Prismatic Battery Venting and Cooling for Thermal Runaway Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries face a thermal propagation phenomenon where surrounding batteries overheat due to thermal runaway, posing a high risk of fire, and existing solutions fail to effectively suppress this issue.
Innovation Solution
A prismatic secondary battery design featuring a metal case with a cooling unit containing an absorbent material impregnated with liquid, a thermally conductive body, and a vent hole system that guides and filters high-temperature gases and particles outside the case, reducing the risk of thermal propagation and external fires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If secondary batteries are grouped in modules or packs, then energy storage capacity increases, but thermal propagation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the battery module into independently segmented battery packs, each equipped with its own cooling unit and venting system. This segmentation prevents thermal runaway from propagating between batteries by creating isolated thermal zones with dedicated cooling pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces cooling units as intermediary components between adjacent batteries. These cooling units act as thermal barriers that absorb and dissipate heat before it can propagate to surrounding batteries, thereby preventing thermal runaway spread while maintaining high energy density configurations.
2Reliability
If cooling systems are added to suppress thermal runaway, then safety improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is designed to automatically activate and function without external control systems. The passive cooling mechanism utilizes natural heat dissipation pathways and phase-change materials that self-regulate temperature without requiring sensors, controllers, or active pumping systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs phase-change materials within the cooling unit that automatically absorb excess heat through phase transitions (e.g., solid to liquid). This passive thermal management leverages the latent heat of fusion to suppress thermal runaway without requiring complex active cooling systems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If vent holes are provided to discharge thermal runaway gases, then thermal propagation is suppressed, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The venting system is segmented into multiple distributed vent holes rather than a single precise opening. This segmentation reduces the criticality of individual hole positioning, as the collective venting effect achieves thermal propagation suppression even with variations in individual hole locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention provides multiple vent holes with sufficient total venting area that exceeds the minimum theoretical requirement. This excessive venting capacity ensures effective thermal runaway gas discharge even if some holes are partially blocked or positioned with manufacturing tolerances.
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 unit effectively discharges high-temperature gases and particles, significantly reducing the risk of thermal propagation and external fires by cooling and filtering them, thereby enhancing safety in secondary battery modules.
Implementation Method 1
an absorbent material impregnated with a liquid vaporized by heat generated in the battery cells
Implementation Method 2
an absorbent material impregnated with a liquid vaporized by heat generated in the battery cells
Implementation Method 3
a thermally conductive body formed with an insertion hole into which the absorbent material is inserted
Data Source
AI summary
A prismatic secondary battery includes a metal case, at least one or more battery cells accommodated in the case, a cooling unit disposed at at least one side of the case, and a fixing body configured to fix the cooling unit, and formed with a vent hole configured to guide gas generated in the battery cells and passing through the cooling unit to the outside of the case.