Battery Cell Dual Venting Pathways for Thermal Runaway Emissions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery designs face challenges in safely managing high-temperature and high-pressure emissions during thermal runaway, as single discharge pathways can lead to structural failure and increased risk of thermal diffusion and component damage.

Innovation Solution

A battery design featuring a dual discharge pathway system with a first pathway into an electrical cavity and a second pathway out of the cavity, utilizing balance valves to efficiently manage emissions, reducing accumulation and enhancing safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a large number of batteries are connected in parallel to increase current discharge capability, then the current discharge capability is improved, but the battery pack size and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurrent discharge capabilityVSAvoidbattery pack complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack is divided into multiple individual battery cells, each with its own current collector structure. This segmentation allows the current collection function to be distributed across multiple independent units, reducing the complexity of any single battery cell while maintaining overall high current discharge capability through parallel connection of multiple cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The current collector plate is positioned to overlap with the electrode plates in a nested arrangement, where the current collector is embedded within the battery structure. This nesting optimizes space utilization and reduces the overall battery pack size while maintaining effective current collection across multiple parallel-connected batteries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Device complexity

If conventional current collectors are used, then the structure is simple, but contact resistance increases and heat generation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurrent collector structureVSAvoidcontact resistance and heat generation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The current collector transitions from a conventional planar structure to a three-dimensional mesh structure. This dimensional change increases the surface area and number of contact points with the electrode plates, thereby reducing contact resistance and heat generation while maintaining structural simplicity through the regular mesh pattern.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The current collector is made of conductive mesh material that combines electrical conductivity with structural integrity. This composite approach uses a grid-like structure that provides both mechanical support and efficient electrical conduction, reducing energy loss through improved contact while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Volume of stationary object

If batteries are tightly packed to reduce size, then space utilization is improved, but heat dissipation becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack volumeVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The battery structure uses thin film-like current collectors and electrode plates that can be closely packed while maintaining thermal pathways. The mesh structure of the current collector acts as a thermal conductor distributed throughout the battery, allowing heat to dissipate efficiently even when batteries are tightly arranged, thus reducing the overall pack volume without compromising heat management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Loss of energy

If current collector plate area is increased to reduce contact resistance, then contact resistance is reduced, but battery size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact resistanceVSAvoidbattery size
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing the planar area of the current collector plate, the invention uses a three-dimensional mesh structure that increases the effective contact surface area through vertical and lateral extensions. This allows reduced contact resistance without proportionally increasing the overall battery volume, as the mesh structure utilizes space more efficiently in multiple dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 dual pathway system effectively disperses emissions, preventing thermal diffusion and component damage, thereby improving battery safety and efficiency of discharge.

Implementation Method 1

current collector mesh comprising a plurality of mesh lines

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrochemical energy conversion: Battery (electricity)

Data Source

PatentEP4404357B1Battery and electrical device
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED
  • EP4404357B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4404357B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP4404357B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

Embodiments of the present application provide a battery, comprising: a box comprising an electrical cavity; a battery cell accommodated in the electrical cavity, a first wall of the battery cell being provided with a pressure relief mechanism; a first pathway and a second pathway, the first pathway and the second pathway being configured to be capable of communicating with an interior of the battery cell via the pressure relief mechanism when the pressure relief mechanism is actuated, wherein the first pathway is used to discharge emissions discharged from the pressure relief mechanism into the electrical cavity, and the second pathway is used to discharge the emissions discharged from the pressure relief mechanism out of the electrical cavity; a first balance valve for discharging emissions passing through the first pathway out of the box; and a second balance valve for discharging emissions passing through the second pathway out of the box. The battery and the electrical device of embodiments of the present application can improve the safety performance of the battery.