Alternating Battery Module with Differential Thermal Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules face challenges in preventing the sequential spread of thermal harm when one battery abnormally generates heat, leading to potential damage to surrounding devices due to heat transfer to adjacent batteries.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design incorporating a thermally-conductive material with distinct first and second components, where the first component has higher heat resistance to one type of battery and the second component has higher heat resistance to another type, creating separate heat transfer channels to mitigate heat transfer between adjacent batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If batteries are stacked closely together in a battery module, then space utilization and compactness are improved, but heat transfer between adjacent batteries increases, leading to sequential extension of thermal harm
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module alternates between first batteries and second batteries in a segmented arrangement. This segmentation creates distinct thermal zones where adjacent batteries of different types have different thermal conductivities, interrupting the continuous heat transfer path that would otherwise propagate thermal harm sequentially through the module.
Solution Approach 2:
Different battery types (first and second batteries) are positioned alternately to create local variations in thermal conductivity. Each battery type has different thermal properties, creating localized thermal barriers that prevent uniform heat propagation while maintaining close stacking for space efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single uniform thermally-conductive material is used to support all batteries, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but selective heat resistance to different battery types cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure uses different thermally-conductive materials (first and second thermally-conductive members) positioned at different locations corresponding to first and second batteries. This local differentiation provides selective heat resistance tailored to each battery type while maintaining a relatively simple overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery module employs a composite thermal management structure combining multiple thermally-conductive materials with different properties. This composite approach enables the support structure to provide differentiated thermal resistance to adjacent batteries of different types, improving reliability without excessive manufacturing complexity.
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
Effectively reduces the impact of abnormal heat generation on neighboring batteries, preventing chain reactions and thermal damage by diffusing and radiating heat through separate channels, thus safeguarding the module from thermal harm.
Implementation Method 1
The first thermally-conductive member has a heat resistance to the second battery higher than to the first battery
Implementation Method 2
The second thermally-conductive member has a heat resistance to the first battery higher than to the second battery
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes a battery assembly and a thermally-conductive member to hold or support battery assembly. The battery assembly has a plurality of first batteries and a plurality of second batteries that are alternately stacked. The thermally-conductive member includes a first component and a second component that are each disposed along a stacking direction of the batteries. The first component has a heat resistance to the second batteries higher than to the first batteries. The second component has a heat resistance to the first batteries higher than to the second batteries.