Vehicle Battery Airflow Layout for Compact Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery units in power supply devices face challenges in adequately cooling batteries due to inefficient air circulation, leading to increased device size and poor layout properties.
Innovation Solution
A battery unit design that includes an intake portion on the upper surface and an exhaust portion on the lower surface, with a fan positioned below the lower surface covering material to circulate air effectively, eliminating the need for a heat exchanger and enhancing temperature control of the batteries while maintaining a compact layout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat exchanger is disposed below the blower to cool the batteries, then the cooling effectiveness is improved, but the device size increases and layout property deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heat exchanger from the system by extracting its cooling function. Instead of using a heat exchanger to cool the air, the design relies on natural air circulation where air is drawn from above the batteries, passes through them to absorb heat, and is discharged below. The blower alone suffices to circulate this air, eliminating the need for additional heat exchanger components and reducing device size.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-service cooling where the battery cooling process itself generates the temperature differential needed for effective heat transfer. Air is drawn from the upper region (cooler), passes through the batteries (heating the air), and is discharged below. This natural convection current, enhanced by the blower, creates a self-sustaining cooling cycle without requiring external heat exchangers or additional active cooling components.
2Device complexity
If air is taken in below the batteries and discharged above, then the layout is simplified, but the cooling effectiveness deteriorates because the air is already heated by the batteries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional air circulation direction. Instead of drawing air from below the batteries and discharging it above (which would result in reheating the already warm air), the design draws air from above the batteries and discharges it below. This inversion ensures that the air entering the battery region is cooler, maximizing the temperature differential and cooling effectiveness while maintaining a simple layout.
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 allows for appropriate temperature control of batteries without a heat exchanger, preventing an increase in device size and improving layout properties, ensuring efficient cooling and reduced complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a fan disposed below the lower surface covering material, configured to take in air discharged from the exhaust portion, and discharge the air between the lower surface covering material and a bottom surface of the case
Implementation Method 2
air that has passed through between the batteries is taken into the blower again... air discharged from the blower is sent to batteries... air that has cooled or heated the battery
Data Source
AI summary
A battery unit equipped in a vehicle includes a battery, a case accommodating the battery, an upper surface covering material covering an upper surface of the battery in the case, an intake portion provided on the upper surface covering material and configured to take in air from an outside of the case to above the battery, a lower surface covering material covering a lower surface of the battery in the case, an exhaust portion provided on the lower surface covering material and configured to discharge air that has cooled or heated the battery, a fan disposed below the lower surface covering material, configured to take in air discharged from the exhaust portion, and discharge the air between the lower surface covering material and a bottom surface of the case.