Battery system with diverter assembly for thermal propagation protection

A diverter assembly for a battery cell of a battery system, the diverter assembly comprising:

• an insulation layer forming a planar thermal barrier opposite the battery cell;
• a diverter body arranged parallel to or coplanar with the insulation layer;
• and
• a support member connected to the diverter body and connectable to the battery cell, wherein the diverter body is configured to be arranged relative to a corresponding vent opening of the battery cell, and in response to a thermal propagation event occurring in the battery cell, to open to a predetermined angle of about 25° to about 45° relative to a plane of the corresponding vent opening to thereby divert a flow of ejecta from the battery cell into an exhaust volume of the battery system in a predetermined direction when the flow of ejecta passes through the corresponding vent opening.

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body;
• a set of road wheels connected to the vehicle body;
• and
• an electrified powertrain system including:
• an electric traction motor connected to one or more of the road wheels;
• a propulsion battery pack;
• and
• an inverter circuit having an alternating current side connected to the electric traction motor and a direct current side connected to the propulsion battery pack, wherein the propulsion battery pack comprises:
• a battery housing;
• a plurality of battery cells, each respective one of the plurality of battery cells defining a corresponding vent opening and a corresponding cell cavity, wherein an exhaust volume is defined between the battery housing and the plurality of battery cells;
• an insulation layer forming a planar thermal barrier opposite the plurality of battery cells;
• and
• a diverter assembly arranged relative to the corresponding vent opening and including a diverter body, wherein the diverter body is arranged parallel to or coplanar with the insulation layer, and wherein the diverter body is configured, in response to a thermal propagation event occurring in at least one of the plurality of battery cells, to divert a flow of ejecta from the at least one of the plurality of battery cells into the exhaust volume in a predetermined direction when the flow of ejecta passes through the vent opening.