Battery Module Guide Member for Blocking Tab Heat Propagation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery cells in electric vehicles can experience thermal runaway, leading to heat propagation and simultaneous burning of all cells due to gas discharge through tabs with low flow resistance, resulting in catastrophic failure.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a guide member with openings between the electrode assembly and bus bar unit, which blocks heat propagation and directs gas generated during thermal runaway outside the module, preventing direct heat transfer between cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If battery cells are directly installed in the electric vehicle using CTP technology, then the manufacturing and installation process is simplified, but thermal runaway can cause rapid heat propagation to all cells through tabs, resulting in catastrophic failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide member as an intermediary component between the battery cell tabs and the bus bar. This guide member includes a flow resistance increase object that restricts gas flow through the tab, preventing rapid heat propagation during thermal runaway while still allowing normal electrical connection. The guide member acts as a mediator that maintains the simplicity of direct installation while adding thermal safety functionality.
2Ease of operation
If gas is discharged through the tab with smallest flow resistance, then the discharge path is naturally determined, but direct heat propagation to other battery cells occurs through adjacent tabs, causing all cells to burn out simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality modification by adding a flow resistance increase object specifically at the tab location where gas discharge occurs. This creates localized resistance to gas flow at the tab, while the rest of the battery cell structure remains unchanged. The flow resistance increase object is positioned only where needed to block heat propagation through the tab, without affecting other aspects of cell performance.
3Reliability
If a guide member with flow resistance increase object is added between the electrode assembly and bus bar, then heat propagation is blocked and gas is directed outside the module, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical insulation between the tab and bus bar, restricts gas flow through the tab to prevent heat propagation, and directs thermal runaway gas outward. By combining these multiple safety and functional roles into a single component, the patent minimizes the increase in device complexity while achieving comprehensive thermal protection.
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
Prevents rapid heat transfer and ensures safe discharge of gases, reducing the risk of simultaneous cell failure by blocking heat paths and directing thermal runaway gases outside the module.
Implementation Method 1
a flow resistance increase object configured to block a flow path generated inside a tab (i.e., bus bar) of a battery cell through a guide member
Implementation Method 2
direct heat propagation to other battery cells is generated through tabs adjacent to each other. As a result, there is a problem in that all the battery cells are burned out at once
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery module is disclosed. The battery module includes a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells, each of the plurality of battery cells including: an electrode accommodation portion accommodating an electrode assembly, and an electrode lead protruding from the electrode accommodation portion and coupled to the electrode assembly; a module housing accommodating the cell assembly; a bus bar unit including: a plurality of slits in which the electrode leads are inserted respectively, and a bus bar coupled to the electrode leads; and a guide member positioned between the electrode accommodation portion and the bus bar unit, the guide member including a plurality of openings through which the electrode leads pass.