Battery Pack Housing With Suppressant Distribution Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern battery technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, are prone to flammable materials and gases when overheating, leading to difficult-to-suppress fires that can quickly spread between adjacent battery cells, especially since these cells are often contained within sealed housings.
Innovation Solution
A battery system design featuring a housing assembly with an inner and outer wall, where the inner wall extends between the inner and distribution volumes, and includes apertures and perforations to allow fire suppressant to flow from a distribution volume into the inner volume containing the battery sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If battery cells are contained within sealed housings to protect them, then battery safety and protection are improved, but fire suppressant cannot reach the cells to suppress fires
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two separate walls: an inner wall containing the battery cells and an outer wall forming the housing structure. The gap between these walls creates a distribution pathway for fire suppressant to reach the cells while maintaining the sealed protective environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap volume between the inner and outer walls acts as an intermediary distribution chamber. Fire suppressant is delivered into this gap volume, which then distributes the suppressant through apertures in the inner wall to the battery cells, solving the problem of delivering suppressant through the sealed housing.
2Ease of operation
If additional conduits are added to deliver fire suppressant to battery cells, then fire suppressant delivery is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is merged with the fire suppressant distribution function. The gap between the inner and outer walls, along with apertures in the inner wall, forms an integrated distribution system that eliminates the need for separate conduits or piping to deliver fire suppressant to the battery cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing assembly serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical protection for the battery cells, structures the overall battery pack, and acts as the fire suppressant distribution system. The gap volume and inner wall apertures collectively perform the distribution function that would otherwise require additional components.
3Reliability
If uniform suppressant distribution is achieved throughout the inner volume, then fire suppression effectiveness is improved, but distribution system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple apertures are distributed across the inner wall at different locations to ensure uniform suppressant distribution throughout the inner volume. Each aperture serves a local area, and the collective arrangement of apertures achieves comprehensive coverage and uniform distribution without requiring a complex active distribution 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
This design effectively distributes fire suppressant throughout the inner volume of the battery system, quickly addressing thermal events and minimizing the risk of fire propagation without the need for additional conduits, resulting in a more compact and efficient fire suppression system.
Implementation Method 1
a first seal extending across the first aperture and configured to rupture in response to a hazard event associated with the first battery section, a second seal extending across the second aperture and configured to rupture in response to a hazard event associated with the second battery section
Data Source
AI summary
A battery system includes a housing assembly including an inner wall and an outer wall and a battery section. The housing assembly defines an inner volume, a distribution volume extending between the inner wall and the outer wall, the inner wall extending between the inner volume and the distribution volume, a first aperture and a second aperture each extending through the inner wall from the inner volume to the distribution volume, and an inlet fluidly coupled to the distribution volume and configured to be fluidly coupled to a supply of fire suppressant. The battery section is positioned within the inner volume.