DE102016100223A1 - Electric vehicle component with heat-swellable fire protection material - Google Patents

Abstract

The electric vehicle component (1) has at least one fire protection area (5-7) made of heat-swellable fire protection material (M1). A vehicle (F) has at least one electric vehicle component (1). The invention is particularly applicable to fire protection in electrical components of vehicles, especially power cars.

Description

The invention relates to an electrical component comprising at least one fire protection area made of heat-swellable fire protection material. The invention also relates to a vehicle having at least one such electrical component. The invention is particularly applicable to fire protection in electrical components of vehicles.

It is known that batteries can pass thermally as energy storage in a vehicle. Thermal Runaway refers to overheating of the battery due to a self-reinforcing, heat-producing process. A runaway usually causes a destruction of the battery, eg by overpressure (bursting) or by the emission of gases. For this reason, for example, suggests DE 10 2013 014 929 A1 a valve for targeted degassing of the battery.

Protective measures can be, for example, a housing of the battery (s) in sturdy housings. It is disadvantageous that the destruction of the battery is not stopped.

Also, a sheath of battery cells may be provided with an endothermic material, e.g. with a cooling layer "EneX" from K.TeX - Knein Technische Textilien GmbH. Endothermic fabrics are e.g. also as fire curtains, as insulation textiles for the enclosure of power plant turbines, as textile heat shields that protect an electronics in the engine compartment of a car, as non-flammable architectural textiles or as textile reflectors for strong photo lamps used.

For fire protection in buildings an intumescent building materials ("intumescent") is known as fire protection filler or fire protection boards. For preventive structural fire protection, it is known that in the insulation of a cable intumescent expanded graphite can be introduced. Upon exposure to heat - e.g. in the case of a cable fire, a "foamed" layer of ash, which impedes the supply of oxygen - and thus the spread of the flame - is formed together with a clogging insulation material.

Also intumescent materials are known as paintings for wood.

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, and in particular to provide an improved way to mitigate or even completely prevent fire damage to electrical components or their consequential damage in a vehicle.

This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are in particular the dependent claims.

The object is achieved by an electrical vehicle component having at least one area (hereinafter referred to as "fire protection area" without restriction of generality) made of a heat-swellable mass (hereinafter referred to as "heat-swellable fire protection material" without restricting the general public).

This electrical (i.e., current-carrying, current-storing and / or power-generating) vehicle component has the advantage that when heat-developing damage occurs, the heat-swellable fire protection material can specifically suppress or even completely stop the heat development, in particular by swelling. Damage inhibition can only be avoided by active triggering of countermeasures, even if such countermeasures can be used in addition. The use of heat-swellable fire protection material allows damage inhibition even in hard-to-reach vehicle components and / or within a vehicle component, in particular within a housing of the vehicle component.

The heat-swellable mass may in particular be an intumescent mass. In particular, it is not flammable. The mass may be sprayed on as a layer or shaped, for example, as a plate, mat or the like.

It is a development that is advantageous for avoiding electrical short circuits and for extending creepage distances and clearances, that the heat-swellable fire protection material is an electrically insulating material.

It is an embodiment that the electrical vehicle component is an energy store, in particular a vehicle battery. With the provision of the heat-swellable fire protection material, in particular in the energy store, a fire, for example due to thermal runaway, can be contained or even suffocated in the neck. Another advantageous effect is that the swelling of the fire protection material causes a reduction of a free volume in the energy storage, so that in case of fire exiting memory cells hot electrolyte gas finds less space for its spread. Consequently, a concentration of the electrolyte gas in the energy storage remains higher than without heat-swellable Fireproofing material. In turn, the concentration of the electrolyte gas can be kept above its ignitable concentration, ie, that the electrolyte gas in the then still free volume of the energy storage is not diluted so much that an ignitable mixture (with atmospheric oxygen) is formed.

Such an energy storage is not limited to use in or with a vehicle, but may be a general electrical component or a separate part.

The energy store may be a single energy store or a group of individual energy stores ("battery pack"). The energy store can not be rechargeable or rechargeable ("accumulator"). The energy store may accordingly have at least one memory cell in the form of a primary cell (non-rechargeable energy store) or in the form of a secondary cell (rechargeable energy store).

It is still an embodiment that the energy storage has at least one memory cell which is at least partially surrounded by the heat-swellable fire protection material. In particular, it is possible to particularly effectively suppress or even completely prevent, in particular stifle, the spread of a fire or the escape of hot electrolyte gas to areas behind the heat-swellable fire protection material.

It is a further embodiment that the heat-swellable fire protection material is arranged between at least one memory cell and an associated cell carrier. In particular, a spreading of a fire, a hot electrolyte gas or the like can be achieved. suppress or even prevent, especially stifle, on an adjacent memory cell.

It is yet another embodiment that the heat-swellable fire protection material is arranged between at least one memory cell and a housing of the energy store. This also makes it possible to suppress or even prevent a fire and / or spreading of hot electrolyte gases in the housing.

