Battery Enclosure Fire Retardant Injection for Thermal Runaway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storage systems face challenges with thermal runaway, where a high temperature in one battery cell can cause a chemical reaction leading to excessive energy release and potential fires, posing risks to property and safety.
Innovation Solution
A storage system with an enclosure housing a battery, equipped with a thermal device to detect temperature and a nozzle connected to a fire retardant cartridge, which directs fire retardant material into the enclosure upon detection of a predetermined temperature, effectively curbing thermal runaway events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal runaway is allowed to propagate through adjacent cells, then energy release increases, but fire risk and property damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the battery enclosure into individual cell compartments with walls between adjacent cells. This physical segmentation prevents thermal runaway propagation from one cell to adjacent cells, containing the fire risk to isolated sections while maintaining overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces water as an intermediary substance between adjacent battery cells. The water acts as a thermal barrier that absorbs heat and prevents thermal runaway propagation. The water can be delivered through injection nozzles or stored in reservoirs positioned between cells, mediating the thermal interaction between adjacent cells.
2Reliability
If fire retardant material is injected rapidly, then thermal runaway propagation is prevented, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the thermal runaway event itself to trigger the fire suppression response. Temperature sensors detect the thermal runaway condition and automatically activate injection nozzles to deliver water or fire retardant material. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex external control systems while maintaining high reliability in fire suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple functions into integrated components. The enclosure structure combines thermal containment, sensor housing, and nozzle mounting functions. The water delivery system integrates reservoirs, pumps, and nozzles into a unified fire suppression apparatus that simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining effectiveness.
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 rapidly mitigates battery fires and prevents their spread, providing a first line of protection against large-scale thermal propagation and reducing the risk of autoignition.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal device disposed within the enclosure and configured to detect when a predetermined temperature is reached within the enclosure
Implementation Method 2
The methods and apparatus described herein provide one or more fire retardants to serve as a first line of protection from large scale effects of thermal propagation, e.g., a thermal runaway event, such as battery fires
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system configured for use with an energy management system is provided and includes an enclosure configured to house a battery, a thermal device disposed within the enclosure and configured to detect when a predetermined temperature is reached within the enclosure, a nozzle connected to a cartridge comprising fire retardant material and to the thermal device, wherein the nozzle is disposed on the enclosure to direct the fire retardant material into the enclosure when the thermal device detects the predetermined temperature is reached within the enclosure.