Passive Injector Reactor for Battery Vent Gas Neutralization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Batteries can release toxic and flammable gases during transport and storage, which can lead to fires, explosions, and health hazards if not properly managed, especially in situations without access to external power sources.
Innovation Solution
A passive automatic injector reactor system (PAIRS) that uses a passive injector to direct target gases from batteries to a mixing area where supplemental gases are entrained, creating a gas mixture that is then processed in a reactor using chemical, physical, or physiochemical processes to convert the gases into a non-toxic, non-flammable processed gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a passive treatment system is used to process battery gases without external power, then the system can operate independently during transport and storage, but the treatment efficiency and gas processing capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the battery's own vented gases to drive the treatment process. The pressure differential created by battery gas venting automatically activates the pump and drives gas through the treatment system without requiring external power sources, enabling self-powered operation during transport and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter by utilizing the pressure differential between the battery enclosure and the treatment chamber. This pressure difference serves as the driving force for gas flow through the pump and treatment system, converting the battery's venting pressure into useful work for gas treatment.
2Device complexity
If battery gases are vented directly without treatment, then the system complexity is reduced, but fire, explosion, and toxic gas release hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a treatment chamber with oxidizing agents as an intermediary between the battery enclosure and the external environment. This intermediary component chemically neutralizes harmful gases before they are released, reducing fire, explosion, and toxic gas hazards while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potentially harmful battery vented gases into a beneficial treatment process by using these gases to drive the pump and activate the treatment mechanism. The harmful pressure and gas flow become the driving force that powers the safety system.
3Productivity
If active pump systems are used to control gas flow, then gas treatment efficiency improves, but the system requires external power sources which are unavailable during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is activated automatically by the pressure differential created during battery gas venting. The system uses its own operational byproducts (vented gas pressure) to power the pump, eliminating dependency on external power sources while maintaining gas treatment efficiency during transport and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs pneumatic principles by using the pressure differential of vented gases to drive the pump mechanism. This pneumatic actuation replaces electric motors or other power-dependent pump systems, enabling efficient gas flow control without external power during transport.
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 PAIRS effectively prevents the discharge of toxic and flammable gases, thereby preventing fires, explosions, and exposure to hazardous substances, even in situations without external power, by passively treating the gases released from batteries.
Implementation Method 1
The passive injector may, for example, include a seal, flow conditioner, and nozzle configured such that, in response to the at least one target gas exceeding a predetermined pressure threshold, then the passive injector automatically creates a fluid stream of the at least one target gas into the mixing chamber.
Implementation Method 2
The passive injector may, for example, include a seal, flow conditioner, and nozzle
Implementation Method 3
In response to the at least one target gas exceeding a predetermined pressure threshold, the mixing chamber may, for example, then entrain an oxygen-containing fluid into the fluid stream of the at least one target gas
Implementation Method 4
The reactor chamber may, for example, be configured to heat the mixed gas to a temperature sufficient to cause thermal decomposition and/or combustion of the at least one target gas
Implementation Method 5
The reactor chamber may, for example, be configured to heat the mixed gas to a temperature sufficient to cause thermal decomposition and/or combustion of the at least one target gas
Implementation Method 6
The reactor chamber may, for example, be configured to heat the mixed gas to a temperature sufficient to cause thermal decomposition and/or combustion of the at least one target gas
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a passive automatic injector reactor system (PAIRS). In an illustrative example, an energy storage enclosure may contain energy storage modules (e.g., batteries) releasing target gas(es) (e.g., toxic, flammable). The PAIRS may, for example, include an injector in fluid communication with the enclosure. The injector may, for example, passively direct target gases released from the enclosure to a mixing area where supplemental gas(es) are entrained with the target gases to create a target gas air mixture that is directed to a reactor. The reactor may, for example, utilize one more chemical, physical, and/or physiochemical processes to convert the target air gas mixture into a processed gas before release. Various embodiments may advantageously prevent fire, explosion, and/or the release of toxic gas from batteries.