Battery Cell Degassing Channel for Thermal Runaway Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems face challenges in preventing thermal runaway and subsequent battery edge, particularly due to uncontrolled gas distribution and heat propagation among battery cells, which can lead to further short circuits and fires.
Innovation Solution
A battery edging system that includes a controlled gas guide through a cell renovation channel, a gas flow influence structure for cooling and particle filtration, and a cooling device that activates coolant flow to cool the thermally continuous battery cell, thereby preventing thermal propagation and battery edge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If gas is vented through a burst valve during thermal runaway, then hot gas can escape from the battery cell, but the escaping gas contains electrically conductive particles that spread within the battery casing and promote arcing and short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
A gas guide channel is introduced as an intermediary structure between the battery cell and the external environment. This channel directs the escaping hot gas away from the battery terminals and connectors, preventing particle deposition in critical areas while maintaining the pressure relief function. The gas guide channel acts as a mediator that separates the harmful effects of gas venting from the battery's electrical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful particles and hot gas are extracted from the battery system through a dedicated venting path. The burst valve and gas guide channel work together to remove the thermal runaway byproducts (hot gas and particles) from the battery casing interior, preventing them from causing secondary damage to electrical components.
2Temperature
If active cooling is used during normal operation, then battery cells can be kept at safe temperatures, but upon detection of thermal runaway the high-voltage electrical system is deactivated and active cooling is no longer available
Solution Approach 1:
The gas guide channel and burst valve are pre-configured to automatically activate upon thermal runaway detection, providing immediate passive cooling and pressure relief without requiring high-voltage system operation. The structural design is prepared in advance to function independently of the deactivated electrical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling and pressure relief system becomes self-service during thermal runaway, using the battery's own structural components (gas guide channel, burst valve, cooling plates) to manage the thermal event without external intervention. The system serves itself by converting from active electronic control to passive mechanical/thermal management.
3Temperature
If cooling plates are used to cool escaping gas, then the risk of self-ignition can be reduced, but numerous battery cells experiencing thermal runaway produce enormous amounts of hot gas that can no longer be cooled efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is segmented and distributed across multiple cooling plates, each associated with specific battery cells. This segmentation allows the cooling capacity to scale with the number of cells experiencing thermal runaway, maintaining cooling efficiency even when multiple cells are venting simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas guide channel extends the cooling path in the spatial dimension, guiding hot gas through a longer trajectory along the cooling plates. This dimensional extension increases the heat exchange surface area and duration, improving cooling efficiency for large volumes of hot gas without requiring proportional increases in active cooling power.
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 system effectively prevents the distribution of electrically conductive particles and heat within the battery housing, reducing the risk of short circuits and thermal propagation, thus preventing a battery edge and potential fires.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling device for cooling the thermally runaway first battery cell, wherein the cooling device is configured such that a coolant flows through it
Implementation Method 2
a coolant flows through it
Implementation Method 3
a gas flow influencing structure as part of the cell degassing channel, which is designed to influence the course of the gas flow flowing through the cell degassing channel
Implementation Method 4
a cell degassing channel connectable to the battery cells of the battery, into which a gas escaping from a respective one of the battery cells can be introduced and discharged to at least one outlet opening
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a battery fire prevention system (10) for a motor vehicle battery (12), which comprises a plurality of battery cells (14, 14a), for preventing a battery fire resulting from a thermal runaway of a first battery cell (14a) of the battery cells (14, 14a) of the battery (12). The battery fire prevention system (10) comprises: a cell degassing channel (28) which can be connected to the battery cells (14, 14a) and into which a gas (30) exiting one of the battery cells (14, 14a) can be introduced and discharged to at least one outlet opening (46) of the cell degassing channel (28); a gas flow influencing structure (31) as part of the cell degassing channel (28) which is designed to influence the course of the gas flow (30) flowing through the cell degassing channel (28) that is formed by the gas (30) exiting the first battery cells (14a); and a cooling device (18) for cooling the first battery cells (14a) undergoing thermal runaway, the cooling device (18) being designed in such a way that a coolant (20) flows therethrough at the latest when the first battery cell (14a) undergoes thermal runaway.