Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Ryan P Hickey

Goro Tamai

Matthew Swift

Taeyoung Han

Bahram Khalighi

Chih-Hung Yen

Alexander M Bilinski

Phillip D Hamelin

David R Clark

William Yu Chen

Russell A Patenaude

Esteban Camacho

Su Jung Han

Andrew P Oury

Dexter C Lowe

Galen E Ressler

Benjamin G Wroblewski

Kristopher A Thor

Pooja Suresh

Jermain E Onye

Cody Demara

Pushpendra Chauhan

Mirna Neves

Presented are intelligent vehicle systems for automating thermal event mitigation for fully or partially enclosed vehicles, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A method of controlling operation of a vehicle includes a vehicle controller confirming the subject vehicle is parked and, once confirmed, responsively evaluating vehicle data indicating the vehicle is at least partially enclosed in a parking area and, thus, is in a vehicle parked in enclosed space (VPES) state. After determining the vehicle is both parked and in a VPES state, the controller detects a thermal event in a battery cell of the vehicle's battery system. Upon detection of the thermal event, the controller responsively determines path plan data with a designated route for extricating the vehicle from the parking area. The controller then commands the vehicle's autonomous driving system to execute control operations maneuvering the vehicle away from the parking area.

Vehicles, methods, and computer-readable media for mitigating parking area damage during thermal event of battery

An immersion cooling system for a battery system includes a battery enclosure and C metal-encased, pouch-type battery cells including C metal cases, C pouch-type battery cells arranged in the C metal cases, respectively, where C is an integer greater than one, and C vents on the C metal cases, respectively. A vent gas manifold is in fluid communication with the C vents of the C metal cases and is configured to remove vent gas passing through the C vents of the C metal cases from the battery enclosure.

Immersion cooling system including metal-encased, pouch-type battery cells for hot gas flow separation in battery systems of electric vehicles

A rechargeable energy storage system includes a battery having a plurality of cells. The battery pack includes a first end, a second end, a first side, and a second side, an upper surface, and a lower surface. A battery support includes a support surface supporting the plurality of cells. The support surface has a first end portion, a second end portion, a first side portion and a second side portion. A ventilation member is arranged below the battery support between the first side portion and the second side. The ventilation member includes a surface section, and a plurality of wall members that project outwardly of the surface section. The plurality of wall members define a plurality of ventilation channels.

Ventilation system for a vehicle battery

A thermal management system for one or more components of a vehicle includes one or more heat generating components, and one or more compartments to contain the one or more heat generating components. One or more vent openings are located in the one or more compartments. Each vent opening of the one or more vent openings are closed by a thermally active material, such that when exhaust gas from the one or more components interacts with the thermally active material, the one or more vent openings are opened allowing for removal of the exhaust gas from the compartment. One or more vent manifolds are located adjacent to the one or more vent openings. The one or more vent manifolds are configured to direct the exhaust gas to ambient through one or more manifold openings in the one or more vent manifolds.

Thermal propagation mitigation of vehicle components

A system for an electrified vehicle includes a rechargeable energy storage device (RESS) electrically couplable via an electric power bus to a high-voltage actuator, a telematics system, and an on-vehicle controller. The on-vehicle controller includes an instruction set that is executable to: receive, via the telematics system, a notification of a proximal impending catastrophic event; determine an intent to safeguard the electrified vehicle; execute a high-voltage discharge protocol in response to the intent to safeguard the electrified vehicle, wherein the high-voltage discharge protocol includes operating the high-voltage actuator; monitor a state of charge (SOC) of the RESS; and electrically decouple the RESS from the electric power bus when the SOC of the RESS is less than a first threshold SOC.

Method and system for an electrified vehicle

A monitoring system for a multi-cell rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) that includes a plurality of battery cells is described. The monitoring system includes a sensor that is arranged to monitor one or multiple heat transfer plates thermally coupled to the plurality of battery cells, a controller is in communication with the sensor. The controller including an instruction set that is executable to monitor, via the sensor, a parameter of the heat transfer plate and detect a thermal runaway event when the parameter of the heat transfer plate exceeds a threshold. The thermal runaway event is communicated to a battery controller.

