Battery Module Melting Heat Exchange Plate for Thermal Runaway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal management systems for battery packs in electric vehicles lack a cost-effective solution to rapidly reduce thermal runaway, posing a safety risk as they do not efficiently manage high-temperature and high-pressure gas releases during emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design incorporating a heat exchange plate with a bending portion that melts upon exposure to high-temperature gas, allowing a heat exchange medium to flow and cool the gas, thereby reducing thermal runaway and providing time for passenger safety and manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a liquid cooling system is adopted to cool the battery pack, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling function and fire suppression function into a single integrated heat exchange plate structure. The bending portion serves both as a thermal management component and as a fire suppression trigger mechanism, eliminating the need for separate complex cooling and fire suppression systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchange plate is designed to automatically respond to thermal runaway conditions through its own structural properties. When exposed to high-temperature gas, the bending portion melts and breaks automatically, triggering the fire suppression mechanism without requiring external sensors or control systems.
2Temperature
If traditional cooling systems are used, then thermal management is achieved, but the response speed to thermal runaway is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bending portion of the heat exchange plate is made of a material that undergoes phase transition (melting) when exposed to high-temperature gas during thermal runaway. This phase change causes the bending portion to break and trigger the fire suppression mechanism, providing extremely rapid response to thermal runaway conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical sensing and actuation systems with a thermal-responsive material system. The bending portion's material properties automatically detect high-temperature conditions and trigger the response through thermal expansion and melting, eliminating the need for complex mechanical sensors and actuators.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the bending portion material melts quickly to suppress fire, then fire suppression effectiveness is improved, but the structural strength of the heat exchange plate deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchange plate is segmented into different functional regions: the bending portion made of low-melting-point material for fire suppression, and the main body portion made of high-strength material for structural support and heat exchange. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the heat exchange plate have different material properties tailored to their specific functions. The bending portion has low melting point for rapid fire suppression response, while the main body has high strength and good thermal conductivity for structural integrity and heat exchange efficiency.
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 lowers the temperature of escaping gases and electrolytes, reducing the risk of fire and extending the time for escape or manual extinguishment by efficiently managing thermal runaway in battery packs.
Implementation Method 1
a first bending portion (22) bending from an upper side of the first main body portion (21) to the plurality of batteries (1) in the width direction W, a flow channel (not shown) for flow of a heat exchange medium being disposed in the first bending portion (22), and the first bending portion (22) being configured to be capable of leaking the heat exchange medium in the flow channel after being melted
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
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AI summary
The present invention provides a battery module, which includes: a plurality of batteries, each battery including a top cover, and a first electrode terminal, a second electrode terminal and an explosion-proof valve being disposed on the top cover in a width direction; and a first heat exchange plate including: a first main body portion and a first bending portion bending from an upper side of the first main body portion to the plurality of batteries in the width direction; the first bending portion covers explosion-proof valves of at least some of the batteries in the width direction, a flow channel for flow of a heat exchange medium is disposed in the first bending portion, and the first bending portion is configured to be capable of leaking the heat exchange medium in the flow channel after being melted. When a high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated inside the batteries breaks through the explosion-proof valves to melt the first bending portion, the heat exchange medium flows out. The heat exchange medium lowers the temperature of the high-temperature and high-pressure gas and/or an outflowing doped electrolyte to avoid fire, and the heat exchange medium may further enter insides of the explosion-proof valves to lower the temperature of the batteries. Accordingly, a degree of thermal runaway of the batteries is reduced, so as to buy escape time for a passenger and/or buy time to extinguish the thermal runaway manually.