Battery Pack Venting Structure for Cooling Gas and Blocking Sparks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery packs in energy storage systems are vulnerable to fires due to high temperature gas and spark emission during thermal runaway, which can spread to neighboring modules or packs, causing significant economic damage and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring an anti-fire venting unit with a temperature reducing tunnel and meshes to filter high temperature spark, and a heat transfer suppression unit to prevent fire propagation, using thermal insulation and conductive sheets to manage heat transfer between modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If battery modules are densely arranged to increase energy density, then productivity and space utilization are improved, but the risk of fire propagation increases when thermal runaway occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the battery pack into multiple independent compartments using partition walls. Each compartment contains one or more battery modules and is equipped with its own venting unit. This segmentation prevents fire and hot gas from spreading between compartments, allowing dense arrangement while containing thermal runaway effects locally.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces partition walls as intermediary structures between battery modules and compartments. These walls act as thermal and flame barriers, mediating the interaction between adjacent battery units. The partition walls prevent direct contact of fire and hot gas between modules, enabling high-density arrangement without proportionally increasing fire propagation risk.
2Reliability
If venting units are added to filter and cool venting gas, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs mesh screens with specific pore sizes as filtering structures in the venting units. These porous materials effectively filter out sparks and large particles from venting gas while maintaining gas flow. The mesh structure provides passive filtration without requiring additional active cooling components, balancing safety improvement with structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting units are designed to automatically activate during thermal runaway events based on pressure differential. The structure includes pressure-responsive elements that open venting paths when internal pressure exceeds external pressure, eliminating the need for external sensors or control systems. This self-activating mechanism improves safety while minimizing control system complexity.
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
Prevents fires in surrounding structures by reducing the temperature of venting gas and filtering high temperature spark, thereby containing thermal runaway effects within the battery pack.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature reducing tunnel extending from the interior of the pack case to the exterior of the pack case along the gas venting path to reduce a temperature of the venting gas
Implementation Method 2
a mesh to filter high temperature spark from the venting gas
Implementation Method 3
a heat transfer suppression unit to prevent fire propagation, using thermal insulation and conductive sheets to manage heat transfer between modules
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery pack according to the present disclosure includes at least one battery module; a pack case accommodating the battery module; and an anti-fire venting unit positioned on a gas venting path configured to guide gas generated from the battery module to flow out of the pack case, wherein the anti-fire venting unit includes a temperature reducing tunnel made of metal having pores; and a mesh configured to cover at least one of an entrance or an exit of the temperature reducing tunnel.