Battery Pack Center Beam Fire Barrier for Thermal Runaway Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secondary batteries for mobility applications face challenges in achieving improved safety and energy density, particularly in preventing thermal runaway events and ensuring mechanical robustness and electrical insulation.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design incorporating a fire-resistant layer made of foamable refractory material applied to the center beam or lid plate, which forms an insulating carbonized layer during thermal runaway events to prevent the propagation of fire and enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fire-resistant layer with foamable refractory material is applied to the center beam or lid plate, then thermal runaway propagation is prevented and safety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fire-resistant layer with foamable refractory material is applied in advance to the center beam or lid plate before assembly. This preliminary protective action ensures that when thermal runaway occurs, the pre-positioned fire-resistant layer immediately activates to prevent propagation, resolving the contradiction between safety improvement and device complexity by preparing the protective mechanism beforehand rather than adding complex active safety systems
Solution Approach 2:
The foamable refractory material utilizes the harmful thermal energy from thermal runaway events to activate its fire-resistant properties. When exposed to heat, the material foams and carbonizes to form an insulating barrier, converting the harmful thermal runaway conditions into a beneficial protective response that prevents fire propagation while maintaining relatively simple device structure
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a fire-resistant layer is applied to the center beam or lid plate, then thermal insulation and fire resistance are improved, but manufacturing complexity and process difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fire-resistant layer utilizes parameter changes in the foamable refractory material in response to thermal conditions. The material transitions from a dense state to a foamed state when exposed to heat, changing its physical parameters (volume, density, thermal conductivity) to provide enhanced thermal insulation. This passive parameter change response simplifies manufacturing compared to active thermal management systems while effectively addressing thermal insulation requirements
3Reliability
If foamable refractory material is used to prevent thermal runaway propagation, then safety is improved, but energy density may be reduced due to additional material and space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The fire-resistant layer is applied locally to specific critical components (center beam or lid plate) rather than throughout the entire battery pack. This localized application provides targeted fire protection at key locations where thermal runaway propagation is most likely to occur, improving safety while minimizing the quantity of fire-resistant material used and preserving energy density
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 foamable refractory material effectively prevents the spread of thermal runaway events between battery cell assemblies, improving safety and maintaining energy density by providing physical and thermal isolation.
Implementation Method 1
the foamable refractory material may be configured to form a foamed layer, which is an insulating carbonized layer, when a thermal runaway event occurs in the battery pack
Implementation Method 2
a foamed layer, which is an insulating carbonized layer
Implementation Method 3
form a foamed layer, which is an insulating carbonized layer
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack may include a base plate, a plurality of battery cell assemblies on the base plate, a center beam between the plurality of battery cell assemblies, and a fire-resistant layer configured to be applied to the center beam. In addition, the fire-resistant layer may include a foamable refractory material.