Extinguishing device for e-car traction batteries

Abstract

The high fire hazard and poor extinguishability of car traction batteries, especially of the lithium-ion and Li-polymer type, is eliminated by intermediate layers of hollow chamber structures into which liquid CO2 is introduced when overheated.

Description

[0001] Extinguishing device for e-car traction batteries.

[0002] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Motor vehicles with electric drives are becoming increasingly widespread.

[0004] One of their problems is the required high-power battery packs, which store large amounts of energy and are charged with voltages up to 800 volts.

[0005] If their insulating layers are damaged, significant amounts of energy can be released, causing the batteries to bum up in a fireball.

[0006] Because of the applied electrical voltage, even firefighters cannot extinguish immediately without endangering themselves.

[0007] It is true that there are proposals to equip battery housings with extinguishing connections and to electrically insulate extinguishing hoses. However, even attempting to attach the hoses to flood the battery box in an emergency would pose a considerable risk to oneself.

[0008] So the only option left to the fire departments is to cool burning e-cars from a distance with dispersed or intermittent jets until the battery has discharged.

[0009] So far, people have rarely been harmed in the process, but rescuing people from burning e- cars would be an almost impossible mission.

[0010] P IOR ART

[0011] DE112017003560T5 describes an automatic extinguishing device for lithium batteries:

[0012] A bag is attached to the motor vehicle battery, in which an extinguishing liquid is located. According to the invention, this bag ruptures when excessive heat is generated, thus distributing the agent for fire fighting. The film of the bag is made of polyethylene and is formed with several indentations at which the bag is then intended to tear. The liquid has a high electrical insulating capacity and is filled with a nitrogen gas at a pressure of 1 .2MPa.

[0013] EP3573169A1 describes a battery with an extinguishing device and a motor vehicle.

[0014] An extinguishing agent reservoir is located in a battery interior, which is closed with two walls that can be destroyed by heat. The walls are not destroyed until a limit operating temperature is reached, so that the extinguishing agent is only distributed in the battery in an emergency. Up to this point, the walls maintain a density that retains the extinguishing agent. The invention relates primarily to motor vehicles with electric motors. Known so far are extinguishing lances which are partly used by the fire department to fight fires in motor vehicle batteries.

[0015] By being inserted into the battery, the lance tip can quickly extinguish a fire with the aid of an extinguishing agent, for example water or a special foam. In some designs, a built-in thermal camera monitors the cooling of the battery.

[0016] (Link last accessed 01 / 12 / 2022: https: / / www.murer-feuerschutz.de / e-loeschlanze / )

[0017] Especially for the transport of flammable hazardous goods, such as lithium batteries, granules are used as fire protection.

[0018] This often consists of expanded glass, which melts when exposed to heat and covers the source of the fire. This creates an airtight seal that smothers the flames. Link last accessed Jan. 12, 2022: https: / / www.rcmodellbau-online.de / FIREBALLS-Brandschutz-Feuerloesch- granulat-fuer-Lithium-Akkus-5-Liter?gclid=EAIalQobChl\ / llreyzwYas9QIVeRoGAB3SYQDZE AQYBCABEgKgAvD_BwE)

[0019] The company „SAERTEX“company offers aother fire protection solution for automotive batteries.

[0020] A fire-protective top layer is attached to a battery; when heat is generated, this layer foams up and has a heat-insulating effect to stop and extinguish a fire. (Link last accessed Jan. 12, 2022: https: / / www.saertex.com / de / produkte / saertex-leo-serie / saertex-leo-coated-fabric)

[0021] The battery cells of a common lithium battery are separated with separators, these separators have an open-pored structure and serve to separate negative and positive electrodes spatially and electrically, but these remain permeable to ions. Until now, there was no approach in which the separator was used as a heat sink. (Link last accessed Jan. 12, 2022: https: / / www.handelsblatt.com / technik / it-internet / eingebaute-loeschvorrichtung-nie-wieder- brennende-akkus / 19258780.html?ticket=ST-3627875-7a2m1n7kmvfk3mUU1rPF-ap3)

[0022] In another research project, it was proposed to incorporate a flame retardant into a separator that would disperse if it melted under heat. (Links last accessed Jan. 12, 2022: https: / / bat- terie-2020.de / projekte / forschungsfelder / material-und-prozesstechnik-fuer-lib / hit-cell-batterie- ohne-kuehlung / ?x=164)

[0023] So the only thing left for fire departments to do is to cool burning e-cars remotely with dispersed or intermittent jets until the battery id discharged.

[0024] So far, people have rarely been harmed in the process, but rescuing people from burning e- cars would be an almost impossible mission. TASK OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The task of the present invention therefore is to reduce the heat generated by a destroying battery to such an extent that uncontrolled burning is prevented and the battery can be repaired if possible.

[0026] SOLUTION

[0027] For this purpose, an extinguishing device is proposed in which narrow chambers between battery packs are provided with a grid structure into which an extinguishing agent, e.g. liquid CO2, which is held in a pressure bottle, can be injected on emergency.

[0028] DESCRIPTION ALONG TO THE DRAWING

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a battery pack (4) consisting of the individually shown battery cells (1), horizontal grid-like separation structure (2) and vertical grid-like separation structure (3).

[0030] Fig. 2 shows the battery pack (4) without the grid-like separation structures, arranged thereon heat and smoke sensors (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d), tank for extinguishing agent (9), outlet valve for extinguishing agent (11), supply lines for extinguishing agent (10) to the outlets (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) and the signal lines (6) from the heat and smoke sensors (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d) to the control unit (8).

Claims

CLAIMS1. Device for connecting construction supports to form tri- or multipods, wherein connecting elements are designed at the edges of a common polygonal central plate, the surface of which is congruent with the end plates of building supports and can be connected thereto.

2. Device for connecting construction supports to form tri- or multipods according to claim1 , wherein the connecting elements are interconnected by intermediate pieces in such a way that a rigid polygonal shell results.

3. Device for connecting construction supports to form tri- or multipods according to claim 1 and 2, wherein the polygonal shell is made of plate material by cold-hammering.

4. Device for connecting construction supports to form tri- or multipods according to claim 1-3, wherein the connecting elements are designed as pockets into which the end plates of building supports can be snapped.

5. Device for connecting construction supports to tri- or multipods according to claim 4, wherein said pockets are formed from 180° bends of the edges of the connecting plates and are secured with cotter pins.

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