Battery Degassing Bypass Cooling for Thermal Runaway Gas
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage batteries in electric vehicles face thermal runaway risks due to excessive charging or discharging, leading to uncontrolled heating and potential fires, where effective waste heat management and gas cooling are critical to prevent damage spread and ignition.
Innovation Solution
A cooling element is integrated as a bypass in the battery's cooling system, activated during thermal events, which directs hot gas through a flow path to cool it before release, using existing cooling infrastructure to minimize weight and cost, with a valve system for active or passive activation based on temperature and pressure thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a cooling element is integrated as a bypass in the battery's cooling system, then the cooling effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling element is integrated as a bypass within the existing cooling system infrastructure, nesting the thermal event cooling function within the operational cooling circuit. This allows the cooling element to utilize existing coolant supply and return lines, reducing the need for separate dedicated cooling infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling element is pre-positioned and pre-connected to the cooling system during battery assembly, with valves in the closed position. This preliminary configuration ensures that when a thermal event occurs, the cooling fluid can immediately be redirected through the cooling element without requiring complex real-time system reconfiguration.
2Measurement precision
If a valve system is added for active or passive activation, then the control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system is designed to activate automatically based on predetermined temperature and pressure thresholds detected during thermal events. The system uses self-contained sensing and actuation mechanisms that require no external control intervention, with valves opening or closing based on direct thermal or pressure exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve activation is triggered by changes in physical parameters (temperature and pressure) that occur naturally during thermal runaway events. The predetermined thresholds are set to detect the transition from normal operation to thermal event conditions, automatically initiating the cooling bypass without complex control systems.
3Weight of moving object
If the cooling element is activated only during thermal events, then the weight is reduced, but the reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling element operates in a dynamic manner, switching between a closed state during normal operation and an open state during thermal events. This dynamic operation allows the system to maintain minimal weight by not continuously circulating cooling fluid through the bypass, while ensuring reliability when needed through automatic activation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling element is extracted as a separate, dedicated component for thermal event management rather than being integrated into the continuous cooling circuit. This separation allows the system to maintain simple operational cooling while having a dedicated, pre-positioned cooling path available for thermal events, reducing overall system weight.
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 cooling element effectively prevents ignition of hot gas by rapid cooling, reducing the risk of fire and limiting damage, while maintaining minimal additional weight and space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The hot gas escaping the battery cell is provided with a flow path through the cooling element, which cools the gas as it flows through
Data Source
AI summary
A traction battery for an electric vehicle includes a battery housing, in which a plurality of battery cells is arranged; a cooling system for cooling the battery cells by way of a cooling fluid; a degassing opening, through which, in a case of damage, a gas escaping at least one battery cell can escape the battery housing; and a cooling element, which is arranged in the degassing opening and is configured such that the cooling fluid of the cooling system flows through it in the event of damage. The cooling element is connected in parallel to the cooling system via at least one valve.