Fire Fighting EV Cooling Sled for Battery Thermal Runaway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional devices fail to effectively extinguish fires in lithium-ion battery packs, particularly in electric vehicles, due to insufficient water distribution and potential damage to the battery compartment.
Innovation Solution
A Cooling Sled with minimal moving parts that deploys high-volume water nozzles to distribute cool water directly onto the lithium-ion battery box without puncturing it, ensuring adequate cooling to prevent thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional devices are used to cool lithium-ion battery packs, then some cooling effect is achieved, but the water distribution is insufficient and the battery compartment may be punctured
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device is divided into multiple independent nozzles distributed across the sled, with each nozzle targeting a specific zone of the battery pack. This segmentation allows water to be delivered to multiple locations simultaneously, improving overall cooling effectiveness while maintaining a non-intrusive approach that avoids puncturing the battery compartment.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional cooling devices are used, then some water is applied, but the water volume and distribution are insufficient for effective cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sled is positioned underneath the vehicle, utilizing the vertical dimension to approach the battery pack from below. This allows water to be applied to the undersurface of the battery compartment, a dimension not accessible to conventional side or top-mounted cooling devices, thereby enabling both increased water volume and improved distribution coverage.
3Reliability
If conventional devices are used, then cooling is attempted, but the device complexity and moving parts are excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sled is designed to be manually positioned and deployed by first responders without requiring complex mechanical systems, motors, or automated controls. The device uses gravity and manual placement to achieve positioning, eliminating the need for complex moving parts while maintaining effective cooling performance through its simple, robust structure.
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 Cooling Sled effectively prevents thermal runaway in damaged or overcharged lithium-ion battery compartments by providing sufficient cooling without damaging the battery, and can also be used to cool other hazardous situations like liquid propane tanks.
Implementation Method 1
deploy cool water from a water source onto the surface of the lithium-ion battery box enclosure under such vehicle
Implementation Method 2
control the rise in temperature inside the lithium-ion battery compartment to help reduce or eliminate the possibility of thermal runaway
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed towards a cooling sled for distributing water to suppress of eliminate a fire in the battery compartment of an electric vehicle.