Battery pack enclosure with controlled thermal runaway release system

• US 8,277,965 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Hermann, Weston Arthur, Prilutsky, Alex, Mehta, Vineet Haresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Crepeau, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOUYETTE, KENNETH J
• Application Number:
  US12/798,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20100273034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 429/61, 429/62, 429/63, 429/152, 429/120, 429/457, 429/93, 429/163, 429/185, 220/367.1, 220/373
• US Class Current: 429/62
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/186 characterised by the disposition of the sealing members
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/276 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/342 Non-re-sealable arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/3425 in the form of rupturable membranes or weakened parts, e.g. pierced with the aid of a sharp member
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/367 Internal gas exhaust passages forming part of the battery cover or case; Double cover vent systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery pack thermal management system is provided that is comprised of at least one enclosure failure port integrated into at least one wall of a battery pack enclosure, where the enclosure failure port(s) remains closed during normal operation of the battery pack, and opens during a battery pack thermal runaway event, thereby providing a flow path for hot gas generated during the thermal runaway event to be exhausted out of the battery pack enclosure in a controlled fashion.

Claims

1. A battery pack thermal management system, comprising:

a battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries, wherein said battery pack enclosure is comprised of a high temperature material; and

an enclosure failure port assembly integrated into a wall of said battery pack enclosure, wherein said enclosure failure port assembly remains closed during normal operation of said battery pack, and wherein said enclosure failure port assembly opens during a battery pack thermal runaway event and provides a flow path for exhausting hot gas from within said battery pack enclosure, wherein said enclosure failure port assembly directs said flow path at an angle away from a normal of said wall of said battery pack enclosure, and wherein said enclosure failure port assembly further comprises;

a port within said wall of said battery pack enclosure, wherein said flow path through said port;

a cover sealed to an exterior surface of said wall of said battery pack enclosure, wherein said cover covers said port and is sealed to said wall along a juncture formed between a cover perimeter and said exterior surface of said wall;

a first sealant, wherein said first sealant seals a first portion of said juncture of said cover perimeter and said wall, wherein said first sealant has a first melting temperature; and

a second sealant, wherein said second sealant seals a second portion of said juncture of said cover perimeter and said wall, wherein said second sealant has a second melting temperature, wherein said second melting temperature is higher than said first melting temperature, wherein said first and second melting temperatures are lower than a melting temperature corresponding to either said battery pack enclosure or said cover, and wherein said first sealant fails during said battery pack thermal runaway event before said second sealant fails and wherein said first portion of said juncture opens before said second portion of said juncture during said battery pack thermal runaway event.

2. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said high temperature material is comprised of a metal with a melting temperature greater than 800°

C.

3. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said high temperature material is comprised of a metal with a melting temperature greater than 1000°

C.

4. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said high temperature material is comprised of at least an outer layer and an inner layer, wherein said inner layer is comprised of a ceramic.

5. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 4, wherein said ceramic inner layer prevents said outer layer from melting during said battery pack thermal runaway event.

6. battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said high temperature material is comprised of at least an outer layer and an inner layer, wherein said inner layer is comprised of an intumescent material.

7. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 6, wherein said intumescent material inner layer prevents said outer layer from melting during said battery pack thermal runaway event.

8. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said battery pack enclosure further comprises:

a first housing member configured to hold said plurality of batteries;

a second housing member configured to be coupled to said first housing member; and

means to secure said first housing member to said second housing member.

9. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 8, wherein said battery pack enclosure further comprises a sealing gasket configured to fit between a first sealing surface corresponding to said first housing member and a second sealing surface corresponding to said second housing member, said sealing gasket further configured to be interposed between said first and second sealing surfaces when said first housing member is secured to said second housing member.

10. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 9, wherein said sealing gasket includes a first portion comprised of a first gasket material with a first melting temperature, and wherein said sealing gasket includes a second portion comprised of a second gasket material with a second melting temperature, wherein said second melting temperature is less than said first melting temperature, and wherein said enclosure failure port is comprised of said second portion of said sealing gasket.

11. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure failure port assembly opens when an internal battery pack temperature exceeds a preset temperature.

12. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure failure port assembly opens when an internal battery pack temperature exceeds a preset temperature and an internal battery pack pressure exceed a preset pressure.

13. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said first sealant and said second sealant are selected from the group consisting of bonding materials, solder materials, and welding materials.

14. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, further comprising a heat resistant channel, wherein an entrance of said heat resistant channel is proximate to said enclosure failure port assembly, and wherein during said battery pack thermal runaway event hot gas is exhausted out of said enclosure failure port assembly and into said entrance of said heat resistant channel.

15. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 14, wherein said battery pack enclosure is mounted to a vehicle, wherein said hot gas exhausted through said enclosure failure port during said thermal runaway event passes through said heat resistant channel, and wherein an exit port of said heat resistant channel directs said hot gas away from a vehicle passenger compartment.

16. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 14, wherein said heat resistant channel utilizes an open channel design.

17. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 14, wherein said heat resistant channel utilizes a closed channel design.

18. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said battery pack enclosure is mounted to a vehicle, wherein said battery pack thermal management system further comprises at least one layer of a thermal insulator positioned between said battery pack enclosure and a vehicle passenger compartment.

19. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 1, wherein said battery pack enclosure is mounted to a vehicle, wherein said battery pack thermal management system further comprises at least one layer of a fire retardant material positioned between said battery pack enclosure and a vehicle passenger compartment.

20. The battery pack thermal management system of claim 19, wherein said fire retardant material is comprised of an intumescent material.