Battery Module Insulation Cover for Thermal Runaway Gas Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery modules fail to effectively prevent the leakage of high-temperature particles and gases during thermal runaway, which can lead to fires or explosions, due to gaps between the bus bar plate terminals and insulation covers, and segmented heat insulation plates that allow movement and discharge of these harmful substances.
Innovation Solution
The battery module incorporates blocking ribs protruding toward the bus bar plate at the insulation cover to minimize the movement of high-temperature particles and gases, and an elastic gasket to fill the gap between the insulation cover and the terminal, along with a sheet member providing thermal resistance to cover the battery cell stack surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If segmented heat insulation plates are disposed side by side to protect the bus bar plate, then the bus bar plate is partially protected from high-temperature particles and gases, but the segmented structure fails to prevent leakage and particles can move among the plates
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation cover is segmented into a body portion and a protruding portion that extends into the gap between the bus bar plate terminal and the battery cell stack. This segmentation allows the insulation cover to protect the terminal from high-temperature particles and gases while maintaining structural integrity to prevent leakage paths.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastic gasket is introduced as an intermediary component between the insulation cover and the bus bar plate terminal. The gasket fills gaps and seals interfaces, preventing leakage of high-temperature particles and gases while allowing for thermal expansion and contraction of the components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the insulation cover is positioned close to the bus bar plate terminal to minimize gaps, then protection is improved, but manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansion may create gaps that allow particle and gas discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation cover is designed with temperature-dependent dimensional changes. At room temperature, the cover maintains a certain distance from the terminal, but when exposed to high temperatures, the cover expands to close the gap and seal the space, preventing discharge of particles and gases regardless of manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastic gasket is introduced as an intermediary component between the insulation cover and the bus bar plate terminal. The gasket fills gaps and seals interfaces, preventing leakage of high-temperature particles and gases while allowing for thermal expansion and contraction of the components.
3Reliability
If a solid barrier is used to completely block high-temperature particles and gases, then leakage prevention is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and may interfere with terminal function
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation cover is segmented into a body portion and a protruding portion that extends into the gap between the bus bar plate terminal and the battery cell stack. This segmentation allows the insulation cover to protect the terminal from high-temperature particles and gases while maintaining structural integrity to prevent leakage paths.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastic gasket is used instead of a rigid solid barrier. The flexible gasket can deform to fill irregular gaps and seal interfaces between components, providing effective protection against particle and gas discharge while maintaining a simple structure that does not interfere with terminal function.
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
This design minimizes the discharge of high-temperature particles and gases, preventing damage to the bus bar plate and suppressing leakage, thereby enhancing safety and reducing the risk of thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic gasket is disposed to fill a gap between an opening of the insulation cover and the terminal of the bus bar plate elastically
Implementation Method 2
a sheet member exhibiting thermal resistance is disposed between a battery cell stack and the bus bar plate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a battery module in which a pair of blocking ribs protruding toward a bus bar plate is disposed at an insulation cover, to minimize the movement of high-temperature particles and gases toward a terminal of the bus bar plate, and an elastic gasket is disposed to fill a gap between an opening of the insulation cover and the terminal of the bus bar plate elastically, such that the discharge of the high-temperature particles and gases through the gap is minimized