Battery Case Truss Intermediate Member Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery cases face issues such as decreased internal capacity, efficiency, and lifespan due to sudden temperature increases during charging or discharging, leading to thermal expansion and potential damage, and are often heavy to withstand external impacts, which negatively impacts fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery case design incorporating a truss-shaped intermediate member with peak and valley portions and connection portions, allowing for enhanced heat dissipation and turbulence, while maintaining a low space-filling rate for an ultra-lightweight structure, and using a multi-layer structure to manage thermal stress and external forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thick wall is used to withstand external impact and thermal expansion, then structural strength is improved, but the battery case becomes heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The battery case is divided into an outer case, inner case, and intermediate member positioned between them. This segmentation allows the intermediate member to specifically handle thermal expansion and fluid flow functions, while the outer and inner cases can be optimized for structural strength with thinner walls, reducing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, manages thermal expansion through its truss structure, facilitates heat dissipation through fluid flow channels, and generates turbulence to enhance heat exchange. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate thick walls dedicated to each function.
2Weight of moving object
If a truss structure with low space-filling rate is used, then weight is reduced, but heat dissipation performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate member features peak portions that protrude upward and valley portions that protrude downward, creating a three-dimensional truss structure. This dimensional complexity increases the surface area for heat exchange and creates multiple fluid flow paths without significantly increasing the space-filling rate, thus maintaining lightweight properties while improving heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The truss structure with peak and valley portions is designed to generate turbulence in the fluid flowing through the separation space. This turbulence enhances convective heat transfer between the battery module and the cooling fluid, improving heat dissipation performance despite the low space-filling rate of the lightweight structure.
3Temperature
If an intermediate member with peak and valley portions is used to enhance heat exchange, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate member integrates multiple functions into a single component: structural support, thermal expansion management, and heat dissipation facilitation. By combining these functions into one truss-shaped member with peak and valley portions, the design avoids the complexity of multiple separate components while achieving superior heat exchange performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate member's truss structure automatically responds to thermal expansion and contraction through its geometric configuration, and the fluid flow through its channels naturally generates turbulence for enhanced heat exchange. The structure serves itself by using its own geometry to achieve multiple functions without requiring additional control mechanisms or complex assemblies.
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 improves heat dissipation and exchange performance, enhances structural strength and durability, reduces manufacturing costs, and effectively manages thermal expansion, resulting in a lightweight, robust battery case with extended lifespan and improved fuel efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an intermediate member in the form of a truss capable of increasing the heat exchange surface area and generating turbulence in a fluid is used to improve heat dissipation performance
Implementation Method 2
thermal stress can be alleviated by actively responding to thermal expansion or thermal contraction
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a battery case and a battery cooling system. The battery case includes an outer case; an inner case spaced apart from the outer case; and an intermediate member in a separation space between the outer case and the inner case, wherein the intermediate member includes: a plurality of peak portions which protrudes upward in a shape corresponding to a shape of a plurality of lower pins; a plurality of valley portions which protrudes downward in a shape corresponding to a shape of a plurality of upper pins; and a connection portion disposed between the peak portion and the valley portion.