Li-Ion Fire

Pat: Automatic system for excessive heat, gas, smoke, fire and damage prevention & fire suppression in battery
compartment for electric & hybrid busses, heavy duty vehicles and passenger cars

a) b)

c) d)
Figure 1

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 Figure 2 Figure 3

Figure 4 Figure 5

Field of the invention

The present invention refers generally to the excessive heat, gas, smoke, fire and damage prevention and fire
suppression on electric and hybrid vehicles for passengers transport, freight and other heavy duty vehicles. Invention
refers to prevent the consequences of spreading of the excessive heat, gas, smoke and fire inside and out of the
battery compartment. In particular it prevent excessive heat, gas, smoke or fire development in battery pack and
compartment or delay propagation of excessive heat, gas, smoke to enter into passenger or freight space of an electric
or hybrid vehicle.
It also enables combined action with thermal management system to preserve or boost electric and hybrid vehicle
performance.

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Background of the invention

Rechargeable batteries, used in electric and hybrid vehicles in certain conditions, tends to become unstable. That
could be manifested as thermal instability and possible occurrence of thermal runaway and could provoke excessive
heat, gas emission, smoke formation or even fire start.
Various causes could be potential safety hazard for batteries and could lead a battery in thermal instability or thermal
runaway such as (but not limited to), battery operation conditions / charging and discharging / manufacturing defects,
external heating, shock and vibrations or external short circuits. The potential consequence is a relatively rapid,
internal heating of the battery up to several hundreds of deg. Celsius which could start excessive heat, gas emission,
smoke formation or fire start. That could generate excessive heat, sometimes in a local hot spots which may be
transferred to the surrounding batteries. When a battery goes into thermal instability, or thermal runaway, or even
catches fire, the energy generated during the process will heat adjacent batteries potentially above their critical
temperature, and cause them to enter into thermal instability or thermal runaway. So, if just one battery goes into
thermal instability, or thermal runaway, or catches a fire, it can trigger a chain reaction that may spread in a relatively
small volume through the entire battery module or battery pack. This causes generating of a large amount of heat, gas
and toxic smoke in a battery pack which in some point will spread out to rest of the vehicle.
Excessive heat or fire started out of the battery could also provoke described reaction, potentially simultaneously on
number of batteries.
Additionally to the increase in temperature, gases released from the affected battery will generate increased pressure
in the battery. To prevent the mechanical consequences of gas generation many electric car batteries have a built-in
pressure valve element in the casing lid. Despite mentioned valve can prevent excessive pressure inside the battery, it
has a limited effect on safety hazard prevention in respect to surrounding batteries. Gas released from damaged
batteries is flammable and toxic in majority of battery chemistries and it is particularly danger in closed battery
packs. That situation may potentially cause a fire and/or damage to surrounding batteries, but also to pack and
compartment structure and it surrounding and the whole vehicle.
Modern hybrid and especially all electric vehicles have up to several hundred of kWh weighing several thousand
kilograms which heavily increase described phenomena’s risks.
Therefore, it is critical to take actions as soon as possible to prevent the spread of the mentioned abnormalities, thus
avoiding the described effects on the battery pack and the whole vehicle.

Summary of the invention

An automatic system for excessive heat, gas, smoke, fire and damage prevention and fire suppression unit for electric
and hybrid busses and heavy duty vehicles and passenger cars is designed to protect passengers and vehicle from the
consequences of excessive heat, gas released, smoke generated or fire started in battery compartment. It could be
manifested through excessive heat, gas, smoke or fire spreading inside and outside of the battery compartment, even
into the passenger or freight space.

The system comprise of following subsystems:

 Control system
 Thermal instability or Thermal runaway detection
 Smoke detection
 Rapid Cooling and Inertization
 Gas and Smoke Flushing, venting system
 Fire suppression
but it is not limited to presented configuration.

