Mechanisms for Venting Gases Generated during a Thermal Runaway Event

A method to automatically optimize cooling airflow through battery packs in electric aircraft. The system uses sensors to detect battery output and a controller to adjust vent positions. By actively managing the vent arrangement, the airflow through the battery pack can be optimized to prevent overheating and extend battery life.

Battery design with enhanced safety features to reduce the risk of thermal runaway and explosion. It provides a battery construction with a thermal management component located below the battery cells. The thermal management component has a region with a substance that aids destruction. When a cell has thermal runaway and its pressure relief valve actuates, the destructive emissions released destroy the thermal management component. This allows the internal fluid to escape, rapidly cooling the runaway cell and preventing explosion.

Thermally activatable pressure relief device with a support member that mitigates damage and false triggering. The device includes a housing, an inlet/outlet, a blocking element, a spring, and a bursting member. The blocking element seals the outlet passage until fluid pressure exceeds a threshold. The spring biases the blocking element toward release. The bursting member bursts at a certain temperature, allowing the blocking element to move and relieve pressure. The blocking element has different diameters at the sealing rings. This unbalanced pressure generates a net force pushing the blocking element towards the bursting member.

Battery design that enhances safety by preventing explosive emissions from damaging adjacent components. The battery has a pressure relief mechanism in one wall and a thermal management component attached to that wall. When the relief mechanism activates, it discharges emissions into the thermal component, damaging it and releasing a cooling fluid. This rapidly cools the emissions to mitigate explosion risk.

Battery module design for electric vehicles that mitigates the risks and effects of cell venting and thermal runaway. The design allows a cell to vent without triggering a cascade of failures in neighboring cells. It positions the vent features of cells to vent into a containment volume instead of between cells. The volume cools and dilutes vent gases to reduce damage to neighboring cells. The design also arranges cells so venting is directed away from occupants and provides filters and barriers to further isolate vent gases.

Battery module for electric vehicles that can contain fires from failed cells to prevent spread and damage to other cells. It has a design that allows venting of failed cells while trapping the gases. The module has a busbar with voids next to each cell. Silicone is injected into the voids to capture vented gases. A pad covers the voids to seal them. If a cell vents gases, they are trapped by the silicone and cannot reach other cells.

Battery pack design to prevent fires from thermal runaway of battery modules in energy storage systems. The design uses anti-fire venting units made of metal with pores, and meshes covering the entrances and exits. This prevents flames from escaping while allowing gases to vent. The mesh protects against sparks and particles damaging the venting units. The pack also has heat transfer suppression between modules to isolate thermal runaway events.

System for venting an electric vehicle battery pack to ensure proper functioning and prevent damage. The system uses a fluid-filled vent with a valve and pump. The valve can be opened or closed to control fluid flow through the vent. The pump displaces fluid to and from the battery pack. By selectively opening and closing the valve and pumping fluid, the system can modify the charging conditions and temperature of the battery pack. This allows the battery management system to monitor and regulate the charging process to prevent overcharging or overheating the battery.

Battery apparatus with multiple exhaust assemblies and an isolation baffle inside the housing to exhaust high-temperature gas and take away heat from inside the battery module. The exhaust assemblies are used to create an airflow through the housing when sensors detect high temperatures or flammable gas. This rapidly removes gas generated by the battery, reducing the explosion risk. The isolation baffle divides the housing into regions to further separate the airflow paths.

A battery containment system for electronic devices, such as tablet computers used for in-flight entertainment systems, that reduces the risk of fire in the event of a lithium-ion battery thermal runaway. The battery enclosure has a cooling channel that ducts any gas exhausted during thermal runaway to a vent where it can mix with air outside. The long pathway and cooling from the channel lowers the temperature of the gases, including lithium gas, to avoid ignition when exposed to oxygen.

Energy storage system with improved safety by detecting and mitigating thermal runaway in battery modules. The system has a venting detector to sense gas venting from a module indicating abnormal heating. When venting is detected, a coolant supplier injects coolant into that module to rapidly cool it and prevent thermal runaway from propagating to other modules. This prevents temperature spikes in a few modules from damaging the entire system.

Battery system with active cooling of a venting channel to safely manage and cool gases during a thermal runaway event. The battery system has a venting device to guide venting gas away from cells. The venting channel is surrounded by cooling channels to cool the venting gas. Cooling the vented gases reduces the risk of flammable gases igniting at the battery vent.

Battery packs for electric vehicles that have a multi-layered vent management system to control the effects of thermal runaway events in the battery cells. The vent management system sits between the battery array and the enclosure cover and has layers like insulation, baffles, and filters that serve different functions to contain and direct vented gases and particles during a thermal event. This prevents propagation and damage to the enclosure.

Battery design to improve safety by reducing the risk of explosions that can occur when a battery cell fails. The battery has multiple cells with pressure relief mechanisms that face separate discharge channels. This allows gases released from failing cells to efficiently vent out of the battery instead of potentially blocking a single discharge channel.

A battery pack design for electric vehicles that has a more compact structure, increased energy density, and improved safety performance compared to conventional battery packs. The battery pack has at least one battery cell with a vent to release gas, and a pack case that houses the battery cell(s) with the vent facing downwards so that gases can escape directly out of the pack. This prevents gas buildup inside the pack that could lead to overheating or explosion. It also eliminates the need for extra components like top covers and heat sinks that reduce energy density. The exposed vent increases safety by allowing any released gases to quickly disperse away from the pack.

System to safely vent battery ejecta from an aircraft battery module in the event of thermal runaway. The system uses a conduit to direct the vented gases, flames, and debris from the battery to an external vent on the aircraft fuselage. The conduit has features like baffles or vanes that direct the ejecta along a flow path to prevent it from propagating through the battery module.

A venting seal system for battery modules in electric aircraft that mitigates thermal runaway events. The system uses an electrical bridging device between the battery modules that can disconnect a problematic module and seal it off. This prevents chain reactions. A venting seal made of flexible insulation like mica isolates the problem module while still allowing cooling gas to vent.

A system for venting seals for battery modules in electric aircraft to prevent thermal runaway. The system uses independent seals on each battery module that normally isolate them from ventilation. But if a module starts overheating, the seal opens to allow venting of gases. A contactor can disconnect overheating modules to isolate them further. This prevents thermal runaway from spreading and allows cooling the bad module.

Battery pack for EVs that has a special duct system to selectively vent gas during a thermal runaway event. The battery pack has a duct with a switching wall that can direct air flow to cool the battery during normal operation, but switch to venting gas outside the vehicle if a cell overheats and goes into thermal runaway.

Battery cell design to enhance safety by guiding venting gas during thermal runaway events. The cell has venting guide units that secure the electrode leads and direct gas expulsion through specific regions of the cell case. This prevents random venting that could propagate thermal events. The guides concentrate gas discharge near the electrode leads where a thermal event is likely to start.