Battery Vent Manifold Assembly for Sealed Thermal Runaway Gas Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vent systems for battery packs in electric vehicles face challenges in maintaining a closed volume for thermal runaway gas transport, as the variability of foam expansion in potting resin makes it difficult to control the position of the potting material, leading to potential blockages and incompatibility with foam potting systems.
Innovation Solution
A closed channel network is created under the battery cells, with a manifold connected to the vent system and a sealing material like rubber foam to prevent potting material from entering the vent system during manufacturing, ensuring the vent channels remain sealed and potting material is restricted to external cavities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If foam potting resin is used to fill the battery pack for electrical isolation and thermal insulation, then structural performance and thermal insulation are improved, but the variability of foam expansion causes unpredictable potting position and potential blockage of vent channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the vent channel network from the potting resin by creating a closed-volume vent system with sealed manifolds and channels that are physically separated from the foam expansion zone. The vent channels are defined as closed pathways that exclude potting material, allowing the battery pack to be filled with potting resin for thermal insulation while maintaining precise vent channel geometry unaffected by foam variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the battery pack into distinct functional zones: a closed-volume vent system zone with sealed manifolds and channels, and a potting resin zone for thermal insulation. This segmentation is achieved through sealed manifolds that create isolated pathways, preventing interaction between the foam expansion and vent channel geometry, thus resolving the contradiction between thermal insulation and positioning precision.
2Ease of operation
If the vent system is opened to allow gas traversal during thermal events, then gas venting capability is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to blockage by potting material during manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary sealing of the vent channel network before the potting process. The manifolds and channels are sealed to create closed volumes that prevent potting material from entering during manufacturing. This preliminary protective action ensures that subsequent foam expansion cannot block the vent channels, while the sealed system remains fully functional for gas venting during thermal events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sealed manifolds as intermediary structures that mediate between the open vent ports and the closed channel network. These manifolds create intermediate sealed zones that allow gas to traverse freely during thermal events while simultaneously blocking potting material from entering the channel network during manufacturing, thus resolving the contradiction between venting capability and blockage risk.
3Reliability
If a closed volume vent system is created to prevent potting blockage, then manufacturing reliability is improved, but the system complexity increases due to sealed manifolds and connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the manifold assembly with the battery module structure by mounting manifolds directly on module housings and integrating connectors with cell assemblies. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall assembly process, offsetting the increased complexity introduced by the sealed closed-volume system while maintaining blockage prevention reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the manifolds to serve multiple functions: they act as structural support elements, provide sealed connections for vent channels, and serve as mounting points for thermal sensors and other components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits of the closed-volume design.
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 prevents potting material from entering the vent system, maintaining a sealed gas pathway for thermal runaway gases, ensuring safe containment and reducing the risk of gas leakage, while allowing the use of foamed or non-foamed polymeric resin for structural and thermal insulation.
Implementation Method 1
A manifold is mounted on the closed channel network under the cells in connection with a vent of the plurality of battery cells and the at least one pack vent
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack for a vehicle includes a housing including at least one pack vent between an interior and an exterior of the housing; a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing; and a vent system includes a closed channel network under the cells in connection with a vent of the plurality of battery cells and the at least one pack vent; and a manifold mounted on the closed channel network, a portion of the manifold mounted on the housing including a connector installed from external to the housing that connects the manifold to the closed channel network.