Battery Flame Blocking Structure with Partition Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary battery cells face safety issues due to heat generation during charging and discharging, leading to potential fires and explosions, which can cause damage to surrounding components and pose risks in mobile devices and energy storage systems.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a flame blocking structure with vent holes and partition walls that guide gases and flames internally, preventing ejection outside and reducing thermal runaway risks, thereby minimizing damage to surrounding objects and occupants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vent holes are provided in the cell housing to release internal pressure, then the risk of explosion is reduced, but flames and hot gases can be ejected to the outside causing damage to surrounding components and secondary ignition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flame blocking structure as an intermediary component between the vent hole and the external environment. This structure includes a blocking portion with through-holes that allows gas to pass through while preventing flames from being ejected outward. The intermediary structure thus enables pressure relief while blocking the harmful flames, resolving the contradiction between safety through venting and prevention of flame ejection damage
Solution Approach 2:
The flame blocking structure applies local quality by creating a selective barrier: the blocking portion prevents flames from passing while the through-holes allow gas to escape. This local differentiation in the structure's properties (blocking vs. permeable regions) enables simultaneous achievement of flame prevention and pressure relief, addressing the contradiction between safety and harm prevention
2Use of energy by moving object
If heat is generated during charging and discharging, then energy conversion occurs, but temperature rise deteriorates battery performance and can lead to thermal runaway
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful heat and flames generated during energy conversion by providing vent holes that allow internal gases and flames to escape outward. This extraction mechanism removes the excessive temperature and pressure build-up that would otherwise deteriorate battery performance and cause thermal runaway, while the flame blocking structure ensures the extracted flames do not damage surrounding components
3Reliability
If flames are contained within the battery module, then spread to neighboring modules is prevented, but pressure build-up may occur without release path
Solution Approach 1:
The flame blocking structure acts as an intermediary that reconciles the contradiction between containing flames and releasing pressure. The blocking portion with through-holes allows gas to pass through (pressure relief) while blocking flames (fire containment). This intermediary structure enables simultaneous achievement of fire spread prevention and pressure build-up avoidance
Solution Approach 2:
The flame blocking structure segments the pressure relief function from the flame blocking function by using a blocking portion with through-holes. The segmentation allows gas to pass through the through-holes while flames are blocked by the solid portions, thus achieving both pressure release and fire containment without contradiction
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 contains flames and gases within the battery module, preventing external exposure and reducing the risk of fire spread to neighboring modules, enhancing safety in battery packs and energy storage systems.
Implementation Method 1
a flame blocking structure coupled to the battery assembly and including an inlet hole connected to the vent hole, an inner chamber communicating with the inlet hole, an outlet hole communicating with the inner chamber and the outside, and at least one partition wall protruding into the inner chamber
Implementation Method 2
The at least one partition wall may be configured such that gas or a flame ejected from the inlet hole bypasses the at least one partition wall and exit to the outlet hole
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery module includes a battery assembly including a plurality of sub-packing units, the plurality of sub-packing units respectively including a cell housing, at least one battery cell accommodated in an internal space of the cell housing, and at least one vent hole disposed in the cell housing and connecting the internal space to an outside of the cell housing, and a flame blocking structure coupled to the battery assembly, and including an inlet hole connected to the vent hole, an inner chamber communicating with the inlet hole, an outlet hole communicating with the inner chamber and the outside, and at least one partition wall protruding into the inner chamber.