Battery Pack Insulation Panel That Expands During Thermal Runaway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy storage battery systems face challenges in preventing thermal runaway and fires due to inadequate fire prevention and heat insulation between battery packs, leading to rapid temperature increases and chain reactions that can cause extensive damage.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack and system that incorporates a heat insulation panel with an elastic heat insulation layer and a fire-resistant layer, which is compressed to allow ventilation and heat dissipation during normal operation but automatically expands to fill ventilation channels and prevent heat spread during thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heat insulation performance is improved between battery packs, then thermal runaway propagation is prevented, but heat dissipation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat insulation panel employs an elastic heat insulation layer that can dynamically change its state between compressed (thin) and restored (thick). During normal operation, the panel remains compressed to maintain ventilation channels for heat dissipation. When thermal runaway occurs, the panel automatically restores to provide thick heat insulation, thus adapting to different operational conditions to resolve the contradiction between heat insulation and heat dissipation requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the heat insulation panel's thickness dynamically. The elastic heat insulation layer transitions from a compressed thin state during normal operation to a restored thick state during thermal runaway. This parameter change allows the system to optimize both heat dissipation (when thin) and thermal insulation (when thick), resolving the technical contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
2Temperature
If ventilation channels are maintained for heat dissipation, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but thermal runaway insulation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation channels are dynamically controlled by the elastic heat insulation panel. During normal operation, the compressed panel maintains open ventilation channels for effective heat dissipation. When thermal runaway is detected, the panel automatically restores to block these channels, preventing thermal runaway propagation. This dynamic control allows the system to switch between heat dissipation mode and insulation mode, resolving the contradiction between maintaining ventilation and preventing thermal runaway spread.
3Reliability
If heat insulation panel thickness is increased, then thermal runaway insulation is improved, but device complexity and space occupation increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a permanently thick heat insulation panel that would occupy excessive space and increase complexity, the invention employs a thin elastic heat insulation layer that can dynamically expand when needed. The compressed state maintains a thin profile for compact design, while the restored state provides thick insulation when thermal runaway occurs. This dynamic approach eliminates the need for complex adjustable mechanisms while achieving both space efficiency and effective insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses an elastic heat insulation layer that functions as a flexible thin film structure. This thin film can be compressed to a minimal thickness for compact battery pack design, yet when restored, it provides sufficient thickness for effective thermal insulation. The flexible nature of this thin film structure simplifies the overall device design compared to rigid thick insulation panels, resolving the contradiction between insulation effectiveness and device complexity.
4Volume of stationary object
If compression force is applied to heat insulation panel, then space occupation is reduced, but heat insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat insulation panel's compression state is not fixed but dynamic. During normal operation, compression force is applied to reduce the panel's volume and maintain a compact battery pack design. When thermal runaway occurs, the compression force is automatically released, allowing the elastic heat insulation layer to restore to its full thickness and provide effective heat insulation. This dynamic compression-release mechanism resolves the contradiction between space occupation and insulation performance by applying compression only when insulation is not critically needed.
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 slows down heat transfer and increases the time available for personnel to escape, rescue, and repair by maintaining ventilation and heat dissipation during normal operation while providing robust thermal insulation during thermal runaway events.
Implementation Method 1
the outer packaging layer is configured to compress a thickness of the elastic heat insulation layer, so that the heat insulation panel is compressed to a compressed state
Implementation Method 2
the outer packaging layer is configured to release compression of the elastic heat insulation layer when the energy storage module reaches a thermal runaway temperature, so that the elastic heat insulation layer is elastically restored to a free state
Implementation Method 3
the heat insulation panel can automatically and quickly switch to the free state to completely fill the ventilation channel, thereby slowing down a speed at which heat passes through a side panel and spreads to the outside of the battery pack
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery pack and a battery system are provided, which relate to the field of fire prevention technologies for energy storage batteries. The battery pack includes a heat insulation panel, a housing, and an energy storage module. The energy storage module is located in the housing, the heat insulation panel is located between the energy storage module and the housing, the heat insulation panel includes a heat insulation layer and an outer packaging layer, and the heat insulation layer includes an elastic heat insulation layer and a fire-resistant layer that are stacked. The outer packaging layer wraps the outside of the heat insulation layer and compresses a thickness of the elastic heat insulation layer, so that the heat insulation panel is compressed to a compressed state, and a ventilation channel is formed between the heat insulation panel in the compressed state and the energy storage module, to meet requirements of ventilation and heat dissipation of the battery pack. The outer packaging layer is configured to release compression of the elastic heat insulation layer when the energy storage module reaches a thermal runaway temperature, so that the elastic heat insulation layer is elastically restored to a free state, and the heat insulation panel in the free state is filled between the housing and the energy storage module, thereby slowing down a speed at which heat passes through a side panel and spreads to the outside of the battery pack along the ventilation channel, and increasing a time for personnel to escape, rescue, and repair.