Battery Heat Sink Rupture Sealing for Thermal Runaway Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries used in battery packs for electric vehicles are prone to overheating and explosion due to chain reactions from high-temperature gas ejection, posing significant safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design incorporating a heat sink with rupture parts and a sealing material layer that ejects sealing material to block high-temperature heat and gas, preventing chain reactions and reducing explosion risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple battery cells are connected in series/parallel to increase capacity and output, then energy density and power output are improved, but the risk of chain reaction from high-temperature gas ejection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the battery pack into multiple independent modules, each with its own heat sink and sealing structure. When a battery cell ruptures, the sealing material confines the high-temperature gas within that specific module, preventing it from spreading to other modules. This segmentation isolates the harmful effect to a localized area while maintaining the overall high capacity and output of the battery pack.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sealing material as an intermediary substance between the battery cells and the external environment. This sealing material is specifically designed to be ejected when a cell ruptures, forming a barrier that traps high-temperature gas and prevents chain reactions. The intermediary sealing material absorbs the harmful thermal energy and contains it within the heat sink structure.
2Reliability
If space between cooling channels is utilized for sealing material layer, then safety against chain reaction is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink structure serves multiple functions: it provides thermal management through cooling channels and simultaneously houses the sealing material layer for safety containment. By making the heat sink multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate safety components, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing material layer is nested within the existing heat sink structure, utilizing the space between cooling channels. This nesting approach allows the safety mechanism to be integrated into the thermal management system rather than being a separate addition, optimizing space utilization and minimizing structural complexity while enhancing safety.
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 the spread of high-temperature heat and reduces the likelihood of explosions by blocking gas transfer between battery cells, enhancing safety and structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the internal pressure increases, the first rupture part is broken, the second rupture part is broken while the generated internal pressure pushes out the sealing material
Data Source
AI summary
A battery apparatus includes a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a heat sink located on one side of the battery cell stack, wherein the heat sink includes a cooling pipe, at least one rupture part, and a sealing material layer.