Battery Module Side Venting With Melt-Open Sheets and Flame Barriers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules with air-cooling structures face issues with high-temperature gas not being discharged smoothly, leading to potential thermal runaway and explosion, and internal flames leaking outside, increasing the risk of fire transfer to adjacent modules during abnormal heating of battery cells.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a module case with internal cooling channels, venting openings, a sheet member that melts to open these openings at high temperatures to discharge gas, and a blocking bracket to prevent flame leakage, ensuring quick gas discharge and internal flame containment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional air-cooling structure is used in the battery module, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but high-temperature gas cannot escape smoothly leading to thermal runaway and explosion risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-arranges venting openings and flame blocking brackets in strategic positions within the battery module before assembly. The venting openings are positioned to allow high-temperature gas escape paths, and flame blocking brackets are installed to contain flames within the module. This preliminary configuration ensures that when thermal runaway occurs, the escape routes and containment structures are already in place, enabling immediate response without compromising safety while maintaining the simplicity of the overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flame blocking brackets as intermediary structures that act as barriers between the internal battery cells and the external environment. These brackets serve as mediators that contain flames within the module while still allowing heat and gas to escape through the venting openings. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by providing flame containment without completely sealing the module, thus maintaining gas escape capability while improving safety.
2Productivity
If venting openings are added to discharge high-temperature gas, then gas discharge efficiency improves, but the risk of flame leakage to the outside increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the venting function by separating it into two distinct components: venting openings for gas discharge and flame blocking brackets for flame containment. The venting openings are positioned to allow efficient escape of high-temperature gas, while the flame blocking brackets are strategically placed to intercept and contain flames within the module. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve high gas discharge efficiency while preventing flame leakage, as each component performs its specific function without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by giving different regions of the battery module different functional properties. The venting openings provide localized gas escape channels with specific geometries optimized for gas flow, while the flame blocking brackets are positioned at critical locations where flame propagation is most likely to occur. This localized functional differentiation allows the module to efficiently discharge gas through specific openings while containing flames through strategically placed barriers, resolving the contradiction between gas discharge efficiency and flame leakage prevention.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the battery module is sealed to prevent flame leakage, then flame containment improves, but high-temperature gas cannot escape smoothly leading to thermal runaway
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures both venting openings and flame blocking brackets during the module assembly process. The venting openings are positioned to create escape paths for high-temperature gas, and the flame blocking brackets are installed at strategic locations to contain flames within the module. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when thermal runaway occurs, the system has both escape routes and containment structures ready, allowing simultaneous flame containment and gas discharge without requiring additional active components or complex control systems.
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 prevents explosion by quickly discharging high-temperature gas and prevents external flame leakage, thereby enhancing safety by containing internal flames within the module.
Implementation Method 1
a sheet member mounted to each of the two sidewalls of the module case to cover the at least one venting opening and melted over a predetermined temperature to open the at least one venting opening
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes battery cells; a module case configured to accommodate the battery cells and having an internal cooling channel provided at both sides of the plurality of battery cells; a venting opening provided at both side surfaces of the module case; a sheet member mounted to both side surfaces of the module case to cover the venting opening and melted over a predetermined temperature to open the venting opening; and a blocking bracket spaced apart from the sheet member by a predetermined distance and mounted to inner walls at both sides of the module case.