Dual Thermal Regulation for Battery Thermal Runaway Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion batteries used in maritime vessels are susceptible to thermal runaway due to overheating, which can lead to fires and explosions, and existing safety measures are inadequate in preventing or mitigating such events, especially in environments where mechanical, electrical, and thermal abuses are common.
Innovation Solution
A battery safety system that utilizes sensor data to compare parameters with threshold values, configuring a first thermal regulation system to prevent thermal runaway and a second system to minimize its effects, including cooling circuits, electrical isolation, and fire suppressants, to reduce the risk and impact of thermal runaway events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single thermal regulation system is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of preventing and mitigating thermal runaway is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal regulation system is divided into two distinct subsystems: a first thermal regulation system for preventing thermal runaway by maintaining batteries within safe operating temperature ranges, and a second thermal regulation system for mitigating thermal runaway by rapidly cooling affected battery modules. This segmentation allows each subsystem to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall reliability while managing complexity through functional specialization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between the first and second thermal regulation systems based on real-time temperature monitoring and threshold comparisons. When temperatures remain below thresholds, the first system operates; when thresholds are exceeded, the system transitions to the second system. This dynamic adaptation ensures appropriate response to varying thermal conditions, enhancing reliability without requiring both systems to operate simultaneously.
2Reliability
If thermal regulation systems are activated continuously, then the reliability of thermal management is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal regulation systems operate periodically rather than continuously, activated only when temperature thresholds are exceeded or when preventive cooling is required. The system monitors battery temperatures and activates cooling only when necessary, reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliability through on-demand operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters based on thermal conditions: when temperatures are within safe ranges, the first thermal regulation system operates at low power; when thresholds are exceeded, the system transitions to the second system with higher cooling capacity. This parameter adaptation ensures reliable thermal management while minimizing energy consumption during normal operation.
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 reduces the likelihood and consequences of thermal runaway by efficiently removing thermal energy, preventing further energy production, and containing thermal energy spread, thereby enhancing the safety of battery systems in maritime environments.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling circuit, the cooling circuit comprising a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, the cooling circuit being configured to cool the at least one battery module
Implementation Method 2
a cooling circuit, the cooling circuit comprising a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet
Implementation Method 3
a fire suppressant material, the fire suppressant material being effective in suppressing fire and/or thermal runaway
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided methods and systems for improving the safety of a battery. The system is directed towards a plurality of sensors for providing sensor data, a battery management system for comparing one or more parameters associated with the sensor data to a corresponding threshold value, a first thermal regulation system, and a second thermal regulation system. The system configures the first thermal regulation system in response to the comparison, and the second thermal regulation system is configured if any of the one or more parameters exceeds the corresponding threshold value.