Battery management systems with thermally integrated fire suppression

• US 9,704,384 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Bandhauer, Todd M., Farmer, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crepeau, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buchanan, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US13/786,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20130316198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A thermal management system is integral to a battery pack and/or individual cells. It relies on passive liquid-vapor phase change heat removal to provide enhanced thermal protection via rapid expulsion of inert high pressure refrigerant during abnormal abuse events and can be integrated with a cooling system that operates during normal operation. When a thermal runaway event occurs and sensed by either active or passive sensors, the high pressure refrigerant is preferentially ejected through strategically placed passages within the pack to rapidly quench the battery.

Claims

1. A battery management apparatus with thermally integrated fire suppression, comprising:

a battery housing having a housing wall and an area inside of said housing wall and within said battery housing;

a gas venting system outside of said housing wall and outside of said area within said battery housing, said gas venting system operably connected to said area within said battery housing;

a first battery cell within said area within said battery housing,

a second battery cell within said area within said battery housing, and

additional battery cells within said area within said battery housing, wherein said first battery cell, said second battery cell, and said additional battery cells are all of the battery cells inside of said battery housing wherein said first battery cell, said second battery cell, and said additional battery cells can produce heat;

two or more integrated cooling sheets inside of said housing wall and within said area within said battery housing and operably connected to said first battery cell, said second battery cell, and said additional battery cells, said integrated cooling sheets linked together and each of said integrated cooling sheets including

an evaporator,

a condenser, and

a refrigerant wherein said heat is transferred to said evaporator and said refrigerant and wherein said heat in said refrigerant is transferred to said condenser;

two or more cooling passages between said first battery cell, said second battery cell, and said additional battery cells;

at least one of said integrated cooling sheets operatively connected to one or more of said cooling passages;

a first radio frequency identification sensor within said area within said battery housing and connected directly to said first battery cell,

a second radio frequency identification sensor within said area within said battery housing and connected directly to said second battery cell, and

additional radio frequency identification sensors within said area within said battery housing and connected directly to said additional battery cells and

a gas venting system radio frequency identification sensor outside of said housing wall and outside of said area within said battery housing,

wherein said first radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said first battery cell is adapted to detect a thermal runaway event related to said first battery cell,

wherein said second radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said second battery cell is adapted to detect a thermal runaway event related to said second battery cell, and

wherein said additional radio frequency identification sensors connected directly to said additional battery cells are adapted to detect a thermal runaway event related to said additional battery cells,

and wherein said gas venting system radio frequency identification sensor is operably connected to said gas venting system; and

a battery management system operably connected to said first radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said first battery cell, said second radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said second battery cell, and said additional radio frequency identification sensors connected directly to said additional battery cells, and operably connected to said gas venting system radio frequency identification sensor and to said at least one integrated cooling sheet, to detect said thermal runaway event and wherein said battery management system is adapted to inject said refrigerant from said at least one integrated cooling sheet into at least one of said two or more cooling passages upon the detection of said thermal runaway event and to activate said gas venting system, so that said thermal runaway event is rapidly quenched.

2. A method of thermally managing a battery pack from thermal runaway events, comprising,

providing a battery housing having a housing wall and an area inside of said housing wall and within said battery housing;

providing a gas venting system outside of said housing wall and outside of said area within said battery housing that is operably connected to said battery housing;

providing a first battery cell within said area within said battery housing,

providing a second battery cell within said area within said battery housing, and

providing additional battery cells within said area within said battery housing,

wherein said first battery cell, said second battery cell, and said additional battery cells are all of the battery cells inside of said battery housing and wherein said first battery cell, said second battery cell, and said additional battery cells can produce heat;

providing a plurality of integrated cooling sheets inside of said housing wall and within said area within said battery housing wherein there is a cooling sheet between said first battery cell and said second battery cell and a cooling sheet between said second battery cell and said additional battery cells wherein said integrated cooling sheets including an evaporator, a condenser, and a refrigerant wherein the heat is transferred to said evaporator and said refrigerant and wherein the heat in said refrigerant is transferred to said condenser;

linking said integrated cooling sheets together;

providing cooling passages between said first battery cell and said second battery cell and between said second battery cell and said additional battery cells wherein said plurality of integrated cooling sheets are operatively connected to said cooling passages;

providing a first radio frequency identification sensor within said area within said battery housing and connected directly to said first battery cell,

providing a second radio frequency identification sensor within said area within said battery housing and connected directly to said second battery cell,

providing additional radio frequency identification sensors within said area within said battery housing and connected directly to said additional battery cells,

providing a gas venting system radio frequency identification sensor outside of said housing wall and outside of said area within said battery housing, said gas venting system radio frequency identification sensor operably connected to said gas venting system; and

providing a battery management system operably connected to said first radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said first battery cell, said second radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said second battery cell, and said additional radio frequency identification sensors connected directly to said additional battery cells, wherein said first radio frequency identification sensor, said second radio frequency identification sensor, and said additional radio frequency identification sensors are adapted to detect said thermal runaway event and said battery management system is adapted to inject said refrigerant from said plurality of integrated cooling sheets into said cooling passages and to activate said gas venting system upon the detection of said thermal runaway event so that said thermal runaway event is rapidly quenched.

3. An apparatus for battery management and thermally integrated fire suppression, comprising:

a battery housing having a housing wall and an area inside of said housing wall and an area within said battery housing;

a gas venting system outside of said housing wall and outside of said area within said battery housing, said gas venting system operably connected to said battery housing;

a first lithium ion battery cell inside of said area within said battery housing, wherein said first lithium ion battery cell can produce heat,

a second lithium ion battery cell inside of said area within said battery housing, wherein said second lithium ion battery cell can produce heat,

additional lithium ion battery cells inside of said area within said battery housing, wherein said additional lithium ion battery cells can produce heat,

wherein said first lithium ion battery cell, said second lithium ion battery cell, and said additional lithium ion battery cells are the only battery cells inside of said area within said battery housing,

two or more integrated cooling sheets inside of said housing wall and within said area within said battery housing and operably connected to said battery housing and connected to said first lithium ion battery cell, said second lithium ion battery cell, and said additional lithium ion battery cells, said integrated cooling sheets linked together and each of said integrated cooling sheets including

an evaporator,

a condenser, and

a refrigerant wherein said heat is transferred to said evaporator and said refrigerant and wherein said heat in said refrigerant is transferred to said condenser,

cooling passages between said first lithium ion battery cell, said second lithium ion battery cell, and said additional lithium ion battery cells, with at least one of said integrated cooling sheets operatively connected to one or more of said cooling passages,

a first radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said first lithium ion battery cell inside of said battery housing,

a second radio frequency identification sensor connected directly to said second lithium ion battery cell,

additional second radio frequency identification sensors connected directly to said additional lithium ion battery cells,

at least one gas venting system radio identification sensor outside of said housing wall and outside of said area within said battery housing operatively connected to said gas venting system; and

a battery management system operatively connected to said first radio frequency identification sensors sensor, said second radio frequency identification sensor, and said additional radio frequency identification sensors, and operatively connected to said at least one gas venting system radio identification sensor, and operatively connected to said gas venting system, wherein said first radio frequency identification sensor or said second radio frequency identification sensor or said additional radio frequency identification sensors can detect said thermal runaway event and said battery management system is adapted to inject said refrigerant from said at least one integrated cooling sheet into at least one of said cooling passages and to activate said gas venting system when said first lithium ion battery cell or said second lithium ion battery cell or said additional lithium ion battery cells exhibit thermal runaway.