Battery Cell Housing Venting for Thermal Runaway Containment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Battery cells in a stack can malfunction, causing hot gases and particles to escape, leading to thermal runaway and heat propagation between adjacent cells.
Innovation Solution
A housing device with a first and second local weakening, designed to yield at different pressures, safely discharges pressure and prevents thermal propagation by controlled gas release through overlapping vent openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the housing is made completely solid and strong to prevent external pressure penetration, then protection against external pressure is improved, but the ability to safely discharge internal pressure is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented with two distinct local weakenings (first and second) positioned at different locations and designed to yield at different pressure levels. This segmentation allows the housing to handle different pressure scenarios: the first local weakening manages lower internal pressures, while the second local weakening manages higher internal pressures, thus maintaining both strength and pressure discharge safety.
2Device complexity
If a single vent opening is provided for pressure release, then device complexity is reduced, but the control over pressure discharge is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Different local regions of the housing are assigned different functional qualities through the two local weakenings. The first local weakening has different geometric characteristics and yield pressure compared to the second local weakening. This local differentiation enables controlled pressure discharge at specific pressure levels without requiring complex active control systems, thus maintaining simple device structure while improving pressure control reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the housing completely encloses the battery cell to prevent thermal propagation, then thermal isolation is improved, but the ability to release hot gases is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with predetermined local weakenings that will yield at specific pressure levels before dangerous hot gas accumulation occurs. This preliminary action ensures that when internal pressure builds up from thermal runaway, the housing will automatically discharge the hot gases through the yielding local weakenings, preventing both uncontrolled thermal propagation and dangerous gas accumulation simultaneously.
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
Effectively manages pressure and thermal propagation by controlled gas release, preventing damage to adjacent cells and enhancing safety in battery cell systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first local weakening (11) adapted to yield at a first pressure (P1) generated by the battery cell (2)
Implementation Method 2
a second local weakening (12) adapted to yield at a second pressure (P2) generated by the battery cell (2), the second pressure being lower than the first pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A housing device for a battery cell, including a housing adapted to enclose a battery cell, a first local weakening adapted to yield at a first pressure generated by the battery cell, and a second local weakening arranged at least partially above the first local weakening and adapted to yield at a second pressure generated by the battery cell. The second pressure is lower than the first pressure