Battery Cell Weakened Vent Structure for Thermal Runaway Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery cells face safety issues due to inadequate pressure relief during thermal runaway, leading to potential explosions and damage, as existing pressure relief components either fail to open timely or have insufficient discharge ports.
Innovation Solution
A battery cell design incorporating a housing with a first pressure relief component featuring a weakened portion of reduced thickness, which opens to smoothly discharge emissions when a preset condition is met, ensuring timely pressure relief and preventing explosions, with optimized ratios of thickness to area and capacity to area for effective pressure relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pressure relief component is designed with a weakened portion of reduced thickness, then the pressure relief component can be reliably opened during thermal runaway to discharge emissions, but the structural strength of the housing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with a weakened portion that has reduced thickness compared to other parts of the housing. This localized reduction in thickness creates a predetermined opening condition that allows the pressure relief component to be reliably opened during thermal runaway, while the rest of the housing maintains its structural strength
Solution Approach 2:
The weakened portion is pre-designed with specific thickness reduction during manufacturing, creating a predetermined opening condition before the battery is put into use. This preliminary action ensures that when thermal runaway occurs, the pressure relief component will open reliably without requiring additional force or energy
2Productivity
If the first weakened portion is designed with appropriate thickness to area ratio, then the emissions can be discharged smoothly in a short time, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design specifies a particular range for the ratio of thickness to area of the weakened portion (0.003 to 0.03). By controlling this parameter within the specified range, the patent achieves appropriate pressure relief speed that allows emissions to be discharged smoothly in a short time, while providing clear manufacturing guidelines
3Reliability
If the pressure relief component opens too quickly, then the safety is improved, but a large amount of particulate matter is ejected causing heavy weight loss
Solution Approach 1:
The design provides a balanced opening speed that is neither too slow nor too fast. By optimizing the thickness to area ratio of the weakened portion, the patent achieves partial action - enough speed to improve safety by relieving pressure timely, but controlled enough to prevent excessive ejection of particulate matter and minimize weight loss
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 design enhances safety by reliably opening the pressure relief component during thermal runaway, preventing explosions and reducing weight loss, while maintaining structural integrity and operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the first weakened portion is configured to be opened when a first preset condition is met within the housing... the first weakened portion can be reliably opened to smoothly discharge the emissions inside the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cell includes: a housing having a closed inner cavity; an electrode assembly arranged in the inner cavity; and a first pressure relief component arranged on the housing. The first pressure relief component has a first weakened portion, and the first weakened portion is a reduced thickness portion and is configured to be opened when a first preset condition is met within the housing.