Battery Pack Gas Venting Structure for Thermal Runaway Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electric or hybrid vehicles, battery cells can ignite due to impacts or other causes, leading to a thermal runaway phenomenon where high-temperature gas spreads fire to adjacent cells, necessitating a rapid and independent gas discharge mechanism to prevent fire spread within the battery pack.
Innovation Solution
A gas venting structure for vehicle battery packs includes internal members with gas inlet holes to isolate and direct gas from each battery module externally, using a pack side frame to discharge gas rapidly and prevent fire spread, combined with fire-resistant materials between cells and a blocking cover for independent venting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If battery cells are arranged closely to increase energy density, then productivity and space utilization are improved, but the risk of fire spread to adjacent cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the battery pack into multiple independent modules separated by partition walls. Each module contains specific battery cells and has its own gas venting pathway. This segmentation prevents fire and gas from spreading between adjacent cells, allowing higher energy density while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces partition walls as intermediary structures between battery cells. These walls include gas inlet holes that capture gas early and guide it through designated pathways to external venting points, preventing direct contact between adjacent cells and blocking fire spread.
2Reliability
If gas venting pathways are provided for each battery module to prevent fire spread, then fire safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition walls serve multiple functions: they physically separate battery modules to prevent fire spread, provide gas inlet holes for capturing gas, and act as conduits to guide gas to external venting points. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the partition wall structure with the gas venting pathway. The partition wall itself becomes part of the venting system by incorporating gas inlet holes and serving as the conduit, merging separation and venting functions into a single integrated component.
3Reliability
If intermediate partition walls with gas inlet holes are used to direct gas externally, then fire spread prevention is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gas inlet holes are pre-formed in the partition walls during manufacturing, with positions predetermined to effectively capture gas. This preliminary preparation ensures proper gas capture without requiring complex assembly adjustments, reducing the impact of positioning requirements on final assembly precision.
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 prevents fire from spreading to adjacent battery cells and modules by rapidly discharging gas and using fire-resistant materials to contain and discharge high-temperature gas, significantly improving fire safety within the battery pack.
Implementation Method 1
gas inlet holes formed in a predetermined number of the internal members to allow gas released from a battery cell of each of the battery modules to be introduced therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes a lower case accommodating a plurality of battery modules in a plane, a plurality of internal members provided to separate the battery modules accommodated in the lower case from each other, gas inlet holes formed in a predetermined number of the internal members to allow gas released from a battery cell of each of the battery modules to be introduced therethrough, and an external member disposed to receive the gas from end portions in the predetermined number of the internal members including the gas inlet holes and discharge the gas to the outside thereof.