Battery Bus Bar Cooling With Radiator-Coupled Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Storage battery devices using DC-DC converters experience significant heat generation due to increased current flow, leading to thermal management challenges, particularly in current-path members like bus bars and terminals, which have smaller thermal time constants and can rapidly overheat when boosting voltage from 24 V to 48 V.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a radiator thermally coupled to current flow path members, such as bus bars and terminals, along with heat conductive materials and efficient coolant circulation systems, to effectively dissipate heat and maintain component temperatures within predetermined limits, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency and allowing for higher output and miniaturization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a DC-DC converter is used to boost voltage from 24V to 48V, then the output voltage is doubled, but the current flowing through the assembled battery becomes double or more of the output current, causing heat generation to quadruple

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput voltageVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the heat dissipation function from the conventional battery cooling system by introducing a dedicated radiator specifically coupled to the current-path member. This separate heat removal system addresses the quadrupled heat generation from DC-DC converter operation without interfering with the electrical function of the battery assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The radiator acts as an intermediary thermal management component between the current-path member and the environment. It provides a dedicated thermal pathway that mediates the heat transfer from the high-current bus bar, preventing direct thermal coupling with the battery cells while efficiently removing the excessive heat generated during voltage boosting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the current-path member is designed to tolerate large temporary current, then the storage battery device can handle load variation, but the current-path member has a smaller thermal time constant and rapidly increases in temperature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload variation toleranceVSAvoidcurrent-path member temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The radiator is pre-installed and thermally coupled to the current-path member before operation begins. This preliminary thermal pathway ensures that when temporary large currents occur during load variations, the heat can be immediately dissipated through the already-positioned radiator, preventing rapid temperature increases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local thermal management by placing the radiator specifically at the current-path member location rather than using a general battery cooling system. This localized approach provides enhanced heat dissipation capacity exactly where the small thermal time constant causes rapid heating during load transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If a radiator is added to cool current-path members, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidcooling system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cooling function into the existing battery device structure by integrating the radiator with the current-path member assembly. Rather than adding a completely separate cooling system, the radiator is combined with the bus bar structure, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The solution efficiently cools current flow path members, enabling higher output and compact design in storage battery devices by effectively managing heat dissipation, preventing overheating, and ensuring reliable operation under varying load conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a radiator thermally coupled to the current flow path members

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

efficient coolant circulation systems, to effectively dissipate heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

along with heat conductive materials and efficient coolant circulation systems, to effectively dissipate heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

efficient coolant circulation systems, to effectively dissipate heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS12183903B2Storage battery device

Publication Date: 2024.12.31 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

A storage battery device includes: a cell unit including a plurality of battery cells; an electric flow path material that forms a current path through which electric power is supplied from or to the battery cells; and a radiator thermally coupled to the current-path member.