Hazard mitigation through gas flow communication between battery packs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11904713-B2
Application number	US-202017008484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Aug 10, 2010
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A system and method for mitigating the effects of a thermal event within a non-metal-air battery pack is provided in which the hot gas and material generated during the event is directed into the metal-air cells of a metal-air battery pack. The metal-air cells provide a large thermal mass for absorbing at least a portion of the thermal energy generated during the event before it is released to the ambient environment. As a result, the risks to vehicle passengers, bystanders, first responders and property are limited.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of mitigating the effects of a thermal event within a non-metal-air battery pack, the method comprising:
coupling a hot gas outlet corresponding to the non-metal-air battery pack to an air inlet of a metal-air battery pack upon the occurrence of the thermal event within the non-metal-air battery pack; and
directing air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack through the air inlet of the metal-air battery pack and through a plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack upon the occurrence of the thermal event within the non-metal-air battery pack.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises opening a valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, responsive to a temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset temperature, wherein the preset temperature corresponds to a temperature at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises opening a valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack responsive to a pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset pressure, wherein the preset pressure corresponds to a pressure at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a temperature or pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack;
comparing the temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack to at least one of a preset temperature or a preset pressure, the preset temperature corresponding to a temperature at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters or into thermal runaway, or comparing the pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack to a preset pressure, and the preset pressure corresponding to a pressure at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack entering into thermal runaway; and
wherein directing the air flow comprises opening a valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack responsive to the temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the preset temperature or the pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the preset pressure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises:
opening a first valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, wherein opening the first valve is performed in response to a non-metal-air battery pack temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a first preset temperature, wherein the first preset temperature corresponds to a temperature at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway;
closing a second valve that controls air flow from a primary air source through the air inlet of the metal-air battery pack and through the plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack, wherein the primary air source is different from the hot gas outlet, and wherein closing the second valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack temperature exceeding the first preset temperature;
closing a third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to an ambient environment, wherein closing the third valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack temperature exceeding the first preset temperature; and
opening the third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to the ambient environment, wherein opening the third valve is performed in response to a metal-air battery pack temperature within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a second preset temperature or in response to a metal-air battery pack pressure within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset pressure, and wherein opening the third valve occurs after closing the third valve.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises:
opening a first valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, wherein opening the first valve is performed in response to a non-metal-air battery pack pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a first preset pressure, wherein the first preset pressure corresponds to a pressure at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway;
closing a second valve that controls air flow from a primary air source through the air inlet of the metal-air battery pack and through the plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack, wherein the primary air source is different from the hot gas outlet, and wherein closing the second valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack pressure exceeding the first preset pressure;
closing a third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to an ambient environment, wherein closing the third valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack pressure exceeding the first preset pressure; and
opening the third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to the ambient environment, wherein opening the third valve is performed in response to a metal-air battery pack pressure within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a second preset pressure or in response to a metal-air battery pack temperature within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset temperature, and wherein opening the third valve occurs after closing the third valve.

7. A method of mitigating effects of a thermal event within a non-metal-air battery pack, the method comprising:
opening a first valve that controls an air flow from a hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, wherein the opening of the first valve is performed in response to a non-metal-air battery pack temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a first valve opening threshold; and
closing a second valve that controls air flow from a primary air source through an air inlet of a metal-air battery pack and through a plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack, wherein the primary air source is different from the hot gas outlet, and wherein the closing of the second valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the first valve opening threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising closing a third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to an ambient environment, wherein closing the third valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the valve opening threshold.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising opening the third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to the ambient environment, wherein opening the third valve is performed in response to a metal-air battery pack temperature within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a second valve opening threshold, and wherein opening the third valve occurs after closing the third valve.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first valve opening threshold corresponds to a first preset temperature threshold, the method further comprising:
monitoring a temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack; and
comparing the temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack to the first preset tempe

Assignees

• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Hermann Weston Arthur

Classifications

• H02J7/60

  including safety or protection arrangements · CPC title

• B60L53/14 Primary

  Conductive energy transfer · CPC title

• B60L1/003

  to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors · CPC title

• B60L1/02

  to electric heating circuits · CPC title

• B60L3/003

  relating to inverters · CPC title