Thermal runaway pin-point heating test
AssigneeLenovo (United States) Inc.
InventorsBouziane Yebka, Tin-Lup Wong, Philip John Jakes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus permit the testing of electrochemical cells. The apparatus includes a heat source, a chamber, and a diffuser coupling the heat source to the chamber. The heat source applies heat via the diffuser to a pin-point section of the electrochemical cell. This application of heat causes a thermal runaway condition due to a localized internal short circuit in the electrochemical cell. It is then determined whether the electrochemical cell has vented, ruptured, or exploded in response to the application of the heat source to the thermal runaway pin-point section of the electrochemical cell.
Claims20
A process to test an electrochemical cell comprising:
- applying a heat source to a section of the electrochemical cell, thereby causing a thermal runaway condition due to a localized internal short circuit in the electrochemical cell;
- and
- determining whether the electrochemical cell has vented, ruptured, or exploded in response to the application of the heat source to the section of the electrochemical cell.
A system comprising:
- a heat source:
- a chamber;
- and
- a diffuser coupling the heat source to the chamber;
- wherein the system is operable for testing an electrochemical cell comprising:
- positioning the electrochemical cell in the chamber;
- applying the heat source via the diffuser to a section of the electrochemical cell, thereby causing a thermal runaway condition due to a localized internal short circuit in the electrochemical cell;
- and
- determining whether the electrochemical cell has vented, ruptured, or exploded in response to the application of the heat source to the section of the electrochemical cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.