Battery Pack Venting Structure to Prevent Hot Gas Backflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs face challenges in effectively discharging high-temperature ejected materials during thermal events, leading to thermal propagation and potential safety hazards due to backflow into battery cells or modules.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a backflow preventing member with opening/closing portions that allow vent gas to be discharged in a specific direction, preventing backflow and guiding it away from the battery assembly, using materials with rigidity and flame-resistant properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If vent holes are provided on the battery assembly to discharge vent gas during thermal events, then the discharge of high-temperature ejected materials is improved, but backflow of vent gas into battery cells may occur causing thermal propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the inversion principle by providing vent holes on the lower side of the battery assembly instead of the upper side. This reverses the conventional venting approach, allowing vent gas to be discharged downward through the lower surface of the battery assembly, thereby preventing backflow into the battery cells while maintaining effective thermal event discharge
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vent space as an intermediary component between the battery assembly and the external environment. This vent space receives vent gas discharged from the vent holes and guides it away from the battery cells, acting as a mediator that prevents direct backflow while facilitating safe discharge of thermal event byproducts
2Productivity
If the vent space is positioned close to the battery assembly for efficient venting, then the discharge path is shortened, but the risk of thermal propagation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing thermal insulation between the vent space and the battery cells. This insulation creates a thermal barrier in the specific location where the vent space is positioned close to the battery assembly, allowing efficient venting while preventing heat transfer that could cause thermal propagation to adjacent cells
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 design effectively suppresses thermal events by ensuring smooth discharge of vent gas, preventing backflow, and minimizing internal damage, while allowing easy design modifications and improved manufacturability.
Implementation Method 1
The opening/closing portion is opened to allow communication between the first vent hole and the vent space when an internal pressure of the battery assembly reaches or exceeds a predetermined reference value
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack according to the present disclosure includes: a battery assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a pack case in which an accommodation space is defined to accommodate the battery assembly; at least one first vent hole provided on a first side of the battery assembly; a vent space provided on the first side of the first vent hole and formed in the pack case; and a backflow preventing member having at least one opening/closing portion disposed to correspond to the first vent hole. The opening/closing portion is opened to allow communication between the first vent hole and the vent space when an internal pressure of the battery assembly reaches or exceeds a predetermined reference value.