Passive ventilation device and method
First Claim
1. A passive ventilation system comprising:
- an enclosure having outer walls defining an inner chamber for housing a battery therein;
a thermally insulating, gas permeable panel disposed adjacent one of the outer walls of the enclosure and having a first surface facing into the inner chamber and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface defining a ventilation space between the panel and said one of the outer walls for diffusing a low density gas within the inner chamber through the gas permeable panel into the ventilation space; and
an exhaust opening in one of the outer walls in communication with the ventilation space for discharging the low density gas from the ventilation space.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A passive ventilation device and method for releasing hydrogen from an enclosure (3) housing a battery (9). The enclosure has an outer shell (11) and an inner insulating layer (13) that includes a gas permeable panel (7). The panel is disposed within the chamber adjacent one of the sidewalls of the enclosure. The sidewall has an inlet opening (34) and an exhaust opening (36) in communication with a ventilation space (32) for providing an upward air flow through the ventilation space to draw hydrogen through the gas permeable panel into the ventilation space. The upward air flow can be powered by the low density hydrogen and/or by heating the air within the ventilation space to a temperature greater than the ambient temperature.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A passive ventilation system comprising:
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an enclosure having outer walls defining an inner chamber for housing a battery therein; a thermally insulating, gas permeable panel disposed adjacent one of the outer walls of the enclosure and having a first surface facing into the inner chamber and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface defining a ventilation space between the panel and said one of the outer walls for diffusing a low density gas within the inner chamber through the gas permeable panel into the ventilation space; and an exhaust opening in one of the outer walls in communication with the ventilation space for discharging the low density gas from the ventilation space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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6. The system of 1 wherein the gas permeable panel comprises a material having a thermal conductivity less than 0.5 BTU in/ft2 °
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11. An apparatus for venting hydrogen gas from a battery chamber comprising:
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an enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls defining an inner chamber for housing a battery therein; a thermally insulating, gas permeable panel disposed adjacent one of the sidewalls of the enclosure and having a first surface facing into the inner chamber and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface defining a ventilation space between the panel and said one of the sidewalls; means for creating an air flow through the ventilation space for drawing hydrogen gas within the inner chamber through the gas permeable panel into the ventilation space; and an exhaust opening in one of the sidewalls in communication with the ventilation space for discharging the low density gas from the ventilation space. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for passively venting a low density gas from a chamber comprising:
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providing an enclosure having outer walls and an inner chamber for housing a battery; creating an air flow through a ventilation space between one of the outer walls of the enclosure and a gas permeable panel disposed between said one of the outer walls and the inner chamber; diffusing the low density gas through the gas permeable panel into the ventilation space; and discharging the low density gas through an exhaust opening in one of the outer walls of the enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification