Battery Pack Cooling Blocks with Integrated Fire Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs face challenges in efficiently cooling and extinguishing fires without reducing space utilization, leading to potential heat-related issues and fire spread.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design incorporating cooling blocks with integrated fire extinguishing liquid that discharges at a preset temperature, using refractory silicon to control liquid flow and maintain space efficiency, coupled with a cooling pipe system for effective heat management and fire suppression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate fire extinguishing device is used, then fire extinguishing function is provided, but space utilization is reduced and energy capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fire extinguishing function is merged with the cooling block structure. The cooling block contains fire extinguishing liquid reservoirs integrated within its internal cavities, eliminating the need for separate fire extinguishing devices and their associated spaces. This combination provides both cooling and fire suppression functions within a single component, thereby improving space utilization while maintaining fire safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling block is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as a thermal management component for cooling battery modules and simultaneously acts as a fire suppression system through integrated fire extinguishing liquid reservoirs. This multi-functionality reduces the overall space requirement by eliminating dedicated fire extinguishing equipment.
2Volume of stationary object
If battery modules are densely arranged, then space utilization is improved, but heat generation increases and fire risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling block divides the battery pack space into multiple cooling zones through its segmented structure with multiple cooling channels and integrated fire extinguishing liquid reservoirs. This segmentation allows efficient heat dissipation from densely arranged battery modules while maintaining compact spacing between modules, thus enabling high space utilization without excessive heat accumulation.
3Reliability
If fire extinguishing liquid is discharged at preset temperature, then fire spread is delayed, but additional space and complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The fire extinguishing liquid reservoirs utilize temperature-dependent viscosity changes of the liquid to control discharge timing. At preset temperatures, the liquid's viscosity decreases, allowing it to flow automatically from the reservoirs through cooling channels to suppress fire. This parameter-based control mechanism eliminates the need for complex sensors, controllers, and actuators, thereby achieving reliable fire spread delay with minimal added complexity.
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 cools the battery pack while preventing fire spread by utilizing a fire extinguishing liquid that activates at a specific temperature, enhancing safety and stability without compromising space utilization.
Implementation Method 1
one or more cooling blocks which are disposed inside the cover and are in contact with the case to cool the battery modules
Implementation Method 2
the fire extinguishing liquid may move into the cooling pipe at a preset temperature or more
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a battery pack that is capable of efficiently performing cooling and extinguishing operations without reducing a space utilization. A battery pack according to the present invention may include a battery module including a plurality of secondary batteries, a case in which a plurality of battery modules are accommodated, a cover coupled to the case, one or more cooling blocks which are disposed inside the cover and are in contact with the case to cool the battery modules, and a cooling pipe which is coupled to the cooling blocks and through which a coolant moves, wherein each of the cooling blocks may include a fire extinguishing liquid disposed in a space defined therein, and the fire extinguishing liquid may move into the cooling pipe at a preset temperature or more and is discharged to the outside of the cooling pipe.