Battery Cooling Fin with Flow Diverter for Cell Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Typical air-cooled battery packs struggle to maintain battery cells within a desired temperature range due to ambient air temperatures often exceeding the maximum operating temperature of the cells.
Innovation Solution
A battery module with a cooling fin featuring an extruded housing and flow diverter, which directs fluid through flow channels to effectively extract heat energy from the battery cells, maintaining them within a desired temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air cooling is used for battery cells, then the cooling system is simple, but the battery cells cannot be maintained within desired temperature range when ambient air temperature exceeds maximum operating temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid cooling by introducing a cooling fluid that circulates through channels in the cooling plate. The fluid absorbs heat from battery cells directly through thermal contact with the cooling plate surface, enabling effective heat removal even when ambient temperatures exceed maximum operating temperatures of the cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fluid acts as an intermediary between the battery cells and the external environment. Instead of directly cooling cells with ambient air, the fluid mediates heat transfer by absorbing thermal energy from cells and transporting it to external heat exchangers where it can be dissipated effectively.
2Temperature
If liquid cooling with cooling plate is implemented, then temperature control is effective, but device complexity increases compared to air cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for mounting battery cells, creates thermal contact surfaces for heat extraction through integrated channels, and distributes cooling fluid uniformly across multiple cells. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the cooling function with the structural mounting function by integrating fluid channels directly into the cooling plate that also serves as a battery cell holder. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate cooling attachments and simplifies the cooling system structure.
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 cools battery cells, maintaining them within a temperature range of 15° Celsius to 35° Celsius, or below a threshold of 40° Celsius, thereby ensuring optimal performance.
Implementation Method 1
conducting heat energy from the first battery cell into the cooling fin
Implementation Method 2
receiving a fluid into the first header that is diverted by a flow diverter in the first header through the first plurality of flow channels in the extruded housing to the second header to extract heat energy from the cooling fin
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module and a method for cooling the battery module are provided. The battery module includes a first battery cell and a cooling fin disposed adjacent to the first battery cell. The cooling fin has first and second headers, an extruded housing, and a flow diverter. The first and second headers are coupled to first and second ends, respectively, of the extruded housing. The extruded housing has a first plurality of flow channels and a second plurality of flow channels extending therethrough that fluidly communicate with the first and second headers. The flow diverter is disposed in the first header to induce a fluid to flow from the first header through the first plurality of flow channels in the extruded housing to the second header to extract heat energy from the first battery cell.