Cooling Plate Fire Suppression for Battery Thermal Runaway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries in battery systems face challenges in managing heat propagation and fire suppression, particularly in vehicles and energy storage systems, where limited refrigerant capacity can exacerbate the spread of fires and reduce cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery system with a cooling plate that melts upon thermal runaway, releasing refrigerant to the fire site, combined with a circulation pump and sensors to control refrigerant flow based on temperature and pressure, enhancing fire suppression and cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cooling plate with accommodation space for refrigerant is used, then fire suppression capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate integrates both cooling function and fire suppression function by incorporating an accommodation space for refrigerant within its structure. This merging of functions eliminates the need for a separate fire suppression system, thereby improving fire suppression capability while avoiding additional device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate serves multiple purposes: it cools the battery modules during normal operation and acts as a fire suppression device when thermal runaway occurs. The accommodation space for refrigerant enables the cooling plate to universally handle both thermal management and safety functions, improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Temperature
If refrigerant is circulated through cooling passage, then cooling efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processor monitors temperature information from temperature sensors and adjusts the circulation pump's output accordingly. When battery temperature is high, the pump operates at higher output to improve cooling efficiency; when temperature is low, the pump output is reduced, thereby optimizing energy consumption based on actual cooling needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation pump's output is dynamically adjusted based on real-time temperature conditions rather than operating at constant speed. This dynamic control allows the system to maintain high cooling efficiency when needed while reducing energy consumption during normal operating conditions.
3Temperature
If circulation pump output is increased, then cooling efficiency is improved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses temperature feedback to control circulation pump output. The processor increases pump output only when temperature sensors detect high battery temperatures, and reduces output when temperatures are normal. This feedback control ensures cooling efficiency is maintained when necessary while minimizing noise during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation pump operates periodically based on temperature conditions rather than continuously at high output. This periodic operation pattern allows the system to achieve required cooling efficiency through intermittent high-power operation while reducing overall noise exposure during normal operating cycles.
4Speed
If cooling plate melts to release refrigerant, then fire suppression response speed is improved, but structural integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is designed to undergo a phase transition from solid to liquid when exposed to extreme heat from thermal runaway. This controlled melting releases the accumulated refrigerant directly onto the affected battery module, providing rapid fire suppression response. The melting is localized to the accommodation space area, minimizing impact on overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant is extracted from the accommodation space through the melting process and applied directly to the fire source. This extraction mechanism allows rapid delivery of fire suppression agent without requiring complex active release systems, improving response speed while maintaining structural integrity through passive design.
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 system effectively delays heat propagation and extinguishes fires by delivering refrigerant to the affected battery module, improving cooling efficiency and safety in battery systems.
Implementation Method 1
At least a portion of the cooling plate is configured to melt based on a fire occurring in at least some of the plurality of battery modules
Implementation Method 2
a cooling passage connected to the cooling plate, a circulation pump connected to the cooling passage and configured to circulate the refrigerant within the cooling passage and the cooling plate
Implementation Method 3
an accommodation space for accommodating a refrigerant... configured to circulate the refrigerant within the cooling passage and the cooling plate
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
A battery system includes a battery pack including a pack frame, a plurality of battery modules disposed within the pack frame, and a cooling plate covering the plurality of battery modules and including an accommodation space for accommodating a refrigerant, a cooling passage connected to the cooling plate, a circulation pump connected to the cooling passage and configured to circulate the refrigerant within the cooling passage and the cooling plate, a pressure sensor disposed within the cooling passage, a plurality of temperature sensors disposed on the plurality of battery modules, and a processor electrically connected to the plurality of temperature sensors and the pressure sensor. The processor is configured to adjust an output of the circulation pump based on at least one of a temperature detected by one or more of the plurality of temperature sensors and pressure detected by the pressure sensor.