Fire Suppression in EV Battery Systems

Battery cell design to improve safety during thermal runaway by preventing electrical short circuits. The battery cell has an insulating member between the adapter connecting the electrode tab to the terminal and the housing. This prevents contact between the adapter and housing if the swelling electrode assembly pushes against it during thermal runaway. The insulating member can be a sheet or film connected to the housing or protective film. It covers the adapter end extending beyond the tab.

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Battery pack and module design with improved safety against thermal runaway, fire, explosion, and the like, that is, thermal safety, for battery packs used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The pack and module have a cell cover surrounding some of the pouch-type battery cells directly instead of module cases. The cell cover allows venting gas to escape in a specific direction instead of all directions. This prevents flame propagation between cells if a thermal event occurs in one cell. The cell cover guides discharged gases and flames away from adjacent cells to contain thermal events.

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Battery module design for preventing thermal runaway propagation between cells and between modules in battery packs, especially for electric vehicles. The module has a frame with an open front, an end cover, and battery cells inside. Between the cells and the cover is a filling material that prevents venting gases, ignitable particles, or flames from escaping in the front-rear direction. This forces the gases to exit upwards through holes in the cover. This prevents chain reactions between cells and between modules by confining the thermal events.

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Managing thermal energy within a traction battery pack of an electrified vehicle to prevent cell venting debris from spreading to adjacent cells during thermal events. The technique involves securing thermal blockers between adjacent battery cells using an adhesive-backed base assembly that sandwiches between the cells. This prevents vent byproducts from migrating between cells during a thermal event. The base assembly can be an adhesive tape, securing the thermal blockers and adjacent cells together. The adhesive tape also provides mechanical support to the cells. The technique helps contain thermal runaway within cells and prevent cell-to-cell propagation.

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Battery cap design that reduces cap height while maintaining seal and explosion prevention. The cap has a smaller diameter anti-explosion valve plate beneath a larger diameter top cover. A narrow gap between the plates is sealed with an internal washer. This allows the valve plate to fracture and turn over for pressure relief without needing excessive space between the cover and jelly roll. The cap also has recesses and grooves for sealing rings and grooves on the plates to accommodate the recesses.

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Test fixture for battery cell chemistry evaluation that enables more comprehensive monitoring and sampling of battery performance parameters beyond voltage. The fixture has a housing with separate battery cell and sensor chambers, connectors for gas sampling, pressure sensing, and valve actuation. A biasing member urges the cell into contact with the cell chamber. Gas, pressure, and valve connectors are fluidically connected to the cell chamber. This allows sampling, sensing, and controlling cell gases, pressures, and valves during cycling.

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Fire suppression system for Li-ion battery packs in vehicles that uses onboard and emergency fire suppressants to cool battery cells during overheating and fire events. The system has detectors to sense cell breakdown conditions, a controller to activate suppression procedures, and entry and exit points for suppressant flow. It uses onboard fire suppressant initially, then connects an external emergency source if needed. The system also alerts the operator and drains spent suppressant. This allows targeted cooling during cell failures without flooding the pack.

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Fire suppression system for batteries in vehicles like electric cars, aircraft, and boats. The system has detectors inside the battery packs to sense fire events caused by cell ruptures. If a cell rupture is detected, the system releases suppressant gases into the battery pack to cool and smother the fire. It uses separate dedicated inlets and outlets for emergency fire suppression versus normal cooling. This allows targeted cooling of ruptured cells without affecting the whole pack. The system also has a check valve to prevent backflow. The controller can automatically trigger the emergency suppression or manually as well. Spent suppressant is vented outside the pack.

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An automated fire extinguishing system for electric vehicle parking spaces that provides targeted fire prevention and suppression inside the battery packs of parked electric vehicles. The system monitors battery packs for thermal runaway and fires using internal sensors. If a fire is detected, a quick-connect system allows the battery pack to be isolated and sealed to prevent spread. Then, a delivery pipeline with a valve and nozzle inside the vehicle connects to an external fire suppression system. This allows targeted fire suppression inside the battery pack without exposing the vehicle to external firefighting agents. The system also has external sprinklers and isolation barriers to address exterior vehicle fires.

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Fire suppression system for energy storage containers that uses multiple fire extinguishing agents to effectively extinguish battery fires. It combines water irrigation for individual battery boxes with submerged perfluorohexanone for the entire cabinet. This hierarchical approach provides early detection and targeted suppression of thermal runaway. It uses cluster-level, cabin-level, and container-level fire prevention and warning. The system employs specialized fire detection with sensors for smoke, temperature, CO, H2, and VOC gases. It also has a central fire control engine to manage suppression and ventilation. This comprehensive and layered fire protection mitigates the risks of battery fires in energy storage systems.

