Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for thermal runaway and gas exhaust management for high power batteries. A battery module has a plurality of cell-containing carriers stacked on top of one another to form a cell stack having a front end and a rear end. A duct extends through the cell stack between the front end and the rear end for collecting escaped gases from the battery cells. A self-closing one-way pressure relief valve is located in the duct toward the rear end of the cell stack. The pressure relief valve connects to a piping system for carrying the gases to a remote location where the gases can be safely released and dispersed.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for cooling high power batteries. A plurality of carrier assemblies is stacked to form a cell stack. Each carrier assembly has a thermally conductive backing plate and a frame integrally formed therewith. A lithium-ion pouch cell (having a pair of cell tabs) is adhered to a front surface of the backing plate. Each cell tab is paired with a tab of opposite polarity of an adjacent battery cell. Thermally conductive compression bars are placed over the paired tabs to maintain electrical contact between the tabs. The compression bars also transfer heat to a cooling plate on top of the cell stack. Each carrier assembly incorporates a heat spreader sheet on a surface of the battery cell, a compressible foam sheet in front of the heat spreader sheet, and a thermally isolating sheet in front of the foam sheet.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for thermal runaway and gas exhaust management for high power batteries. A battery module has a plurality of cell-containing carriers stacked on top of one another to form a cell stack having a front end and a rear end. A duct extends through the cell stack between the front end and the rear end for collecting escaped gases from the battery cells. A self-closing one-way pressure relief valve is located in the duct toward the rear end of the cell stack. The pressure relief valve connects to a piping system for carrying the gases to a remote location where the gases can be safely released and dispersed.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for thermal runaway and gas exhaust management for high power batteries. A battery module has a plurality of cell-containing carriers stacked on top of one another to form a cell stack having a front end and a rear end. A duct extends through the cell stack between the front end and the rear end for collecting escaped gases from the battery cells. A self-closing one-way pressure relief valve is located in the duct toward the rear end of the cell stack. The pressure relief valve connects to a piping system for carrying the gases to a remote location where the gases can be safely released and dispersed.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for thermal runaway and gas exhaust management for high power batteries. A battery module has a plurality of cell-containing carriers stacked on top of one another to form a cell stack having a front end and a rear end. A duct extends through the cell stack between the front end and the rear end for collecting escaped gases from the battery cells. A self-closing one-way pressure relief valve is located in the duct toward the rear end of the cell stack. The pressure relief valve connects to a piping system for carrying the gases to a remote location where the gases can be safely released and dispersed.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for cooling high power batteries. A plurality of carrier assemblies is stacked to form a cell stack. Each carrier assembly has a thermally conductive backing plate and a frame integrally formed therewith. A lithium-ion pouch cell (having a pair of cell tabs) is adhered to a front surface of the backing plate. Each cell tab is paired with a tab of opposite polarity of an adjacent battery cell. Thermally conductive compression bars are placed over the paired tabs to maintain electrical contact between the tabs. The compression bars also transfer heat to a cooling plate on top of the cell stack. Each carrier assembly incorporates a heat spreader sheet on a surface of the battery cell, a compressible foam sheet in front of the heat spreader sheet, and a thermally isolating sheet in front of the foam sheet.

Abstract: A thermal runaway containment apparatus for a battery includes an enclosure base configured to receive a battery therein, an enclosure lid, and a lid constraining structure. The enclosure base has an interconnected floor and side walls, with a top rim defining an open top. The enclosure lid is seatable on the top rim in a seated position that closes the enclosure base. The lid constraining structure is positioned above the lid such that vertical movement of the lid is constrained between the seated position and a maximum partially separated position. When the lid is in the maximum partially separated position, a tortuous flow path into the base is defined; the tortuous flow path allows for venting of pressurized gases out of the enclosure base while impeding inflow of gases at a lower pressure than the pressurized gases into the enclosure base.

Abstract: An apparatus for inhibiting thermal runaway of a battery cell uses a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the cell and a discharge circuit, electrically coupled in series across terminals of the cell, to discharge the cell when its temperature exceeds a maximum normal operating temperature. The discharge circuit includes a switch and a resistive load. The apparatus may be part of a larger system that uses a processor to implement a method to discharge the cell to varying degrees in response to the degree of overheating the cell experiences.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a cell carrier, a stack that includes multiple cell carriers, and a method for assembling the stack. The cell carrier has a rigid backing and bus bar supports that are rigidly mounted to the rigid backing. The bus bar supports have sockets positioned to receive fasteners for securing bus bars to the bus bar supports. A battery cell that has electrodes in the form of pliable tabs can be secured to the cell carrier by, for example, adhering the cell body to the rigid backing. The cell tabs are secured between the bus bars and the bus bar supports when bus bars are fastened to the bus bar supports, and the rigidly mounted supports help prevent relative motion between the cell body and tabs. This helps prevent the cell tabs from ripping or tearing when the battery cell is subjected to vibrations during use.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a cell carrier, a stack that includes multiple cell carriers, and a method for assembling the stack. The cell carrier has a rigid backing and bus bar supports that are rigidly mounted to the rigid backing The bus bar supports have sockets positioned to receive fasteners for securing bus bars to the bus bar supports. A battery cell that has electrodes in the form of pliable tabs can be secured to the cell carrier by, for example, adhering the cell body to the rigid backing The cell tabs are secured between the bus bars and the bus bar supports when bus bars are fastened to the bus bar supports, and the rigidly mounted supports help prevent relative motion between the cell body and tabs. This helps prevent the cell tabs from ripping or tearing when the battery cell is subjected to vibrations during use.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a cell carrier, a stack that includes multiple cell carriers, and a method for assembling the stack. The cell carrier has a rigid backing and bus bar supports that are rigidly mounted to the rigid backing The bus bar supports have sockets positioned to receive fasteners for securing bus bars to the bus bar supports. A battery cell that has electrodes in the form of pliable tabs can be secured to the cell carrier by, for example, adhering the cell body to the rigid backing The cell tabs are secured between the bus bars and the bus bar supports when bus bars are fastened to the bus bar supports, and the rigidly mounted supports help prevent relative motion between the cell body and tabs. This helps prevent the cell tabs from ripping or tearing when the battery cell is subjected to vibrations during use.