Accumulator Support Frame with Integrated Coolant Conduits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing accumulator arrangements for hybrid and electric vehicles face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat without risking short-circuits or fires due to complex cooling line layouts and sealing issues within the housing.
Innovation Solution
The accumulator arrangement features a support frame with perpendicularly aligned longitudinal and cross members that allow coolant to flow through the longitudinal members, with connection points configured on the outside to prevent leakage and minimize the risk of short-circuits or fires, while heat is transferred from battery blocks to coolant through these members or cross members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling lines are laid inside the housing and connected to cross-members, then heat can be dissipated from battery cells, but the cooling line layout becomes complex and requires multiple sealing points that increase the risk of leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling line connection points are extracted from the interior of the housing and relocated to the exterior. The longitudinal members serve as both structural support and coolant conduits, with connection points accessible from outside the housing. This eliminates the need for complex internal routing and multiple sealing points, while maintaining effective heat dissipation from the battery cells through the longitudinal members.
2Temperature
If cooling lines are laid inside the housing with multiple sealing points, then heat transfer can be achieved, but the risk of leakage and short-circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
Connection points are extracted from the housing interior to the exterior, minimizing the number of sealing points required. The longitudinal members provide direct thermal contact with battery cells while serving as coolant conduits, reducing the complexity of internal sealing arrangements and thereby lowering leakage risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The design anticipates potential leakage risks by minimizing the number of sealing points through which coolant could escape. By using longitudinal members that extend outside the housing for connection, the system reduces the probability of internal leakage that could cause short-circuits or fires.
3Temperature
If traditional cooling plates with internal cooling ducts are used, then heat can be dissipated, but the cooling lines must be guided to the outside through the housing in a complex manner
Solution Approach 1:
The longitudinal members serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural support for the battery blocks and act as coolant conduits. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling plates with internal ducts and simplifies the cooling line routing, as connections can be made directly to the longitudinal members from the exterior.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant flow path is extracted from the housing interior to the exterior through the longitudinal members. This allows for simpler connection and maintenance of cooling lines, as all connection points are accessible from outside the housing without requiring disassembly or complex internal routing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design efficiently dissipates heat from battery cells to coolant, reducing the risk of short-circuits and fires by sealing connection points outside the housing and ensuring that coolant flow is contained within the longitudinal members, thereby enhancing safety and cooling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one battery block abuts against at least one of the longitudinal members, through which the coolant can flow, or at least against one of the cross members so as to transfer heat
Implementation Method 2
the coolant can be supplied into the longitudinal member from the outside and can be discharged and flows through the longitudinal member inside the support frame
Data Source
AI summary
An accumulator arrangement for a hybrid or electric vehicle may include a plurality of battery cells stacked in a stacking direction to form at least one battery block, and a housing including a support frame limiting the housing towards an outside on four sides. The support frame may include at least two longitudinal members and at least two cross members perpendicularly aligned with one another. At least one longitudinal member of the at least two longitudinal members may be configured to conduct a coolant. The at least one battery block may abut against at least one of (i) the at least one longitudinal member and (ii) at least one of the at least two cross members to transfer heat. A plurality of connection points of the at least one longitudinal member, through which the coolant is flowable, may be configured on an outside of the support frame.