TRACTION BATTERY DEVICE WITH EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS

Abstract

A traction battery device for an at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle includes at least one traction battery with at least one battery housing for housing battery modules and/or battery cells and at least one extinguishing apparatus for automatically carrying out an extinguishing process in an extinguishing situation. An extinguishing agent can be introduced into the battery housing with the extinguishing apparatus via at least one feed device. In this context, the extinguishing apparatus has at least one extinguishing-agent-generating device which, in the case of an extinguishing situation, is suitable for combining, and is designed to combine, at least two spatially separate extinguishing agent components in a controlled fashion and to mix them to form an extinguishing agent which can be extinguished and which can be introduced into the battery housing via the feed device.

Claims

1. A traction battery device for an at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle, said traction battery device comprising: at least one traction battery with at least one battery housing for housing battery modules and/or battery cells and at least one extinguishing apparatus for automatically carrying out an extinguishing process in an extinguishing situation, wherein the at least one extinguishing apparatus is configured to introduce at least one extinguishing agent into the battery housing via at least one feed device, wherein the extinguishing apparatus comprises at least one extinguishing-agent-generating device which is configured to combine at least two spatially separate extinguishing agent components in a controlled fashion and to mix the extinguishing agent components together to form an extinguishing agent which can be introduced into the battery housing via the feed device.

2. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed device comprises foam ducts and foam outlet units via which the extinguishing agent, in the form of an extinguishing foam, is introduced into the battery housing.

3. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extinguishing-agent-generating device comprises at least one extinguishing tank with at least two extinguishing agent component spaces which are sealed with respect to one another and from an outside.

4. The traction battery device according to claim 3, wherein the extinguishing-agent-generating device comprises at least one controllable flow connection between the extinguishing agent component spaces.

5. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the extinguishing-agent-generating device comprises at least one mixing space which is sealed with respect to the extinguishing agent component spaces and is controllable for the selective mixing of the extinguishing agent components, wherein the mixing space has a flow connection to the feed device in order to discharge the extinguishing agent via the feed device, wherein the mixing space is configured to be selectively connected the extinguishing agent component spaces.

6. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the extinguishing agent component spaces are each configured to be connected fluidically to the mixing space by way of at least one controllable valve device, and wherein the fluidic connection between the extinguishing agent component spaces is made only via the mixing space.

7. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mixing space comprises at least one pipe-like mixing section for generating selective eddying in order to mix the extinguishing agent components.

8. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one controllable valve device is arranged at each end of the mixing section for each of the extinguishing agent component spaces.

9. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mixing space is arranged within the extinguishing tank.

10. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mixing space extends partially into one of the extinguishing agent components spaces.

11. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the extinguishing agent components are configured to be transferred into and mixed in the mixing space by way of excess pressure applied to the extinguishing agent component spaces, and wherein, the extinguishing agent is configured to be introduced into the battery housing via the feed device by way of the excess pressure.

12. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extinguishing-agent-generating device is attached to a housing wall and/or to a housing frame of the battery housing.

13. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed device is integrated into at least one housing wall and into a cover of the battery housing, and wherein the feed device includes extinguishing agent ducts and extinguishing agent outlet units that are arranged in said feed device.

14. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed device is configured to introduce in a selective fashion the extinguishing agent between the battery modules and/or battery cells within the battery housing.

15. The traction battery device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extinguishing apparatus comprises at least one control device which is configured to monitor an operating state of the traction battery by way of at least one sensor means, wherein the extinguishing apparatus is configured to combine the extinguishing agent components by way of the extinguishing-agent-generating device when a critical operating state is detected, and wherein the extinguishing apparatus is configured to initiate at the same time an extinguishing process which runs automatically and during which the extinguishing agent components are mixed to form an extinguishing agent which is capable of extinguishing, and wherein feed device is configured to direct the extinguishing agent into the battery housing in order to fight the fire.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further advantages and features of the present invention emerge from the exemplary embodiments which are explained below with reference to the appended figures.

[0029] In the figures:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a highly schematic illustration of a traction battery device according to aspects of the invention in a perspective view;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an illustration of a detail of the traction battery device in a perspective view;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows an illustration of a detail of the traction battery device in a sectional front view; and

[0033] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of a detail of the traction battery device in a sectional side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a traction battery device 1 according to aspects of the invention with a traction battery 11, such as is used, for example, as a high voltage battery in an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle. The traction battery 11 comprises a battery housing 2 which makes available a receptacle space for a plurality of battery modules 21. Battery cells 31 (which cannot be seen here) are accommodated in the battery modules 21. The traction battery 11 is embodied in the example shown here as an underfloor battery for a passenger car. 11.

