Traction Battery Pack Heat-Insulating Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traction battery packs face challenges in managing thermal runaway, leading to uncontrollable temperature rises and gas diffusion, which poses safety risks due to inadequate thermal protection structures.
Innovation Solution
A traction battery pack design featuring heat-insulating elements between cells and modules, enclosed in independent compartments with dedicated smoke discharge channels and backflow prevention elements, allowing safe discharge of gases outside the pack while preventing backflow and thermal diffusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If battery energy density is increased, then battery capacity and range are improved, but thermal runaway safety risks worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple independent module sub-compartments, each containing battery modules separated by heat-insulating elements. This segmentation isolates thermal runaway to individual compartments, preventing propagation to other cells while maintaining high energy density through efficient space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat-insulating elements are introduced as intermediary components between adjacent battery cells and modules. These elements act as thermal barriers that block heat transfer during thermal runaway events, allowing high energy density batteries to coexist with improved safety by mediating the thermal interaction between cells.
2Temperature
If thermal runaway occurs in a cell, then temperature rise and exothermic reaction are intensified, but thermal diffusion to other cells worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Each battery module is enclosed in an independent module sub-compartment with heat-insulating elements positioned between adjacent modules. This segmentation contains thermal diffusion within the affected compartment, preventing the exothermic chain reaction from spreading to other cells while allowing the temperature rise to occur in the isolated runaway cell.
Solution Approach 2:
The high-temperature gas generated during thermal runaway is redirected through exhaust ports into a smoke discharge channel that leads to the external environment. This converts the harmful thermal diffusion into a controlled discharge path, where the hot gas is safely expelled outside the battery pack rather than spreading to adjacent cells.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If high-temperature gas is emitted during thermal runaway, then thermal diffusion is accelerated, but gas containment and controlled discharge are improved
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust ports and smoke discharge channel provide a controlled pathway for high-temperature gas to escape during thermal runaway. Instead of allowing uncontrolled gas emission to accelerate thermal diffusion, the system channels the hot gas through designated paths to the external environment, converting a harmful effect into a controlled safety feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The smoke discharge channel acts as an intermediary structure between the module sub-compartments and the external environment. It mediates the discharge of high-temperature gas, providing a controlled transition path that prevents direct thermal diffusion to adjacent cells while safely expelling the hot gas outside the battery pack.
4Reliability
If heat-insulating elements and compartmentalization are added, then thermal runaway protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack structure is segmented into standardized module sub-compartments with integrated heat-insulating elements. This segmentation approach improves thermal runaway protection by creating natural isolation barriers while managing complexity through modular design that can be systematically replicated across the battery pack.
Solution Approach 2:
The module heat-insulating elements serve multiple functions: they provide thermal insulation between adjacent modules, structurally define the module sub-compartments, and work in conjunction with exhaust ports for gas discharge. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving comprehensive thermal protection.
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
Effectively mitigates thermal diffusion and gas spread between cells and modules, enhancing safety by containing high-temperature gases and preventing thermal runaway propagation, thus meeting stringent safety regulations.
Implementation Method 1
cell heat-insulating elements being arranged between adjacent cells of the plurality of cells, and module heat-insulating elements being arranged on two sides of each of the battery modules
Implementation Method 2
the valve being capable of discharging a gas in the smoke discharge channel to the outside under a set condition
Implementation Method 3
a backflow prevention element is arranged in the exhaust port, and is configured to allow a gas in a module sub-compartment in which thermal runaway occurs to be discharged to the smoke discharge channel, and to prevent the gas in the smoke discharge channel from flowing back
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a traction battery pack, comprising at least one battery pack assembly each comprising: a battery module array, which comprises a plurality of battery modules arranged in an arrangement direction, each of the battery modules comprising a plurality of cells, cell heat-insulating elements being arranged between adjacent cells, and module heat-insulating elements being arranged on two sides of each of the battery modules in the arrangement direction; a top assembly and a bottom assembly located at the top and bottom of the plurality of battery modules, respectively; side beams arranged on two sides of the battery module array respectively in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction, the side beams extending substantially parallel to the arrangement direction; and a smoke discharge channel, which communicates with the outside through a valve, the valve being capable of discharging a gas in the smoke discharge channel to the outside under a set condition. The top assembly, the bottom assembly and the side beams are arranged to enclose each of the battery modules in one module sub-compartment. At least one of the side beams is provided with exhaust ports each communicating with the smoke discharge channel and a respective module sub-compartment.