ESS Flooding Control for Thermal Runaway Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety mechanisms for managing thermal runaway or critical conditions in energy storage systems, such as battery packs in buildings, are complex, risky for personnel, and inefficient, as they often require manual intervention and are not dimensioned for effective fluid distribution.
Innovation Solution
A control unit initiates and controls the flooding of at least part of an energy storage space with a fluid from a reservoir, submerging affected ESSs to a level where the critical condition is no longer present, using existing reservoirs to minimize delay and cost, and employing fluid valves and pumps for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual flooding procedures are used with sealing walls, then the energy storage space can be sealed and flooded to handle critical conditions, but the device complexity and operational difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flooding function from complex manual procedures and sealing wall constructions, and integrates it into the battery box design itself through built-in reservoirs and automated valve systems. This eliminates the need for separate sealing walls and manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery box is designed to perform its own flooding operation automatically when critical conditions are detected. The system uses self-contained reservoirs integrated into the battery box structure, with automated valve control that activates without external intervention, making the system self-sufficient for safety operations.
2Reliability
If personnel manually insert water into battery boxes, then flooding can be achieved, but safety risks to personnel increase due to direct contact with thermal runaway batteries
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the need for personnel contact by designing battery boxes that automatically flood themselves when critical conditions occur. Sensors detect thermal runaway conditions and trigger automated valve opening, allowing the battery box to perform its own safety function without human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
Reservoirs are pre-integrated into the battery box structure during manufacturing, with flood valves and conduits already in place. This preliminary preparation ensures that when a critical condition occurs, flooding can begin immediately without requiring personnel to locate or connect external water sources.
3Reliability
If complete flooding of the energy storage space is performed, then all ESSs are protected from thermal runaway, but damage to unaffected ESSs increases and fluid usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the energy storage space into individual battery box compartments, each with its own integrated reservoir and flooding capability. This segmentation allows selective flooding of only the affected battery box rather than the entire energy storage space, protecting unaffected units while using minimal fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
Each battery box is equipped with localized flooding resources (integrated reservoirs) and control mechanisms specific to that compartment. This enables targeted application of cooling fluid precisely where thermal runaway is detected, rather than uniform flooding of the entire space, reducing overall fluid consumption and collateral damage.
4Quantity of substance
If dedicated reservoirs are constructed for flooding, then fluid availability is ensured, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery box structure serves multiple functions: it houses the battery cells, provides structural support, and contains integrated reservoirs for flooding operations. By making the battery box itself multi-functional, the system eliminates the need for separate dedicated reservoir structures, reducing overall device complexity while ensuring fluid availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoirs are nested within the battery box structure, utilizing the existing spatial framework of the battery enclosure. This nesting approach allows fluid storage capacity to be incorporated without adding external structures, maintaining a compact design while ensuring adequate fluid availability for flooding operations.
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 method ensures safe handling of critical conditions by minimizing damage to unaffected ESSs, reducing fluid usage, and preventing further escalation of the condition, while allowing quick recovery and inspection of unaffected units.
Implementation Method 1
it is necessary to cool down the complete battery pack to ensure that oxygen is not able to be produced, driving the runaway further
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a control unit for controlling flooding of at least part of an energy storage space. The energy storage space comprises at least one Energy Storage System, ESS. The control unit detects that a critical condition associated with the at least one ESS is present. When the critical condition has been detected, the control unit initiates flooding of at least part of the energy storage space with a fluid from a reservoir. The control unit controls the flooding of the energy storage space such that the at least one ESS is submersed to a submersion level where the critical condition is no longer present.