Battery Module Cooling Unit With Pressure-Opening Membrane Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules face challenges in quickly suppressing heat propagation and thermal runaway when an abnormal situation occurs, such as an internal short circuit, leading to potential fire spread and damage.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a plurality of battery cells assemblies with a cooling unit filled with a coolant, including a membrane member that opens to release pressure and prevent excessive internal pressure buildup, thereby suppressing heat propagation and thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a firefighting facility structure is provided in the battery module, then fire suppression capability is improved, but the response time is delayed and damage recovery becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is pre-filled with coolant and the membrane member is pre-positioned to automatically open when pressure increases. This preliminary preparation allows the system to respond immediately when thermal runaway occurs, eliminating the delay associated with activating firefighting facilities after fire detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling unit operates autonomously by utilizing the pressure increase from thermal runaway to automatically open the membrane member and release coolant. The system serves itself without external control or intervention, enabling immediate response while simplifying the overall safety system architecture.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a cooling unit with membrane member is provided in the battery module, then heat propagation suppression is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane member is a flexible thin film component that automatically deforms and opens in response to pressure changes during thermal runaway. This simple yet effective mechanism provides heat propagation suppression without requiring complex control systems, sensors, or multiple moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling unit utilizes hydraulic principles by filling the confined space with coolant and using pressure differential (generated during thermal runaway) to drive the membrane member opening. This pneumatic-hydraulic approach provides automatic actuation without electrical controls or mechanical linkages.
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 solution effectively minimizes heat propagation and thermal runaway risks by using a coolant to absorb heat and manage pressure, preventing damage and fire spread within the battery module.
Implementation Method 1
filled with a coolant, the at least one cooling unit having at least one membrane member provided at one end thereof to be opened or closed according to a change of an internal pressure of the cooling unit
Implementation Method 2
at least one membrane member provided at one end thereof to be opened or closed according to a change of an internal pressure of the cooling unit
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells assemblies, each having a plurality of battery cells stacked on each other; and at least one cooling unit provided between the plurality of battery cells assemblies and filled with a predetermined coolant therein, the at least one cooling unit having at least one membrane member provided at one end thereof to be opened or closed according to a change of an internal pressure thereof.