Battery Pack Busbar Isolation Tape for Thermal Runaway Shorts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal runaway in battery cells can lead to short circuits between aluminum busbars due to electrolyte spraying and metallic impurities, causing further deterioration and potential explosion.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design incorporating insulated first isolation tapes that cover busbars and isolate them from the housing and pressure relief valves, preventing direct contact and short circuits, while maintaining pressure relief functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If aluminum busbars are used to connect battery cells, then electrical connection efficiency is improved, but the risk of short circuit between busbars increases during thermal runaway
Solution Approach 1:
An insulated tape is introduced as an intermediary substance between the aluminum busbars and the housing. This tape acts as a mediator that prevents direct contact between busbars and the housing, thereby eliminating the short circuit pathway while maintaining the electrical connection function of the busbars.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulated tape is a simple, inexpensive, and easily replaceable component that provides critical safety function. Even if the tape degrades or fails during thermal runaway, it has already served its purpose of preventing short circuit during normal operation and initial thermal events.
2Volume of moving object
If busbars are positioned close to cells for compact design, then space utilization is improved, but the risk of busbar contact with housing during cell expansion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulated tape is applied to the busbars before assembly into the housing, providing a pre-established protective barrier. This cushioning layer is in place before any thermal runaway or cell expansion occurs, ready to prevent contact and short circuit when such events happen.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If pressure relief valves are positioned for optimal cell venting, then pressure relief functionality is improved, but the risk of metallic impurities contacting busbars increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulated tape serves as a protective intermediary that blocks metallic impurities sprayed from pressure relief valves from directly contacting the busbars. This mediator layer maintains the pressure relief function while preventing the harmful secondary effect of impurity-induced short circuits.
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
Reduces the risk of short circuits and explosions by effectively isolating busbars from housing contact and impurities, enhancing safety during thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
an insulated first isolation tape that is accommodated in the housing; the first isolation tape extends in the length direction of the battery pack and covers a surface that is of the plurality of busbars and that is away from the plurality of cells
Data Source
AI summary
The battery pack includes a housing, and a battery module, a plurality of busbars, and an insulated first isolation tape that are accommodated in the housing. The battery module includes a plurality of cells arranged in a length direction of the battery pack, the plurality of busbars are disposed on a surface on which poles of the plurality of cells are located, two adjacent cells in the plurality of cells are electrically connected via one of the plurality of busbars, and the first isolation tape extends in the length direction of the battery pack and covers a surface that is of the plurality of busbars and that is away from the plurality of cells. There is a gap between the first isolation tape and pressure relief valves of the plurality of cells in a direction in which the poles and the pressure relief valves are spaced from each other.