Self-extinguishing battery

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery pack (100) comprising a plurality of battery cells (120) coupled together in a predetermined manner for providing a predetermined battery pack voltage; the battery pack (100) comprising: a first housing part (110a) and a second housing part (110b) configured to be coupled together to form a housing (110); an electrical connection (135) provided in the first housing part (110a) and the second housing part (110b) and configured for electrically connecting one battery cell with at least one other battery cell for providing the predetermined battery pack voltage; at least one fire extinguishing space (155, 157, 170) at least partially surrounding the plurality of battery cells (120), wherein the at least one fire extinguishing space (155, 157, 170) is configured to be in fluid connection with a fire extinguishing unit (150a, 150b, 160).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly to an automatic fire extinguishing battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the continuous expansion of the application scope of lithium-ion batteries, they have been widely used in energy storage and power supply systems such as hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants, wind power plants, and solar power plants, as well as in many fields such as power tools, electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric vehicles, military equipment, and aerospace. Due to the great expansion of the application fields of lithium-ion batteries, higher requirements have been placed on their energy density, cycle performance, and high-temperature performance (especially high-temperature rate performance).

[0003] Thermal runaway may occur when a battery cell is overcharged, overheated, or has an internal short circuit. In this situation, the burning battery cell will release a large amount of heat. If not handled promptly or properly, this could cause the entire battery system to catch fire or even explode, damaging not only the battery itself but also nearby equipment and / or personnel.

[0004] A battery that provides improved safety is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a battery that can handle thermal runaway more effectively than known batteries.

[0006] In a first aspect of the invention, a battery pack is provided, the battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells coupled together in a predetermined manner to provide a predetermined battery pack voltage; the battery pack comprising: a first housing portion and a second housing portion configured to be coupled together to form a housing; an electrical connector disposed in the first housing portion and the second housing portion and configured to electrically connect one battery cell to at least one other battery cell to provide the predetermined battery pack voltage; and at least one fire extinguishing space at least partially surrounding the plurality of battery cells, wherein the at least one fire extinguishing space is configured to be in fluid connection with a fire extinguishing unit.

[0007] The advantage of this invention is that battery fires can be efficiently controlled in the early stages.

[0008] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the fire extinguishing unit is disposed within at least one of the first housing portion and / or the second housing portion.

[0009] The advantage of these embodiments is that the number of fire suppression units can be customized according to factors such as space and the number of battery cells.

[0010] In various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the fire extinguishing unit is disposed outside at least one of the first housing portion and / or the second housing portion.

[0011] The advantage of these embodiments is that they can minimize the size of the battery pack.

[0012] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first housing portion and the second housing portion are made of ceramic material.

[0013] The advantage of these embodiments is that if a fire breaks out, the fire can be contained within a limited volume.

[0014] In various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the electrical connector is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) (130, 130a, 130b).

[0015] The advantage of these embodiments is that they simplify the assembly of the battery pack.

[0016] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a first fire extinguishing space may be disposed on a first side of the PCB, and a second fire extinguishing space may be disposed on a second side of the PCB. The PCB may have at least one flow path between the first fire extinguishing space and the second fire extinguishing space.

[0017] The advantage of these embodiments is that the PCB does not form a barrier for fire extinguishing agents within the battery pack.

[0018] In various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the fire extinguishing unit includes a fire extinguishing agent in gaseous form, which is provided in a pressurized gas container.

[0019] The advantage of these embodiments is that the unit can be arranged outside the battery pack.

[0020] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first housing portion and / or the second housing portion includes at least one positive battery pack terminal and at least one negative battery pack terminal.

[0021] The advantage of these embodiments is that the battery pack can include multiple battery terminals that define multiple battery voltages.

[0022] In various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the fire extinguishing unit comprises a solid fire extinguishing agent containing at least 25% by weight potassium. In various exemplary embodiments, the solid fire extinguishing agent may contain at least 50% by weight or even at least 80% by weight potassium.

[0023] The advantage of these embodiments is that they can extinguish fires in lithium-ion batteries.

[0024] In various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the battery pack further includes an actuator configured to activate the fire suppression unit.

[0025] The advantage of these embodiments is that various types of actuators can be used, such as fuses, ignition units, or valves. The actuators can be triggered by temperature.

[0026] In various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the battery pack further includes a battery management system (BMS) disposed within one of the first housing portion or the second housing portion.

[0027] The advantage of these embodiments is that BMW can integrate a PCB that also provides electrical connections between at least two battery cells.

[0028] In another aspect of the invention, a battery is provided comprising two or more battery packs coupled together to form a predetermined battery voltage. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of an example embodiment of a battery pack according to the present invention is depicted.

