Active thermal runaway mitigation system for use within a battery pack

• US 9,093,726 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2009
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Prilutsky, Alex, Hermann, Weston Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Cano, Milton I
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANCHUK, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US12/558,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20100136391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,145 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120, 429/62
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/123 the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6564 using compressed gas
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/659 by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/609 Arrangements or processes for filling with liquid, e.g. electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An active thermal runaway mitigation system is provided that mitigates the effects of a single cell undergoing thermal runaway, thereby preventing the propagation of the thermal runaway event to neighboring cells within the battery pack. The provided system includes at least one, fluid-containing conduit in proximity to the cells within the battery pack. The conduit includes a plurality of breach points in proximity to the subset of cells, where each breach point is configured to form a breach at a preset temperature that is lower than the melting temperature of the conduit. Once a breach is formed, the fluid contained within the conduit is discharged through the breach.

Claims

1. A thermal runaway mitigation system, comprising:

a battery pack enclosure;

a plurality of cells contained within said battery pack enclosure;

at least one conduit in proximity to at least a subset of said plurality of cells, wherein said at least one conduit is comprised of a material with a first melting temperature;

a fluid contained within said at least one conduit;

a plurality of breach points within said at least one conduit, wherein said plurality of breach points are in proximity to said subset of said plurality of cells, and wherein each of said plurality of breach points is configured to form a breach at a preset temperature, wherein said preset temperature is lower than said first melting temperature, and wherein a portion of said fluid is discharged through said breach when said breach is formed at said preset temperature;

a fluid reservoir coupled to said at least one conduit;

a fluid pump coupled to said at least one conduit, wherein said fluid pump pumps said fluid from said fluid reservoir through said conduit;

a fluid pump activation subsystem comprising at least one pressure sensor, wherein said at least one pressure sensor monitors a fluid pressure within said at least one conduit and outputs a pump activation signal when said fluid pressure falls below a preset pressure, wherein said fluid pressure falling below said preset pressure is indicative of said breach forming within said at least one conduit; and

a system controller coupled to said fluid pump and to said at least one pressure sensor, wherein said system controller is programmed to activate said fluid pump in response to said system controller receiving said pump activation signal from said at least one pressure sensor when said fluid pressure falls below said preset pressure.

2. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein said preset temperature corresponds to a thermal runaway event.

3. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein said preset temperature corresponds to a precursor to a thermal runaway event.

4. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of breach points comprise a region of thinned conduit wall.

5. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of breach points comprise a conduit aperture and a plug within said conduit aperture, wherein said plug has a melting temperature corresponding to said preset temperature.

6. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of breach points comprise a conduit aperture, a plug within said conduit aperture, and a layer of a second material interposed between said conduit aperture and an outer surface of said plug, wherein said second material has a melting temperature corresponding to said preset temperature.

7. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 6, wherein said plug has a melting temperature greater than said second material.

8. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein after activation of said fluid pump, said system controller cycles said fluid pump on/off at a predetermined frequency.

9. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid pump de-activation subsystem comprising at least one fluid level sensor coupled to said fluid reservoir, wherein said at least one fluid level sensor monitors a fluid level within said fluid reservoir and outputs a pump de-activation signal when said fluid level falls below a preset level, wherein said system controller is coupled to said at least one fluid level sensor, wherein said system controller de-activates said fluid pump when said system controller receives said pump de-activation signal from said at least one fluid level sensor.

10. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, further comprising at least one temperature sensor, wherein said at least one temperature sensor monitors a temperature within said battery pack enclosure and outputs a signal when said temperature exceeds a preset activation temperature, wherein said system controller is also programmed to activate said fluid pump in response to said signal.

11. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 10, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned within the conduit.

12. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 10, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned proximate at least some of the cells.

13. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the cells have a cylindrical form factor and are held in place within the battery pack enclosure by one or more brackets.

14. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the conduit is positioned in close proximity to all of the plurality of cells.

15. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir is sized so that during a thermal runaway event, there is a large enough quantity of the fluid to pump through the breach for a predetermined amount of time.

16. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further programmed to distinguish between a gradual leak and a thermal runaway event.

17. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further programmed to electrically disconnect a module of the battery pack enclosure upon a thermal runaway event.

18. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further programmed to report a thermal runaway event to an emergency service provider.

19. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, further comprising a battery cooling system that also uses the conduit, the fluid and the fluid pump.

20. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the battery pack enclosure further comprises a battery cooling system that uses a coolant conduit separate from the conduit, a coolant pump separate from the fluid pump, and a coolant reservoir separate from the fluid reservoir.

21. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the conduit is positioned near an upper portion of the plurality of cells, so as to take advantage of gravity during fluid discharge.

22. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 21, wherein the conduit is positioned adjacent cell cap surfaces of the plurality of cells.

23. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the conduit is positioned adjacent side surfaces of the plurality of cells.

24. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the conduit is proximate to each of the plurality of cells.

25. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, further comprising multiple conduits adjacent each of the plurality of cells.

26. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the conduit is positioned between adjacent rows of the plurality of cells.

27. The thermal runaway mitigation system of claim 26, wherein the breach points are positioned on either side of the conduit, facing the adjacent rows of the plurality of cells.

28. A thermal runaway mitigation system comprising:

a battery pack enclosure;

a plurality of cells contained within said battery pack enclosure;

at least one conduit in proximity to at least a subset of said plurality of cells, wherein said at least one conduit is comprised of a material with a first melting temperature;

a pressurized source of gas coupled to said at least one conduit;

a plurality of breach points within said at least one conduit, wherein said plurality of breach points are in proximity to said subset of said plurality of cells, and wherein each of said plurality of breach points is configured to form a breach at a preset temperature, wherein said preset temperature is lower than said first melting temperature, and wherein a portion of said gas is discharged through said breach when said breach is formed at said preset temperature;

an activation subsystem comprising at least one pressure sensor coupled to said conduit, wherein said at least one pressure sensor monitors a gas pressure within said at least one conduit and outputs a valve open signal when said gas pressure falls below a preset pressure;

a gas valve coupled to said conduit and interposed between said pressurized source of gas and said at least one conduit; and

a system controller coupled to said at least one pressure sensor and to said gas valve, wherein said system controller is programmed to open said gas valve and release gas from said pressurized source of gas into said conduit in response to said system controller receiving said valve open signal from said at least one pressure sensor when said gas pressure falls below said preset pressure.