Battery Rack Cooling Member With Water-Tank Fire Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery racks and energy storage systems face challenges in supplying a sufficient amount of coolant water to extinguish fires and prevent thermal runaway in battery packs, as conventional methods require large amounts of coolant water and are slow to respond.
Innovation Solution
A battery rack design with a cooling member that includes a fragile part that breaks at a predetermined temperature, connected to a water tank, allowing immediate injection of coolant water from the tank to the cooling member and directly to the battery pack, supplemented by an external cooling system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If battery modules are arranged in a rack with stacking structure, then space utilization is improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult due to closer proximity of battery packs
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is divided into multiple independent layers, with each layer containing battery packs arranged in specific patterns. This segmentation allows heat to be managed at each layer level independently, preventing heat accumulation while maintaining high space utilization through vertical stacking.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat dissipation plates are introduced as intermediary components between battery packs and the rack structure. These plates conduct heat away from battery packs and transfer it to the rack framework, enabling effective heat management in the compact stacked arrangement.
2Productivity
If battery packs are closely arranged to increase storage density, then productivity is improved, but safety is compromised due to increased risk of thermal runaway propagation
Solution Approach 1:
Thermal insulation layers are extracted and placed between adjacent battery packs to create thermal barriers. This extraction of thermal isolation functionality allows close physical arrangement for high density while preventing thermal runaway propagation through the inserted insulation barriers.
Solution Approach 2:
Fire-resistant materials and thermal insulation layers are pre-installed between battery packs during rack assembly. This beforehand cushioning creates preventive thermal barriers that stop heat propagation before thermal runaway can spread to adjacent packs, enabling safe high-density storage.
3Strength
If fixed rigid structures are used for rack framework, then strength is improved, but adaptability is reduced for different battery pack configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The rack framework incorporates adjustable components such as movable support bars and reconfigurable mounting brackets that can be positioned at different heights and locations. This dynamic adjustability allows the same rack structure to accommodate various battery pack sizes and configurations while maintaining structural strength through proper mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack structure uses universal mounting interfaces and standardized support elements that can serve multiple configuration needs. The same basic framework components can support different battery pack arrangements through adjustment mechanisms, providing multi-functionality and adaptability without compromising structural integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one battery pack and a rack frame on which the battery pack is mounted, wherein the battery pack includes: a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, a pack frame that houses the battery cell stack, and a cooling member that is located on the upper side of the battery cell stack and contains a coolant water, wherein the cooling member is connected to a water tank mounted on the rack frame, wherein at least one fragile part that breaks or melts at a predetermined temperature or pressure or higher is formed on the lower plate of the cooling member, and wherein when the water level of the coolant water is lowered by opening the fragile part of the cooling member, the coolant water is supplied from the water tank to the cooling member.