Segmented Battery Cooling Plate for Thermal Runaway Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery devices face challenges in preventing the spread of high-temperature heat and flames generated from one battery cell assembly from igniting adjacent cells, leading to thermal runaway.

Innovation Solution

A battery device design featuring a cooling plate with heat transfer delay portions between seating areas, filled with materials like mica or silica, to reduce heat transfer between adjacent cell assemblies and include gas channels to dissipate high-temperature gases, thereby delaying or preventing secondary ignition and thermal runaway.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a cooling plate is installed to cool battery cell assemblies, then heat dissipation is improved, but heat transfer between adjacent cell assemblies increases causing thermal runaway

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidheat transfer between adjacent cells
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate is segmented into multiple independent cooling regions, each corresponding to a specific cell assembly. These regions are separated by heat insulation portions that divide the cooling plate into independent units, preventing heat from spreading between adjacent cell assemblies while maintaining effective cooling for each individual assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Heat insulation portions are introduced as intermediary elements between adjacent cooling regions. These portions act as thermal barriers that block heat transfer pathways while allowing the cooling plate to maintain its overall cooling function. The heat insulation portions serve as mediators that separate the thermal zones of adjacent cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If cell assemblies are disposed closely to maximize space utilization, then productivity is improved, but the risk of flame propagation and thermal runaway between adjacent cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidflame propagation risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple compartments by partition walls, with each compartment accommodating a separate cell assembly. This segmentation creates physical isolation between cells, preventing flame and heat propagation while allowing dense packing of cell assemblies to maximize space utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Partition walls serve as intermediary structures between adjacent cell assemblies. These walls act as fire barriers and thermal insulation layers that prevent direct contact and heat transfer between cells, enabling close spacing without increasing thermal runaway risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If a general cooling technique is used without heat transfer delay portions, then device complexity is reduced, but thermal runaway cannot be prevented between adjacent cell assemblies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling structure simplicityVSAvoidthermal runaway prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate incorporates heat insulation portions that segment the cooling structure into independent zones. This segmentation approach maintains relative structural simplicity while effectively preventing thermal runaway by isolating heat transfer paths between adjacent cell assemblies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling plate features localized heat insulation portions positioned specifically between adjacent cooling regions. This local quality modification allows the majority of the cooling plate to maintain high thermal conductivity for effective cooling, while specific localized areas provide thermal insulation to prevent heat spread, achieving both simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Effectively reduces the risk of thermal runaway and secondary ignition by minimizing heat transfer and flame propagation between cell assemblies, enhancing safety and stability in battery devices.

Implementation Method 1

a heat transfer delay portion disposed between the plurality of seating portions and preventing or reducing heat transfer between the seating portions adjacent to each other

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

a cooling plate installed in the housing to cool the plurality of cell assemblies

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4239759A1Battery device
Publication Date: 2023.09.06 SK ON CO LTD
  • EP4239759A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4239759A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4239759A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A battery device includes a plurality of cell assemblies each including a plurality of battery cells; a housing including an accommodation space in which the plurality of cell assemblies are accommodated; and a cooling plate installed in the housing to cool the plurality of cell assemblies, wherein the cooling plate includes a plurality of seating portions on which the cell assemblies are seated, respectively, and a heat transfer delay portion disposed between the plurality of seating portions and preventing or reducing heat transfer between the seating portions adjacent to each other.