Battery Pack Partition Wall Layout for Thermal Runaway Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs face challenges in structural stability during thermal events, energy density, assemblability, cooling performance, and thermal propagation, which can lead to safety issues such as ignition or explosion.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a partition wall with a high melting point material, extending between the pack case and battery cells, which guides venting gas or flame away from the pack case, and a cell cover with open portions to facilitate side directional venting, reducing the risk of structural collapse and enhancing energy density and cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a module case and stacking frame are used to accommodate battery cells, then structural stability is improved, but the volume occupied by components increases and energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the module case and stacking frame from the battery pack structure, directly accommodating battery cells in the pack case. This extraction of unnecessary components reduces the volume occupied by non-active materials and increases the proportion of active battery cells, thereby improving energy density while maintaining structural stability through direct cell-to-pack case integration.
2Ease of manufacture
If a module case is used to accommodate battery cells, then assembly is simplified, but manufacturing complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the module case and stacking frame directly into the pack case structure. By integrating these components into a single unified structure, the number of separate manufacturing steps is reduced, assembly is simplified, and overall manufacturing complexity is decreased while maintaining the necessary structural support for battery cells.
3Stability of the object's composition
If battery cells are accommodated in a module case with limited venting paths, then structural organization is improved, but cooling performance deteriorates during thermal events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces side directional venting paths in addition to the traditional front-back venting paths. By adding venting capabilities in the side dimension, the system provides multiple escape routes for venting gas and flame during thermal events, improving cooling performance and thermal management while maintaining structural organization through the pack case design.
4Device complexity
If conventional venting paths are used without partition walls, then structural simplicity is maintained, but thermal propagation between cells increases during thermal events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pack case interior into multiple compartments using partition walls positioned between adjacent battery cells. This segmentation creates physical barriers that prevent thermal propagation and flame spread between cells during thermal events, while the overall structure remains relatively simple and does not require complex additional components.
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 minimizes the impact of thermal events on the battery pack's structure, improves energy density, simplifies assembly, and enhances cooling performance, thereby ensuring safety and stability during thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
a partition wall made of a material having a higher melting point than the pack case
Implementation Method 2
a cell cover with open portions to facilitate side directional venting
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a battery pack configured to ensure structural stability even when a thermal event occurs and a vehicle including the battery pack. A battery pack according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes battery cells stacked along a left-right direction including electrode leads extending along a front-back direction, a pack case in which the battery cells are accommodated, and a partition wall extending along the left-right direction between the pack case and the battery cells The partition wall is closed in the front-back direction and being open in the left-right direction.