[0035] The battery housing 2 comprises here a plurality of housing walls 12 as well as a housing frame 22 which runs around laterally. In order to close off the receptacle space, the battery housing 2 also comprises an upper housing wall 12 (not shown here) which is embodied as a cover 32 and is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2.

[0036] The traction battery device 1 is equipped with an extinguishing device 3 for automatically carrying out extinguishing processes in extinguishing situations and, for example, in the case of accident induced damage or overheating. The extinguishing apparatus 3 is then described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0037] In order to fight a fire with the extinguishing apparatus 3 use is made of an extinguishing agent 13 which is not shown here in more detail and is embodied as an extinguishing foam 33. The extinguishing foam 33 is introduced into the battery housing 2 via a feed device 4 which is integrated into the cover 32.

[0038] In order to detect critical operating states, the extinguishing apparatus 3 is equipped here with a control device 8 which continuously monitors the temperature and the pressure of the traction battery 11 via the sensor means 18. As soon as an abnormal or critical operating state or a crash situation with damage or destruction of the traction battery 11 is detected, the control apparatus 8 triggers the extinguishing process.

[0039] The extinguishing apparatus 3 is equipped with a extinguishing-agent-generating device 5 which combines two extinguishing agent components 23 arranged in an invisible fashion within the extinguishing tank 15, and mixes them and therefore generates the extinguishing foam 33. The extinguishing foam 33 is then selectively introduced into the battery housing 2 via the feed device 4 which is shown in FIG. 2.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, the feed device 4 is integrated here into the cover 32 of the battery housing 2. For this purpose, a plurality of meandering extinguishing agent ducts, embodied as foam ducts 14, are arranged or formed in the cover. The feed device 4 additionally comprises here extinguishing agent outlet units or foam outlet units 24 which are designed for the use of extinguishing foam 33 and via which extinguishing foam 33 exits the foam ducts 14 into the interior of the battery 11. The foam outlet units 24 are arranged here along the foam ducts 14, so that spaces between the battery modules 21 and other cavities within the battery housing 2 can be reached selectively.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows the design in which the extinguishing-agent-generating device 5 is arranged with its extinguishing tank 15 on an end side of the battery housing 2. For example, the extinguishing tank 15 is for this purpose attached to an end-side housing wall 12 and/or to the housing frame 22.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a design in which the extinguishing device 3 is attached with its extinguishing tank 15 to the cover 32. Such a design provides the advantage that the extinguishing-agent-generating device 5 and the feed device 4 are attached to a common component 32, which can be handled easily, and/or are integrated into said component. It is therefore possible to carry out retrofitting or also service work particularly easily.

[0043] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate in more detail the extinguishing-agent-generating device 5 of the traction battery device 1 which is described in more detail. The extinguishing-agent-generating device 5 has here a pipe-like extinguishing tank 15, which has two extinguishing agent component spaces 25 which are sealed with respect to one another and from the outside. In each case one of the extinguishing agent components 23 for producing the extinguishing foam 33 is arranged in the extinguishing agent component spaces 25.

[0044] The extinguishing agent components 23 are combined in a mixing space 7 via a flow connection 6 which can be controlled by the control device 8. The extinguishing foam 33 which is produced is then discharged from the mixing space 7 via a line (which cannot be seen here) and fed to the feed device 4. The mixing space 7 is embodied here as a mixing pipe and comprises a pipe-like mixing section 17.

[0045] The controllable flow connection 6 is provided here by a total of four controllable valve devices 16. In this context, in each case two valve devices 16 which are arranged at opposite ends of the mixing section 17 are provided for each extinguishing agent component space 25. As soon as the control device 8 opens the valve devices 16, the extinguishing agent components 23 flow out of their respective extinguishing agent component space 25 into the mixing space 7. For prompt and thorough mixing, selective eddying of the inflowing extinguishing agent components 23 is generated with the mixing section 17.

[0046] If the sensor means 18 indicate, for example, a critical temperature just before a battery fire, the control device 8 opens the valve devices 16 which embodied, for example, as injector valves. The extinguishing agent components 23 from the extinguishing agent component spaces 24 to which pressure has been applied then flow into the mixing space 7 and are mixed together along the mixing section 17 so that the extinguishing foam 33 is produced. The latter is selectively distributed in the entire traction battery 11 via the distribution system of the feed device 4 in the cover 32, and said extinguishing foam 33 flows, for example, between the individual battery modules 21. Therefore, after the opening of the valve device 16 the extinguishing process runs automatically and autonomously here.

[0047] As result, here the battery fire can, in the best case, be completely prevented or suppressed at the earliest possible time. In the event of a crash it is therefore also possible to prevent or suppress a fire so that vehicle occupants and other road users or else rescue personnel are better protected. In addition, the repair costs are reduced by avoiding battery fires.