Flash Cooling System for Increased Battery Safety
First Claim
1. A battery pack comprising:
- a plurality of battery cells;
a first cooling system to cool the battery cells during routine charging and discharging of the battery cells; and
a second cooling system to cool the battery cells in response to a signal indicating detection of one or more conditions indicating possible thermal runaway within the battery cells.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a battery pack having multiple battery cells distributed, for example, between multiple interconnected battery modules, a run-time cooling system is provided to cool (and/or heat) the battery cells during routine charging and discharging of the cells (e.g., powering a load such as a motor within an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle), and an emergency cooling system to cool the battery cells in response to a signal indicating detection of one or more conditions indicating possible thermal runaway within the battery cells or battery modules. The run-time cooling system, which may include a fan, HVAC unit or other fluid pumping device, induces continuous coolant flow within the battery pack (e.g., flow of air or other gaseous or liquid coolant). The emergency cooling system, by contrast, includes a mechanical interface or is otherwise adapted to receive a receptacle containing pressurized coolant or other flash-cooling device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells; a first cooling system to cool the battery cells during routine charging and discharging of the battery cells; and a second cooling system to cool the battery cells in response to a signal indicating detection of one or more conditions indicating possible thermal runaway within the battery cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operation within a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells, the method comprising:
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enabling a first cooling system to cool the battery cells during routine charging and discharging of the battery cells; and enabling a second cooling system to cool the battery cells in response to detecting conditions indicating possible thermal runaway within the battery cells. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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battery cells; means for enabling a first cooling system to cool the battery cells during routine charging and discharging of the battery cells; and means for enabling a second cooling system to cool the battery cells in response to detecting conditions indicating possible thermal runaway within the battery cells.
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Specification