[0030] Figure 2 An example embodiment of a printed circuit board with predetermined battery locations is schematically depicted.

[0031] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of a battery pack according to the present invention is depicted.

[0032] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of another example embodiment of the battery pack according to the present invention is depicted.

[0033] Figure 5a A cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the battery pack according to the present invention is depicted.

[0034] Figure 5b A cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the battery pack according to the present invention is depicted. Detailed Implementation

[0035] This invention discloses an automatic fire-extinguishing battery pack. In a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, the battery pack 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 120 coupled together in a predetermined manner to provide a predetermined battery pack voltage. The battery pack 100 includes a first housing portion 110a and a second housing portion 110b, wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion are configured to be coupled together to form the housing 110. The battery pack also includes electrical connectors disposed in the first housing portion 110a and the second housing portion 110b and configured to electrically connect one battery cell to at least one other battery cell to provide the predetermined battery pack voltage. The battery pack also includes at least one fire-extinguishing space 155, 157, 170, which at least partially surrounds the plurality of battery cells 120. The at least one fire-extinguishing space 155, 157, 170 is configured to be in fluid connection with fire-extinguishing units 150a, 150b, 160.

[0036] exist Figure 1 This document discloses an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a battery pack 100 according to the present invention. The battery pack 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 120 having predetermined individual cell voltages. The individual cell voltage may be, for example, 3.6V, but may of course have any other voltage, such as 2.4V, 3.0V, 4.2V, etc. The battery cells 120 are disposed inside a housing 110, which includes a first housing portion 110a and a second housing portion 110b. The battery cells 120 are stacked in a predetermined manner to achieve a predetermined output voltage of the battery pack 100. Depending on the individual cell voltage, the number of battery cells, and / or the stacking design, the battery pack 100 can be designed to have various predetermined output voltages. Electrical connections are provided in the first housing portion 110a and the second housing portion 110b for achieving the predetermined battery pack voltage. The battery pack 100 provides an output voltage only when the first housing portion 110a and the second housing portion 110b are combined with the battery cells disposed inside the housing 110. The battery pack 100 may include at least one positive battery terminal and at least one negative battery terminal, which may be located anywhere outside the housing 110. In various example embodiments, the battery pack 100 may include a plurality of positive battery terminals and a plurality of negative battery terminals. A first pair of positive and negative battery terminals may be configured to represent the full voltage of the battery pack 100. A second pair of positive and negative battery terminals may be configured to represent a portion of the full battery voltage of the battery pack 100. This portion may, for example, be 75%, 50%, or 25% of the full battery voltage.

[0037] The first housing portion 110a and the second housing portion 110b may be made of ceramic, glass or metal.

[0038] Figure 2 An example embodiment of a printed circuit board 130 having predetermined battery locations is schematically depicted. The printed circuit board may have various electrical connections configured to achieve a desired voltage for the battery pack 100. In various example embodiments, a first printed circuit board 130a is disposed in the first housing portion 110a, and a second printed circuit board 130b is disposed in the second housing portion 110b. The first and second printed circuit boards may be designed in such a way that, when arranged on each side of the plurality of battery cells 120, they will generate a predetermined battery pack voltage between a pair of positive and negative battery terminals.

[0039] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of an assembled battery pack 100 according to the present invention is depicted. The battery pack 100 includes a housing 110 on which a plurality of stacked battery cells 120 are disposed. A first housing portion 110a includes a first PCB 130a. In various example embodiments, the PCB may be a wire harness that provides electrical connections between the battery cells 120 in a predetermined manner. The first housing portion 110a also includes a first fire extinguishing unit 150a. The first fire extinguishing unit 150a is fluidly coupled to at least one fire extinguishing space 155a, 157a. The battery cells 120 may be at least partially surrounded by the fire extinguishing spaces 155a, 157a. The fire extinguishing unit 150a is configured to deliver a fire extinguishing agent through the fire extinguishing spaces 155a, 157a. The fire extinguishing agent is configured to extinguish a fire originating at any of the battery cells 120 in the battery pack 100. The fire extinguishing agent may contain at least 25% by weight of potassium. In various example embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent may contain at least 40% by weight of potassium. In various example embodiments, the extinguishing agent may contain at least 50% by weight potassium. In various example embodiments, the extinguishing agent may contain at least 80% by weight potassium.

[0040] Fire extinguishing units 150a and 150b can be configured to be accessible from the outside of the housing 110. For example, fire extinguishing units 150a and 150b can be located behind a cover disposed on the outside of the housing 110.

