Battery Module Heat Exchanger Fins for Uniform Air Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In battery packages for electric or hybrid-electric vehicles, existing heat exchanger structures fail to ensure uniform cooling and heating of battery modules, with modules closer to the fan being efficiently cooled or heated while those farther away receive inadequate temperature management due to inefficient heat exchange with air that has already interacted with upstream modules.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger structure featuring a holder with fins that gradually change in length, proximity, and cross-sectional shape from the air inlet to the outlet, ensuring a controlled airflow that increases contact area with battery modules, thereby enhancing heat exchange efficiency and uniform temperature distribution across all modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a fan blows air through battery modules from upstream to downstream, then cooling or heating is provided to battery modules, but modules at the upstream part are over-cooled or over-heated while modules at the downstream part are under-cooled or under-heated
Solution Approach 1:
The holder structure incorporates varying fin lengths at different positions along the airflow path. Specifically, the holder includes a first holder part with fins of a first length and a second holder part with fins of a second length different from the first length. This local variation in fin dimensions creates different heat exchange characteristics at different locations, allowing upstream modules (which receive cooler/fresher air) to have smaller heat exchange areas while downstream modules (which receive warmer/pre-heated air) have larger heat exchange areas, thereby achieving uniform temperature distribution across all modules.
2Productivity
If fins are added to increase heat exchange area, then heat exchange efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the heat exchange fins directly into the holder structure itself, rather than adding separate heat exchange components. The holder is designed with protruding fins that extend into the air channels, combining the structural support function with the heat exchange function in a single integrated component. This merging approach increases the heat exchange surface area without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as the fins are formed as part of the holder's geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder is divided into multiple segments (first holder part and second holder part) with different fin configurations. Each segment has fins of specific lengths tailored to the local heat exchange requirements. This segmentation allows for optimized heat exchange at different positions while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular construction, balancing heat exchange efficiency with structural complexity.
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 design ensures uniform cooling and heating of battery modules, maintaining their performance and stability by ensuring all modules receive consistent heat exchange, preventing degradation and ensuring smooth operation across varying temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
A fan blows air so as to blow the air to both sides of the battery modules sequentially, thereby cooling or heating the battery modules
Implementation Method 2
The holder includes fins, configured such that an air contact area of the battery modules at the upstream part is smaller than an air contact area of the battery modules at the downstream part
Data Source
AI summary
A fan blows air across a battery package, which includes battery modules in a holder. The holder includes fins, configured such that air contact areas of battery modules at an upstream part are smaller than those at a downstream part. The fins at the upstream part may be longer than those at the downstream part. Alternatively, fins at a first side of the battery modules may be longest at the upstream part. Fins at a second side may be shortest at the upstream part. An air channel between the fins and the battery modules narrows from the upstream part to the downstream part. The fins at the upstream part may be closer to corresponding battery modules than those at the downstream part. Each fin may define a substantially rectangular cross-section. Alternatively, each fin may have an inclined surface on an upstream side and/or a declined surface on a downstream side.