NO341471B1

NO341471B1 - A method for extinguishing burning batteries inside an electric vehicle

Info

Publication number: NO341471B1
Application number: NO20161913A
Authority: NO
Inventors: Frank Daniel Brubakken
Original assignee: Frank Daniel Brubakken
Priority date: 2016-12-01
Filing date: 2016-12-01
Publication date: 2017-11-20
Also published as: NO20161913A1

Description

A METHOD FOR EXTINGUISHING BURNING BATTERIES INSIDE AN

ELECTRIC VEHICLE

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a method for extinguishing burning batteries inside an electric/hybrid vehicle. Considering the case of hybrid vehicles, especially the case of electric vehicles, the batteries used in the electric vehicles are high-voltage batteries. Electrical batteries, in general, are presently used as high-voltage power sources in such electric/hybrid vehicles. However, electrical batteries have the probability of getting damaged due to excessive charging. These batteries also have the tendency to get damaged during a charging process, which might last longer than usual, under low temperature conditions. The actual damage to these electrical batteries occur in the internal circuit, and may subsequently lead to a heat-generated chain reaction. In the worst case, such a chain reaction can trigger or generate a fire in the electric vehicle. Furthermore, the fire in these batteries can be caused due to vehicle crash, electrical faults, high pressure or exposure to high heat, etc.

Even though a battery management module is provided in the electric vehicle for managing the battery cells, the task of the battery management module is to check the different battery cells in different battery units in the battery pack, and to alert any hazards under extreme conditions.

An existing prior art WO2013128143A, discloses an electric or hybrid vehicle comprising an arrangement of means for introducing an extinguishing fluid into a battery pack, especially a drive battery, of said vehicle. A first flap is placed in a wall of the pack and provides access to the interior of the pack, this flap comprising partial or total blocking means, these means being removable, or melt under the effect of temperature. A

second flap is placed in an element of the body of the vehicle facing the first flap. The extinguishing fluid may be introduced into the pack through the two flaps once the blocking means of the first flap have been removed or melted.

However, if an electric vehicle catches fire, then the only solution is to tow the burning vehicle to a safe area and let it burn there. There is no instant solution for extinguishing the burning vehicles. Furthermore, the consequences might be hazardous if the fire starts in an electric vehicle parked in a garage, ferry, or a parking house, so quick methods to extinguish the fire is much in demand.

Therefore, there is a need for a method using a device such as a blanket, which can extinguish the burning batteries positioned inside the electric vehicles, and the said method can quickly contact the burning batteries without the use of complex mechanical parts. The ease of portability of the device utilized in this method is also of great importance since such accidents can occur at any location at any point of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, when an electric vehicle is on fire, it is easy for firefighters to extinguish the fire on the body of the electric vehicle, but it is difficult to extinguish the fire on the batteries, since the batteries are positioned deep within the body of the electric vehicle. Since it is difficult for the firefighters to reach and extinguish the fire on the batteries, a method is adapted which makes it comfortable for the firefighters to cool down and extinguish the burning batteries inside the electric vehicle. The method comprises a set of basic steps, which needs to be performed by the user, for example, the firefighters.

In a first step, the fire on the electric vehicle is extinguished using conventional means, for example, using a fire blanket, water or other fire extinguishing material. In a second step, since the batteries cannot be extinguished in the usual manner, a waterproof rug or blanket is introduced under the electric vehicle. The blanket is introduced under

the electric vehicle after lifting the electric vehicle using a carjack. In a third step, the blanket is folded up along the electric vehicle, so that it forms a tray underneath the car. Now, the sides of the blanket are held up by one rope, such as, ropes of the electric vehicle, or supported from the ground.

In a fourth step, the tray is filled with water above a level of the burning batteries positioned inside the electric vehicle, so that the water cools down the burning batteries to extinguish them. When the tray is filled with water, the water fills across the vehicle components and makes proper surface contact with all the components including the burning batteries. As water is an efficient coolant, the high temperature of the burning batteries is drastically reduced to a lower temperature in a short time duration. This cools down the batteries to stop any further burning of the batteries. In a fifth step, after a few minutes, the batteries are extinguished and the tray may be removed.

In an embodiment, the blanket is removed after a predefined time when a portion of the heat of the burning batteries is absorbed by the water. In an embodiment, the two front wheels of the electric vehicle are lifted via the carjack for positioning the blanket underneath the electric vehicle. The next step of the embodiment is to lift the two rear wheels of the electric vehicle by using the car jack and then pull the blanket on the ground from behind the electric vehicle and all the way to the front wheels. The electric vehicle is, for example, a car. Now, the front wheels are lifted to further pull the blanket further under the front wheels, so that it covers properly under the entire vehicle and then the carjack is removed.

