Battery Module End Plate Guide Unit for Gas Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery modules in electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles face issues with gas discharge during operation, which can lead to secondary damage and explosions due to the direct discharge of high-temperature gases into limited spaces, affecting adjacent battery components.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a guide unit on the end plate that redirects gas discharge upward or downward through strategically positioned exhausting holes, preventing gas from directly impacting adjacent components and minimizing the risk of damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gas is discharged directly from battery cell vents without direction control, then gas discharge function is simple, but adjacent battery components may suffer secondary damage from high-temperature gases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide unit acts as an intermediary component between the vent and the external environment. It redirects the discharged gas through its inclined surface and opening, changing the gas flow direction from horizontal (toward adjacent components) to upward or downward direction, thereby protecting adjacent battery components from thermal damage while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The guide unit changes the dimension of gas discharge by redirecting it from a two-dimensional horizontal plane toward adjacent components into a three-dimensional upward or downward direction. The inclined surface and opening geometry transform the gas flow path, moving it away from sensitive areas in the horizontal plane and into vertical space, thus resolving the contradiction between simple discharge and component protection
2Object-affected harmful factors
If guide unit redirects gas upward or downward, then adjacent components are protected from gas damage, but gas discharge path becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guide unit applies local quality by creating a specific functional zone with an inclined surface and opening oriented in a particular direction. This localized structural feature selectively redirects gas flow in the critical area where vents discharge, while leaving the rest of the end plate structure relatively simple. The guide unit's opening is positioned and angled to provide protection exactly where needed without requiring complex modifications throughout the entire end plate
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple exhausting holes are provided in different directions, then gas discharge coverage is improved, but end plate structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The end plate is segmented into multiple functional zones with separate exhausting holes positioned at different locations and orientations. Each exhausting hole serves a specific discharge direction (upward, downward, or lateral), allowing the system to handle gas discharge from multiple battery cells or different operational conditions independently. This segmentation provides adaptability for comprehensive gas management while maintaining modular simplicity in each individual hole's design
Data Source
AI summary
According to the present invention the is provided a battery module including a plurality of battery cells each having a terminal surface accommodating at least one electrode terminal and a vent, and a bottom surface generally opposite from the terminal surface; and an end plate on the terminal surface of each of the battery cells. The end plate has an exhausting hole generally corresponding to the vent and a guide unit covering a portion of the exhausting hole.