Battery Pack Cooling with Passive Heat Spreaders and Coolant Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active cooling systems for electric aircraft batteries are complex, costly, and heavy due to fluid connections, and do not adequately address thermal management needs.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus incorporating a coolant channel with a coolant fluid and passive heat transfer elements, such as heat spreading plates made of high thermal conductivity materials like aluminum or copper, which are connected to the active cooling system to reduce the need for additional active cooling and simplify the battery pack design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If active cooling systems with fluid coolant are used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into two functional segments: passive heat transfer elements (heat spreaders) that are in direct thermal contact with battery modules, and active coolant channels that are thermally coupled to these passive elements. This segmentation allows the system to distribute heat collection functions across multiple components, reducing the complexity of direct fluid-battery connections while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
Passive heat transfer elements serve as intermediary components between the battery modules and the active coolant channels. These intermediaries conduct heat from the batteries to the coolant without requiring direct fluid-battery connections, thereby reducing system complexity while preserving cooling effectiveness.
2Temperature
If active cooling systems with fluid coolant are used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the cooling function into passive heat spreaders and active coolant channels, the system eliminates the need for heavy direct fluid connections to each battery module. The passive elements use high thermal conductivity materials to transfer heat efficiently, reducing the overall weight of the cooling system.
3Temperature
If active cooling systems with fluid coolant are used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented architecture with passive heat transfer elements simplifies manufacturing by eliminating complex fluid connection requirements for each battery module. The passive elements can be manufactured separately and integrated with the coolant channels, reducing assembly complexity and manufacturing costs.
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 packs by leveraging passive heat transfer elements to minimize active cooling requirements, reducing complexity and weight while maintaining optimal thermal conditions, thus addressing the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
passive heat transfer elements, wherein each of the plurality of passive heat transfer elements is connected to the active cooling system, extends to a battery module of the plurality of battery modules, and extends away from the coolant channel
Implementation Method 2
an active cooling system, the active cooling system including a coolant channel wherein the coolant channel includes a coolant fluid, wherein the active cooling system is in thermal communication with more than one of the plurality of battery modules
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for active battery pack cooling including a battery pack with a plurality of battery modules. The apparatus further including an active cooling system with a coolant channel, wherein the coolant channel includes a coolant fluid. The active cooling system is in thermal communication with more than one of the plurality of battery modules. The apparatus also including a plurality of passive heat transfer elements, wherein each of the plurality of passive heat transfer elements is connected to the active cooling system, extends to a battery module of the plurality of battery modules, and extends away from the coolant channel.