System and method for monitoring a multi-cell rechargeable energy storage device

Presented are active thermal management (ATM) systems with multi-purpose reservoirs for liquid-immersion cooled battery assemblies, methods for making/using such systems, and motor vehicles equipped with such systems. An ATM system for a battery assembly includes a coolant reservoir that stows a liquid immersion cooling (LIC) fluid, and an inlet manifold that fluidly connects the reservoir to the battery assembly's battery case to transfer LIC fluid into an immersion compartment within the battery case. An outlet manifold fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir to transfer fluid out from the immersion compartment. An auxiliary vent manifold selectively fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir responsive to a predefined thermal event to thereby transfer LIC fluid and battery cell vent gases from the immersion compartment to the reservoir. A gas valve, which is fluidly connected to the reservoir, selectively evacuates therefrom the vent gases at a predefined internal reservoir pressure.

Active thermal management systems with multi-purpose reservoirs for liquid immersion cooled battery assemblies

An immersion cooling system for a battery system includes a battery enclosure and G battery cell groups arranged in the battery enclosure. Each of the G battery cell groups include C battery cells, where G and C are integers greater than one. A plurality of dividers are arranged between each of the G battery cell groups. A gas manifold removes vent gases from each of the G battery cell groups.

Immersion cooling system for battery systems of electric vehicles

Presented are thermal management systems with passive quenching sacks for cooling battery assemblies, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A passive thermal management (PTM) system is presented for cooling a battery assembly, such as a traction battery pack with a battery case containing stacked battery cells. The PTM system includes a fluid container that mounts inside the battery assembly, interposed between the battery case and battery cells. The fluid container stows therein a dielectric coolant fluid and has multiple fluid ports that fluidly connect to the battery cells to dispense thereto the coolant fluid. Thermomechanical plugs, such as wax, film, or smart-material barriers, seal the fluid container ports and passively open (e.g., melt, bend, disintegrate, expand, etc.) at a predefined temperature to thereby unseal the fluid ports such that the coolant fluid is fed from the fluid container into the battery cells.

Thermal management systems with passive quenching sacks for liquid immersion cooled battery assemblies

A battery includes a battery cell stack disposed within a housing such that a gap exists between the battery cell stack and an inner surface of the housing. The battery cell stack includes a plurality of battery cells that each include a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab electrically coupled to an electrode assembly and extending from the electrode assembly outside of a case. The positive electrode tabs and/or the negative electrode tabs of the plurality of battery cells extend into the gap between the battery cell stack and the inner surface of the housing. A filler material fills the gap and provides a thermally conductive pathway between the positive electrode tabs and/or the negative electrode tabs of the plurality of battery cells and the inner surface of the housing. The filler material includes a thermally conductive particulate component distributed throughout a polymeric matrix component.

Battery including thermally conductive filler material with thermal runaway containment function

A battery module includes a first pouch battery cell and a neighboring second pouch battery cell. The battery module also includes a dielectric fluid in direct contact with and in circulation over and around each of the first and second pouch cells. The battery module additionally includes an immersion barrier positioned between the first and second pouch cells and defining an opening for controlling passage of the dielectric fluid between the first and the second pouch cells. The barrier thereby facilitates localization of a thermal runaway event in the first pouch cell by minimizing transfer of high temperature gases between the first and the second pouch cells via the dielectric fluid and controls propagation of the thermal runaway event in the module. The battery module further includes an enclosure housing and retaining each of the first and second pouch cells, the dielectric fluid, and the immersion barrier.

Immersion barrier for pouch battery cell thermal runaway mitigation

A battery pack thermal management system can include a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules encased within a battery case, a coolant line having an inlet and an outlet each penetrating a perimeter of the battery case and at least one thermally activated valve. The at least one thermally activated valve can be configured to spray coolant onto one or more battery modules responsive to a temperature within the battery pack exceeding a temperature threshold. The temperature threshold can be defined based on the temperature of a thermal event occurring within the battery pack which exceeds a normal operating temperature of the battery pack. The coolant line within the battery pack is biased towards the perimeter of the battery case. The battery pack can power a battery electric or hybrid electric vehicle.

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Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Ryan P Hickey