[0041] exist Figure 3 In this configuration, the second housing portion 110b is almost identical to the first housing portion 110a. The first housing portion 110a and the second housing portion 110b can be releasably connected to each other by means of one or more threaded joints, rivets, or the like. Figure 3In this design, the second housing portion 110b is depicted as including a second extinguishing unit 150b, which is fluidly coupled to at least one extinguishing space 155b, 157b in a similar manner to that described in conjunction with the first housing portion 110a. The extinguishing space 157a in the first housing portion 110a is configured to align with the extinguishing space 157b in the second housing portion 110b to allow for continuous flow of extinguishing agent.

[0042] The first PCB 130a includes through-holes 190a for allowing the extinguishing agent to flow from one side of the first PCB 130a to the other side. Similarly, the second PCB 130b includes through-holes 190b for allowing the extinguishing agent to flow from one side of the second PCB 130b to the other side.

[0043] The first PCB 130a and the second PCB 130b may each include support structures 180a and 180b, which are used to support the battery cells. The support structures 180a and 180b simplify the stacking of the battery cells 120 and ensure that the battery cells are positioned correctly in the electrical connectors.

[0044] The extinguishing agents from the first extinguishing unit 150a and the second extinguishing unit 150b can be configured to fill the extinguishing spaces 155a, 155b, 157a, and 157b inside the housing 110, respectively. Battery cells 120 are stacked within the housing 110, maintaining a predetermined distance from each other, allowing the extinguishing agent to reach each individual battery cell. The first PCB 130a and the second PCB 130b can include at least one flow path 190a, 190b, allowing the extinguishing agent to pass through the PCBs 130a, 130b from a first side facing the exterior of the housing 110 to a second side facing the interior of the housing 110. The extinguishing agent in the extinguishing unit can be triggered by temperature. The extinguishing agent can be in solid form. The extinguishing agent can be in powder form. Powdered extinguishing agents can be mixed with powdered explosives. The explosives can be triggered by temperature and / or ignition. Powdered fire extinguishing agents and powdered explosives can be compressed together into a cake shape.

[0045] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of the battery pack 100 according to the present invention is depicted. Here, a fire extinguishing unit 160 is disposed outside the battery pack 100. The fire extinguishing unit 160 is detachably attached to the fire extinguishing space 155. A temperature sensor may trigger the valve to open if the temperature has reached a predetermined level. Figure 4In this design, the first housing portion 110a differs from the second housing portion 110b. The first housing portion 110a includes fire extinguishing spaces 157a and 155, while the second housing portion 110b includes only fire extinguishing space 157b. The fire extinguishing spaces 157a in the first housing portion and 157b in the second housing portion 110b cooperate to form a channel for the extinguishing agent. Battery cells 120 are electrically coupled to each other via a first PCB 130a and a second PCB 130b in a predetermined manner. Here, the first PCB 130a has flow paths or through-holes 190a that allow the extinguishing agent to pass from the fire extinguishing space 155 to the fire extinguishing space 157a.

[0046] Figure 5a A cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of the battery pack 100 according to the present invention is depicted. Here, a first fire extinguishing unit 150a is disposed in a fire extinguishing space 170a, and a second fire extinguishing unit 150b is disposed in a fire extinguishing space 170b. The fire extinguishing space 170a is fluidly coupled to a fire extinguishing space 157a via a through-hole 190a in the first PCB 130a. Fire extinguishing spaces 157a and 157b fluidly couple fire extinguishing space 170a to fire extinguishing space 170b. Fire extinguishing space 170b may be provided with at least one fire extinguishing unit 150b, and fire extinguishing space 170a may be provided with at least one fire extinguishing unit 150a. The second PCB 130b is also provided with through-holes 190b that allow fire extinguishing agent to freely pass from fire extinguishing space 170b to fire extinguishing space 157b. The first PCB 130a and the second PCB 130b may include support structures 180a, 180b for the battery cell 120.

[0047] Figure 5b A cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the battery pack 100 according to the present invention is depicted. Figure 5b and Figure 5a The only difference between them is that, Figure 5b It has a second housing portion 110b, which is different from the first housing portion 110a. Figure 5b In this example embodiment, the fire extinguishing unit 150a is disposed in the fire extinguishing space 170a within the first housing portion 110a. In this example embodiment, the second housing portion 110b does not contain any fire extinguishing unit, but may provide a fire extinguishing space 157b that at least partially surrounds the battery cell.

[0048] The extinguishing agent may include a force-generating component mixed with the extinguishing substance. In the presence of heat exceeding undesirable levels, the extinguishing agent may transform from a solid form into an aerosol. The force-generating component and the extinguishing substance may be mixed together to form a solid substance. When the force-generating component is ignited by an ignition unit or a heat-sensitive device, the force-generating component explodes and breaks down the extinguishing substance into fine particles, filling the extinguishing spaces 170, 170a, 170b, 157a, and 157b within the housing 110.

