Thermal runaway detection system for batteries within enclosures

1. A battery thermal runaway detection system for use within a battery enclosure housing one or more batteries, the detection system comprising:

at least one gas sensor comprising a hydrogen sensor configured to detect greater than 300 ppm hydrogen, or a carbon dioxide sensor configured to detect greater than 1,000 ppm carbon dioxide, and configured to provide a sensed output in real time;

a microcontroller electrically connected to the at least one gas sensor and configured to determine power management and provide a signal conditioned output of a concentration of the hydrogen or the carbon dioxide based on the sensed output from the at least one gas sensor;

a battery controller connected to the microcontroller; and

at least one secondary sensor for detecting a secondary condition of the battery and providing information on a rate of progression of the cell venting and thermal runaway in real time including pressure or temperature, wherein said microcontroller provides a rate of progression of the thermal runaway based on the provided information from said secondary sensor.

2. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gas sensor detects a level of hydrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas in the battery enclosure housing.

3. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one secondary sensor detects a pressure or temperature in the battery enclosure housing to determine rate of progression of the venting/thermal runaway.

4. The detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor housing enclosing said at least one gas sensor.

5. The detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a hydrocarbon sensor configured to allow for differentiation between electrolyte leakage and venting/thermal runaway.

6. The detection system of claim 5 , wherein the system is configured to send a wake up command to the battery controller upon detection of venting/thermal runaway.

7. The detection system of claim 1 , further comprising software embedded within the microcontroller configured to determine if a threshold for thermal runaway has been exceeded and to send an alarm to the battery controller or a charging system controller.

8. The detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a multichip printed circuit board mounted on a battery controller printed circuit board.

9. The detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a power management system configured to allow for

a fast data acquisition mode during active battery system charging/discharging, and

a reduced acquisition rate/lower power mode when the battery system is neither charging nor discharging.

10. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas sensor comprises two hydrogen sensors, two carbon dioxide sensors, or a combination of two hydrogen sensors and two carbon dioxide sensors.

11. The detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a humidity sensor.

12. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas sensor comprises a hydrogen sensor configured to detect 300 ppb to 140,000 ppm hydrogen and a carbon dioxide sensor configured to detect 1,000 ppm to 60,000 ppm carbon dioxide.

13. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen sensor is configured to detect 300 ppb to 140,000 ppm hydrogen.

14. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide sensor is configured to detect 1,000 ppm to 60,000 ppm carbon dioxide.

15. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the battery controller is connected to the microcontroller by a wired connection.

16. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the battery controller is connected to the microcontroller by a wireless connection.

17. A system to detect battery cell venting, utilizing hydrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas sensor elements providing analog output to a battery controller.