Battery Gas Neutralization Module for Explosion Suppression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Chemical energy storage environments, such as those with lithium-ion batteries, pose hazards due to the release of flammable and toxic gases during thermal events or battery failures, which can lead to fires and explosions if not properly mitigated.
Innovation Solution
A neutralization and circulation module (NCM) is employed to generate a combustion suppressant stream by selectively applying an oxygen-containing stream to an intake stream of flammable gases, neutralizing combustible and toxic species through physiochemical processes, thereby reducing or eliminating flammability regions and maintaining a safe environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical energy storage units emit combustible gases during thermal events or battery failures, then energy storage capacity is maintained, but fire and explosion hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an oxygen-containing stream to react with the combustible gases emitted by battery failures, converting the harmful flammable atmosphere into a controlled combustion process that produces inert combustion suppressant gas, thereby eliminating the explosion hazard while maintaining energy storage functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The system generates and introduces a combustion suppressant gas stream into the chamber to displace oxygen and create an inert atmosphere that prevents fire and explosion, transforming the hazardous flammable environment into a safe inert environment while the neutralization process converts combustible gases into inert species
2Productivity
If flammable gases are released into the chamber during battery failures, then energy storage operation continues, but flammability region expands
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes flammable gases from the chamber atmosphere by introducing an oxygen-containing stream that reacts with and converts the combustible gases into inert combustion suppressant gas, thereby reducing the flammable gas concentration to below flammability limits while allowing energy storage operations to continue
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the chemical composition parameters of the chamber atmosphere by converting combustible gases into inert species through controlled reaction with oxygen-containing stream, transforming the gas composition from flammable to non-flammable while maintaining operational continuity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If combustion suppressant gas stream is generated to neutralize combustible gases, then flammability is suppressed, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The neutralization and circulation module performs multiple functions simultaneously: it neutralizes combustible gases, generates combustion suppressant gas, and recirculates the treated gas back into the chamber, thereby suppressing flammability while minimizing system complexity through multi-functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the neutralization process and circulation function into a single integrated module that combines the reactor for chemical neutralization with the circulation system for gas recirculation, reducing overall system complexity while achieving effective flammability suppression
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 NCM effectively suppresses flammability by converting flammable gases into inert species, ensuring a safe environment even when combustible and toxic gases are released, by eliminating the flammability region and maintaining inherently safe conditions within the energy storage environment.
Implementation Method 1
selectively applies an oxygen-containing stream from the oxygen source to the intake stream to neutralize the combustible gases and generate a combustion suppressant gas stream
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a neutralization and circulation module (NCM) configured to generate a combustion suppressant stream from a flammable intake stream. In an illustrative example, the NCM includes an intake port and an output port, each in fluid communication with a chamber containing (electro)chemical energy storage units capable of emitting combustible gases. The NCM may, for example, include a reactor in fluid communication between the intake and output port. The reactor may, for example, selectively apply an oxygen-containing stream from an oxygen source to the intake stream to generate, from the stream containing combustible gases, a combustion suppressant gas stream that is discharged through the output port into the chamber such that an upper flammability limit approaches a lower flammability limit in the chamber. Various embodiments may advantageously eliminate a flammable regime in a chemical energy storage environment.