Onboard Battery Cooling via External Air Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling technologies for onboard secondary batteries in vehicles are ineffective in reducing degradation during parking, as the vehicle compartment air temperature rises under direct sunlight, making it difficult to cool the batteries efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device that includes a housing for the battery pack, a blower to circulate external air into the housing, a temperature determiner to assess external air temperature relative to the battery temperature, and a control system to drive the blower when external air is cooler, and to manage charging of the battery to prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If vehicle compartment air is used to cool the secondary battery, then the battery can be cooled during vehicle operation, but the cooling effectiveness is lost during parking when the cooling mechanism stops and compartment temperature rises
Solution Approach 1:
The housing serves multiple functions: it acts as both the battery pack enclosure and a heat-insulating barrier between the battery and the vehicle compartment. This dual functionality allows the same structure to provide both mechanical protection and thermal isolation, preventing heat transfer from the hot compartment to the battery during parking.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing with heat insulation properties acts as an intermediary layer between the battery and the vehicle compartment. This intermediate structure blocks direct thermal contact, reducing heat transfer from the high-temperature compartment environment to the battery during parking when active cooling is unavailable.
2Reliability
If the cooling mechanism operates continuously to maintain low battery temperature, then battery degradation is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing with heat insulation properties is pre-installed as part of the battery pack structure, providing passive thermal protection before the battery experiences excessive heating. This preliminary protective measure reduces the need for active cooling intervention, thereby lowering energy consumption while maintaining battery temperature within acceptable ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack housing provides self-service thermal management by inherently blocking heat transfer from the vehicle compartment. This passive thermal isolation function eliminates the need for continuous active cooling, allowing the system to maintain battery temperature without constant energy input from cooling mechanisms.
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 effectively reduces battery degradation by utilizing external cooler air to ventilate the battery pack and manages charging to maintain optimal temperatures, preventing overheating and maintaining battery performance.
Implementation Method 1
a blower that blows an air at an outside of the vehicle into the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling device of an onboard secondary battery, includes a housing that is provided in a vehicle, and houses a battery pack including a secondary battery and a case that covers the secondary battery, a blower that blows an air at an outside of the vehicle into the housing, a temperature determiner that determines whether or not an air temperature of the outside of the vehicle is lower than a temperature of the secondary battery, and a blow controller that drives the blower, when the temperature determiner determines that the air temperature of the outside of the vehicle is lower than the temperature of the secondary battery.