It is a development that at least one memory cell thereof is a lithium-ion cell. It is yet another embodiment that at least one memory cell is a lithium iron phosphate cell. Cell types based on lithium iron phosphate are not endangered by thermal runaway, but in the case of e.g. Heat generation caused by overstress or failure will expel a very hot electrolyte gas. However, the invention can be advantageously applied to cell types with fire-prone chemistry and thus reduce or prevent their fire reaction.

It is also an embodiment that the energy store, in particular its housing, at least one valve, in particular degassing valve, for the removal of gases, in particular electrolyte gases having. The gas can thus be removed via the valve from the housing, in particular pressed, which can reduce damage to the energy storage even more. Due to the heat-swelling material, the electrolyte gas is thus forced out of the housing. In particular, the electrolyte gas can thus be brought faster and stronger over its upper limit of its ignitability. The valve is in particular a pressure relief valve and / or check valve.

It is also an embodiment that the electrical vehicle component is at least one electrical line. The electrical line may in particular comprise at least one wire or at least one cable which is surrounded by the heat-swellable fire protection material in the form of a jacket or a sheath. Thus, advantageously, heat development at a fault location (line break, dissolution of the insulation, penetration of parts into the insulation, cell damage, etc.) of the electrical line can be brought to a standstill. The heat development can e.g. have been caused by a short circuit, an arc, etc. This embodiment is particularly advantageous because such a short circuit or arc can not always be switched off by a suitable protective measure. Especially at voltages above 12 volts, for example 48 V or more, the formation of arcs is very likely. When heat develops, the heat-swellable fire protection material swells to a multiple of its original volume and smothers the emerging fire. In the case of an arc, the arc gap is increased or isolated, so that an otherwise subsequent fire event can already be prevented from its formation. Due to the heat-swellable mass, the protection is effected at the fault location and requires no explicit triggering. Thus, sudden and delayed error events are equally contained or prevented.

It is a further development that a cable has at least one core or strand, which is surrounded by an electrically insulating insulation ("wire insulation" or cable sheath) and the envelope containing the fire protection material surrounds or encloses the wire insulation. Alternatively or additionally, the envelope having the fire protection material may be surrounded by a wire insulation. In yet another variant, the wire insulation may comprise the fire protection material.

Even after a crash or a cold deformation of a vehicle so time-delayed events can be intercepted.

It is also an embodiment that the vehicle electrical component is an electrical wire connection covered by the heat-swellable fire protection material. Thus, similar to the case of a fault of an electric wire, shorts, etc. on the wire connection that generate heat (e.g., arcs) may be stopped by itself or without external triggering. The line connection may e.g. a connector, a solder joint, etc. be.

The object is also achieved by a vehicle having at least one electric vehicle component as described above. The vehicle can be designed analogously to the electrical vehicle component and gives the same advantages.

The vehicle may be a motor vehicle (e.g., a car such as a passenger car, truck, bus, etc. or a motorcycle), a railroad, a watercraft (e.g., a boat or a ship), or an aircraft (e.g., an airplane or a helicopter).

It is an embodiment that at least one electrical vehicle component represents a part of a vehicle electrical system, which in particular has an operating voltage of more than twelve volts. This is advantageous because at voltages above 12 volts, e.g. of 24 volts, 48 volts, etc., a likelihood of occurrence of electric arcs at faults of electric lines and / or line connections greatly increases.

It is still an embodiment that the vehicle is an at least partially electrically powered vehicle, in particular a hybrid or electric vehicle. The energy store may then be e.g. store electrical energy for a drive, in particular drive motor, of the vehicle.

The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more clearly understood in connection with the following schematic description of an embodiment which will be described in detail in conjunction with the drawings.

1 shows a sectional view in side view of an energy storage with a not yet swollen heat swellable fire protection material;

2 shows a sectional view in side view of the energy storage with already swollen fire protection material;

3 shows a sectional view in side view of an electrical line with a not yet swollen heat-swellable fire protection material; and

4 shows a sectional view in side view of the electrical line with the already swollen fire protection material.

1 shows a sectional side view parts of an energy storage in the form of a battery 1 with several lithium iron phosphate storage cells 2 , The memory cells 2 be from a cell carrier 3 held or carried. The memory cells 2 are from a housing 4 of the accumulator 1 surrounded, of which only one top and one bottom are shown here.

In the accumulator 1 are several fire protection areas 5 . 6 . 7 present, which consist of a heat-swellable, electrically insulating and non-flammable fire protection material M1 or have such a fire protection material M1. The fire protection material M1 is not yet swollen. While the fire protection areas 5 . 6 between the respective memory cell 2 and the cell carrier 3 are arranged and thus the memory cells 2 surrounded eg directly to the side, is the fire protection area 7 between the memory cell 2 and the housing 4 arranged, namely here on an inner side of the housing 4 , The fire protection area 7 may be spaced from the memory cells 2 be arranged.

The accumulator 1 further includes at least one through the housing 4 protruding valve 8th for removing gases.

The accumulator 1 may represent a part of a vehicle F, eg a motor vehicle, so be a vehicle component. The accumulator 1 can serve as an energy storage for a vehicle electrical system of a motor vehicle. The electrical system can be operated with a voltage of more than twelve volts, for example 48 V or more rated voltage. The car can be a hybrid or electric vehicle.

