Battery Discharge Charge Pump for Thermal Runaway Fire Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries are prone to thermal runaway and fire due to internal events such as short circuits, leading to concentrated heat release and potential widespread damage.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method involving a discharger, switches, and a charge pump with capacitors and diodes to distribute energy from the battery during a fire event, using control signals to manage electrical connections and discharge energy safely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery energy is directly discharged through a simple switch, then the discharge process is simple and fast, but the safety risk increases due to concentrated heat release causing fire or thermal runaway
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is divided into multiple cells (first battery cell, second battery cell, etc.), and each cell is equipped with its own discharge path and control switch. This segmentation allows independent discharge of each cell, preventing concentrated heat release and improving safety while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
A control device is introduced as an intermediary between the battery cells and discharge paths. This control device manages the discharge process by controlling switches for each cell, enabling safe energy distribution without requiring complex manual intervention, thus improving safety while keeping the system automated and manageable
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple switches and control devices are added to distribute battery energy safely, then the fire risk is reduced, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple independently controllable cells, each with its own switch and discharge path. This modular segmentation reduces fire risk by isolating potential failure points while keeping each module simple and manageable, thereby controlling overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple discharge paths and control switches are pre-configured in the system design. In case of thermal runaway or fire risk, the control device can immediately activate the appropriate discharge paths without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thus reducing fire risk while maintaining relatively simple operational control
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 fire by safely distributing energy from the battery during thermal runaway, preventing large-scale heat and fire damage.
Implementation Method 1
a first capacitor, that is configured to charge the first capacitor with an electric energy charged in the battery when a first control signal indicating a normal state is input, and that is configured to connect the discharger and the battery by operating the first switch with an electric energy charged in the first capacitor when a second control signal indicating an occurrence of a fire event is input
Implementation Method 2
a charge pump that includes a first capacitor, that is configured to charge the first capacitor with an electric energy charged in the battery when a first control signal indicating a normal state is input, and that is configured to connect the discharger and the battery by operating the first switch with an electric energy charged in the first capacitor when a second control signal indicating an occurrence of a fire event is input
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for discharging a battery. An apparatus for discharging a battery according to embodiments includes a discharger, a first switch connected between the discharger and the battery, and a charge pump that includes a first capacitor, that is configured to charge the first capacitor with an electric energy charged in the battery when a first control signal indicating a normal state is input, and that is configured to connect the discharger and the battery by operating the first switch with an electric energy charged in the first capacitor when a second control signal indicating an occurrence of a fire event is input.