EV Battery Interface Material for Thermal Runaway Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle battery systems face challenges in maintaining constant stack-up pressure across battery cells, dissipating heat efficiently, providing thermal and electrical insulation, and preventing thermal runaway and fire propagation, which affects the battery's ability to supply power during thermal events.
Innovation Solution
A single-component, multilayer wall assembly is developed, comprising a middle wall of interlaced multifilament flame-resistant yarn or non-woven material, with intermediate and outer layers for bonding, providing constant compression, thermal conductivity, insulation, and dielectric properties to manage cell expansion and heat transfer while preventing flame propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate walls of material are stacked together to provide comprehensive protection, then protection against thermal runaway and fire propagation is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate protective wall materials into a single integrated multilayer wall assembly. This assembly includes a first wall made of thermally conductive material for heat dissipation, a second wall made of thermally insulative material for thermal isolation, and a fire suppressant layer, all bonded together as one unit. This merging eliminates the need to stack and assemble multiple separate walls, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection against thermal runaway and fire propagation.
2Reliability
If the intervening wall assembly is made thicker to provide better insulation and protection, then thermal and fire protection is improved, but the overall size of the electric vehicle battery increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials with distinct functional properties in a multilayer configuration. The first wall uses thermally conductive material to dissipate heat laterally, the second wall uses thermally insulative material to block heat transfer, and a fire suppressant layer provides chemical protection. This composite structure achieves superior thermal and fire protection within a compact thickness by leveraging the complementary properties of different materials rather than relying on a single thick barrier.
3Volume of moving object
If the wall assembly is made thinner to reduce battery size, then volume is reduced, but the ability to maintain constant stack-up pressure and provide adequate protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different functional properties to different layers of the wall assembly. The first wall layer is specifically designed with thermally conductive properties for heat dissipation, the second wall layer with thermally insulative properties for thermal blocking, and the fire suppressant layer with chemical protection properties. This localized functional differentiation allows each thin layer to excel at its specific task, achieving comprehensive protection and pressure maintenance in a compact overall thickness.
4Temperature
If separate protective layers are used for thermal conduction and thermal insulation, then thermal management is improved, but the number of components and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the thermal management functions into a single integrated wall assembly rather than using separate components. The multilayer structure combines thermally conductive material, thermally insulative material, and fire suppressant in one bonded unit that can be installed as a single component. This integration maintains effective thermal management by preserving the functional differentiation of layers while eliminating the complexity of assembling multiple separate protective 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 enables the electric vehicle battery system to maintain power for at least 5 minutes during thermal runaway, ensuring safe driving time by minimizing stress on cells and optimizing thermal management and insulation properties.
Implementation Method 1
provide heat transfer within a plane of the intervening wall during operation of the battery
Implementation Method 2
provide heat transfer within a plane of the intervening wall during operation of the battery, while also providing thermal and electrical insulation across the plane
Implementation Method 3
providing dielectric, fire suppressant protection
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cell interface material provides multiple types of protection between adjacent cells of an electric vehicle battery pack is provided. The interface material is an integral wall assembly having the following: a middle wall constructed of one of interlaced multifilament flame-resistant yarn or a non-woven material, the middle wall having opposite sides. A pair of intermediate layers, with each intermediate layer being bonded to a separate one of the opposite sides of the middle wall. A pair of outer layers, with each outer layer being bonded to a separate one of the pair of intermediate layers, such that each intermediate layer is sandwiched between one of the pair of outer layers and the textile middle wall, with each outer layer facing a cell wall of the electric vehicle battery being configured to be bonded directly to the cell wall.