Laminated Battery Pack Enclosure With Thermal Runaway Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery pack enclosures for aircraft are heavy due to their rigid construction, which is necessary to contain thermal runaway events, thereby reducing the power-to-weight ratio and affecting aircraft performance.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack module with an enclosure made of fire-resistant laminated material comprising multiple layers of fabric, combined with a vent system that allows for controlled release of gases during thermal runaway, reducing the overall weight while maintaining safety and containment capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a strong rigid battery enclosure is used to contain thermal runaway events, then safety and containment capability are improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by constructing the enclosure from multiple layers of fabric (such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, or aramid) bonded together with resin. This laminated composite structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio and fire resistance, enabling the enclosure to contain thermal runaway events while maintaining reduced weight compared to traditional solid metal enclosures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes flexible shells by employing thin laminated fabric layers that can flex and deform during thermal runaway events. These thin film structures (multiple fabric layers) provide containment capability while being significantly lighter than rigid solid enclosures, allowing the enclosure to absorb thermal stress without catastrophic failure.
2Reliability
If a rigid battery enclosure is used to withstand high temperatures and pressure, then thermal runaway containment is improved, but power-to-weight ratio deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The laminated composite enclosure provides high temperature and pressure resistance through the combined properties of fire-resistant fabric layers and resin bonding, enabling thermal runaway containment without the excessive weight of solid metal enclosures, thus preserving power-to-weight ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the enclosure by using multiple thin fabric layers instead of thick solid material. This parameter change (from solid to laminated structure) reduces weight while maintaining or improving thermal and pressure resistance through the cumulative effect of multiple layers.
3Weight of moving object
If multiple layers of fabric are used to compose the enclosure walls, then weight is reduced, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials where multiple fabric layers (fiberglass, carbon fiber, aramid) are bonded with resin to create a laminated structure. This composite construction provides strength comparable to or exceeding solid materials while significantly reducing weight, as each thin fabric layer contributes to overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure structure is segmented into multiple discrete fabric layers instead of being a single solid piece. This segmentation allows each layer to bear specific structural loads and provides redundancy, where damage to one layer does not compromise the entire structure, maintaining strength while reducing weight.
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 use of fire-resistant laminated material and a vent system allows for a reduction in the weight of the battery pack module while effectively containing thermal runaway events, thus enhancing the power-to-weight ratio and safety of aircraft battery systems.
Implementation Method 1
a vent connected to the enclosure and arranged to provide a fluid flow path between an interior of the enclosure and an external environment upon a pressure differential between the interior of the enclosure and the external environment exceeding a predetermined threshold
Implementation Method 2
the walls of the enclosure are composed of a fire-resistant laminated material comprising a plurality of layers of fabric
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a battery pack module, for example for use in an electric or hybrid aircraft. Example embodiments include a battery pack module (600) comprising: a plurality of battery cells (6011-n) arranged in a battery cell array (602); an enclosure (604) comprising a plurality of walls surrounding the battery cell array (602); and a vent (605) connected to the enclosure (604) and arranged to provide a fluid flow path between an interior (607) of the enclosure (604) and an external environment (610) upon a pressure differential between the interior (607) of the enclosure (604) and the external environment (610) exceeding a predetermined threshold, wherein the walls of the enclosure (604) are composed of a fire-resistant laminated material comprising a plurality of fabric layers.