Battery Cell Venting Structure for Faster Thermal Runaway Gas Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery cells face safety issues due to limited gas exhausting rate during thermal runaway, leading to potential blockage of pressure relief mechanisms and increased risk of accidents.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a duct on a support member within the battery cell to guide gas into a pressure relief mechanism, accompanied by recesses on the side plate to accommodate part of the electrode assembly, increasing spacing and gas exhausting rate while maintaining capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery cell uses a conventional structure without a duct on the support member, then the structure is simpler and manufacturing is easier, but the gas exhausting rate during thermal runaway is limited and the pressure relief mechanism may be blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is segmented to include a dedicated duct structure that separates the gas flow path from the electrode assembly accommodation space. This segmentation allows gas to be channeled through the duct to the pressure relief mechanism, preventing blockage and improving safety without significantly complicating the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The duct on the support member acts as an intermediary component that facilitates gas flow from the electrode assembly area to the pressure relief mechanism. This intermediary structure ensures smooth gas evacuation during thermal runaway, resolving the contradiction between safety and structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If the battery cell increases the spacing between the electrode assembly and the first side plate to accommodate gas flow, then the gas exhausting rate improves, but the volume for the electrode assembly decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member with the duct provides localized gas flow accommodation, allowing the spacing to be optimized in the specific region where gas evacuation is needed, while maintaining compact overall cell dimensions. This local optimization enables adequate gas flow paths without significantly reducing the electrode assembly volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The duct structure utilizes the vertical dimension (from the support member up to the pressure relief mechanism) to accommodate gas flow, rather than requiring increased horizontal spacing. This dimensional approach allows adequate gas evacuation paths while maintaining compact cell geometry and maximizing electrode assembly volume.
3Reliability
If the battery cell uses a larger duct on the support member to increase gas exhausting rate, then safety during thermal runaway improves, but the space for the electrode assembly is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support member structure is segmented to include a duct with optimized cross-sectional area that provides adequate gas flow capacity without excessively reducing the space available for the electrode assembly. This segmentation allows the duct to be integrated into the support member design, maximizing gas evacuation capability while minimizing impact on electrode volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The duct dimensions and geometry are optimized through parameter adjustments to achieve the maximum gas exhausting rate within the available space constraints. By carefully selecting the duct cross-sectional area, length, and shape, the design achieves adequate safety performance without significantly compromising electrode assembly capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a battery cell, a method and system for manufacturing same, a battery, and an electrical device. The battery cell includes: an electrode assembly; a shell assembly, configured to accommodate the electrode assembly and including a first side plate and a second side plate, where the first side plate and the second side plate are located on two sides of the electrode assembly along a first direction respectively; a pressure relief mechanism, disposed on the first side plate; and a support member, disposed between the electrode assembly and the first side plate, and configured to support the electrode assembly. A duct is provided on the support member. The duct is configured to guide gas between the second side plate and the support member into the pressure relief mechanism, so that the pressure relief mechanism is actuated to release a pressure when the pressure reaches a threshold.