Above described system has ability to automatically detect the safety hazard based on thermal instability or thermal
runaway, excessive heat, gas emission, smoke formation or fire start and to alert the driver and start prevention
and/or suppression. The system aims to prevent development of excessive heat, gas release, smoke formation or even
fire within one or more battery cells in the battery pack. The system intends to prevent expansion of excessive heat to
adjacent battery cells in the battery pack and to adjacent battery packs in battery compartment. System intends to
prevent excessive heat, gas, smoke and fire spread to rest of the vehicle especially passenger and freight space. As
mentioned gas released from the damaged battery is potentially toxic and flammable and particularly danger in
closed battery compartments. The system ensures gas and smoke detection if it occurs. In a case that gas occurs or
smoke is formed inside the battery pack, the presented system enables and controls forced flushing, venting of gas
and smoke out of the battery pack, out of a battery compartment and out of the vehicle. In a case of a possible fire
start inside the battery pack or compartment the system intends to suppress/extinguish fire or delay fire spread out of
battery pack and compartment to the rest of the vehicle.
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Design Characteristics
The system operates in the vehicle battery compartment and/or battery pack with a plurality of batteries within the
module housing, but could extend its actions to the rest of the vehicle. It comprises at least one control system, at
least one perforated pipe for application of the cryogenic cooling/suppressing fluid at certain surfaces on at least one
series of a plurality of batteries in a battery pack, at least one cryogenic cooling/suppressing fluid and tank, at least
one temperature and gas, smoke sensor, at least one pressure release valve, and at least one storage tank for agent for
suppressing fire.
Rapid cooling system with cryogenic fluid ensures high heat flux removal and fast and effectively remove potential
excessive heat in battery cell or in a battery pack and prevent described unwanted consequences. It enables cryogenic
spot cooling, cryogenic surface cooling and combined spot and surface cooling. It is applied as cryogenic spray or jet
cooling with continuous or intermittent flow. System intermittency is controlled by pulse width modulated PWM
valve, and guided in a way to maximize cryogenic fluid cooling capacity, control temperature gradient and cooling
surface lowest temperature. Same time system preserve continuous flushing flow. A cryogenic cooling/suppressing
fluid distribution pipe comprises a plurality of calibrated nozzles positioned at defined locations of a series of
batteries. At least in one configuration, the pipe is connected to a compressed cooling/suppressing fluid tank. The
unit comprises at least one valve on the distribution pipe between the cryogenic cooling/suppressing fluid tank and a
plurality of batteries.
It consists of a control unit that guide and control system operation. The control unit reacts on the basis of an
algorithm that detects the very early start of thermal instability or thermal runaway and control actuators, valves
accordingly. The fluid valve, or valves, mounted on the pipeline between the compressed cooling/suppressing fluid
tank and the outlet nozzle may be activated by normally closed switch.
If inert cryogenic fluid is used it allows battery packs inertization inherently or intentionally.
At least one pipe tube for applying fire suppressing agent is located in a battery. A pipe end comprises calibrated
opening for applying a fluid.
The control unit opens a valve for applying fire suppressing agent based on the gas, smoke and/or fire detector
readings.
The Rapid Cooling system enables combined action with thermal management system to preserve or boost electric
and hybrid vehicle performance.

Description of the specific embodiments

The terms "batteries" and "cells" may be used as alternatives and refer to variety of different cell chemistry and
configurations but not limited to lithium ion (lithium iron phosphate (LFP), nickel manganese (NMC), lithium cobalt
oxide , other lithium metal oxides (LTOs), etc.), lithium polymer, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium, nickel
hydrogen, nickel zinc, silver zinc or other battery types / chemists.
The term ‘battery module’ used herein refers to a multiply of individual batteries housed in a single-piece housing,
interconnected to achieve higher voltage.
The term ‘battery pack’ denotes plurality of battery modules interconnected to achieve required voltage for an
application. In some designs, battery pack consists of plurality of individual batteries without some additional
grouping forming battery module.
The term ‘battery compartment’ refers to single or plurality of battery packs storage spaces in a vehicle; like vehicle
roof space, rear spaces but not limited.
Presented Figure 1, does not limit the scope of innovation and should not be considered as a scale. In respect to that,
not all battery elements and / or battery pack elements are displayed.

Position 100 in Figure 1 (a, b, c, d) shows a schematic illustration of a battery pack incorporating an automatic
excessive heat, gas, smoke and fire prevention and fire suppression unit in battery compartment in electric & hybrid
vehicles according to invention.
The batteries (101) shown in the battery pack (102) are shown to be prismatic, although the problem and the solution
offered through the invention should also be considered to be equally applicable to any other type of battery such as
'pouch' batteries etc. Although the battery pack shown contains a few dozen batteries, it is also considered, a battery
pack can consist of just a few batteries but also of the hundreds or thousands of batteries used in battery packs of
hybrid and electric vehicles. A battery pack can consist of battery modules (105) contains few unit batteries as well
of a plurality of batteries arranges in variety of layouts.
Position 103 in Figure 1 (a, b) shows a pipeline for the distribution of cryogenic agent within one / each battery pack.
Figure 1a shows a ‘serpentine’ pipe shape and Figure 1b shows ‘comb’ pipe shape but pipeline shape is not restricted
to the some predefined shape and can be defined for each particular battery layout inside a battery pack The pipeline

