Battery Module Vent Duct and Extinguisher Sheet for Fire Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Energy storage modules face challenges in preventing fires from spreading to adjacent cells due to the high-capacity and high-output characteristics of battery cells, making them difficult to extinguish once a fire starts.
Innovation Solution
The energy storage module incorporates a cover member with a vent duct system, a top cover with discharge openings and protrusions, and an extinguisher sheet that emits a fire extinguishing agent at a reference temperature to suppress ignition and prevent heat spread, using specific electrode active materials and insulation spacers to enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple battery cells are accommodated in a compact energy storage module to achieve high capacity and high output, then energy storage capability is improved, but fire safety deteriorates due to increased risk of fire spread to adjacent cells
Solution Approach 1:
The energy storage module is divided into multiple independent battery cell compartments, each with its own vent duct and exhaust area. The top cover includes multiple protrusions that extend around each duct, creating separate containment zones for each cell. This segmentation prevents fire and gas from one cell from directly affecting adjacent cells, addressing the fire spread risk while maintaining high capacity through multiple cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an exhaust area with discharge openings as an intermediary between the battery cell vent and the external environment. Gas and potential fire from the battery cell vent are directed through the duct to the exhaust area, where discharge openings provide a controlled release path. This intermediary structure prevents direct fire spread to adjacent cells while maintaining the high-capacity configuration.
2Productivity
If battery cells are arranged in close proximity to maximize space utilization, then productivity and capacity are improved, but heat dissipation and fire suppression capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by extending protrusions from the top cover that surround each duct. This three-dimensional arrangement creates vertical separation and containment zones around each battery cell vent, allowing close horizontal spacing of cells while maintaining thermal and fire safety through vertical compartmentalization. This enables high space utilization without compromising heat management.
3Reliability
If a vent duct system is added to each battery cell to direct gas emission, then fire containment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The top cover is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a structural enclosure and as the housing for the vent duct system. The protrusions are integrated into the top cover itself rather than being separate components, and the exhaust area with discharge openings provides both ventilation and fire containment functions. This universal design reduces device complexity while maintaining effective fire containment.
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 effectively suppresses ignition and prevents fire spread by rapidly extinguishing and cooling battery cells, reducing the risk of adjacent cells being affected.
Implementation Method 1
an extinguisher sheet between the top cover and the top plate, the extinguisher sheet being configured to emit a fire extinguishing agent at a reference temperature
Implementation Method 2
a duct corresponding to the vent of at least one of the battery cells... the exhaust area having a plurality of discharge openings
Data Source
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AI summary
An energy storage module includes: a cover member accommodating a plurality of battery cells in an internal receiving space, each of the battery cells including a vent; a top plate coupled to a top of the cover member and including a duct corresponding to the vent of at least one of the battery cells; a top cover coupled to a top of the top plate and having an exhaust area corresponding to the duct, the exhaust area having a plurality of discharge openings, the top cover including a protrusion protruding from a bottom surface of the top cover, the protrusion extending around a periphery of the exhaust area and around a distal end of the duct; and an extinguisher sheet between the top cover and the top plate, the extinguisher sheet being configured to emit a fire extinguishing agent at a reference temperature.