The last parts of the embodiment are now to lift the blanket up along the sides of the car so it defines the shape of a tray with a car positioned inside. These sides are held up with ropes from the top edge of the blanket and over the car to the blanket edge on the other side. This is done as many places as needed to hold the sides properly up. As an alternative to ropes, poles can be used from the ground outside the blanket and fastened in the same top edge of the blanket. The tray shaped blanket is now set to be filled with water to chill the battery down, and then the fire is extinguished.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a top perspective view of the blanket, which is configured to be used in the method to extinguish the burning batteries.

FIG. 2A exemplarily illustrates an initial stage of a method for extinguishing the burning batteries positioned inside the burning electric vehicle.

FIG. 2B exemplarily illustrates a secondary stage of a method for extinguishing the burning batteries positioned inside the burning electric vehicle, and the tray defined by the blanket is filled with water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a top perspective view of the blanket 100, which is configured to be used in the method to extinguish the burning batteries. Nowadays, electric vehicles 200 include batteries, for example, 500 Volt re-chargeable batteries that have a potential of catching fire due to over-heating during the charging process.

Hereinafter, ‘electric vehicle’ is referred to as ‘car’ in the continuation of this description. The heating up of the batteries might eventually cause the batteries to explode resulting in burning of the car 200. Since these batteries are positioned deep inside the car 200, and it is difficult to remove the batteries immediately during the burning process, and further, it is difficult to chill down the batteries owing to its positioning. Therefore, the only way to extinguish the burning battery is to chill it down, and no other conventional ways are possible.

The method for extinguishing the burning batteries using the blanket 100 provides the solution for the above-mentioned problems. The blanket 100 comprises foldable sections 102, which extend out from a central rectangular section 101. Each foldable

section 102 comprises openings 103 on the edge to receive a rope 107 as shown in FIG.

2B. The rope 107 fastens the blanket 100 around the corners 104 to define a tray 109 as further described in FIGS. 2A-2B. In an embodiment, each opening 103 on each foldable section 102 is a grommeted opening 103. The grommeted openings 103 strengthen the blanket 100 from tearing apart due to pressure of the water 108 filled inside the tray 109.

Referring to FIG.2B, the grommeted openings 103 receive the rope 107, for example, Nylon/ Polypropylene rope or steel rope. Ropes 107 can be tied across the grommeted openings 103. Here, the sides of the blanket 100 are folded up with the rope 107 from a top edge of the tray 109, and over the car 200 and tied on the other side depending on the size of the car 200, and is repeated around the car 200 until the sides of the tray 109 are ready to hold the water 108. Another way is to connect poles from the wire, and down to the ground to support the walls up. This way the walls of the blanket 100 are held up to define the tray 109 and the tray 109 can carry water 108 inside. The method for extinguishing the burning batteries positioned inside the burning car 200 is further explained in FIGS. 2A-2B.

FIG.2A exemplarily illustrates an initial stage of the method for extinguishing burning batteries positioned inside a burning car 200, and FIG. 2B exemplarily illustrates a secondary stage of a method for extinguishing the burning batteries positioned inside the burning car 200, and the tray 109 defined by the blanket 100 is filled with water 108. The method comprises multiple steps. As a first step, the fire on the burning car 200 is extinguished using a fire extinguisher. Here, the actual fire inside the actual car 200 is extinguished with a fire blanket, water or other fire extinguishing material. However, since the batteries, which are burning, cannot be extinguished in the usual manner, as mentioned above, it is extinguished using a blanket 100.

The blanket 100 has foldable sections 102 on each side of the blanket 100, and each corner 104 and sides of each foldable section 102 comprises openings 103 to receive a rope 107. The car 200 is then lifted via a carjack to position the blanket 100 below the

car 200, that is, the carjack can be used to lift the car 200 to get the blanket 100 under the wheels 105 and 106. The corners 104 of the foldable sections 102 are fastened via the rope 107 to define a tray 109 around the car 200. In other words, the blanket 100 is folded up along the car 200, so that it forms a tray 109 underneath the car 200. The sides of the blanket 100 are held up by the rope 107, such as, ropes over the car 200, or supported from the ground. The tray 109 is then filled with water 108 to a level above the actual positioning of the burning batteries positioned inside the car 200, and therefore the filled water 108 cools down the burning batteries to extinguish the burning batteries. After a few minutes, the tray 109 may be removed after ensuring that the batteries are extinguished.

The two front wheels 105 of the car 200 are lifted via the carjack for positioning the blanket 100 underneath the car 200, and the blanket 100 is fastened on the corners 104 via inserting the rope 107 through the openings 103. In an embodiment, the two rear wheels 106 of the car 200 are lifted via the carjack for pulling the blanket 100 from below the two front wheels 105 and beyond the two rear wheels 106, and the blanket 100 is further fastened through the corners 104 via inserting the rope 107 through the openings 103.

