Battery Module Flame Arrestor for Fire Containment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion battery modules are prone to catastrophic failures that can lead to combustion events, causing fires due to the discharge of flammable electrolyte and molten aluminum, posing risks to surrounding equipment and environments.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating flame arrestors within the battery module to prevent the outflow of combusted fluids and flames, allowing cooling airflow while impeding the passage of combusted materials, thereby containing combustion events within the module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flame arrestors with fine screens are installed to prevent combusted fluid outflow, then safety against fire spread is improved, but airflow resistance increases and cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flame arrestor employs a composite structure combining a screen with fire-resistant material coating or fire-retardant properties, creating a material that simultaneously provides fine filtration for flame arrestment while maintaining thermal stability and allowing adequate heat dissipation for cooling airflow passage
Solution Approach 2:
The screen structure is designed with non-uniform characteristics, featuring varying aperture sizes and distributions across different regions to optimize the balance between flame arrestment capability and airflow resistance, allowing adequate cooling while preventing fire spread
2Temperature
If vent members are positioned to face apertures for efficient heat dissipation, then cooling performance is improved, but risk of combusted fluid direct discharge to environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flame arrestor acts as an intermediary component positioned between the vent members and the external environment, intercepting any combusted fluid or flames that escape from the vent members while still permitting the necessary cooling airflow to pass through the system
Solution Approach 2:
The flame arrestor is pre-installed in the airflow path to provide preliminary protection against fire spread and combusted fluid discharge, preventing harmful effects before they can reach the external environment
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 effectively minimizes damage to adjacent modules and equipment by containing combustion events within the battery module, preventing the spread of flames and further damage, and ensuring safe thermal management of lithium-ion batteries.
Implementation Method 1
a screen that includes a plurality of fluid pathways sized to allow an airflow from the airflow path through the fluid pathways and sized to impede a combusted fluid to pass therethrough
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A battery module includes a housing that defines an inner volume and includes an airflow path from an aperture formed in a first end member of the housing, through the inner volume, and to an aperture formed in a second end member of the housing; a plurality of power cells mounted in the inner volume of the housing, each of the power cells including a vent member at an end of the power cell; and a flame arrestor mounted across the airflow path and between the plurality of power cells and the aperture formed in the second end member of the housing. The flame arrestor includes a screen that includes a plurality of fluid pathways sized to allow an airflow from the airflow path through the fluid pathways and sized to impede a combusted fluid to pass therethrough.