Battery Holder Venting for Isolated Thermal Runaway Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing thermostatic ovens for battery testing, extinguishing a fire in one battery can affect the charge/discharge test of adjacent batteries due to water spillage.
Innovation Solution
The battery holders are designed as fireproof and pressure-resistant containers that hermetically hold secondary batteries, with exhaust ports and passages to guide ignition gases outside, preventing leakage and allowing safe discharge without using water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If water is used to extinguish ignited secondary batteries in a thermostatic oven, then the fire can be suppressed, but water enters adjacent battery holders and affects the charge/discharge test of non-ignited batteries
Solution Approach 1:
The thermostatic oven is divided into independent battery holder compartments, each equipped with its own exhaust port and fire suppression system. This segmentation isolates the fire hazard to a single compartment, preventing water from affecting adjacent battery holders during charge/discharge testing.
Solution Approach 2:
An exhaust port system acts as an intermediary between the battery holder interior and the external environment. When ignition occurs, the exhaust port directs flames and smoke outward, allowing fire suppression to occur outside the sealed battery holder compartment, thereby protecting adjacent compartments from water damage.
2Productivity
If battery holders are arranged with almost no space between them in a thermostatic oven, then space utilization is maximized, but fire from one battery can spread to adjacent batteries
Solution Approach 1:
Each battery holder is designed as an independent sealed compartment with its own exhaust port. This segmentation creates fire barriers between adjacent batteries, allowing maximum density arrangement without fire spread risk, thereby maintaining high test throughput while preventing fire propagation.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful combustion products (flames, smoke, gas) are extracted from the battery holder interior through dedicated exhaust ports. By removing these harmful factors immediately upon ignition, the system prevents fire spread to adjacent batteries even when holders are tightly packed for maximum productivity.
3Reliability
If exhaust ports are added to battery holders to discharge ignition gases, then fire safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust port structure serves multiple functions: it acts as a fire suppression vent, a pressure relief valve, and a smoke evacuation channel. By combining these functions into a single integrated component, the design improves fire safety without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust port system operates automatically upon ignition without requiring external control systems. The pressure differential caused by combustion automatically opens the exhaust port, allowing the system to self-regulate fire hazards, thereby improving safety with minimal added complexity.
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 and discharges ignition gases without affecting adjacent batteries, ensuring the charge/discharge test can be performed safely and reliably.
Implementation Method 1
the battery holder for the secondary battery is constituted of the fireproof and pressure resistant container and hermetically holds the secondary battery
Implementation Method 2
the battery holder has the exhaust port connected to the passage which discharges the gas generated by the ignition
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery test apparatus 1 includes an enclosed battery holder 4 which detachably holds a secondary battery 3, a thermostatic oven 2 in which the battery holder 4 is held, and a charge and discharge test device 7 which charges and discharges the secondary battery 3 held in the battery holder 4 to test the secondary battery 3. The battery holder 4 is constituted of a fireproof and pressure resistant container capable of withstanding the ignition of the secondary battery 3. Since an exhaust port 4b is connected to an exhaust pipe 15 which discharges gas in the battery holder 4 when the secondary battery 3 ignites, the exhaust port 4b discharges the gas to the outside of the thermostatic oven 2 to release its pressure.