2 shows the accumulator 1 with already swollen fire protection material M1 at least one of the fire protection areas 5 . 6 and or 7 , The fire protection material M1 may therefore be swollen, for example, because the memory cell shown here on the right 2 was overstressed or defective and therefore ejected hot electrolyte gas. The hot electrolyte gas has caused the fire protection material M1 at least locally is swollen so that the electrolyte gas heavier or possibly even no longer out of the memory cell 2 can escape. Alternatively or additionally, by the swollen fire protection material M1 a free, air-filled space in the housing 4 reduced so that a concentration of the electrolyte gas can not fall below a threshold below which creates an ignitable mixture with the air.

The electrolyte gas can pass through the valve 8th be dissipated. The valve 8th may in particular be a pressure relief valve, so that thereby no air into the housing 4 can flow in.

3 shows a sectional view in side view of an electrical line 9 with a cable 10 , The electrical line 9 may be a component of the vehicle F, eg an electrical line 9 of a vehicle electrical system.

The cable 10 has a metallic core 11 and an insulating jacket 12 on. The electrical line 9 has a fire protection area in the form of an insulating jacket 12 outside surrounding fire protection cable cladding 13 on. The fire protection cable sheath 13 has heat-swellable, electrically insulating and non-flammable fire protection material M2. This is shown here in a not yet swollen heat swellable state. The fire protection material M2 may fire from the material M1 of the accumulator 1 be different or be the same.

The cable 10 indicates a fault in the form of eg a gap 14 on. The gap can, for example, by a cable break, a material evaporation o.ä. be generated. Between the two through the gap 14 separated sections of the cable 10 An arc L has formed that develops heat.

4 shows the electrical line 9 with the already swollen fire protection material M the fire protection cable sheath 13 , First, the fire protection material M2 has an air supply to the gap 14 and thus made the arc L more difficult and has also been in the gap 14 extended into it. Through that in the gap 14 located, swollen fire protection material M2 has an air gap of the arc L increased so far that the arc L collapsed and thereby a fire hazard has been avoided.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown.

So can in 3 and 4 the fire protection cable cladding 13 between the vein 11 and the insulating jacket 12 be arranged, ie, that the insulating jacket 12 the fire protection cable cladding 13 surrounds or encases.

Furthermore, the insulating jacket 12 Fire protection material M2 have as an integral part and thus also have the function of a fire protection cable sheath.

Generally, "on", "an", etc. may be taken to mean a singular or a plurality, in particular in the sense of "at least one" or "one or more" etc., unless this is explicitly excluded, e.g. by the expression "exactly one", etc.

Also, a number may include exactly the specified number as well as a usual tolerance range, as long as this is not explicitly excluded.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

accumulator

2

memory cell

3

cell support

4

casing

5

Fire protection

6

Fire protection

7

Fire protection

8th

Valve

9

Electrical line

10

electric wire

11

Vein

12

insulating

13

Fire-resistant cable sheathing

14

gap

F

vehicle

L

Electric arc

M1

Fireproof material

M2

Fireproof material

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102013014929 A1 [0002]

Claims (12)

Electric vehicle component ( 1 ; 9 ), comprising at least one fire protection area ( 5 - 7 ; 13 ) made of heat-swellable fire protection material (M1, M2). Electric vehicle component ( 1 ) according to claim 1, wherein the electrical vehicle component is an energy store ( 1 ). Electric vehicle component ( 1 ) according to claim 2, wherein the energy store ( 1 ) at least one memory cell ( 2 ), which is at least partially surrounded by the heat-swellable fire protection material (M1). Electric vehicle component ( 1 ) according to claim 3, wherein the heat-swellable fire protection material (M1) between at least one memory cell ( 2 ) and an associated cell carrier ( 3 ) is arranged. Electric vehicle component ( 1 ) according to one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the heat-swellable fire protection material (M1) between at least one memory cell ( 2 ) and a housing ( 4 ) of the energy store ( 1 ) is arranged. Electric vehicle component ( 1 ) according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein at least one memory cell ( 2 ) of which is a lithium iron phosphate cell. Electric vehicle component ( 1 ) according to one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the energy store ( 1 ) at least one valve ( 2 ) for discharging gases. Electric vehicle component ( 9 ) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle electrical component ( 9 ) at least one cable ( 10 ) of the heat-swellable fire protection material (M2) in the form of a cable sheath ( 13 ) is surrounded. Electric vehicle component ( 9 ) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle electrical component ( 9 ) is an electrical line connection, which is covered by the heat-swellable fire protection material. Vehicle (F) comprising at least one electric vehicle component ( 1 ; 9 ) according to any one of the preceding claims. Vehicle (F) according to claim 10, wherein at least one electric vehicle component ( 9 ) represents a part of a vehicle electrical system, which has an operating voltage of more than twelve volts.  Vehicle (F) according to one of claims 10 to 11, wherein the vehicle is an electrically driven vehicle.

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