Battery Pack Firefighting Fluid Storage With On-Demand Gas Drive

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current battery packs in electric vehicles face safety risks due to spontaneous combustion during thermal runaway, which can lead to fires and harm passengers and drivers, and existing firefighting systems occupy valuable space and pose safety hazards with compressed gas storage.

Innovation Solution

A firefighting fluid storage device integrated with a gas generation component that releases a gas to drive the firefighting fluid towards a fluid outlet, eliminating the need for a separate gas storage component and enhancing safety by using a deformable driving member to optimize fluid discharge, thereby reducing the risk of heat diffusion and improving space utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a separate gas storage component is used to drive firefighting fluid discharge, then the firefighting system can effectively suppress battery thermal runaway, but the device complexity and space occupation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirefighting effectivenessVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gas generation component is integrated directly into the firefighting fluid storage device, combining the gas storage and fluid storage functions into a single unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate gas storage components while maintaining the ability to drive firefighting fluid discharge effectively during battery thermal runaway events

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The box body serves multiple functions: it stores firefighting fluid in its inner cavity, accommodates the gas generation component, and provides the structural framework for the entire firefighting system. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining firefighting effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a separate gas storage component is used to drive firefighting fluid discharge, then the firefighting system can effectively suppress battery thermal runaway, but the space occupation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirefighting effectivenessVSAvoidspace occupation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The gas generation component is nested within the box body structure, utilizing the internal space of the firefighting fluid storage device. This nesting arrangement allows the gas generation component to occupy space that would otherwise be unused or require separate allocation, thereby reducing overall space occupation in the battery pack

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Speed

If compressed gas storage is used to drive firefighting fluid, then rapid fluid discharge is achieved, but safety hazards increase due to compressed gas

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid discharge speedVSAvoidsafety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from storing compressed gas to generating gas on-demand through the gas generation component. This parameter change from stored compressed state to generated gas state eliminates the safety hazards associated with compressed gas storage while maintaining the ability to achieve rapid firefighting fluid discharge when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potential harm of compressed gas storage into benefit by using a gas generation component that produces gas only when needed. The gas generation component uses safe, non-compressed materials that convert to gas upon activation, transforming the safety hazard of compressed gas into a safe, on-demand gas generation system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 reduces the risk of adjacent battery unit fires during thermal runaway by efficiently discharging firefighting fluid without the need for a gas storage component, enhancing safety and energy density while minimizing space occupation.

Implementation Method 1

when the gas generation component releases the gas, the firefighting fluid moves toward the fluid outlet under an action of the gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

The deformable portion includes at least a first deformed state and a second deformed state; in the first deformed state, at least part of the deformable portion abuts against the first side wall

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS12186604B2Firefighting fluid storage device, battery pack, and electric vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.01.07 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED

AI summary

An electric vehicle, a battery pack, and a firefighting fluid storage device are disclosed, which relate to the technical field of energy storage devices. The firefighting fluid storage device includes: a box body, where the box body includes an inner cavity and a fluid outlet, the inner cavity is configured to accommodate a firefighting fluid, and the fluid outlet communicates with the inner cavity; and a gas generation component, where the gas generation component is mounted to the box body and configured to release a gas to the inner cavity. When the gas generation component releases the gas, the firefighting fluid moves toward the fluid outlet under the action of the gas.