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US-12620657-B2 - Battery fire suppression system

US12620657B2US 12620657 B2US12620657 B2US 12620657B2US-12620657-B2

Abstract

A fire suppression system for a battery pack includes a controller, an inlet line, an outlet line, a detector, a first pressure vessel with a first valve, and a second pressure vessel with a second valve. The pack includes: an inlet, battery modules housing battery cells, and an outlet. The inlet line connects to the pack inlet and the outlet line connects to the outlet. The detector senses a condition indicative of a fire event caused by a battery cell breaking and produces a signal. The controller, connected to the detector, determines a fire event is occurring based on the signal. The first vessel and the second vessel connect to the inlet line. A first suppressant flows from the first vessel into the pack when the controller opens the first valve. A second suppressant flows from the second vessel into the pack when the controller opens the second valve.

Inventors

  • John W. Porterfield
  • Robert Dunster
  • Albert C. Rouse
  • Eugen Berns

Assignees

  • KIDDE TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20221217

Claims (17)

  1. 1 . A fire suppression system for a battery pack, the fire suppression system comprising: a battery pack comprising: an inlet to the battery pack; a plurality of modules within each battery pack, wherein each module houses multiple battery cells; and an outlet to the battery pack; a fire suppression system inlet line fluidly connected to the battery pack inlet; a fire suppression system outlet line fluidly connected to the battery pack outlet, wherein the outlet line of the fire suppression system fluidly connects to an exit point mounted outside of the battery pack, and wherein the exit point removably connects to a suppressant disposal container; a detector that senses a condition indicative of a fire event caused by at least one battery cell breaking down, wherein the detector produces a signal representing the sensed condition; a controller, electronically connected to the detector, that determines a fire event is occurring in the battery pack based on the signals representing the sensed condition; a first pressure vessel with a first vessel valve holding a first fire suppressant, the first pressure vessel fluidly connected to the battery pack inlet via the fire suppression system inlet line to flow the first fire suppressant out of the pressure vessel and into the battery pack when the controller determines a first fire event is occurring in the battery pack based on the signals and the controller opens the first vessel valve; and a second pressure vessel with a second vessel valve holding a second fire suppressant, the second pressure vessel fluidly connected to the battery pack inlet via the fire suppression system inlet line to flow the second fire suppressant out of the pressure vessel and into the battery pack when the controller determines a second fire event is occurring in the battery pack based on the signals and the controller opens the second vessel valve.
  2. 2 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , wherein the sensed condition is chosen from the group of decomposition byproducts from a battery cell consisting of a concentration of hydrogen gas, a concentration of carbon monoxide gas, a presence of infrared radiation, and combinations thereof.
  3. 3 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , and further comprising: a check valve comprising: a first opening fluidly connected to the first pressure vessel; a second opening fluidly connected to the battery module; and a third opening fluidly connected to the second pressure vessel wherein the check valve is configured to block the third opening when the first fire suppressant is flowing between the first pressure vessel and the battery module, and wherein the the check valve is configured to block the first opening when the second fire suppressant is flowing between the second pressure vessel and the battery module.
  4. 4 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to open the second vessel valve to release the second fire suppressant after a time delay from opening the first vessel valve.
  5. 5 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically open the first vessel valve of the first pressure vessel and the second vessel valve of the second pressure vessel.
  6. 6 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal to open the second vessel valve of the second pressure vessel.
  7. 7 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , wherein the first fire suppressant and the second fire suppressant are different chemical mixtures.
  8. 8 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack further comprises: an inlet valve that opens and closes to fluidly connect and disconnect the inlet of the battery pack to the inlet line of the fire suppression system; and an outlet valve that opens and closes to fluidly connect and disconnect the outlet of the battery pack to the outlet line of the fire suppression system; wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are electronically connected to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to open the inlet valve and the outlet valve if the fire event is occurring in the battery module; and wherein the controller is configured to close the inlet valve and the outlet valve if the fire event is not occurring in the battery module.
  9. 9 . The fire suppression system of claim 1 , wherein the suppressant disposal container is configured to hold spent fire suppressant for safe disposal, or wherein the suppressant disposal container recycles spent fire suppressant.
