Battery Cap Plate Venting Wall for Hot Jet Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal runaway in rechargeable batteries can cause hot jets to spread and trigger thermal events in neighboring cells, leading to potential safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a venting guide wall in the cap plate to redirect hot jets away from neighboring cells, integrated with the cap plate structure without additional manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a vent is provided to expel gas generated from inside a cell, then gas can escape outward, but hot jets may spread to neighboring cells causing thermal events
Solution Approach 1:
The cap plate is segmented into functional zones: a venting area with the vent hole for gas expulsion, and a guide wall structure that divides and directs the hot jet flow. This segmentation separates the venting function from the flow control function, allowing the guide wall to redirect hot gases away from neighboring cells while maintaining effective pressure relief through the vent.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wall acts as an intermediary structure between the vent hole and the surrounding environment. It intercepts the hot jet emerging from the vent and redirects it in a controlled manner, preventing direct contact with neighboring cells while still allowing gas to escape. The guide wall mediates between the pressure relief requirement and the safety requirement.
2Reliability
If the cap plate structure is modified to include safety features, then cell safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wall is merged with the cap plate structure, forming an integrated component rather than a separate part. This combining of the venting function and flow guidance function into a single cap plate structure avoids the need for additional assembly steps and reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining the safety benefits of the guide wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap plate is designed with multi-functionality: it provides structural closure for the cell, incorporates the vent hole for pressure relief, and includes the guide wall for hot jet redirection. By making the cap plate universal and multi-functional, the design avoids adding separate components, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving multiple safety and operational objectives.
3Ease of operation
If the venting guide wall protrudes outward from the cap plate, then hot jet direction is controlled, but the cap plate thickness varies
Solution Approach 1:
The cap plate exhibits local quality variation: the majority of the cap plate maintains uniform thickness for structural integrity and manufacturing simplicity, while the guide wall portion locally protrudes outward to provide the necessary flow redirection function. This localized geometric variation is confined to the specific area where flow control is needed, minimizing the impact on overall cap plate uniformity.
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
Prevents or delays the spread of flames and heat from one cell to neighboring cells, enhancing safety by minimizing the risk of secondary thermal events.
Implementation Method 1
a venting guide wall surrounding the vent, and protruding outward from a surface of the cap plate at a peripheral portion of the vent
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including an electrode; a case to accommodate the electrode assembly; a cap plate to seal an open area of the case; and one or more terminals electrically connected to the electrode, and coupled to the cap plate. The cap plate includes: a vent to expel gas generated from inside a cell outward; and a venting guide wall surrounding the vent, and protruding outward from a surface of the cap plate at a peripheral portion of the vent.