Battery Pack Fire Pipe Layout for Targeted Thermal Runaway Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire extinguishing systems for lithium-ion batteries in energy storage systems face challenges in effectively targeting the initial fire source due to the wide melting of fire extinguishing pipes, leading to inefficient distribution of extinguishing agents and increased risk of fire spread.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design with a fire extinguishing pipe that melts at a threshold temperature, combined with heat insulating material featuring holes corresponding to the pipe, ensures focused discharge of extinguishing agents directly to the ignited battery cell, preventing thermal runaway propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a wide-section fire extinguishing pipe is used to supply extinguishing agents between batteries, then the fire suppression coverage is improved, but the pipe melts at once due to strong ignition, causing the extinguishing agent to be discharged inefficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The fire extinguishing pipe is divided into multiple segmented sections, each capable of melting independently. When thermal runaway occurs, only the segment exposed to high temperature melts and discharges the extinguishing agent locally, while other segments remain intact. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining pipe structural integrity overall while enabling targeted fire suppression coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the fire extinguishing pipe are designed with different thermal response characteristics. The segment exposed to thermal runaway heat is designed to melt at the specific temperature threshold, while other segments maintain structural integrity. This local quality differentiation allows the pipe to provide both adequate coverage and maintain reliability under fire conditions.
2Speed
If the fire extinguishing pipe melts quickly to discharge agent, then the response speed is improved, but the discharge becomes uncontrolled and spreads to adjacent batteries, reducing suppression precision
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe is segmented so that only the specific section exposed to thermal runaway melts and discharges agent. This ensures rapid response (improved speed) while maintaining discharge precision (improved manufacturing precision) by limiting the discharge location to exactly where the thermal runaway occurs, preventing uncontrolled spread to adjacent batteries.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe material's melting temperature parameter is carefully selected to match the thermal runaway temperature of lithium-ion batteries. This parameter change ensures the pipe melts at the precise moment and location of fire occurrence, achieving both rapid response and precise targeting of the extinguishing agent discharge.
3Temperature
If heat insulating material is added between battery and pipe, then the pipe melting temperature control is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Heat insulating material is applied locally only at the interface between the battery and the fire extinguishing pipe, rather than throughout the entire system. This localized application improves temperature control at the critical interface while minimizing the increase in system complexity, as the insulation is confined to a specific region where it is most needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat insulating material acts as an intermediary layer between the battery and the fire extinguishing pipe. This intermediary controls the thermal interaction, allowing the pipe to melt at the desired temperature threshold by preventing premature heat transfer, while adding minimal structural complexity to the overall system.
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
Enhances the initial extinguishing capability by intensively directing fire extinguishing agents to the affected area, reducing the risk of fire spread and improving the overall fire suppression efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the fire extinguishing pipe melts at a temperature equal to or greater than a threshold value
Implementation Method 2
at least one heat insulating material configured to be disposed between the battery module and the fire extinguishing pipe
Data Source
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AI summary
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a battery pack includes a case configured to have an accommodation space therein, at least one battery module configured to be disposed in the accommodation space and include a plurality of battery cells, a fire extinguishing pipe configured to be disposed in the accommodation space and have a fire extinguishing agent, and at least one heat insulating material configured to be disposed between the battery module and the fire extinguishing pipe and have a plurality of holes formed at a position corresponding to that of the fire extinguishing pipe, wherein the heat insulating material covers a side surface of the battery module, and wherein the fire extinguishing pipe melts at a temperature equal to or greater than a threshold value, and a fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing pipe is discharged into the accommodation space.