Battery Module Venting Channels for Particle Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern battery modules, particularly in hybrid vehicles, often lack sufficient expansion volume, increasing the risk of short circuits and arcs due to inadequate venting designs, which can lead to thermal runaway and potential vehicle fires.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a prismatic battery cell stack with a venting space subdivided by separators into gas-tight venting channels, where vent gas is collected and particles are separated from the gas stream, preventing them from exiting and causing arcs or fires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional venting design is used in battery modules, then the structure is simple, but particles can exit the venting outlet causing short circuits and arcs
Solution Approach 1:
The venting space is segmented into multiple venting channels using separators, creating gas-tight separated pathways. This segmentation prevents particles from one channel from affecting other channels and ensures controlled particle-free venting while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular separator design.
Solution Approach 2:
Separators act as intermediary elements between the venting channels and the external environment. These separators create gas-tight barriers that mediate the venting process, allowing gas to pass through controlled pathways while blocking particles from exiting, thus improving safety without requiring a completely complex redesign.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the venting space is not subdivided, then the device complexity is low, but particles can travel freely and cause arcs or fires
Solution Approach 1:
The venting space is divided into multiple gas-tight venting channels using separators positioned within the venting space. This segmentation creates separate pathways that constrain particle movement, preventing particles from traveling freely across the entire venting space and reducing the risk of arcs or fires while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the venting space are given different functions through the use of separators. The separators create localized gas-tight channels that specifically address particle containment in critical areas, while other regions maintain open structures for gas flow, thus reducing particle discharge risk without unnecessarily increasing overall complexity.
3Reliability
If separators are added to create gas-tight venting channels, then particle separation is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The use of separators to create segmented venting channels improves particle containment by establishing gas-tight barriers. While this does increase manufacturing complexity, the modular nature of separators allows for standardized production and assembly, making the increased complexity manageable through systematic manufacturing approaches rather than custom fabrication.
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 prevents particles from exiting the battery module, reducing the risk of short circuits and arcs, thereby enhancing safety by ensuring that vent gas is discharged without particles, thus minimizing the risk of external ignition and maintaining module integrity during thermal events.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of separators arranged within the venting space and sub-dividing the venting space into a plurality of venting channels arranged along the first direction and being gas-tightly separated from each other by the separators
Implementation Method 2
The collection area is arranged opposite to each of the venting channel openings and spaced apart from each of the venting channel openings... effectively prevents particles from exiting the battery module
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes: a battery cell stack including a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, each of the battery cells having a venting side including a venting outlet and facing in a second direction crossing the first direction; a venting space extending adjacent to the venting sides with the venting outlets opening into the venting space; a degassing space extending along the first direction besides the venting space; and a plurality of separators sub-dividing the venting space into a plurality of venting channels arranged along the first direction and being gas-tightly separated from each other by the separators. Each of the venting channels has a venting channel opening open into the degassing space, and the degassing space is at least partly confined by a wall including a collection area arranged opposite to and spaced apart from the venting channel openings.