[0049] In various example embodiments, the fire extinguishing units 150a, 150b may be embedded in the first housing portion 110a and / or the second housing portion 110b. In various example embodiments, the fire extinguishing units 150a, 150b may be disposed in any fire extinguishing space 170, 170a, 170b, 157a, 157b of the first housing portion 110a and / or the second housing portion 110b. The trigger for the fire extinguishing unit may be a fuse or a triggering unit. The triggering unit may be electrically coupled to at least one battery cell 120, which supplies power to the triggering unit. The triggering unit may be coupled to a BMS. The BMS may measure the temperature of the battery pack 100. The temperature may be measured by a separate unit relative to the BMS. The BMS may be integrated with the battery pack 100 or located outside the battery pack.

[0050] The extinguishing agent may contain monoammonium phosphate. Alternatively, the extinguishing agent may contain sodium bicarbonate. Fine particles (aerosols) in the extinguishing agent absorb heat from the fire; this is a so-called heterogeneous catalytic reaction. The aerosol may be in the form of a potassium compound. Potassium radicals can prevent chemical reactions occurring in a fire by neutralizing hydrogen radicals, oxygen radicals, and hydroxyl radicals in the flame. Fine extinguishing particles are a very effective means of extinguishing fires. Compared to larger particles, smaller particles will float in the air for a longer time. This extended float time can help improve protection against reignition. In various example embodiments, the potassium compound may be at least 25% by weight of the extinguishing agent. In various example embodiments, the potassium compound may be at least 40% by weight of the extinguishing agent. In various example embodiments, the potassium compound may be at least 50% by weight of the extinguishing agent. In various example embodiments, the potassium compound may be at least 80% by weight of the extinguishing agent.

[0051] The force-generating component may be, for example, nitrogen sulfide, cadmium azide, sodium fulminate, potassium fulminate, zinc azide, or the like. The force-generating component and the extinguishing substance may be mixed together with or without a binder to form the solid substance. The binder may be shellac, glucose, ester gum, or the like.

[0052] In various example embodiments, the extinguishing agent may comprise: potassium nitrate at a concentration of about 50% to 75%, strontium nitrate at a concentration of about 20% to 35%, melamine at a concentration of about 10% to 20%, phenolic resin at a concentration of about 5% to 15%, and sodium tartrate monohydrate at a concentration of about 5% to 15%.

Claims

1. A battery pack (100) comprising a plurality of battery cells (120) coupled together in a predetermined manner to provide a predetermined battery pack voltage; The battery pack (100) includes: A first housing portion (110a) and a second housing portion (110b) are configured to be coupled together to form a housing (110). An electrical connector disposed in the first housing portion (110a) and the second housing portion (110b) and configured to electrically connect one battery cell to at least one other battery cell for providing the predetermined battery pack voltage; at least one fire suppression space (155, 155a, 155b, 157a, 157b, 170a, 170b), the at least one fire suppression space at least partially surrounding the plurality of battery cells (120), wherein the at least one fire suppression space (155, 155a, 155b, 157a, 157b, 170a, 170b) is configured to be fluidly connected to a fire suppression unit (150a, 150b, 160).

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the fire extinguishing unit (150a, 150b) is disposed within at least one of the first housing portion (110a) and / or the second housing portion (110b).

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the fire extinguishing unit (150a, 150b) is disposed outside at least one of the first housing portion (110a) and / or the second housing portion (110b).

4. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion are made of ceramic material.

5. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrical connector is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) (130, 130a, 130b).

6. The battery pack according to any one of claims 5, wherein the first fire extinguishing space is disposed on the first side of the PCB and the second fire extinguishing space is disposed on the second side of the PCB, wherein the PCB has at least one flow path between the first fire extinguishing space and the second fire extinguishing space.

7. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fire extinguishing unit comprises a fire extinguishing agent in gaseous form, the fire extinguishing agent being provided in a pressurized gas container.

8. The battery pack according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first housing portion and / or the second housing portion includes at least one positive battery pack terminal and at least one negative battery pack terminal.

9. The battery pack according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fire extinguishing unit comprises a fire extinguishing agent in solid form, the fire extinguishing agent containing at least 25% by weight potassium.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the battery cell is a lithium-ion battery cell.

11. The battery pack according to any one of the preceding claims, the battery pack further comprising an actuator configured to activate the fire suppression unit.

12. The battery pack of claim 11, wherein the fire extinguishing unit is activated by an ignition unit and / or a fuse.

13. The battery pack according to any one of the preceding claims, the battery pack further comprising a battery management system (BMS) disposed within one of the first housing portion (110a) or the second housing portion (110b).

14. A battery comprising two or more battery packs according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the two or more battery packs being coupled together to form a predetermined battery voltage.

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