Battery Cooler Nozzle Collar Structure for Leak-Resistant Brazing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery coolers for electric vehicles face issues with stress concentration and mechanical failure at the corners of collars due to thinner sections, leading to potential coolant leakage and inefficient heat transfer, which are not adequately addressed by prior art.
Innovation Solution
A battery cooler design featuring a robust connection system using separate flanged collars with a flange portion and sleeve portion, where the sleeve portion is thicker than the nozzle, forming a secure brazing connection between the nozzle and base plate, and utilizing retainer elements for secure assembly, thereby reinforcing the connection and preventing stress concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the base plate is made thinner to improve heat transfer efficiency, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the collar becomes fragile and prone to stress concentration and mechanical failure
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is divided into two separate components: a thin collar portion that maintains heat transfer efficiency and a separate reinforcement portion that provides structural strength. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar structure combines two different portions with different thicknesses to create a composite structure. The thin collar portion (first thickness) provides thermal efficiency while the reinforcement portion (second thickness greater than first) provides mechanical strength, creating a composite collar that achieves both objectives simultaneously.
2Productivity
If the collar thickness is reduced to maintain a thinner base plate section, then heat transfer is improved, but stress concentration occurs at the corners leading to cracks and coolant leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is segmented into a thin collar portion for heat transfer and a separate reinforcement portion for structural integrity, eliminating stress concentration at corners while maintaining thermal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the collar have different thicknesses tailored to their specific functions: the collar portion has thin walls for heat transfer, while the reinforcement portion has greater thickness specifically at stress-prone areas like corners to prevent cracks and ensure reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If collars are formed by stamping operation to create thinner sections, then manufacturing is simplified, but the collars become fragile and require reinforcement
Solution Approach 1:
The collar manufacturing process is segmented into two distinct operations: stamping the thin collar portion for simplicity, and separately forming the reinforcement portion with greater thickness for strength, then combining them through brazing.
Solution Approach 2:
The separately manufactured collar portion and reinforcement portion are merged through brazing to form an integrated collar structure that combines the manufacturing simplicity of stamped thin sections with the strength of reinforced sections.
4Temperature
If the collar dimensions are reduced to maintain thinner base plate sections, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the connection between nozzle and base plate becomes vulnerable to mechanical failure
Solution Approach 1:
The collar structure is segmented into a thin collar portion that maintains small dimensions for heat transfer efficiency and a separate reinforcement portion with greater dimensions that provides mechanical strength to the nozzle-base plate connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar combines thin-walled and thick-walled sections in a composite structure, where the thin section optimizes thermal performance and the thick reinforcement section ensures connection reliability, achieving both heat transfer efficiency and mechanical strength.
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 provides a secure, reliable, and reinforced connection between the nozzles and base plate, preventing mechanical failure and coolant leakage, while maintaining the thinner section of the base plate for improved heat transfer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
forming a secure brazing connection between the nozzle and base plate
Implementation Method 2
the heat exchange between the batteries disposed on the base plate and the coolant flowing through the flow passages happens through the base plate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3b
Figure 4
AI summary
A battery cooler (100) includes a base plate (10), a channel plate (20) and inlet and outlet nozzles (42) and (44) respectively. The base plate (10) supports batteries B to be cooled and includes openings (10a, 10b). The base plate (10) is disposed abutting the channel plate (20). At least one of the base plate (10) and the channel plate (20) is formed with channels (11) and (21) respectively to define closed coolant flow passages. The inlet and outlet nozzles (42) and (44) are securely connected to the base plate (10) by brazing. The battery cooler (100) includes at least one flanged collar (32, 34) separate from the base plate (10). The flanged collar includes a flange portion (32a, 34a) and a sleeve portion (32b, 34b) for forming pre-brazing assembly and brazing connection between the corresponding nozzle (42. 44) and the base plate (10).