Battery Pack Venting Barriers to Block Cell-to-Cell Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traction battery packs face challenges in managing thermal energy during battery thermal events, leading to potential heat transfer between cell stacks, which can compromise the structural integrity and efficiency of the battery pack.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating thermal barriers made of thermally resistant materials like mica, aerogel, or refractory ceramic fibers within the venting passageways of the traction battery pack to interface with enclosure structures, thereby preventing thermal energy propagation between cell stacks during a thermal event.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal barriers are installed in venting passageways to prevent heat transfer between cell stacks, then thermal management and structural integrity are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal barriers as intermediary components positioned in the venting passageways between cell stacks. These barriers act as mediators that block thermal energy propagation while allowing the venting system to function, thereby preventing heat transfer between adjacent cell stacks without requiring fundamental changes to the battery pack architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal barriers are constructed from composite materials specifically designed with low thermal conductivity. These composite materials combine multiple substances to achieve optimal thermal insulation properties while maintaining mechanical strength and chemical stability in the battery environment, thus providing effective thermal protection without excessive complexity.
2Strength
If thermal barriers are positioned within venting passageways to shield enclosure structures from heat, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal barriers are pre-positioned and secured within the venting passageways during the battery pack assembly process, before thermal events occur. This preliminary placement ensures that the barriers are correctly positioned to shield enclosure structures from heat, and allows for quality control checks to be performed before the product reaches the customer.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal barriers provide localized thermal protection specifically at the venting passageways where heat transfer between cell stacks is most critical. Rather than requiring uniform thermal protection throughout the entire battery pack, the barriers concentrate insulation properties where they are most needed, thereby improving structural integrity at critical locations without requiring manufacturing precision across the entire assembly.
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 thermal barriers effectively shield enclosure structures from heat and significantly reduce or prevent thermal energy transfer between cell stacks, enhancing the structural integrity and thermal management of the battery pack during thermal events.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal barrier arranged within the venting passageway... the thermal barrier effectively shield enclosure structures from heat and significantly reduce or prevent thermal energy transfer between cell stacks
Data Source
AI summary
Thermal barriers are provided for traction battery packs. An exemplary thermal barrier may be positioned within a venting passageway of a traction battery pack. The thermal barrier may thermally protect upper and/or lower enclosure structures and may substantially prevent thermal energy from moving from cell stack-to-cell stack during a battery thermal event.