Battery Pack Venting and Fire Tank Layout for Thermal Propagation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium secondary battery packs face challenges in controlling thermal events and preventing thermal propagation between battery cells or modules, which can lead to overall ignition or explosion, posing safety risks to people and property.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack configuration that includes a battery module, a control module, and a fire extinguishing tank with a blocking member, where the fire extinguishing tank is mounted between the battery module and the control module, and includes a venting path to manage and direct venting gases, ensuring effective fire suppression and thermal control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a large number of battery cells are arranged densely to increase energy density, then the energy density of the battery pack is improved, but the safety risk of thermal propagation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple battery modules, each module containing a group of battery cells. This segmentation creates physical barriers between modules, limiting the spread of thermal events while maintaining high overall energy density through optimized arrangement of the modular units.
Solution Approach 2:
Fire extinguishing tanks are positioned between battery modules to act as intermediary safety barriers. These tanks contain fire suppression agents that can be rapidly deployed to prevent thermal propagation between densely packed modules, enabling closer spacing while maintaining safety.
2Reliability
If fire extinguishing tanks are added to prevent thermal propagation, then the safety of the battery pack is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fire extinguishing tanks are designed to serve multiple functions: they act as physical barriers between battery modules, contain fire suppression agents for active fire fighting, and provide structural support for the battery pack assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate safety components, thereby limiting complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire extinguishing tanks are integrated into the existing battery module structure, nesting the safety components within the overall pack architecture. The tanks are positioned in the spaces between modules and utilize the same mounting and structural frameworks, avoiding the need for entirely separate safety systems.
3Loss of time
If fire extinguishing tanks are integrated into the battery pack structure, then the safety response time is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Fire extinguishing agents are pre-loaded into the tanks during manufacturing, and the tanks are pre-positioned between battery modules in the assembly process. This preliminary preparation ensures that when a thermal event occurs, the suppression system is immediately ready to deploy without requiring complex real-time activation or assembly steps during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process for the battery pack integrates the assembly of fire extinguishing tanks with the battery module assembly line. The tanks are installed as part of the standard module stacking process, combining multiple assembly operations into a unified workflow that minimizes additional manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack is configured to secure safety even when a thermal event occurs. The battery pack includes a battery module having at least one battery cell, a control module connected to the battery module and configured to manage the battery module, and a fire extinguishing tank containing a fire extinguishing agent, coupled to at least one of the battery module and the control module, and having a blocking member whose outer surface at least partially extends downward.