Hyundai Mobis develops EV battery with built-in fire extinguishing agent
According to the South Korean supplier, the system can extinguish fires at an early stage by releasing a suppressant within five minutes of initial ignition. This five-minute window is critical: current regulations in Europe, China, and India require that thermal runaway across the battery be delayed for at least five minutes after the first cell ignites, giving vehicle occupants enough time to safely exit the vehicle after a crash.
However, Hyundai Mobis says its new Battery System Assembly (BSA) was not merely designed to meet existing requirements, but rather in anticipation of stricter safety rules aimed at preventing any heat transfer between cells in the first place. The company believes such technologies will take centre stage in the next generation of battery systems on the global market.
Redundancy to prevent false activation
The system consists of an upgraded battery management unit, dedicated fire-extinguishing hardware and housing, and a control software suite. “Based on the real-time data collected by the sensors, it analyzes the temperature and voltage of the battery and the pressure inside the battery system to determine any abnormalities. It then sets the location where the extinguishing agent will be sprayed and commands the fire extinguishing device to operate,” Hyundai Mobis explains.
The software is engineered for ‘quick and accurate decisions’ in response to rapid changes within the battery system. To avoid costly false activations, Hyundai Mobis has included multiple safety mechanisms and a redundant algorithm architecture.
The company has filed three domestic and international patents for components of the system, including the fire extinguishing device. The specific fire extinguishing agents used have not been disclosed, but the company notes it offers ‘excellent cooling, insulation, and permeability properties’ while being safe for both humans and the environment. The onboard quantity has also not been revealed, though Hyundai Mobis claims it has five times the extinguishing capacity of a standard 3.3-kg household fire extinguisher.
The company has not detailed exactly how the system is integrated into the battery housing, nor the added weight or space requirements for the suppressant tank and delivery system. A press image shows the fire suppression unit mounted above the modules containing prismatic cells, but whether this matches the final design is unclear.
“As large electric vehicles with improved driving range appear, the safety standards for battery systems are becoming more stringent,” said Park Yong Jun, Vice President, Battery System R&D Group, Hyundai Mobis. “We will integrate hardware and software to develop advanced battery systems that meet and exceed global standards, and introduce them to the global market.”
0 Comments