Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Detector With Multi-Criteria Early Warning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium ion batteries are prone to overheating and catching fire, posing a risk to the battery and surrounding components, and existing fire suppression systems require early detection to be effective.
Innovation Solution
A multi-criteria detector system for lithium ion batteries that includes a chamber with temperature sensors, gas detection assemblies for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and carbon dioxide (CO2) gases, and a smoke detection assembly to discriminate between smoke particles and nuisance particles, with a controller to execute early fire detection while minimizing false alarms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fire suppression system is implemented for lithium ion batteries, then fire damage risk is reduced, but early detection capability is required to be effective
Solution Approach 1:
The detector monitors multiple parameters (temperature, gas composition, smoke particles) simultaneously to detect early signs of thermal runaway before fire occurs. The system performs preliminary detection of precursors such as temperature elevation, VOC release, and particle generation, enabling early warning and prevention rather than reacting to established fires
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors battery conditions and provides real-time feedback on temperature, gas composition, and particle levels. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic adjustment and early detection of deteriorating conditions, allowing intervention before catastrophic failure occurs
2Measurement precision
If multiple detection criteria are used to improve detection accuracy, then false alarms are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detector integrates multiple sensing functions (temperature sensing, gas detection for VOCs/HF/CO2, smoke particle detection) into a single unified device. By merging these detection capabilities, the system achieves multi-criteria monitoring without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as components share common housing, power, and control electronics
Solution Approach 2:
The detector is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously performs temperature monitoring, gas composition analysis, and particle detection. This universal approach allows one device to replace multiple separate sensors, reducing system complexity while improving detection accuracy through correlated multi-parameter analysis
3Measurement precision
If gas detection assemblies are added to detect specific gases, then early fire detection capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas detection system utilizes optical absorption at specific wavelengths (2.0-3.0 μm for HF, 4.0-4.6 μm for CO2) to detect gas concentrations. By changing the detection parameter to optical absorption in the infrared region, the system can identify specific gases without complex chemical sensing, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining high detection precision
4Reliability
If smoke detection assembly is configured to discriminate smoke particles from nuisance particles, then detection reliability is improved, but measurement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The smoke detection assembly uses wavelength-specific light sources and detectors targeted at the 0.3-0.5 μm (UV) and 0.7-1.0 μm (IR) ranges where smoke particles exhibit characteristic scattering properties. By optimizing detection at these specific wavelengths, the system achieves reliable smoke discrimination from nuisance particles through their distinct optical signatures
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
Enables early and accurate detection of lithium ion battery fires or overheated conditions, allowing for timely fire suppression and reducing the risk of uncontrollable fires without generating false alarms.
Implementation Method 1
gas detection assemblies configured to detect gases through absorption in the detection space
Implementation Method 2
a hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas detection assembly includes a light source configured to emit light having a wavelength range of about 2.0-3.0 μm through the detection space and a photodetector configured to detect the light having the wavelength range of about 2.0-3.0 μm
Implementation Method 3
a smoke detection assembly configured to detect particle scattering in the detection space to discriminate smoke particles from nuisance particles
Implementation Method 4
a temperature sensor operably disposed proximate to the detection space
Data Source
AI summary
A fire and/or overheated condition detector for a lithium ion battery is provided. The fire and/or overheated condition detector includes a chamber defining a detection space fluidly communicative with an interior of the lithium ion battery, a temperature sensor operably disposed proximate to the detection space, gas detection assemblies configured to detect gases through absorption in the detection space and a smoke detection assembly configured to detect particle scattering in the detection space to discriminate smoke particles from nuisance particles.