Battery Pack Cell Arrangement for Thermal Runaway Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs face challenges in ensuring safety under abnormal conditions without compromising energy density, as high-temperature gas from a failing cell can cause thermal runaway in adjacent cells, leading to fire spread and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
Arranging cells in a configuration where each pair or group of cells has outlets that direct gas release in opposite directions, limiting the spread of high-temperature gas and preventing thermal runaway in adjacent cells, while maintaining energy density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If cells are densely arranged to increase energy density, then volumetric energy density is improved, but safety under abnormal conditions deteriorates due to thermal runaway spread
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple modules, each containing a plurality of cells arranged in a specific configuration. This segmentation allows the fire spread to be contained within specific modules rather than affecting the entire battery pack, thus maintaining high cell density while improving safety through modular isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
Cells within each module are arranged with asymmetric outlet orientations where adjacent cells have outlets facing opposite directions. This asymmetric arrangement prevents high-temperature gas from one cell from directly entering adjacent cells, creating a directional flow pattern that limits thermal runaway propagation while maintaining dense packing.
2Productivity
If cells are densely arranged, then energy density is improved, but fire spread between adjacent cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outlets of adjacent cells are oriented in opposite directions, creating an asymmetric gas flow pattern. This ensures that high-temperature gas released from one cell does not directly enter adjacent cells, thereby preventing fire spread while maintaining high cell density for optimal energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is segmented into multiple modules with cells arranged in specific configurations. This segmentation creates natural fire barriers between modules, limiting the spread of thermal runaway to contained areas while preserving high overall energy density through efficient space utilization.
3Reliability
If safety measures are added to prevent thermal runaway spread, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cell arrangement configuration serves multiple functions: it maintains high energy density through dense packing, prevents fire spread through asymmetric outlet orientation, and provides modular segmentation for containment. This multi-functional design achieves safety improvements without adding separate safety components or increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety function is merged into the basic cell arrangement configuration itself. The asymmetric outlet orientation and modular module structure simultaneously achieve both energy density optimization and fire spread prevention, combining safety measures with the fundamental design rather than adding them as separate elements.
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 configuration effectively contains the spread of fire within specific units of cells, ensuring safety without reducing the energy density of the battery pack by directing high-temperature gas release in controlled directions, thereby preventing widespread thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
each cell has an outlet through which gas generated in the cell is released in one direction
Data Source
AI summary
In a battery pack, a plurality of cells are arranged, the cells each have an outlet through which gas generated in the cell is released in one direction, each two of the cells are arranged as one unit, and the each two of the cells are arranged such that directions of gas released through the outlets of the two cells are opposite to each other.