Battery Pack Bulb Seal Interface for Vent Gas Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traction battery packs face challenges in effectively sealing the interface between the thermal barrier assembly and the perimeter environment, which can lead to the passage of vent gases during battery thermal events.
Innovation Solution
A traction battery pack design incorporating a bulb seal secured to a structural barrier of the thermal barrier assembly, which is configured to seal the interface between the thermal barrier assembly and the enclosure structure, thereby preventing the passage of vent gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional sealing method is used at the interface between the thermal barrier assembly and the enclosure structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of sealing against vent gases deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a bulb seal, which is a flexible sealing component, to seal the interface between the thermal barrier assembly and the enclosure structure. The bulb seal deforms under compression to create a reliable seal against vent gases, resolving the contradiction by providing high sealing reliability through a flexible sealing mechanism rather than a rigid traditional sealing method.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulb seal acts as an intermediary element between the thermal barrier assembly and the enclosure structure. It mediates the sealing function at the interface, allowing the two rigid components to be connected while providing reliable sealing against vent gases, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the bulb seal is secured to a protruding barb of the bottom edge of the lower interfacing structure, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the strength of the sealing interface may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The bulb seal features a dome-like portion with a curved, spherical geometry. This curvature allows the seal to deform uniformly under compression and distribute stresses more effectively, maintaining sealing interface strength. The barbed attachment structure provides ease of manufacture through simple injection molding, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and sealing strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the compressibility and elasticity parameters of the bulb seal material to achieve effective sealing. The seal deforms under compression to conform to the interface geometry, and the barbed attachment structure leverages these material parameter changes to secure the seal while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standard plastic molding processes.
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 bulb seal effectively prevents vent gases from passing between the thermal barrier assembly and the perimeter environment, providing enhanced thermal mitigation and ensuring the integrity of the battery pack during thermal events.
Implementation Method 1
a bulb seal secured to a structural barrier of the thermal barrier assembly and configured to seal an interface between the thermal barrier assembly and the enclosure structure
Data Source
AI summary
Battery cell stack designs are provided for traction battery packs. An exemplary cell stack may include a thermal barrier assembly that is arranged to inhibit the transfer of thermal energy between adjacent subgroupings of battery cells of the cell stack. The thermal barrier assembly may include a bulb seal for sealing an interface between the thermal barrier assembly and a perimeter environment (e.g., a heat exchanger plate, an enclosure tray, etc.). The bulb seal may seal any leak paths between the thermal barrier assembly and the perimeter environment, thereby preventing vent gases from passing from one battery cell subgrouping to another during battery thermal events.