Battery Housing Cooling Layout With Same-End Counterflow Manifolds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control devices for battery modules in electric vehicles are bulky, difficult to assemble, and require significant disassembly effort to remove or insert battery modules, while also lacking efficient counter-current flow mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A compact temperature control device with a bar-type heat sink design, where the inlet and outlet connections of the temperature control agent collectors are on the same end, facilitating easy assembly and removal of battery modules, and incorporating a multi-channel collector design for uniform counter-current flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inlet and outlet connections of temperature control agent collectors are arranged at opposite ends of the battery housing, then the fluid flow path is optimized for cooling efficiency, but the device becomes bulky and difficult to assemble with battery modules requiring significant disassembly effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by placing both inlet and outlet connections at the same end portion of the temperature control device. This allows battery modules to be easily inserted and removed from the other end without disassembly, while the internal fluid path is designed to flow from one collector at the connection end to the other collector, maintaining cooling efficiency despite the inverted external arrangement.
2Ease of operation
If the temperature control device is designed as a compact unit with connections at the same end, then assembly is simplified and battery modules can be easily removed, but achieving uniform counter-current flow becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the temperature control device into multiple temperature control cells, each with its own temperature control agent channel. The collectors are designed with multiple channels that distribute the temperature control agent uniformly to each cell. This segmentation allows the compact design to maintain uniform flow distribution while enabling easy assembly and module removal.
3Reliability
If a multi-channel collector design is implemented, then counter-current flow efficiency is improved and uniform cooling is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the collectors to serve multiple functions: they act as fluid distribution manifolds with multiple channels for counter-current flow, provide structural support for mounting temperature control cells, and facilitate easy connection and disconnection of battery modules. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity despite the multi-channel configuration.
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 enables a compact, easy-to-assemble temperature control device that ensures uniform cooling of battery modules with efficient counter-current flow, improving operational reliability and reducing assembly complexity.
Implementation Method 1
each temperature control cell has a heat exchanger surface for transferring heat from a battery module, which is inserted therein and which is to be temperature-controlled, into the temperature control device or vice versa
Implementation Method 2
at least one temperature control agent channel which is spaced apart from the heat exchanger surface and through which fluid can flow
Implementation Method 3
said collector channel is provided with a further collector channel, through which the temperature control agent is conducted in counter-current to the first collector channel
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature control device of a battery housing for a vehicle which is driven by an electric motor. The temperature control device is divided into multiple temperature control cells, and each temperature control cell has a heat exchange surface for transferring heat from a battery module, which is inserted into the temperature control cell and which is to be temperature-controlled, into the temperature control device or vice versa and at least one temperature control agent channel, which is arranged at a distance from the heat exchange surface, through which a fluid can flow, and which is fluidically connected to a first temperature control agent collector on the inlet side and to a second temperature control agent collector on the outlet side. The inlet or outlet connection of the first temperature control agent collector and the outlet or inlet connection of the second temperature control agent collector are arranged on the temperature control agent collector end portions facing in the same direction, and one of the two temperature control agent collectors is designed to have multiple channels. The temperature control agent channels of the temperature control cells open into a first collector channel of said temperature control agent collector, and the collector channel is provided with an additional collector channel, through which the temperature control agent is conducted in counter-current to the first collector channel, in order to be fluidically connected to the inlet or outlet connection of said temperature control agent collector. The heat exchange surface of the temperature control device is connected to the base on the lower face or to an intermediate base of a battery housing on the upper face, or the part of the temperature control device is the base of a battery housing, and each of the battery modules to be temperature-controlled lies on the heat exchange surface of a respective temperature control cell.