Battery Pack Fire-Extinguishing Tank Venting for Thermal Runaway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery packs face challenges in effectively managing and suppressing thermal events, particularly thermal runaway, which can lead to fires or explosions, and the fire extinguishing liquid's effectiveness is compromised by freezing in low temperatures, causing pressure changes and potential damage to the tank.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a fire extinguishing tank with a through hole and a cover member that automatically opens or closes based on pressure changes, allowing the fire extinguishing liquid to flow freely and preventing tank damage, along with a rupture member for controlled liquid discharge during thermal events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fire extinguishing tank is sealed to maintain liquid state, then the fire extinguishing liquid can be stored effectively, but the tank may be damaged by pressure changes when the liquid freezes in low temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a differentiated pressure environment: the lower portion of the tank (where liquid stores) maintains sealed conditions for effective storage, while the upper portion includes a vent hole to release expansion pressure when freezing occurs. This localized quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between sealed storage and pressure relief.
Solution Approach 2:
The tank is segmented into functional zones: a liquid storage zone with sealed properties and a pressure relief zone with venting capabilities. The vent hole is positioned specifically in the upper portion to handle phase change pressure, while the lower portion maintains sealing for liquid retention. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of both storage effectiveness and pressure protection.
2Reliability
If the tank is sealed to prevent leakage, then the fire extinguishing liquid is contained, but the liquid cannot be smoothly discharged when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The vent hole provides a dynamic pressure regulation mechanism that adapts to different operational states: during normal storage, the sealed tank maintains containment; during discharge operations, pressure equalization through the vent hole enables smooth liquid flow. This dynamic pressure management resolves the contradiction between containment and discharge performance.
3Reliability
If the fire extinguishing liquid is stored in a sealed tank, then maintenance is complex requiring monitoring of liquid levels, but the tank structure becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure management function from the sealed tank structure by adding a simple vent hole in the upper portion. This separates the storage function (lower sealed portion) from the pressure regulation function (upper vented portion), simplifying the overall structure while maintaining storage stability and reducing maintenance complexity.
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 solution enhances safety by preventing thermal event propagation, ensures smooth fire extinguishing liquid discharge, and maintains tank integrity even in freezing conditions, reducing the risk of fires and explosions while simplifying maintenance and cost reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a cover member installed in the through hole of the fire extinguishing tank and configured to open or close the through hole according to a change in internal pressure of the fire extinguishing tank
Implementation Method 2
allowing the fire extinguishing liquid to flow freely
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack is advantageous for effective control and maintenance of thermal events. A battery pack according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include a battery module having one or more battery cells; a fire extinguishing tank holding a fire extinguishing liquid, disposed on top of the battery module and having a through hole formed therein; and a cover member installed in the through hole of the fire extinguishing tank and configured to open or close the through hole according to a change in internal pressure of the fire extinguishing tank.