Fire Extinguishing Cell for Battery Module Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lithium secondary batteries face risks of ignition and explosion due to overheating, which existing protective circuits struggle to manage efficiently, complicating the battery module structure and increasing the load on microcontrollers.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design incorporating a fire extinguishing cell with a fire extinguishing agent that ejects at a reference temperature to prevent or extinguish fires, featuring a cell holder with dedicated insertion portions for both battery cells and fire extinguishing cells, ensuring safety without complicating the module structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protecting circuit with fuse element and microcontroller is used to prevent overcurrent, then battery safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery safetyVSAvoidprotecting circuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the fire extinguishing function from the electrical protecting circuit system. By placing a physical fire extinguishing cell adjacent to the battery cell, it separates the thermal safety function from the electrical protection circuitry, allowing the microcontroller to focus only on electrical monitoring while the fire extinguishing cell autonomously handles thermal runaway through temperature-responsive rupture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The fire extinguishing cell acts as an intermediary between the battery cell and the environment during thermal runaway. It contains the fire extinguishing agent that is released when the temperature exceeds a threshold, serving as a passive safety barrier that intervenes to prevent fire propagation without requiring active electronic control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If microcontroller monitors overcurrent to prevent thermal runaway, then battery safety is improved, but productivity decreases due to increased processing load

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery safetyVSAvoidmicrocontroller processing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The fire extinguishing cell is designed to be self-activating through a temperature-responsive rupture mechanism. When thermal runaway occurs and temperature exceeds the rupture threshold, the cell automatically breaks and releases the fire extinguishing agent without requiring microcontroller intervention, decision-making, or additional processing power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If fire extinguishing cell is added to battery module, then safety against ignition and explosion is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety against ignition and explosionVSAvoidbattery module structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery module is segmented into functional zones: battery cell insertion portions and a fire extinguishing cell insertion portion. This spatial segmentation allows the fire extinguishing cell to be positioned adjacently to provide targeted protection, organizing the module structure to reflect functional relationships while maintaining modularity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fire extinguishing cell serves multiple safety functions simultaneously: it prevents ignition by containing fire extinguishing agent, stops fire propagation through rapid agent release, and provides passive thermal protection without requiring additional electronic components or control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Significantly reduces the likelihood of ignition and explosion events in lithium secondary batteries by effectively deploying a fire extinguishing agent, enhancing safety without adding complexity to the battery module's structure.

Implementation Method 1

a fire extinguishing cell (30) located in the fire extinguishing cell insertion portion (10b)... capable of ejecting a fire extinguishing agent toward the battery cells (20)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat absorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

Significantly reduces the likelihood of ignition and explosion events in lithium secondary batteries by effectively deploying a fire extinguishing agent

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical inhibition of combustion:

Data Source

PatentUS11717713B2Battery module with improved safety

Publication Date: 2023.08.08 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is a battery module, which includes: a cell holder having a plurality of battery cell insertion portions and at least one fire extinguishing cell insertion portion; a plurality of battery cells respectively located in the battery cell insertion portions; and at least one fire extinguishing cell located in the fire extinguishing cell insertion portion.