Battery Module Vent Guide Layout for Fire Spread Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy storage systems face challenges in achieving high energy density while preventing the spread of fire between battery modules due to hot emissions.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring a module case with vents that redirect hot emissions away from adjacent modules, combined with a filtration grid to prevent foreign matter from entering, enhances energy density and suppresses fire spread.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If layers of the rack are arranged with a sufficient height difference to prevent fire spread, then safety is improved, but spatial integration is reduced causing lower energy density

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire safetyVSAvoidenergy density
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful hot emissions are extracted and redirected away from adjacent battery modules through the vent guide structure. The vent guide takes out the hot gas and flaming debris from the module vent and redirects it to discharge in a direction intersecting the second direction, preventing fire spread to upper layers without requiring increased vertical spacing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The vent guide acts as an intermediary component between the module vent and the external environment. It intercepts hot emissions discharged from the module vent and redirects them away from adjacent battery modules, serving as a mediator that prevents fire spread while maintaining compact rack arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If battery cells are arranged in a single layer with cell vents facing upwards, then manufacturing is simplified, but fire spread to upper layers occurs due to hot emissions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell arrangement simplicityVSAvoidfire spread risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vent guide serves as an intermediary that redirects hot emissions away from adjacent modules. This allows the maintenance of simple upward-facing cell vent arrangement while preventing fire spread through the mediation of the vent guide structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful hot emissions that naturally rise upward are converted into a controlled discharge path by the vent guide. The vent guide utilizes the upward momentum of hot gases and redirects them laterally to intersecting directions, transforming the harmful upward convection into a beneficial lateral discharge that prevents fire spread.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If module vents are provided to discharge hot emissions, then fire spread is prevented, but foreign matter may enter the module case through the vents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire safetyVSAvoidforeign matter contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration grid acts as an intermediary component positioned at the module vent. It filters foreign matter from hot emissions while allowing the emissions to pass through to the vent guide for redirection, preventing contamination while maintaining fire safety functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 improves energy density by optimizing battery cell arrangement and suppresses fire spread by redirecting and filtering hot emissions, thereby enhancing the safety and efficiency of the energy storage system.

Implementation Method 1

a vent guide guiding emissions discharged from the module case through the module vent. The vent guide may include a bent tube redirecting the emissions from the module vent to be discharged in a direction intersecting the second direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

a filtration grid preventing foreign matter larger than a predetermined size from entering the module case through the module vent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP4550557A1Battery module and energy storage system
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4550557A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4550557A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4550557A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of the present invention relate to a battery module (100A, 100B, 100C, 1000, 200) and an energy storage system including the same, the battery module (100A, 100B, 100C, 1000, 200) including: a plurality of battery cells (101) each including a cell vent (120) open in a second direction intersecting a first direction; and a module case (140A, 140B, 140C, 140D, 210) receiving the plurality of battery cells (101) therein and formed with a plurality of module vents (152, 225) each facing one of the plurality of cell vents (120).