Battery storage system for an aircraft
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an aircraft comprises a battery pack mounted external to the aircraft structure. The batteries are configured to vent directly to the environment during battery thermal runaway. In one embodiment, an aerodynamic fairing provides an aerodynamically efficient surface and weather protection during nominal flight conditions. During battery thermal runaway however, the aerodynamic fairing is configured to expose the battery to the environment.
1 . An aircraft comprising a nacelle coupled to a structural airframe, the aircraft comprising;
a first propulsion battery module mounted between a body of the nacelle and a non-structural fairing of the nacelle, wherein the first propulsion battery module is mounted outside the body of the nacelle;
a first thermal barrier interposed between the body of the nacelle and the first propulsion battery module, wherein the first thermal barrier also laterally envelops the first propulsion battery module; and
an opening in the first thermal barrier on a side opposite the body of the nacelle, the opening configured to vent gas away from the body and toward the non-structural fairing during a thermal runaway event of the first propulsion battery.
2 . The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the non-structural fairing comprises a material that melts during the battery thermal event.
3 . The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the first propulsion battery module is integrated with the first thermal barrier.
4 . The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a second thermal barrier interposed between the body of the nacelle and a second propulsion battery module different from the first propulsion battery module.
5 . The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a second propulsion battery module mounted between the body of the nacelle and the non-structural fairing of the nacelle, and a second thermal barrier divider interposed between the first and second propulsion battery modules.
6 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the structural airframe comprises a hollow structure.
7 . The aircraft of claim 6 , additionally comprising at least a second propulsion battery module, wherein the first and second propulsion battery modules are disposed external to the hollow structure.
8 . An aircraft for shielding from a propulsion battery thermal runaway event, the aircraft comprising:
an airframe structure;
at least first and second propulsion battery modules disposed on an outside of the airframe structure;
a first thermal barrier configured between the (a) first and second propulsion battery modules and (b) the outside of the airframe structure; and
a second thermal barrier configured between the first and second propulsion battery modules, wherein the second thermal barrier laterally envelops each of the first and second propulsion battery modules,
wherein the second thermal barrier is configured to vent gas from at least one of the first and second propulsion battery modules, directly to the outside during the propulsion battery thermal runaway event.
9 . The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the first propulsion battery module is positioned toward a non-structural fairing during aircraft flight.