Battery Housing Venting With Decoupled Membrane and Degassing Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure equalization devices for batteries, particularly in vehicles, lack improved safety, reliability, and adaptability, as they often fail to effectively manage pressure variations and prevent catastrophic failures due to gas buildup.
Innovation Solution
A pressure equalization device with a decoupled breathable membrane and degassing valve, where the breathable membrane is impermeable to liquids and permeable to gases, allowing pressure balance when the degassing valve is closed, and a separate degassing valve releases overpressure when necessary, ensuring independent operation and enhanced safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a breathable membrane is used to perform both breathing and degassing functions, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to independently control pressure regulation and emergency release functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pressure equalization device into two independent functional components: a breathable membrane for continuous pressure balancing and a separate degassing valve for emergency pressure release. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The degassing valve function is extracted from the breathable membrane, creating a dedicated emergency release mechanism. This extraction ensures that the critical safety function of rapid pressure relief is independently controlled and not dependent on the breathing function, thereby enhancing system reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealed structure is maintained under normal conditions, then protection against contamination is improved, but pressure buildup can lead to damage without proper release mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different permeability properties to different parts of the system: the breathable membrane provides selective permeability for continuous pressure equalization while maintaining contamination barriers, and the degassing valve provides localized emergency release capability. This local differentiation of properties allows simultaneous achievement of sealing and pressure relief.
Solution Approach 2:
The breathable membrane performs preliminary continuous pressure equalization to prevent excessive pressure buildup, while the degassing valve serves as a pre-positioned safety mechanism for emergency pressure release. This preliminary action approach prevents catastrophic failure by maintaining pressure within safe limits through multiple mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If pressure equalization is achieved through a single integrated valve, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability to different pressure conditions and failure modes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal pressure equalization system where the breathable membrane handles normal operating pressure variations and the degassing valve handles emergency conditions. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to adapt to different pressure scenarios and failure modes while each component remains relatively simple to manufacture.
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 decoupled design enhances safety and reliability by allowing controlled gas release and pressure balance, preventing damage and leakage, while maintaining a sealed structure under normal conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a breathable membrane which is permeable to gases and impermeable to liquids for the balance of pressure between an interior of the device and an exterior of the device
Implementation Method 2
a breathable membrane which is permeable to gases and impermeable to liquids
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a pressure equalization device for a battery housing (1). The pressure equalization device includes a base (3) and a degassing valve (11) to move from a closed position to an open position to release overpressure inside the battery housing for emergency degassing. The pressure equalization device also includes a pressure equalization device (1) comprising a porous breathable membrane (9) that is permeable to gases and impermeable to liquids for the balance of pressure between an interior of the device (1) and an exterior of the device (1) when the degassing valve (11) is in the closed position. The degassing valve (11) and breathable membrane are decoupled.