Battery Cooling via Asymmetric Ventilation and Blower Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing power source apparatuses have inefficient cooling of battery cells due to straight airflow through ventilation holes, which hinders effective heat dissipation, and the blower is warmed by warm air, reducing cooling efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The power source apparatus includes an inter-module path and an inter-cell path with separate intake and sending portions to diffuse airflow and prevent the blower from being warmed by warm air, enhancing cooling efficiency by ensuring airflow is distributed effectively between battery modules and cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If ventilation holes are arranged on identical straight lines on upper and lower surfaces of battery module, then air flow path is simple and direct, but air flow is not diffused and cooling efficiency is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation hole arrangementVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by arranging the lower ventilation holes at different positions than the upper ventilation holes, specifically offsetting them in the width direction of the battery module. This asymmetric arrangement causes air to flow along a zigzag path through the battery cells rather than a straight line, increasing the air flow path length and improving heat dissipation efficiency without significantly increasing structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces spatial dimensionality by offsetting the ventilation holes in the width direction (lateral dimension) in addition to the vertical dimension. This creates a three-dimensional air flow pattern that traverses through the battery cells more effectively, converting a simple one-dimensional vertical flow into a multi-dimensional zigzag flow path that enhances cooling performance

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

2Volume of stationary object

If blower and lower ventilation hole are arranged in overlapping positions, then structure is compact, but blower is warmed by warm air and cooling efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing space arrangementVSAvoidblower temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the blower from the direct air flow path of the lower ventilation holes by positioning it in a different location within the housing. Specifically, the blower is arranged to blow air into the housing chamber from a position that does not overlap with the lower ventilation holes, thereby separating the blower location from the warm air exhaust path and preventing the blower from being warmed by discharged warm air

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces the housing chamber as an intermediary space that separates the blower air intake function from the lower ventilation hole air exhaust function. The housing chamber allows the blower to draw in cool air from one region while the lower ventilation holes exhaust warm air from a different region, using the housing structure as a mediator to prevent thermal interference between these two functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 improves the cooling efficiency of battery cells by diffusing airflow and preventing blower warming, leading to better heat management and performance.

Implementation Method 1

a blower to blow air... The housing includes an intake portion to take the air into the housing chamber, the air being blown from the blower... and a sending portion to send the air from the housing chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

passing through the inter-module path and the inter-cell path... improves the cooling efficiency of battery cells by diffusing airflow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3361556B1Power source apparatus and work machine having the same
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 DENSO CORP
  • EP3361556B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3361556B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3361556B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A power source apparatus includes a battery module including a plurality of battery cells, a housing forming a housing chamber to house and arrange a plurality of the battery modules in parallel, a blower to blow air, an inter-module path formed between the battery modules adjacent to each other; and an inter-cell path formed between the battery cells adjacent to each other. The housing includes an intake portion to take the air into the housing chamber, and a sending portion to send the air from the housing chamber. The inter-module path has a first inter-module path serving as a path into which the air is introduced. The sending portion is separated, adjacent to at least one battery module, from the first inter-module path such that the air flows in the inter-cell paths of a plurality of the battery modules arranged next to the first inter-module path and adjacent each other.