Battery Pack Thermal Barrier Structure for Pouch Cell Vent Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery pack thermal management systems struggle to effectively contain vent byproducts during thermal events, which can lead to increased thermal energy transfer and potential cascading thermal events among battery cells.
Innovation Solution
The use of thermal barriers with a divider section and a covering section, where the covering section includes protrusions that contact and hold the folds of pouch-style battery cells in a folded position, thereby blocking vent byproducts from escaping through the folded sides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal barriers are used to contain vent byproducts, then thermal safety is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for protrusions to hold folds
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal barrier is merged with fold-holding protrusions that integrate directly into the barrier structure. The protrusions are formed as part of the thermal barrier material, combining the thermal containment function with the mechanical fold-holding function into a single integrated component, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining thermal safety
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal barrier serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a thermal management component to contain vent byproducts, and its integrated protrusions serve as mechanical constraints to hold battery cell folds in place. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, addressing the complexity issue while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If protrusions are added to hold folds, then vent byproduct containment is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal barrier utilizes porous material structure that can be formed with integrated protrusions through molding or extrusion processes. The porous nature allows the material to be shaped into complex geometries including protrusions, enabling fold-holding functionality to be incorporated during standard manufacturing without significantly increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal barrier is constructed as a composite material structure that combines thermal management properties with mechanical constraint capabilities. The composite formulation allows integration of protrusion features during material formation, enabling both vent byproduct containment and fold holding to be achieved through a single manufacturing process
Data Source
AI summary
A traction battery pack assembly includes a first battery cell, a second battery cell, and a thermal barrier having a divider section and a covering section. The divider section is sandwiched between the first battery cell and the second battery cell along a cell stack axis. The covering section extends axially over the first battery cell and the second battery cell. The covering section includes a first protrusion that contacts a first fold of the first battery cell.