Battery Pack Support Frame With Venting for Thermal Runaway

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery modules in electric vehicles face issues with high-temperature and high-pressure gas or particle spread, leading to potential ignition and chain reactions among multiple battery cells, necessitating a solution for safe discharge and assembly efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design featuring a pack housing with a support frame and guide blocks that include venting passages and insertion grooves, along with end plates and insulating members, to guide and secure the battery module, prevent gas and particle spread, and facilitate swift assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If battery cells are densely packed to increase capacity, then energy density is improved, but heat dissipation becomes difficult and thermal runaway risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery cell densityVSAvoidinternal temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The battery module is segmented into multiple compartments by partition walls, with each compartment housing individual battery cells. This segmentation isolates thermal runaway events to specific compartments while maintaining high overall cell density, preventing heat propagation to adjacent cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Heat dissipation fins serve as intermediary structures between battery cells and the cooling system. These fins increase the surface area for heat transfer and provide a thermal pathway from densely packed cells to the cooling channels, enabling effective heat removal without increasing cell spacing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If venting passages are added to discharge gas and particles, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition walls serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for cell positioning, act as thermal barriers between compartments, and incorporate venting passages for gas discharge. This multi-functionality achieves safety without adding separate complex venting systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The venting passages are merged into the partition wall structure rather than being separate components. The opening in the partition wall integrates the venting function with the structural division, simplifying the overall device while maintaining safety through gas and particle discharge capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If guide blocks are added for precise assembly, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly precisionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Guide blocks are pre-positioned on the module housing before battery cell installation. These guide blocks create predetermined insertion paths and positioning features that automatically align cells during assembly, ensuring high manufacturing precision without requiring complex alignment procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide blocks and insertion grooves create a self-aligning assembly system where the battery cells automatically position themselves correctly during installation. The mechanical guidance features enable workers to quickly assemble cells with precise positioning without requiring additional alignment tools or procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4246665A1Battery pack
Publication Date: 2023.09.20 SK ON CO LTD
  • EP4246665A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4246665A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4246665A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery pack includes a pack housing having an internal space; and a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and accommodated in the internal space, wherein the pack housing includes a support frame opposing at least one side of the battery module and having a venting passage formed therein, and wherein the support frame includes a plurality of guide blocks inserted into the battery module; and an opening disposed between the plurality of guide blocks and communicating with the venting passage and the internal space.