Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Scott W Lananna

Evan J Dawley

Alexander M Bilinski

Phillip D Hamelin

Anil Yadav

Seung-Woo Chu

Julian R Sherborne

Adam W Trumbley

Anandakrishnan S

Evan D Griffith

A battery module includes neighboring first and second battery cells and a heat sink in contact with and configured to absorb thermal energy from each of the battery cells. The module additionally includes a module enclosure surrounded by ambient environment, housing each of the first and second battery cells and the heat sink, and configured to include a thermal conductivity path from the first cell to at least one of the second cell and the heat sink and from the heat sink to the enclosure. The battery module further includes a metal-hydroxide element configured to undergo a chemical decomposition and discharge moisture within the thermal conductivity path in response to thermal energy released by the first cell when the first cell undergoes a thermal runaway event. The metal-hydroxide element thereby controls propagation of the thermal runaway event from the first cell to the second cell.

Moisture releasing metal-hydroxide material for mitigation of thermal runaway in a battery module

A battery module includes a first battery cell and a neighboring second battery cell, and an insulating member positioned therebetween. The battery module also includes a battery module enclosure surrounded by an external environment and configured to house each of the first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the insulating member. The battery module additionally includes a battery module cover mounted to the battery module enclosure. The battery module cover includes a vent feature configured to expel high temperature gases from the first battery cell and divert the high temperature gases away from the second battery cell directly to the external environment. The cover is thereby configured to minimize transfer of the high temperature gases from the first battery cell to the second battery cell and control propagation of a thermal runaway event in the battery module.

Battery module cover with thermal runaway mitigation

Growing community of inventors

Detroit, MI, United States of America

Scott W Lananna