Battery Rack Drainage Guide for Thermal Runaway Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery racks face challenges in rapidly extinguishing thermal runaway or fires within battery modules and preventing fire extinguishing agents from flowing to neighboring modules, which can lead to secondary explosions or damage.

Innovation Solution

A battery rack design featuring a fire extinguishing system with a drainage guide that inclines from the front to the rear of the rack case, equipped with a fire extinguishing agent discharge pipe, and made of materials like plastic or copper, to quickly direct and drain the extinguishing agent away from adjacent modules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If fire extinguishing water is directly injected into the overheated battery module, then thermal runaway can be rapidly extinguished, but the fire extinguishing water may flow toward neighboring battery modules causing secondary explosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire suppression speedVSAvoidsecondary explosion risk

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The battery rack is divided into multiple independent battery modules, each with its own fire extinguishing water storage chamber and drainage guide. This segmentation isolates the fire suppression action to the affected module only, preventing water from flowing to neighboring modules and causing secondary explosions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A drainage guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the fire extinguishing water storage chamber and the external environment. This drainage guide channels the extinguishing water in a controlled manner, ensuring it drains safely without spreading to adjacent battery modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of stationary object

If multiple battery modules are arranged closely in the battery rack, then space efficiency is improved, but heat transfer to neighboring modules increases the risk of secondary explosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverack space utilizationVSAvoidheat transfer to neighboring modules

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Each battery module is designed as an independent unit with separate fire extinguishing systems and drainage guides. This segmentation creates physical and functional isolation between modules, allowing compact arrangement while preventing heat and fire spread to neighboring modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drainage guide structure is designed in advance to intercept and channel fire extinguishing water before it can spread to adjacent modules. This pre-positioned protective structure acts as a buffer against potential fire spread, enabling closer module spacing without increasing secondary explosion risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a drainage guide is provided between battery modules, then fire extinguishing water can be directed away from neighboring modules, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire spread preventionVSAvoidbattery rack structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drainage guide is merged with the existing rack case structure and battery module housing. By integrating the drainage function into the structural components rather than adding separate systems, the design achieves fire spread prevention without proportionally increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The rack case and module housing serve multiple functions: structural support, thermal isolation, and fire extinguishing water drainage guidance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving effective fire spread prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 enables rapid fire suppression at the source, preventing the extinguishing agent from spreading to neighboring modules and reducing the risk of secondary explosions, thereby enhancing safety and efficiency in energy storage systems.

Implementation Method 1

a drainage guide provided to the rack case and configured to guide the fire extinguishing agent used when the thermal runaway or fire occurs

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS12176508B2Battery rack and energy storage device comprising battery rack

Publication Date: 2024.12.24 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

A battery rack includes a plurality of battery modules including at least one battery cell and a module case configured to accommodate the at least one battery cell and including a fire extinguishing unit capable of supplying a fire extinguishing agent into the module case when thermal runaway or fire occurs in the at least one battery cell; a rack case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery modules; and a drainage guide unit provided to the rack case and configured to guide the fire extinguishing agent used when the thermal runaway or fire occurs to be drained.