  10. 10 . A method of cooling an overheated battery pack using the fire suppression system of claim 1 , the method comprising: detecting a condition, via the detector, indicative of a fire event caused by at least one battery cell breaking down in the battery pack; transmitting the signals representing the sensed condition to the controller; determining, by the controller, a first fire event is occurring in the battery pack based on the transmitted signals; triggering a first fire suppression procedure, wherein the first fire suppression procedure comprises: releasing the first pressurized fire suppressant by opening, with the controller, the first vessel valve to the first pressure vessel; and flowing the first fire suppressant via the fire suppression system inlet line into the battery pack via the battery pack inlet to cool the battery pack with the first fire suppressant; determining, by the controller, a second fire event is occurring in the battery pack based on the transmitted signals; and triggering a second fire suppression procedure, wherein the second fire suppression procedure comprises: releasing the second pressurized fire suppressant by opening, with the controller, the second vessel valve to the second pressure vessel; and flowing the second fire suppressant into the battery pack to cool the battery pack with the second fire suppressant; and venting spent fire suppressant from the battery pack by opening an outlet valve between the battery pack outlet and the fire suppression system outlet line, and wherein venting spent fire suppressant from the battery pack occurs by venting spent fire suppressant from the battery pack through the battery pack outlet and into the suppressant disposal container.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein triggering the first fire suppression procedure is done automatically by the controller, and wherein triggering the second fire suppression procedure is done automatically by the controller or by the controller after receiving a signal from a manual input to trigger the second fire suppression procedure.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein flowing the first fire suppressant into the battery pack comprises: flowing the first fire suppressant out of the first pressure vessel and through the first vessel valve, a check valve, and a battery pack inlet.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein flowing the second fire suppressant into the battery pack comprises: flowing the second fire suppressant out of the second pressure vessel and through the second vessel valve, the check valve, and the battery pack inlet.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the check valve blocks the second fire suppressant from flowing into the first pressure vessel.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first fire suppression procedure further comprises: opening, by the controller, an inlet valve and an outlet valve to the battery pack.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein triggering the second fire suppression procedure is done by a manual input.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second fire suppression procedure further comprises: opening, by the controller, an inlet valve and an outlet valve to the battery pack.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/083,510, filed on Dec. 17, 2022, entitled “BATTERY OUTGASSING DETECTOR,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/083,511, filed on Dec. 17, 2022, entitled “LITHIUM ION BATTERY GAS AND OPTICAL DETECTOR,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/083,512, filed on Dec. 17, 2022, entitled “DUCTED GAS DETECTOR,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/083,514, filed on Dec. 17, 2022, entitled “EMERGENCY FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/083,516, filed on Dec. 17, 2022 entitled “DRY CHEMICAL FIRE SUPPRESSANT FOR BATTERY CELLS,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/083,517, filed on Dec. 17, 2022, entitled “ORGANIC CHEMICAL FIRE SUPPRESSANT FOR BATTERY CELLS,” and the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery packs are used in many types of vehicles that store electrical energy and use it for propulsion including aircraft, automobiles, and watercraft. Li-ion battery packs are constructed of modules connected in parallel and/or in series to raise the capacity and/or voltage, respectively, of the battery pack. A set of cells is assembled into a series arrangement in each module to raise the voltage or in parallel to raise the capacity. A battery pack also includes structural, electrical, and cooling architecture and a battery management system (BMS). The BMS monitors voltages, currents, and temperatures of cells and modules within a pack to share the electrical load on the pack and attempt to detect a failing cell or cells. Failure of a single cell in a battery pack can lead to a fire event. Cells within a battery have multiple modes of failure including physical damage, operation outside of a required temperature range, overcharging, undercharging, excessive current draw, internal shorting, external shorting, and others. When a cell fails, an early external identifier is rupture of the cell safety relief. Decomposition byproducts from overheated cells moves from the cells into an intrapack volume and can be detected. A fire event in a battery pack is often difficult to detect and suppress because battery packs are built with tight construction methods. Fire events may also continue after a first quantity of fire suppressant is administered to the battery pack. Alternatively, a second cell in a second pack may undergo a fire event a short time after a first fire event. On-board fire suppression systems are typically only equipped to handle a single fire event. SUMMARY A fire suppression system for a battery pack includes a controller, an inlet line, an outlet line, a detector, a first pressure vessel with a first valve, and a second pressure vessel with a second valve. The pack includes: an inlet, battery modules housing battery cells, and an outlet. The inlet line connects to the pack inlet and the outlet line connects to the outlet. The detector senses a condition indicative of a fire event caused by a battery cell breaking and produces a signal. The controller, connected to the detector, determines a fire event is occurring based on the signal. The first vessel and the second vessel connect to the inlet line. A first suppressant flows from the first vessel into the pack when the controller opens the first valve. A second suppressant flows from the second vessel into the pack when the controller opens the second valve. A method of cooling an overheated battery pack battery includes detecting a condition indicative of a fire event caused by at least one battery cell breaking down in a battery pack. The method also includes transmitting values representing the sensed condition to a controller. The method also includes determining, by the controller, a first fire event is occurring in the battery pack based on the transmitted values. The method also includes triggering a first fire suppression procedure. The first fire suppression procedure includes releasing a first pressurized fire suppressant by opening, with the controller, a first suppressant vessel valve to a first pressure vessel. The first fire suppression procedure also includes flowing the first fire suppressant into the battery pack to cool the battery pack with the first fire suppressant. The method of cooling the overheated battery pack also includes determining, by the controller, a second fire event is occurring in the battery pack based on the transmitted values and triggering a second fire suppression procedure.