Battery Pack Venting Frame for Thermal Runaway Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs face issues with heat propagation to adjacent cells during thermal events, leading to potential thermal runaway, and require a manufacturing process that is complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring venting portions and guide structures in the pack frame to rapidly discharge gases and flames from overheated cells, integrated plastic frames, and cooling tubes with supports to manage thermal events, along with a simplified manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If battery cells are arranged densely to secure energy density and capacity, then energy density is improved, but heat propagation risk increases when a thermal event occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The pack frame is divided into multiple venting guide portions, each corresponding to specific battery cells. These segmented venting structures guide heat and gas away from adjacent cells independently, preventing heat propagation while maintaining dense cell arrangement for high energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting guide portions act as intermediary structures between battery cells. When a thermal event occurs, these guides intercept and redirect heat and gas flow away from adjacent cells, serving as a protective mediator that prevents direct heat transfer between densely packed cells.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional battery pack structures are used, then manufacturing is complex and costly, but thermal safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The venting guide portions are integrated directly into the pack frame structure, merging the venting function with the structural frame. This eliminates the need for separate venting components, simplifying manufacturing while providing effective thermal safety guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The pack frame serves multiple functions: it provides structural support and simultaneously incorporates venting guide portions for thermal safety. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring 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
The design effectively prevents heat propagation, simplifies manufacturing, and reduces costs by ensuring rapid venting and cooling, enhancing safety and cost-efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the venting guide portion may be formed to have a smaller thickness than other parts of the pack frame so as to rupture or melt at a predetermined pressure or temperature or above
Implementation Method 2
the venting guide portion may be formed to have a smaller thickness than other parts of the pack frame so as to rupture or melt at a predetermined pressure or temperature or above
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of cooling tubes arranged in a predetermined length between the plurality of battery cells and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a battery pack, which includes a plurality of battery cells having a venting portion, and a pack frame configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells and having a venting guide portion in an area corresponding to the venting portion of the plurality of battery cells.