Battery Cell Cooling Channel Geometry for Uniform Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control devices for cell blocks in electrical energy storage devices lead to uneven cooling, resulting in poor utilization of thermal storage capacity and reduced performance due to hot and cold spots, which limits the continuous operation and lifespan of battery cells.
Innovation Solution
A temperature control device with a temperature control channel that tapers from one battery cell to a predetermined section and then widens, ensuring homogeneous cooling by adjusting the flow cross-section, allowing for direct temperature control of battery cells arranged next to each other, and enabling both cooling and heating capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cooling device with constant cross-section channel is used, then the structure is simple, but uneven cooling occurs with hot and cold spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the cross-sectional area of the temperature control channel along the flow direction. The channel has a smaller cross-section at the inlet side and a larger cross-section at the outlet side, creating different flow characteristics in different regions to achieve uniform temperature distribution across all battery cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the temperature control channel (cross-sectional area) along the flow direction. This parameter change adjusts the fluid flow rate and heat transfer efficiency at different positions, compensating for the temperature gradient that would otherwise occur in a constant cross-section channel.
2Ease of manufacture
If cooling fluid flows through constant cross-section channel, then manufacturing is easy, but thermal storage capacity utilization is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by designing the temperature control channel with position-dependent cross-sectional area. This ensures that each region of the battery cell array receives appropriate cooling intensity, maximizing the utilization of thermal storage capacity across all cells rather than leaving some cells under-cooled.
3Productivity
If uniform cooling is achieved through variable cross-section channel, then performance increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves uniform cooling by changing the cross-sectional area parameter of the temperature control channel along the flow direction. This single geometric parameter change effectively balances the temperature distribution and maximizes thermal storage capacity utilization without requiring multiple separate cooling channels or complex control systems.
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 solution achieves improved temperature uniformity, maximizes the utilization of thermal storage capacity, increases performance, reduces performance scattering, and slows down aging mechanisms within the cell block by effectively managing hot and cold spots.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling device is cooled by a fluid and can thus transfer the thermal energy to the cooling fluid
Implementation Method 2
at least one temperature control fluid (22) which is guided in a temperature control channel (24) for temperature control of the cell block (14)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a temperature control device (20) for controlling the temperature of a cell block (14) of an electrical energy store (14), having at least one temperature control fluid (22) which is conducted in a temperature control channel (24) to control the temperature of the cell block (14), wherein the temperature control channel (24) has a changing cross-section as viewed in a flow direction (26) of the temperature control fluid (22), and wherein a plurality of battery cells (16) of the cell block (14) is arranged next to one another as viewed in the flow direction (26), at least in some regions, wherein the temperature control fluid (22) is designed for direct temperature control of the cell block (14), and the temperature control channel (22) tapers in the flow direction (26) from a first battery cell (16) of the battery cells (16) arranged next to one another to a predefined section (28) of the temperature control channel (24), and the temperature control channel (24) widens again from the predefined section (28) on. The invention also relates to a method.