Battery Module Buffer Passage for Fire and Explosion Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium secondary battery modules used in electric vehicles and other applications face challenges in stability against fire and explosion, where a single battery's fire or explosion can propagate damage to adjacent modules and pose risks to passengers and instruments.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a cell assembly with a lower case, upper case, and upper cover forming a buffer space, along with a partition member that creates a moving passage to extinguish flames and reduce gas pressure and temperature, thereby minimizing external damage from explosions or fires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single secondary battery experiences fire or explosion, then high-temperature gas and flames are discharged to propagate fire to adjacent battery modules, but this causes damage to neighboring instruments or passengers and reduces overall safety
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is divided into multiple independent battery packs, each enclosed in a separate case with fire-resistant properties. Partition members are positioned between adjacent battery packs to physically segment the module, preventing fire and explosion from propagating from one battery pack to another. This segmentation isolates thermal runaway events to individual packs rather than allowing module-wide propagation.
Solution Approach 2:
Fire-resistant partition members serve as intermediary barriers between adjacent battery packs. These partition members are specifically designed with fire-resistant properties to intercept and block the transmission of high-temperature gas and flames during thermal runaway events, acting as a mediator that protects adjacent battery packs from fire propagation.
2Reliability
If the partition member extends fully across the buffer space, then fire propagation is effectively blocked, but the structure becomes more complex and harder to assemble
Solution Approach 1:
The partition member incorporates a movable barrier unit that can dynamically adjust its extension length. The barrier unit is configured to move between an extended position, where it provides maximum fire resistance by spanning the full buffer space, and a retracted position, where it reduces structural complexity and facilitates easier assembly. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize between safety and manufacturability based on operational requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively reduces external damage from battery module fires or explosions by extinguishing flames and lowering gas pressure and temperature within the buffer space, enhancing safety and stability.
Implementation Method 1
configured to form a moving passage extending from the connection hole to the discharge hole to extinguish flames
Implementation Method 2
configured to form a buffer space spaced apart from the upper case... to lower gas pressure and temperature within the buffer space
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Disclosed is a battery module with enhanced stability against fire and explosion. The battery module includes a cell assembly having a plurality of secondary batteries, a lower case having an open top and having an accommodation space in which the cell assembly is accommodated, an upper case coupled to the lower case to cover the open top of the lower case and having a connection hole perforated to communicate with the accommodation space; an upper cover coupled to the upper case to cover an upper portion of the upper case and configured to form a buffer space spaced apart from the upper case, the upper cover having a discharge hole perforated so that the buffer space communicates with the outside; and at least one partition member extending in a horizontal direction inside the buffer space to form a moving passage extending from the connection hole to the discharge hole and configured to have an adjustable extension length.