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Fire protection system for electric energy storage (EES) systems that uses inert gas and liquid fire suppressant to quickly and effectively extinguish fires in EES modules. The system has compact reservoirs for inert gas and suppressant, connected circuits for prevention and extinguishing, and a switching mechanism. It uses sensors to trigger the system, a rod actuator for evacuation, and a smoke column for venting. The system aims to address deficiencies in current EES fire protection by providing targeted, controlled prevention and suppression using two substances.

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Fire suppression system for electric vehicles that can quickly extinguish battery fires in EVs. The system uses sensors inside the battery pack to monitor temperature, pressure, gas leaks, etc. If thresholds are exceeded indicating a fire, the system injects fire suppressant into the battery pack through valves controlled by the sensor data. This allows targeted, rapid suppression without needing to access the enclosed battery cells. The system also has features like shut-off valves, moving spray heads, and circulating air/agent holes to optimize firefighting.

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Fire extinguishing system for electric vehicle battery packs that detects battery environmental conditions and selectively sprays fire suppressant to extinguish battery fires. The system includes sensors inside the battery pack to monitor conditions like temperature, pressure, gas generation, and shock. If dangerous levels are detected, a control unit activates valves in the battery pack to release fire suppressant into the affected area. The suppressant injection units protrude from the pack body when pressure is applied. This allows targeted extinguishment of battery fires without full pack flooding.

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Early detection and mitigation of thermal runaway in electric vehicle (EV) batteries to prevent fires and damage. The system uses sensors to detect outgassing, a precursor to thermal runaway, and alerts the fleet management system. This allows proactive response like evacuating the vehicle or redirecting assignments. On-board cooling and fire suppression can also be triggered. In EV facilities, the system identifies nearby vehicles and takes actions to protect them if a battery is outgassing.

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Safely packaging and cooling high-voltage battery packs in rail vehicles to prevent fires. The battery pack is enclosed in a separate fire protection cabinet filled with a liquid dielectric. The cabinet has a dielectric tank above it and a controllable valve to connect it. In normal operation, the tank provides cooling and maintains constant temperature. If a battery fault occurs, the valve opens to fill the cabinet with dielectric to extinguish fires. The compartment separates the battery from the driver's cabin for isolation. The tank is also connected to the battery cooling circuit as a compensating reservoir. A separate power converter cabinet has an aerosol cartridge for local fire suppression.

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Power battery fire extinguishing system for electric vehicles that accurately detects and suppresses battery fires using a hierarchical approach. The system uses a combination of temperature and pressure sensors to monitor individual battery cells. If a cell reaches a thermal runaway condition, the system activates a localized fire extinguishing unit to suppress the fire. If the localized suppression fails, a secondary fire extinguishing unit for the entire battery is activated. This two-stage approach provides more efficient and precise fire suppression compared to a single fire extinguishing system.

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Electrochemical energy storage cabinet fire suppression system that can effectively extinguish fires in battery packs without flooding the entire cabinet. The system uses individual fire detection devices in each pack that trigger targeted fire suppression when they detect high carbon monoxide and temperature levels. This prevents the need to flood the entire cabinet with extinguishing agent since it can precisely aim at the burning pack. The detection devices have probes inside the pack to monitor conditions accurately.

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Fire protection system for energy storage battery compartments in energy storage power stations that provides early warning and effective extinguishing of battery fires. The system uses a flammable gas detector to monitor battery compartment for elevated gas concentration. If the concentration exceeds a threshold, it activates cooling and alarms. If concentration remains high, it cuts power and sprays water mist. If still high, it triggers a remote fire extinguisher. This sequence of progressive actions prevents fire spread versus immediate extinguishing which can cause battery damage.

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Fire prevention and control system for lithium-ion battery energy storage systems to mitigate and extinguish battery fires. The system includes fire detection devices in each battery box and cabinet, an alarm system, an air shutoff valve, and a fire suppression system. If a fire is detected, the air shutoff valve closes to isolate oxygen, the fire suppression system is activated, and suppressant is sprayed through ducts and nozzles in the box/cabinet. Separation devices between boxes/clusters prevent fire spread.

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Battery box fire suppression system using liquid nitrogen and carbon dioxide to extinguish fires in battery packs. The system has a storage mechanism for the fire suppressants, precise one-to-one fire sprinklers in each battery box, and monitoring to detect abnormalities. When a box overheats, the monitoring sends a signal to the controller to open the corresponding sprinkler and release the fire suppressants. Liquid nitrogen cools nearby batteries to prevent heat spread, while carbon dioxide reduces oxygen levels to suppress the fire. A gas release alarm warns when suppressants are used.

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