Battery Enclosure Gas Venting for Thermal Runaway Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery enclosure systems face challenges in managing thermal runaway and gas propagation due to the enclosure trapping hot gases, leading to potential cell damage and fire, with existing suppression methods being heavy, space-consuming, or using harmful chemicals.
Innovation Solution
A battery enclosure gas management system with a gas displacer that actively vents hot gases outside the enclosure using compressed air or suction, optionally with pre-cooling and filtration, to rapidly cool and displace gases, reducing the risk of thermal propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If insulation layers between cells are used to prevent thermal propagation, then thermal protection is improved, but heat generation in enclosed environment is ultimately overcome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts hot gases from the enclosed battery environment by providing venting pathways that allow thermal runaway gases to escape from the battery enclosure, preventing heat accumulation while maintaining thermal protection through active gas removal rather than passive insulation
2Reliability
If water, Novec 1230, CO2 or oil injection systems are used for suppression, then thermal runaway suppression is improved, but system weight and space requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the battery enclosure to self-manage thermal runaway events by using the natural pressure buildup from off-gassing to drive the venting process, eliminating the need for external suppression agents and heavy mechanical systems while maintaining effective thermal runaway management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes pneumatic pressure differentials created during thermal runaway to drive the venting mechanism, using the gas pressure itself to open valves and direct gas flow without requiring external power sources or heavy mechanical actuators
3Stress or pressure
If burst valve venting is used for pressure release, then gas venting is improved, but thermal propagation risk increases due to trapped hot gases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous active venting operation to continuously remove hot gases from the battery enclosure, ensuring that pressure release is followed by sustained thermal propagation prevention through ongoing gas displacement and cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary cooling gas (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide) that displaces hot thermal runaway gases from the battery enclosure, creating a protective atmosphere that prevents thermal propagation while maintaining pressure management
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 system effectively reduces the likelihood of thermal propagation by rapidly removing hot gases, minimizing cell damage and maintaining a safe environment, while being lightweight and environmentally friendly.
Implementation Method 1
the gas displacer comprises at least one of a compressor and a store of compressed gas and is arranged to selectively deliver compressed gas from the at least one of the compressor and the store of compressed gas to be used in driving the venting
Implementation Method 2
A battery enclosure gas management system with a gas displacer that actively vents hot gases outside the enclosure using compressed air or suction
Implementation Method 3
optionally with pre-cooling and filtration, to rapidly cool and displace gases
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the present invention relate to a battery enclosure gas management system. The battery enclosure gas management system comprises a gas displacer arranged to drive venting of gas that surrounds at least one of one or more battery cells in a battery enclosure. The venting is to outside of the battery enclosure via an exit vent of the battery enclosure. The gas displacer is selectively activatable to drive the venting.