Battery Pressure Sensing for Off-Gassing Detection in Parked Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion batteries are prone to off-gassing, which can lead to physical deformation and potentially catastrophic thermal runaway, necessitating early detection of failure to prevent accidents and ensure safety.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a processor and sensor components that monitor battery pressure, even when the vehicle is powered off, to detect changes in pressure and reinitiate the high voltage battery module, comparing baseline and current measurements to identify potential failure conditions, and generate warnings for evacuation or autonomous vehicle relocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous monitoring of battery pressure is performed even when vehicle is powered off, then detection reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of battery pressure using a low-power pressure sensor even when the vehicle is powered off. This preliminary action detects potential thermal runaway events before they escalate, allowing the system to wake up the main high voltage battery module only when necessary, thus maintaining high detection reliability while minimizing energy consumption during idle periods.
2Measurement precision
If baseline pressure comparison is performed to detect off-gassing events, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes a baseline pressure value for the battery and continuously compares current pressure readings against this baseline. When a pressure increase exceeding a threshold is detected, it indicates off-gassing and potential thermal runaway. This feedback mechanism improves measurement precision by providing contextual reference data, while the comparison logic remains computationally simple and does not require complex additional hardware.
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
Enables rapid assessment of battery conditions, preventing loss of life and property by detecting potential failures before they escalate into thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
off-gassing as a result of electrolyte decomposition in the battery chemistry can occur at any time during the useable lifetime of the battery
Data Source
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AI summary
Various systems and methods are presented regarding determining whether a battery onboard a vehicle is undergoing failure/failed. Rather than monitoring all variables/parameters associated with battery, the operating pressure of the battery can be monitored by a pressure component to determine whether a change in pressure within the battery is a function of off-gassing or results from battery failure. By limiting monitoring of the battery to pressure only, when the vehicle is parked/powered down, the ECU that typically monitors a range of parameters can also be powered down (e.g., to reduce power draw from the battery). If a pressure event is identified by the power component, the ECU can be powered up to perform more extensive analysis of the battery to determine whether the battery is failing. In response to a determination that the battery is failing, the vehicle can be autonomously relocated, building evacuated, emergency services contacted, and suchlike.