Under-floor Battery Casing with Cabin Air Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electric vehicle battery casings are not optimally designed for mounting space and cooling, leading to inefficiencies in securing indoor space and increasing manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

The battery casing is positioned under the vehicle floor, utilizing indoor air for cooling through an intake and discharge duct system that extends under or beside rear seats, with a regulating valve controlling air discharge indoors or outdoors to optimize temperature management and reduce manufacturing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the battery casing is mounted on the vehicle body in a conventional manner, then the battery module can be accommodated, but the mounting space is not optimized and indoor space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindoor spaceVSAvoidmounting structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery casing is relocated from the conventional horizontal mounting position to a vertical mounting position under the vehicle floor. This dimensional change optimizes the use of available space, maximizes indoor space, and simplifies the mounting structure while maintaining battery module accommodation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Temperature

If a conventional cooling system is used for the battery module, then cooling is achieved, but the cooling structure is complex and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery module temperatureVSAvoidcooling structure
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system for the battery module is merged with the vehicle's existing air conditioning system. The air conditioning duct is integrated to serve dual purposes: providing conditioned air to the cabin and cooling air to the battery module. This eliminates the need for a separate cooling system, reducing structural complexity and manufacturing costs while maintaining effective temperature control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If the battery casing is designed with separate cooling components, then cooling function is provided, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery module temperatureVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The air conditioning duct is designed with multi-functionality to serve both the cabin air conditioning and the battery module cooling. By making the duct universal for both purposes, the patent eliminates the need for separate cooling components, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining the required temperature control function for the battery module.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 configuration simplifies the cooling structure, reduces manufacturing costs, and effectively manages internal temperatures by using indoor air to cool the battery module while maintaining passenger comfort and securing indoor space.

Implementation Method 1

an intake duct (30) which is connected to communicate with the air inlet (22) and extends indoors to guide indoor air into the casing (20)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

a discharge duct (40) which is connected to communicate with the air outlet (23) and extends indoors or outdoors to guide the air used to cool the battery module (21) and thereby discharge the air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3865327B1Battery storage device for electric vehicle and electric vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.12.14 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3865327B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3865327B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3865327B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a battery storage device for an electric vehicle, in which a battery casing is provided under a vehicle floor to secure an indoor space, and a battery module is cooled using indoor air, thus simplifying a cooling structure and reducing a manufacturing cost.