Battery Thermal Protection Container for Runaway Cell Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries, face issues with thermal runaway due to abnormal temperature rises in short-circuited cells, which can lead to melting or explosion and propagate to other cells, posing safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A battery device with a thermal protection mechanism featuring a heat dissipation container comprising a frame and thin films that house a liquid, such as water or aqueous solution, which sprays out to cool overheated cells when the thin film breaks, absorbing heat through vaporization and convection to prevent thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a complex thermal protection system with sensors and active cooling is implemented, then temperature control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat dissipation container automatically activates when thermal runaway occurs. The thin film breaks under high temperature, triggering liquid ejection without requiring external sensors or control systems. The system serves itself by using the thermal runaway condition as the activation signal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic sensing and control systems with a passive thermal-mechanical response mechanism. The thin film acts as a temperature-sensitive mechanical barrier that automatically fails at critical temperatures, substituting for electronic temperature sensors and control circuits.
2Reliability
If active cooling systems with sensors and control mechanisms are used, then thermal protection reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thin film is designed as a disposable, low-cost component that sacrifices itself during thermal runaway events. It breaks irreversibly to release the cooling liquid, and does not need to be reused or maintained. This disposable approach reduces manufacturing costs compared to reusable active cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential thermal protection function from complex active cooling systems and implements it through a simple passive mechanism. Only the critical elements (heat dissipation container, thin film, cooling liquid) are retained, removing unnecessary sensors, controllers, and power systems.
3Device complexity
If passive heat dissipation without active cooling is used, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature reduction speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydraulic principles by storing cooling liquid under pressure within the heat dissipation container. When the thin film breaks, the pressurized liquid is rapidly ejected onto the battery cells, providing fast cooling action comparable to active systems but without the complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling liquid utilizes phase transition (evaporation) when it contacts the overheated battery cells. This phase change absorbs large amounts of heat rapidly, achieving fast temperature reduction passively without requiring active cooling mechanisms.
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 mechanism effectively reduces cell temperatures during thermal runaway without sensors, maintaining safety and reducing hardware costs by using a simple, efficient cooling system.
Implementation Method 1
When the temperature of the battery cell exceeds a temperature to be withstood, for example, 160° C. to 200° C., the thin film of the heat dissipation container will damage to generate a broken hole
Implementation Method 2
The heat of vaporization of water is 40.8 kJ/mol, which is equivalent to 2266 kJ/kg, about 5.4 times of the energy required to heat water from 0° C. to 100° C. Therefore, when the water is heated to a boiling point by the battery cells in the thermal runaway and evaporated from a liquid state to a gaseous state, it can absorb a large amount of heat generated by the battery cells in thermal runaway
Implementation Method 3
The liquid flows out of the broken hole on the thin film, and then sprays on the battery cells in the thermal runaway or the high temperature so that the temperatures of the battery cells can be reduced
Implementation Method 4
The frame comprises a perforation portion or a recessed portion. The thin film is connected to the frame, and used for covering the perforation portion or the recessed portion to form an accommodating space between the frame and the thin film
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a battery device comprising a plurality of battery cells and at least one heat dissipation container. The heat dissipation container includes a frame and two thin films. The frame includes a perforation portion. The thin films are connected to the frame, and cover the perforation portion of the frame to form an enclosed space between the thin films and the frame. A liquid of water or aqueous solution is placed in the enclosed space. A bottom of each of the battery cells is adjacent to the corresponding thin film of the heat dissipation container. When the temperature of one of the battery cells is too high, the thin film of the heat dissipation container will damage to generate a broken hole. Then, the liquid will spray out of the heat dissipation container, and contact the battery cell to reduce the temperature of the battery cell.