Battery Venting Channel Active Cooling System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current battery systems face challenges in safely managing venting gases during thermal runaway, as they can cause damage to neighboring cells and pose risks to external components and bystanders due to uncontrolled deflagration and toxic gas release.

Innovation Solution

A battery system with a venting device that guides venting gases away from battery cells and incorporates a cooling device with cooling channels to cool the venting gases before they exit, preventing deflagration and reducing temperature transfer to neighboring cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If venting gases are allowed to escape freely during thermal runaway, then the venting function is achieved, but the hot gases can cause deflagration and damage to neighboring cells and external components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventing functionVSAvoiddeflagration risk and damage to neighboring cells
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A cooling device with cooling channels is introduced as an intermediary between the venting channel and the external environment. This cooling device cools the venting gases before they exit, preventing deflagration and damage to external components while maintaining the venting function. The cooling device acts as a mediator that transforms the hot venting gases into cooler gases safe for external discharge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The venting system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a venting channel for gas flow, cooling channels for thermal management, and a separation between the venting device and neighboring battery cells. This segmentation allows the hot venting gases to be contained and cooled in a dedicated zone before external discharge, preventing direct contact with neighboring cells and reducing deflagration risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Temperature

If cooling channels are added to cool venting gases, then the temperature of venting gases is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventing gas temperatureVSAvoidventing device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling device is merged with the venting device to form an integrated assembly. The cooling channels are positioned adjacent to the venting channel, allowing thermal interaction between the hot venting gases and the cooling fluid without requiring complex mechanical coupling. This merging reduces overall system complexity while achieving effective cooling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling device utilizes hydraulic principles by circulating cooling fluid through cooling channels to remove heat from the venting gases. This hydraulic cooling approach is simpler than mechanical cooling systems and effectively reduces the temperature of venting gases through continuous fluid circulation and heat exchange.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Productivity

If the venting channel is positioned close to battery cells to guide gases away, then the venting efficiency is improved, but the risk of heat transfer to neighboring cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventing efficiencyVSAvoidheat transfer to neighboring cells
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling device acts as an intermediary barrier between the venting channel and the external environment, cooling the venting gases before they can transfer excessive heat to neighboring cells or cause deflagration. This intermediary cooling function allows the venting channel to be positioned efficiently while preventing harmful heat transfer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The potentially harmful hot venting gases are converted into a beneficial cooling opportunity. By introducing cooling channels that interact with the hot venting gases, the system transforms the harmful thermal energy into a controlled heat exchange process, where the cooling fluid absorbs excess heat and the cooled gases are safely discharged, preventing damage to neighboring cells and external components.

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

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 cools venting gases and prevents chain reactions of thermal runaways, reducing the risk of damage to external components and injury to bystanders by ensuring gases are cooled before leaving the system.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling device comprising one or more cooling channels for cooling the venting channel via cooling fluid transported through the cooling channels

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4220820A1Battery system with active cooling of venting channel
Publication Date: 2023.08.02 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4220820A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4220820A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4220820A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present disclosure refers to a battery system (100), comprising a battery pack (10) including a plurality of battery cells (12), a venting device (22) for guiding a venting gas stream exhausted by one or more of the battery cells (12) during a thermal runaway away from the battery cells (12), the venting device (22) comprising a venting channel (24) for guiding the venting gas stream along a main flow direction (M), the venting channel (24) being delimited by a first side (20a) of the venting device (22) and a second side (20b) of the venting device (22) opposite the first side (20a), and one or more venting openings (27) arranged at the first side (20a) of the venting device (22) for allowing the venting gases exhausted by the battery cells (12) to enter the venting channel (24), a cooling device (26) comprising one or more cooling channels (28) for cooling the venting channel (24) via cooling fluid transported through the cooling channels (28), wherein at least one of the cooling channels (28) is arranged at the second side (20b) of the venting device (22)..