Energy Storage Module Insulation Spacers Fire Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Energy storage modules face challenges in preventing fires from spreading due to the characteristics of battery cells, making it difficult to extinguish fires once they occur, leading to safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
The energy storage module design includes a configuration of battery cells with insulation spacers featuring heat-insulating and flame-retardant materials, a vent system with fire extinguishing agent openings, and an extinguisher sheet that emits a fire extinguishing agent at elevated temperatures to rapidly extinguish and cool the battery cells, thereby preventing fire spread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If battery cells are arranged closely to increase energy storage capacity, then productivity and energy density are improved, but fire safety deteriorates as flames and heat can spread more easily to adjacent cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces insulation spacers that physically divide the battery cell array into isolated units. These spacers create fire barriers between adjacent battery cells, preventing flame propagation while maintaining close arrangement for high energy density. The segmentation principle is applied by inserting insulating components between battery cells to compartmentalize the energy storage system.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation spacers act as intermediary components between adjacent battery cells. These spacers are positioned in the gaps between battery cells and provide both electrical insulation and fire barrier functions. The intermediary structure allows close packing for high capacity while preventing direct contact that would enable fire spread.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If insulation spacers with thick flame-retardant layers are used to prevent fire spread, then fire safety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation spacers are constructed using composite materials combining heat-insulating foam core with flame-retardant coating layers. This composite structure provides both thermal insulation and fire resistance in a single integrated component, reducing the need for multiple separate layers and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining effective fire barrier properties.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple layers of insulation and flame-retardant materials are applied to battery cell gaps, then fire safety is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat insulation function and flame retardation function into a single integrated insulation spacer component. Rather than requiring separate layers of heat-insulating material and flame-retardant coating to be precisely aligned during assembly, the combined spacer provides both functions simultaneously, significantly reducing manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining fire safety.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If fire extinguishing agent openings are added to the vent system, then fire suppression effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vent system is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating fire extinguishing agent openings into the existing vent structure. The same vent component serves both its original purpose of releasing gas from battery cells and the additional function of allowing fire extinguishing agents to reach the battery cells. This universal design avoids adding separate complex fire suppression infrastructure.
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
This design effectively suppresses ignition and prevents heat from spreading to adjacent cells by rapidly extinguishing and cooling the battery cells when a fire occurs, enhancing the safety and reducing the risk of fire propagation.
Implementation Method 1
each of the insulation spacers including a heat-insulating first sheet and a plurality of flame-retardant second sheets respectively adhered to opposite surfaces of the first sheet by an adhesion member
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of flame-retardant second sheets respectively adhered to opposite surfaces of the first sheet by an adhesion member
Implementation Method 3
an extinguisher sheet between the top cover and the top plate, the extinguisher sheet being configured to emit a fire extinguishing agent at a temperature exceeding a reference temperature
Implementation Method 4
rapidly extinguishing and cooling the battery cells when a fire occurs
Data Source
AI summary
An energy storage module includes: a plurality of battery cells arranged in a first direction such that long side surfaces of adjacent ones of the battery cells face one another; a plurality of insulation spacers, at least one of the insulation spacers being between each adjacent pair of the battery cells, each of the insulation spacers including a heat-insulating first sheet and a plurality of flame-retardant second sheets respectively adhered to opposite surfaces of the first sheet by an adhesion member; a cover member including an internal receiving space configured to accommodate the battery cells and the insulation spacers; a top plate coupled to the cover member, the top plate including ducts respectively corresponding to vents of the battery cells and having fire extinguishing agent openings respectively corresponding to the insulation spacers; a top cover coupled to the top plate and having discharge openings respectively corresponding to the ducts; and an extinguisher sheet between the top cover and the top plate.