Battery Cell Thermal Management via Integrated Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lead batteries used in vehicles are heavy and toxic, and existing lithium-ion batteries lack effective thermal management, limiting their operation to temperatures above zero, which compromises safety and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A battery management system that maintains optimal cell temperature by direct or shared heating, using a temperature sensor and heaters activated below 0°C, with adjustable ON/OFF parameters and energy-efficient isolation to prevent unnecessary heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If lithium-ion batteries are used to replace lead batteries, then weight is reduced and environmental protection is improved, but thermal management capability deteriorates causing operation limited to temperatures above zero
Solution Approach 1:
The heating elements are pre-installed within the battery pack structure, and the control system is pre-programmed with temperature thresholds and heating protocols. When low temperature is detected, the system automatically activates heating before the battery can operate suboptimally, preventing performance degradation rather than merely responding to it.
Solution Approach 2:
Heating elements serve as an intermediary component between the battery cells and the external environment. These elements transfer thermal energy directly to the battery cells, mediating the temperature control function and enabling reliable operation across extended temperature ranges without requiring structural changes to the battery chemistry.
2Reliability
If heating is activated to maintain battery temperature below 0°C, then power potential is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors continuously monitor battery cell temperature and feed this information back to the control system. The control system compares the measured temperature against predefined thresholds and automatically adjusts heating activation accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that minimizes energy consumption while maintaining reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous heating, the system employs periodic or cyclic heating activation based on temperature thresholds. Heating is activated only when temperature drops below the lower threshold and deactivated when it reaches the upper threshold, creating an efficient on-off control pattern that reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining operational reliability.
3Measurement precision
If heaters are provided for each cell, then temperature control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heating elements are electrically connected in series configuration, merging them into a single controlled circuit. This approach maintains the temperature control precision benefits of individual cell heating while simplifying the control architecture, as a single control signal can activate or deactivate the entire heating array simultaneously.
4Reliability
If heating is continuously activated to maintain temperature, then battery performance is ensured, but unnecessary energy waste occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system operates in periodic on-off cycles rather than continuously. The control system monitors temperature and activates heating only when the temperature drops below the lower threshold, deactivates it when the upper threshold is reached, thereby eliminating unnecessary energy waste while ensuring battery performance is maintained during critical low-temperature periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery system performs its own temperature management through integrated heating elements and control logic. The system monitors its own temperature status and autonomously activates heating when needed, eliminating the need for external thermal management systems and reducing overall energy waste by addressing temperature issues only when they actually occur.
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
Ensures uninterrupted battery performance across all temperatures, enhancing safety and reliability by maintaining energy potential and preventing voltage drop, while reducing weight and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The heater 40 is an electronic component such as resistance, semiconductor and PTC that generates heat upon energization. The temperature detecting plate 30 energizes the heater 40 to heat each of the heaters 40 by Joule heat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The subject of the present Invention is the battery management system and procedure designed to maintain cell temperature in automobile starter batteries, containing more battery cells (8) of the new generation of lithium-ion; lithium-iron-phosphate battery cells mutually connected in series and parallel. The said system incorporates the unit (14) for cell temperature management and measurement, and voltage measurement of each individual battery cell (8) and for cell heating management (8). The unit (14) generates in real time the temperature signals of the cells. The unit (14) incorporates a temperature sensor mounted directly on one of the cells (8); the screen (12) that displays cell temperature data (43), total voltage or individual cell voltage (44) and the heating status (45) of the cells (8). The said system contains data on the predefined upper temperature value t2 and the lower temperature value ti, the push-button (34) to activate or deactivate the heating function of the battery cells (8); where the working temperature of the battery cells (8) is maintained by a heater (28, 33) in the form of foil pasted over the cells, or, in case of flat cells (8), by a heater in the form of flat foil placed in between the cells (8) or by a shared heater of any form inside the casing (1).