Thermal Exchange Plate Barrier for Battery Runaway Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery arrays in electrified vehicles face challenges in shielding against thermal energy, particularly during thermal runaway events, where heat can spread across different tiers of batteries, potentially leading to further thermal issues.
Innovation Solution
A traction battery assembly is designed with thermal barriers, including intumescent materials and aerogel endothermic fillers, sandwiched between thermal exchange plates and enclosure structures, to block thermal energy transfer and manage heat levels effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal barriers are added between thermal exchange plates and enclosure structures, then thermal energy transfer is blocked and thermal runaway risk is reduced, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
A thermal barrier layer comprising intumescent material and aerogel is introduced as an intermediary between the thermal exchange plate and the enclosure structure. This barrier intercepts and blocks thermal energy transfer, preventing thermal runaway propagation while maintaining the functional integrity of the thermal management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal barrier utilizes a composite material structure combining intumescent material (which expands when exposed to heat to form an insulating char layer) with aerogel (an ultra-lightweight material with exceptional thermal insulation properties). This composite approach achieves superior thermal blocking performance while managing the added complexity through material-level integration.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If thermal barriers with intumescent and aerogel materials are used, then thermal energy blocking is enhanced, but manufacturing precision and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal barrier is implemented as a thin-film layer that can conform to the contours of the thermal exchange plate and enclosure structure. This thin-film approach provides effective thermal blocking without requiring thick rigid layers, thereby reducing assembly complexity and precision requirements while maintaining superior thermal energy blocking performance through the high insulation efficiency of the intumescent-aerogel composite.
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 effectively prevents thermal energy from spreading across different tiers of batteries, reducing the risk of thermal runaway events and maintaining optimal thermal management within the battery pack.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal barrier sandwiched between the thermal exchange plate and the enclosure structure
Implementation Method 2
the thermal barrier includes an intumescent
Implementation Method 3
the thermal barrier further including an aerogel having an endothermic filler
Data Source
AI summary
A traction battery assembly includes a thermal exchange plate, a battery array disposed on the thermal exchange plate, an enclosure structure supporting the battery array and the thermal exchange plate, and a thermal barrier sandwiched between the thermal exchange plate and the enclosure structure. A method of shielding areas of a traction battery pack from thermal energy includes positioning a thermal barrier between a thermal exchange plate and an enclosure structure. The thermal barrier is configured to block transfer of thermal energy from the thermal exchange plate to the enclosure structure.