguishing agent materials

[0104] 34 Exports

[0105] 35 Movable blocking components

[0106] 38 blast panel

[0107] 40 Part Two

[0108] 42 Explosive materials

[0109] 44 Opening

[0110] 50 Explosion Triggering System

[0111] 52 Exhaust gas

[0112] 54 Exhaust gas flow

[0113] 60 Exhaust pipe

[0114] 62 Opening

[0115] 70 Pyrotechnic Fuze

[0116] 80 Mechanical Pressure Box

[0117] 82 Movable components

[0118] 84 Spark Generator

[0119] 90 Delivery Pipe System

[0120] 92 Delivery pipe

[0121] 94 Release the opening

[0122] P Main supply pipeline

[0123] P1, P2, P3 branch delivery pipes

[0124] V1, V2, V3 valves

[0125] S1a, ..., S1e; S2a, ..., S2e; S3a, ..., S3e Sensors (e.g., temperature sensors)

[0126] 110 Control unit (e.g., controller)

[0127] S100 provides battery system

[0128] S200 can cause explosive materials to explode.

Claims

1. A battery system, comprising: The battery pack includes a housing and a plurality of battery cells housed within the housing; as well as Fire extinguishing pump, the fire extinguishing pump comprising: A chamber having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being separated from each other by a movable blocking member between the first portion and the second portion; The extinguishing agent material in the first part; The explosive materials in the second part; and An outlet, located in the first portion of the chamber and configured to release the extinguishing agent material toward at least one of the plurality of battery cells; and An explosion triggering system configured to move the movable barrier member in response to an ejection of exhaust gas from at least one of the plurality of battery cells, thereby causing the explosive material to explode and pushing at least some of the extinguishing agent material through the outlet.

2. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The explosion triggering system is configured to cause the explosive material in the fire extinguishing pump to explode in response to the ejection of the exhaust gas from at least one of the plurality of battery cells during a thermal runaway event.

3. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein, The chamber has an opening in the second part.

4. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The fire extinguishing pump is located at the exhaust gas outlet of the housing, such that the exhaust gas discharged through the exhaust gas outlet causes the explosive material to explode.

5. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The fire extinguishing pump is located inside the housing at the position where the exhaust gas flow is formed when the exhaust gas is sprayed, so that the exhaust gas causes the explosive material to explode.

6. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The explosion triggering system includes an exhaust pipe extending from at least one of the plurality of battery cells to the fire extinguishing pump. The exhaust pipe includes an opening that allows the exhaust gas to be delivered to the fire pump to cause the explosive material to explode.

7. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein, The opening in the exhaust pipe is provided above the exhaust valve of the corresponding battery cell among the plurality of battery cells.

8. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The explosion triggering system includes a pyrotechnic fuse extending from at least one of the plurality of battery cells to the fire extinguishing pump, such that the exhaust gas causes the pyrotechnic fuse to ignite, and the combustion propagates to the fire extinguishing pump to cause the explosive material to explode.

9. The battery system according to claim 8, wherein, The pyrotechnic fuse extends above the exhaust valve of the corresponding battery cell among the plurality of battery cells.

10. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The explosion triggering system includes a mechanical pressure box, which comprises: A movable member configured to be actuated in response to a gas pressure inside the housing that is higher than a reference pressure; and Spark generator, and The movable component is configured to mechanically actuate the spark generator to cause the explosive material to explode.

11. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The fire extinguishing pump includes a rupture plate at the outlet to contain the extinguishing agent material in the chamber, and The rupture plate is configured to open in response to increased pressure from the extinguishing agent material.

12. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The outlet of the fire pump is open to the interior of the housing, such that in response to the ejection of the exhaust gas and / or a thermal runaway event, the housing is at least partially filled with the extinguishing agent material.

13. The battery system of claim 1, further comprising a delivery pipe system, the delivery pipe system comprising a plurality of delivery pipes, each delivery pipe having a release opening. in, The plurality of delivery pipes are connected to the outlet and extend to the plurality of battery cells, such that, in response to the ejection of the exhaust gas and / or a thermal runaway event, the extinguishing agent material is supplied to the plurality of battery cells through the plurality of delivery pipes.

14. The battery system according to claim 13, wherein, The delivery pipe system includes: Multiple branch delivery pipes, each having a release opening corresponding to a battery cell among the multiple battery cells and branching from a main supply delivery pipe connected to the outlet; and Multiple valves, each valve being provided in a corresponding branch delivery pipe among the multiple branch delivery pipes, and The battery system further includes: Multiple sensors, each associated with one or a subset of the multiple battery cells; and The controller is configured to: The ejection of gas and / or thermal runaway is detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors; A branch delivery pipe associated with at least one sensor that identifies and detects the ejection of the exhaust gas and / or the thermal runaway; and The plurality of valves are controlled so that the extinguishing agent material is delivered to the identified branch delivery pipe.

15. A vehicle comprising a battery system according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A method of operating a battery system, the method comprising the following steps: Provide a battery system according to any one of claims 1 to 14; as well as In response to the ejection of the exhaust gas from at least one of the plurality of battery cells, the explosive material explodes to move the movable barrier member, thereby pushing at least some of the extinguishing agent material through the outlet toward at least one of the plurality of battery cells.

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