Mechanical Design of Battery Packs - III — Lesson 3

This lesson covers the impact of vibration on a battery pack, the sources of vibration, and the effects of vibration on the battery pack. It further explains the importance of designing end plates and maintaining pressure in prismatic and pouch cells. It also covers the thermal and structural stability considerations for battery pack design. For instance, if a battery pack experiences vibration, it can lead to welding failures, fastener loosening, resonance frequencies, electronic component failures, and insulation cracking.

Video Highlights

00:19 - Introduction
03:54 - Design of end plates based on cell pressure
06:47 - Impact of pressure on the cycle life of a cell
08:38 - Importance of controlling the direction of release of hot gases in case of thermal runaway
11:42 - Importance of Structural stability
13:45 - Impact of vibration on a battery pack, including welding failures, loosening of fasteners, and failure of electronic components
22:05 - Tests performed on battery packs for vibration and shock
23:38 - Standards followed in India for testing battery packs for vibration and shock
24:36 - Demonstration of actual testing of a battery pack

Key Takeaways

- Understanding the fundamental forces acting on a battery pack is crucial in designing a robust and efficient battery pack.
- Maintaining uniform pressure over pouch and prismatic cells can prevent bulging and enhance battery life.
- Vibration can have significant impacts on a battery pack, leading to welding failures, fastener loosening, resonance frequencies, electronic component failures, and insulation cracking.
- Designing end plates and maintaining pressure in prismatic and pouch cells are essential aspects of battery pack design.
- It's important to consider other forces such as road roughness, tire imbalance, and crash or shock forces when designing a battery pack.