Battery Cell Vent Shield Structure for Thermal Runaway Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery technologies face safety risks due to emissions from pressure relief mechanisms causing short circuits and thermal runaway in adjacent cells, leading to potential explosions and fires.
Innovation Solution
A battery cell design incorporating a protective member with a body portion, shielding portion, and weak portion that shields the pressure relief mechanism from external emissions and quickly discharges high-temperature, high-pressure substances by breaking at the weak portion when activated, using materials with higher melting points to prevent melt-through.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressure relief mechanism is provided on the battery case, then internal pressure can be relieved when threshold is reached, but emissions from the pressure relief mechanism can cause short circuits and thermal runaway in adjacent cells
Solution Approach 1:
A protective member is introduced as an intermediary component between the pressure relief mechanism and the external environment. This protective member includes a shielding portion that blocks emissions from directly contacting adjacent battery cells, and a weak portion that breaks under high pressure to allow controlled discharge. The protective member thus mediates between the need for pressure relief and the need to prevent harmful emissions from causing short circuits and thermal runaway in neighboring cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective member is segmented into distinct functional portions: a shielding portion for blocking emissions, a weak portion for controlled breaking under pressure, and a body portion for structural support. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally - the shielding portion prevents harmful emissions from reaching adjacent cells, while the weak portion provides a controlled failure mode for pressure relief.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective member is added to shield the pressure relief mechanism, then short circuit risk is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member combines multiple protective functions into a single integrated component. Rather than adding separate shielding structures, breaking mechanisms, and sealing elements, the invention merges these functions into one protective member that includes a shielding portion, a weak portion, and a body portion. This reduces overall structural complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection against short circuits and thermal runaway.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it shields the pressure relief mechanism from external impacts, blocks emissions from reaching adjacent cells, provides a controlled breaking path under high pressure, and maintains structural integrity during normal operation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate components, thereby simplifying the overall device structure.
3Reliability
If the protective member is made with high melting point material to prevent melt-through, then safety is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member employs local quality by using high melting point materials specifically in the shielding portion where thermal protection is most critical, while the body portion and weak portion can use materials with lower processing requirements. This localized application of high-performance materials provides the necessary thermal resistance to prevent melt-through during thermal runaway events, while keeping manufacturing complexity manageable by not requiring high-performance materials throughout the entire component.
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 design effectively reduces the risk of short circuits and enhances safety by blocking external emissions and ensuring timely discharge of high-temperature, high-pressure substances, thereby preventing further safety hazards.
Implementation Method 1
when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell, the pressure relief mechanism is actuated to release a high-temperature and high-pressure substance from the battery cell
Implementation Method 2
the pressure relief mechanism is actuated to relieve internal pressure of the battery cell when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold value
Implementation Method 3
the shielding portion is configured to shield the pressure relief mechanism, reduce possibility of melt-through of the pressure relief mechanism by the emissions released from other battery cells
Implementation Method 4
the protective member is connected to the first wall by means of the bonding member
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a battery cell and a manufacturing method and system therefor, a battery, and an electrical apparatus. The battery cell comprises: a battery case, comprising a first wall and a pressure-release mechanism, the pressure-release mechanism being arranged on the first wall, and the pressure-release mechanism being used for actuating when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold value in order to release the internal pressure; and a protective component positioned on the outside of the first wall, the protective component comprising a main body part, a shielding part, and a weakened part, the main body part being used for connecting the first wall, the shielding part being used for shielding the pressure-release mechanism, and the weakened part being used for connecting the main body part and the shielding part, the weakened part being configured to rupture when the pressure-release mechanism actuates in order to break the connection between the main body part and the shielding part. The shielding part can block discharged matter released by other battery cells, reducing the risk of the pressure-release mechanism being melted and penetrated by the discharged matter. When thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell, the weakened part ruptures under the action of a high-temperature high-pressure substance so that the high-temperature high-pressure substance is promptly discharged.