To summarize the method in simple words: 1). The fire is extinguished on the car 200 using conventional methods, for example, a fire extinguisher which can be sprayed over the burning car 200, 2). The two front wheels 105 are lifted using the carjack to pull the blanket 100 underneath the two front wheels 105, 3). The blanket 100 is then pulled towards the two rear wheels 106, 4). The two rear wheels 106 are also lifted using the carjack to pull the blanket 100 beyond the two rear wheels 106, 5) Now the blanket 100 covers under the whole car 200. Now we want the blanket 100 to define the shape of a tray with the car 200 positioned inside. The blanket 100 is supported with ropes 107, for example, Nylon/ Polypropylene rope or steel rope. The rope 107 can be tied and pulled over the car 200 and tied on the other side, or poles erected upward from the ground, and in to the rope 107 so that the blanket 100 defines the tray 109 as shown in FIG.2B, 6).

Finally, the carjack is removed when the blanket 100 is completely positioned below the car 200, and then the tray 109 is filled with water 108 so that the water 108 covers the batteries completely, and the fire on the battery is extinguished. After a minimum waiting period of 15 minutes, the assembly of the blanket 100, which defines the tray 109, is dismantled after ensuring that the batteries have been completely chilled down.

In an embodiment, the blanket 100 is removed after a predefined time when a portion of the heat of the burning batteries is absorbed by the water 108. The water 108 is normally maintained at a regular ambient temperature, and while filling the tray 109, it is ensured that the water 108 fills above the level of the batteries positioned inside the car 200, for example, generally about 60 cm (centimeter) is enough. The blanket 100 can be filled with much more water 108 if needed or in case if the user is not sure of the actual height of positioning of the batteries height inside the car 200. The temperature of the burning batteries should be chilled down to below 100 degree Celsius, and additional water 108 is introduced into the tray 109, as mentioned before, to ensure that the batteries are completely chilled down. The portability of the blanket 100 makes it easier for a single user to fold and carry the blanket 100 to the location of the burning car 200.

The present method easily lift up the car by means of a jacket, and then a blanket 100 is placed under the car, where the blanket 100 consists of folded edges on each side with apertures to receive a rope. The said blanket 100 is folded on each side edge and defines a vessel, where the corners of the folding sections on the blanket 100 are attached using the rope, which now defines a vessel around the electric vehicle. The vessel is then filled with water above one level to the burning batteries inside the car. Henceforth, the water cools down the burning batteries and extinguishes the burning batteries. The defined vessel of blanket 100 is removed after a certain time, when the batteries are switched off. Thus, the present method could extinguish the burning batteries positioned inside the electric vehicles, and the blanket 100 can quickly contact the burning batteries without the use of complex mechanical parts. The blankets 100 is portable, since such accidents can occur at any location at any point of time.

The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present concept disclosed herein. While the concept has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the concept has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the concept is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the concept extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may affect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the concept in its aspects.

Claims

1. A method for extinguishing burning batteries positioned inside a burning electric vehicle (200) comprising:

extinguishing fire on the burning electric vehicle (200) via a fire extinguisher, characterized by,

providing a blanket (100) comprising foldable sections (102) on each side of the blanket (100), wherein each corner (104) of each foldable section (102) comprises openings (103) to receive a rope (107);

lifting the electric vehicle (200) via a carjack to position the blanket (100) below the electric vehicle (200);

fastening the corners (104) of the foldable sections (102) via the rope (107) to define a tray (109) around the electric vehicle (200);

filling the tray (109) with water (108) above a level of the burning batteries positioned inside the electric vehicle (200), wherein the water (108) cools down the burning batteries to extinguish the burning batteries; and

removing the tray (109) after a predetermined time when the batteries are extinguished, thereby extinguishing burning batteries positioned inside a burning electric vehicle (200).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the blanket (100) is removed after a predefined time when a portion of the heat of the burning batteries is absorbed by the water (108).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each opening (103) on each foldable section (102) is a grommeted opening (103), wherein the grommeted opening (103) is configured to strengthen the blanket (100) from tearing apart due to pressure of the water (108) filled inside the tray (109), and to provide attachment to tools that could hold the blanket (100) in form of the tray (109).

via the carjack for positioning the blanket (100) underneath the electric vehicle (200), wherein the blanket (100) is fastened on the corners (104) via inserting the rope (107) through the openings (103).

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising lifting two rear wheels (106) of the electric vehicle (200) via the carjack for pulling the blanket (100) from behind the electric vehicle (200) under the rear wheels and to the front wheels (105), and wherein the front wheels are lifted to pull the blanket (100) to the front of the vehicle so that the blanket (100) is covering the ground under the electric vehicle (200).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the blanket (100) is further fastened through the corners and (104) via inserting the rope (107) through the openings (103), wherein the sides of blanket (100) are folded up to define the tray (109).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sides are folded up with the rope (107) from top edge of the tray (109), and over the electric vehicle (200) and tied on the other side depending on the size of the electric vehicle (200), and is repeated around the electric vehicle (200) until the sides of the tray (109) are ready to hold the water.