Complementary Battery Cell Layout With Central Cooling Tunnel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lithium-ion battery systems experience nonuniform temperature distribution due to one-sided cooling or heating, leading to uneven aging of battery cells.
Innovation Solution
The use of complementary-shaped battery cells arranged in a stacking configuration with a central cooling tunnel to accommodate a temperature adjustment device, ensuring more uniform heat exchange and distribution across the battery cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling or heating is performed from one side using cooling/heating pans or manifolds, then the battery cells can be cooled or heated, but nonuniform temperature distribution occurs along the bodies of the battery cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-sided cooling (single dimension) to multi-sided cooling by inverting alternate battery cells and positioning cooling manifolds on both sides of the stack. This dimensional change allows cooling fluid to contact multiple surfaces of each cell, achieving uniform temperature distribution throughout the battery cell bodies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies inversion by flipping alternate battery cells (odd-numbered cells) relative to even-numbered cells. This inversion strategy positions the cooling manifolds on opposite sides for adjacent cells, enabling bidirectional cooling and eliminating the temperature gradients caused by one-sided cooling approaches.
2Reliability
If conventional rectangular battery cells are arranged side by side, then the battery module structure is simple, but nonuniform temperature distribution causes variations in aging of different portions of the battery cell
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting alternate battery cells in the stack, the patent enables uniform thermal exposure across all cells. This inversion arrangement ensures that each cell experiences cooling from multiple sides, preventing localized overheating and ensuring consistent aging characteristics throughout the battery module.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the cell arrangement by alternating the orientation of adjacent cells. This asymmetric configuration, where odd and even cells are positioned differently, creates a symmetric thermal environment for all cells through the bidirectional cooling manifold design, improving aging uniformity.
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 design enhances temperature uniformity, allowing for increased power density and extended battery life by radially distributing cooling effects throughout the battery cells.
Implementation Method 1
The central tunnel is configured to receive a temperature adjustment device
Implementation Method 2
radially distributing cooling effects throughout the battery cells
Data Source
AI summary
A battery includes B groups of battery cells that are arranged adjacent to one another in a stacking direction, wherein B is an integer greater than one. The B groups of battery cells include B first battery cells each having a first shape, including first groups of external tabs and defining first recesses, respectively, and B second battery cells having the first shape, including second groups of external tabs, and defining second recesses, respectively. The B second battery cells are inverted and arranged adjacent to the B first battery cells in B planes that are arranged transverse to the stacking direction. The first recesses of the B first battery cells and the second recesses of the B second battery cells define a central tunnel running through the B groups of battery cells. The central tunnel is configured to receive a temperature adjustment device.