Battery Pack Fastening Member That Melts to Vent Heat and Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs suffer from heat concentration and gas retention during thermal events, leading to potential explosions and flame propagation, compromising safety and stability.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a fastening member that melts or burns upon temperature rise, creating a buffer space to disperse heat and facilitate gas venting, thereby preventing flame chain reactions and ensuring uniform thermal distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the upper frame is firmly fixed by the bolt to the barrier frame, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but heat concentration and gas retention occur during thermal events leading to potential explosions
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening member is divided into a non-meltable fastening portion (bolt) and a meltable portion (separable component). The bolt provides structural strength while the separable component melts during thermal events to create buffer space, preventing heat concentration and allowing gas venting.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening member changes its physical state from solid (providing strength) to melted/separated state during thermal events. This parameter change allows the structure to transition from a firmly fixed state to a state with buffer space, resolving the contradiction between strength and heat dissipation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the upper frame is firmly fixed by the bolt to the barrier frame, then the structural stability is improved, but gas generated during thermal events cannot be discharged leading to increased internal pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening member is segmented into a permanent bolt portion and a separable meltable portion. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain stability during normal operation while enabling gas discharge pathways to form when the meltable portion separates during thermal events.
Solution Approach 2:
The meltable portion acts as an intermediary element between the bolt and the upper frame. During thermal events, this intermediary melts and separates, creating space that allows gas to escape while the bolt remains in place to maintain overall structural integrity.
3Strength
If the fastening member is made of non-meltable material to maintain structural integrity, then the structural strength is improved, but heat and gas caused by flame cannot disperse freely leading to thermal runaway
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening member is segmented into two functional portions: a non-meltable bolt portion that maintains structural integrity and a meltable separable portion that enables thermal safety. This segmentation allows both contradictory requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The meltable separable portion serves as a sacrificial intermediary that protects the overall structural integrity by sacrificing itself during thermal events. Its separation creates buffer space for heat and gas dispersal, preventing thermal runaway while the main bolt structure remains intact.
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 design effectively disperses heat and vents gas, preventing thermal runaway and ensuring safety by avoiding heat concentration and flame propagation.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the fastening member is directly fastened to the pack case and at least a portion thereof melts or burns when temperature rises
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a battery pack and a vehicle including the same. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a pack case in which the plurality of battery modules are accommodated; and a fastening member configured to fasten the pack case, wherein at least a portion of the fastening member is directly fastened to the pack case and at least a portion thereof melts or burns when temperature rises.