Battery Pack Barrier Wall Design for Thermal Runaway Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery packs face the challenge of preventing successive thermal runaways caused by the diffusion of high-temperature flame and gas from one battery cell to others, which can lead to overheating or explosion in neighboring cells.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a barrier wall with round portions surrounding each cell vent and a stripe portion guiding the discharge of flame and gas through a controlled exhaust path, including vent holes and a fracture portion for rapid discharge when pressure exceeds a set value, to prevent the spread of high-temperature and high-pressure gases to adjacent cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If battery cells are arranged closely to increase energy density, then productivity and space utilization are improved, but the risk of thermal runaway spreading to neighboring cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover plate is segmented into multiple barrier walls, each surrounding a specific cell vent. These barrier walls divide the cover plate into multiple isolated regions, preventing flame and gas from spreading between adjacent battery cells while maintaining close cell arrangement for high energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier walls act as intermediary structures between adjacent battery cells. They intercept and contain the flame and gas discharged from cell vents, redirecting them through designated exhaust holes away from neighboring cells, thus mediating the thermal runaway propagation risk.
2Reliability
If flame and gas are rapidly discharged to prevent pressure buildup, then safety is improved, but the risk of spreading to neighboring cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover plate features localized exhaust holes positioned within each barrier wall region, allowing each battery cell to discharge its flame and gas independently through its own designated exhaust path. This local quality ensures rapid discharge for safety while preventing diffusion to neighboring cells through the barrier wall containment.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple cover structure is used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the ability to control and direct flame and gas discharge is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cover plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural coverage for battery cells, creates barrier walls to contain and direct flame and gas, and incorporates exhaust holes for controlled discharge. This multi-functionality achieves effective flame and gas control without requiring separate dedicated components, maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 design effectively prevents thermal runaway by containing and rapidly discharging high-temperature and high-pressure gases, ensuring safe operation and preventing accidents such as explosions.
Implementation Method 1
capable of safely and rapidly discharging the flame and gas of high temperature and high pressure along a designed exhaust path
Implementation Method 2
a fracture portion for rapid discharge when pressure exceeds a set value
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes: a plurality of battery cells, each comprising at least one cell vent; a connection plate extending over the plurality of battery cells and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells; and a cover including a cover plate arranged over the connection plate and a barrier wall protruding from the cover plate towards the connection plate, and the barrier wall includes at least two round portions extending between two neighboring battery cells of the plurality of battery cells to individually surround the at least one cell vent of a battery cell of the neighboring battery cells, and a stripe portion extending across the cover plate and spaced from the round portion.