Hazard mitigation through gas flow communication between battery packs

1. A method of mitigating the effects of a thermal event within a non-metal-air battery pack, the method comprising:

coupling a hot gas outlet corresponding to the non-metal-air battery pack to an air inlet of a metal-air battery pack upon the occurrence of the thermal event within the non-metal-air battery pack; and

directing air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack through the air inlet of the metal-air battery pack and through a plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack upon the occurrence of the thermal event within the non-metal-air battery pack.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises opening a valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, responsive to a temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset temperature, wherein the preset temperature corresponds to a temperature at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises opening a valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack responsive to a pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset pressure, wherein the preset pressure corresponds to a pressure at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a temperature or pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack;

comparing the temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack to at least one of a preset temperature or a preset pressure, the preset temperature corresponding to a temperature at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters or into thermal runaway, or comparing the pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack to a preset pressure, and the preset pressure corresponding to a pressure at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack entering into thermal runaway; and

wherein directing the air flow comprises opening a valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack responsive to the temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the preset temperature or the pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the preset pressure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises:

opening a first valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, wherein opening the first valve is performed in response to a non-metal-air battery pack temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a first preset temperature, wherein the first preset temperature corresponds to a temperature at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway;

closing a second valve that controls air flow from a primary air source through the air inlet of the metal-air battery pack and through the plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack, wherein the primary air source is different from the hot gas outlet, and wherein closing the second valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack temperature exceeding the first preset temperature;

closing a third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to an ambient environment, wherein closing the third valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack temperature exceeding the first preset temperature; and

opening the third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to the ambient environment, wherein opening the third valve is performed in response to a metal-air battery pack temperature within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a second preset temperature or in response to a metal-air battery pack pressure within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset pressure, and wherein opening the third valve occurs after closing the third valve.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the air flow comprises:

opening a first valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, wherein opening the first valve is performed in response to a non-metal-air battery pack pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a first preset pressure, wherein the first preset pressure corresponds to a pressure at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway;

closing a second valve that controls air flow from a primary air source through the air inlet of the metal-air battery pack and through the plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack, wherein the primary air source is different from the hot gas outlet, and wherein closing the second valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack pressure exceeding the first preset pressure;

closing a third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to an ambient environment, wherein closing the third valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack pressure exceeding the first preset pressure; and

opening the third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to the ambient environment, wherein opening the third valve is performed in response to a metal-air battery pack pressure within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a second preset pressure or in response to a metal-air battery pack temperature within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a preset temperature, and wherein opening the third valve occurs after closing the third valve.

7. A method of mitigating effects of a thermal event within a non-metal-air battery pack, the method comprising:

opening a first valve that controls an air flow from a hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack, wherein the opening of the first valve is performed in response to a non-metal-air battery pack temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding a first valve opening threshold; and

closing a second valve that controls air flow from a primary air source through an air inlet of a metal-air battery pack and through a plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack, wherein the primary air source is different from the hot gas outlet, and wherein the closing of the second valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the first valve opening threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising closing a third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to an ambient environment, wherein closing the third valve is performed in response to the non-metal-air battery pack exceeding the valve opening threshold.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising opening the third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to the ambient environment, wherein opening the third valve is performed in response to a metal-air battery pack temperature within the metal-air battery pack exceeding a second valve opening threshold, and wherein opening the third valve occurs after closing the third valve.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first valve opening threshold corresponds to a first preset temperature threshold, the method further comprising:

monitoring a temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack; and

comparing the temperature within the non-metal-air battery pack to the first preset temperature threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first preset temperature threshold corresponds to a temperature at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first valve opening threshold corresponds to first pressure threshold, the method further comprising:

monitoring a pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack; and

comparing the pressure within the non-metal-air battery pack to the first preset pressure threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first preset pressure threshold corresponds to a pressure at which at least one of a plurality of non-metal-air cells within the non-metal-air battery pack enters into thermal runaway.

14. A method of managing thermal events within a battery pack, the method comprising:

coupling a hot gas outlet corresponding to a first battery pack having a first thermal runaway property to an air inlet of a second battery pack having a second thermal runaway property, therein the second thermal runaway property is greater than the first thermal runaway property; and

responsive to a thermal event, directing air flow from the hot gas outlet of the first battery pack through the air inlet of the second battery pack.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein directing air flow from the hot gas outlet of the first battery pack through the air inlet of the second battery pack includes opening a first valve that controls the air flow from the hot gas outlet of the non-metal-air battery pack.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising, responsive to the thermal event, closing a second valve that controls air flow from a primary air source through the air inlet of the metal-air battery pack and through the plurality of metal-air cells within the metal-air battery pack, wherein the primary air source is different from the hot gas outlet.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

responsive to the thermal event, closing a third valve that controls air flow out of the second battery pack and to an ambient environment; and

subsequent to closing the third valve, opening the third valve that controls air flow out of the metal-air battery pack and to the ambient environment, wherein opening the third valve is performed in response to a second battery pack temperature within the second battery pack exceeding a third valve preset threshold.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the thermal event corresponds to a temperature associated with the first battery pack exceeding a preset temperature threshold.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the thermal event corresponds to a pressure associated with the first battery pack exceeding a preset pressure threshold.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first battery pack corresponds to a non-metal-air battery pack.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second battery pack corresponds to a metal-air battery pack providing access to a plurality of metal-air cells.