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is located in relation to the batteries such when a cryogenic cooling agent starts to emerge to achieve the optimal
effect of cryogenic cooling.
Rapid cooling system enable cryogenic spot cooling, cryogenic surface cooling and combined spot and surface
cooling of the zones and spots such as battery terminals, connection bars and the battery walls, but is not restricted on
them.
When one activates the cryogenic fluid spray, it applies to all batteries within one pack by acting on each battery to
achieve the cryogenic cooling effect of all the batteries and thus prevent the spread of excessive heat, thermal
instability or thermal runaway through the battery inside the pack.
It is anticipated that the cryogenic agent will expel from the tube openings at a certain angle to the axis of the tube to
allow the jet of the agent to flow as precisely as possible in the defined hot spot on the battery or battery module. To
achieve that, calibrated nozzles are also determined, ranging in the range of 0.2 to 1.5 mm. The external surface of
the pipeline is electrically non-conductive.
Position 104 in Figure 1 (a, b) shows a cryogenic agent container. The cryogenic agent container is located outside
the battery pack and contains the required amount of agent depending on the number and total battery pack volume.
There is at least one container on the electric or hybrid vehicle .Agent is contained in a pressurized container.
Position 201 in Figure 2 shows is a pipeline for the distribution of fire extinguishing agent. A fire extinguishing agent
distribution pipeline is brought to each battery pack. At the each end of the pipeline in the battery pack, there is a
nozzle for dispensing the agent into the battery pack space.
Position 202 in Figure 2 shows is a container for fire extinguishing agent. The storage tank for fire extinguishing
agent is outside the battery pack and contains the required amount of agent depending on the number and total battery
pack volume. There is at least one container on the electric bus. Agent is in a pressurized container.
Positions 301 and 302 in Figure 3 show valves for selecting a battery pack (102) in which a cryogenic agent from
container (104) and a fire extinguishing agent from container (202) are to be distributed. The valves allow isolating
battery pack that poses a fire hazard and assuring a pack is provided with a predetermined quantity of cryogenic and
fire extinguishing agent. The unit contains at least of one valve on the each pipeline; a valve on pipeline for the
distribution of the cryogenic agent (301) and a valve on pipeline for distribution of fire extinguishing agent (302).
The battery pack contains at least one overpressure valve (303) for venting (e.g. cryogenic agent releasing, smoke
releasing in case of affected battery venting).
Position 401 in Figure 4 shows a control unit. The control unit consists of the microcontroller receives the battery
temperature data inside the pack and handles them over the installed software and based on the built-in algorithm
detects a battery whose temperature has started to deviate from the expected values achieved through the load range
depending on the driving mode of the electric vehicle. In case of fire hazard, cryogenic agent distribution valves
(301) and fire extinguishing agent valve (302) is actuated by control unit.
Position 501 in Figure 5 shows temperature sensors and position 502 shows smoke sensor. Temperature sensors are
located on each battery or close to the group consists of at least two batteries in a pack. The smoke sensor is located
within the enclosed space of one / each battery pack and detects the concentration of smoke that would be caused by
battery failure and / or electrical installations inside the pack. The smoke sensor is selected according to the particular
gas contained in the smoke mixture in sufficient concentrations.

CLAIMS

As will be understood by those familiar to the subject, the presented invention may be configured in some other
specific forms without departing from the main characteristics of the solution. In this respect, the descriptions given
here are intended to illustrate, but not limit, the scope of the invention defined by the following CLAIMS:

An automatic excessive heat, gas, smoke and fire prevention and fire suspension unit in the electric & hybrid vehicles
mainly operate in battery pack housing and battery compartment whit a plurality of batteries inside.
It consists of:

a. at least one shaped pipe near the battery group consisting of a plurality of a calibrated holes acting as nozzles
and ranging between 0.2 and 1.5 mm. The pipe diameter ranging from 2 to 50 mm
b. a cryogenic fluid in reservoir connected with at least one distribution pipe. Cryogenic fluid is selected from
the cryogenic group of fluids which are chemically inert, like liquid carbon dioxide or nitrogen but not
limited to those.
c. fire extinguishing agent container connected with at least one fire extinguishing agent distribution pipe
d. at least one valve on the pipeline for the distribution of cryogenic fluid and at least one valve on the fire
extinguishing agent distribution pipeline
e. at least one cooling fluid valves connected to pipe between the container and plurality of calibrated nozzles
f. at least one temperature sensor near an each or near a group of a plurality of batteries
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g. at least one smoke sensor within at least one pack
h. a control unit with an algorithm connected with at least one temperature sensor and cooling fluid distributing
valve, wherein the control unit opens said valve when the measured temperature with at least one
temperature sensor does not meet the criteria defined by the algorithm and when smoke detecting sensor
detect a smoke presence over preset smoke concentration threshold.

- System enables cryogenic spot cooling, cryogenic surface cooling and combined spot and surface cooling. It is
applied as cryogenic spray or jet cooling with continuous or intermittent flow.
- In a case that gas occurs or smoke is formed inside the battery pack, the presented system with cryogenic fluid
flow enables and controls forced flushing, of gas and smoke out of the battery pack, out of a battery
compartment and out of the vehicle. Pressure release valve controls pressure level in the battery pack.
- System specified in 1 where the fire extinguishing agent is expanding fire-extinguishing agent.