Battery Module Case Coating and Venting for Thermal Runaway Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery modules are prone to thermal runaway, leading to heat accumulation and propagation, which can cause fires or explosions, and there is a need for structures that prevent heat accumulation and minimize thermal conduction and radiation between modules.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a protective layer made of materials like polyurethane or silicone on the module case, venting holes for gas release, and a top cover with improved adhesion using an adhesive member and primer layer to manage thermal events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If battery cells are densely packed in a module case to increase energy density, then the charge/discharge capacity increases, but thermal runaway can propagate rapidly to adjacent cells causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The module case is divided into multiple compartments by partition walls, separating battery cells into isolated groups. This segmentation prevents thermal runaway from propagating between cells by creating physical barriers that block heat transfer and flame spread, while still allowing dense packing within each compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat-resistant coating layers are applied to the module case and partition walls to serve as intermediary protective barriers. These coatings have low thermal conductivity and high heat resistance, blocking thermal conduction from the battery cells to the metal case and preventing ignition of adjacent cells.
2Strength
If a metal module case with high thermal conductivity is used, then structural strength and heat dissipation improve, but thermal conduction during thermal events causes rapid heat spread to adjacent modules
Solution Approach 1:
Heat-resistant coating layers are applied to the metal module case to serve as intermediary barriers. These coatings have low thermal conductivity, blocking the direct thermal conduction path from battery cells through the metal case to adjacent modules, while the metal case maintains its structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The module case is designed as a composite structure combining metal substrate with heat-resistant coating layers. The metal provides structural strength and rigidity, while the coating layers provide thermal insulation properties, creating a multi-functional composite structure that addresses both strength and thermal conduction issues.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If venting holes are added to the module case to release gases, then gas accumulation during thermal events is prevented, but the protective layer must be applied to complex geometries including hole interiors increasing manufacturing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The venting holes are designed with specific dimensional parameters including diameter, depth, and spacing optimized for gas release efficiency. The protective coating is applied to these holes with controlled thickness parameters, balancing the need for gas venting with the requirement for thermal protection while considering manufacturing constraints.
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 prevents heat accumulation and thermal runaway propagation, ensuring safety and reliability by minimizing thermal conduction and radiation between modules.
Implementation Method 1
a protective layer disposed on an outer surface of the module case and configured to prevent thermal conduction and thermal radiation to an outside of the module case
Implementation Method 2
a protective layer disposed on an outer surface of the module case and configured to prevent thermal conduction and thermal radiation to an outside of the module case
Implementation Method 3
the module case may have at least one venting hole in an upper surface, wherein gas from the battery cell may be vented through the venting hole
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a battery module including a cell stack including a plurality of battery cells; a module case configured to accommodate the cell stack; and a protective layer disposed on an outer surface of the module case and configured to prevent thermal conduction and thermal radiation to an outside of the module case.