Built-In Cooling Sheet Battery Cell for Direct Electrode Assembly Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indirect water cooling methods for battery modules are inefficient as they only cool a portion of the cells indirectly, leading to incomplete heat dissipation and potential overheating during charging and discharging.
Innovation Solution
A battery cell design that incorporates a cooling sheet with a main body and extension, directly contacting the electrode assembly within the cell, allowing for direct heat dissipation and cooling, with the extension protruding outside to receive cold air from a cooling plate, enhancing heat transfer and cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If indirect water cooling method is used, then cooling structure is simple, but cooling efficiency is insufficient and only portion of cells is cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sheet is nested inside the battery cell, with the cooling sheet main body positioned within the cell and the extension protruding outward. This nested configuration allows the cooling system to be integrated within the existing cell structure, achieving direct cooling of the electrode assembly while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling sheet acts as an intermediary thermal conductor between the electrode assembly and the external cooling system. By placing the cooling sheet in direct contact with the electrode assembly, it efficiently transfers heat from the internal components to the external coolant, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and effective cooling.
2Loss of energy
If cooling sheet main body contacts electrode assembly, then heat dissipation improves, but cell structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sheet is segmented into two functional parts: the cooling sheet main body that contacts the electrode assembly for heat absorption, and the extension that protrudes outward for thermal adhesive application. This segmentation allows the cooling function to be integrated without significantly complicating the overall cell structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling sheet serves multiple functions: it acts as a thermal conductor, a structural support element, and a mounting surface for thermal adhesive. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby improving heat dissipation without proportionally increasing structure complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If thermal adhesive is applied locally around extensions, then manufacturing cost reduces, but thermal contact reliability may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal adhesive is applied locally around the extension of the cooling sheet rather than uniformly across the entire cooling system. This localized application concentrates the adhesive where it is most needed - at the interface between the cooling sheet extension and the external cooling structure - ensuring reliable thermal contact while reducing overall adhesive consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The extension of the cooling sheet serves as a self-positioning feature that guides the localized thermal adhesive application. The extension's position and shape ensure that the adhesive is placed precisely where required for optimal thermal contact, eliminating the need for extensive adhesive application while maintaining reliability.
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 direct cooling method significantly improves heat dissipation and reduces exposure to high temperatures, enabling faster charging by increasing the allowable charging current and reducing material costs through localized thermal adhesive application.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling sheet main body may be accommodated inside the case and may be in direct contact with the electrode assembly
Implementation Method 2
a thermal adhesive may be applied to a lower part of the cell stack
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a battery cell in which a cooling sheet is built in a unit cell to directly cool an electrode assembly inside the cell, and a battery module including the same. A battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, comprising: a case; an electrode assembly accommodated inside the case; and a cooling sheet including a cooling sheet main body and an extension extending from the cooling sheet main body, wherein the cooling sheet main body is accommodated inside the case and is in direct contact with the electrode assembly, and the extension of the cooling sheet is configured to protrude to an outside of the case.