Battery Cooling Block Layout for Low Pressure Drop Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery cooling systems face challenges in maintaining efficient heat dissipation, particularly in high-capacity batteries, due to limitations in cooling water flow rate and internal pressure drop, which can lead to performance degradation, fire, or explosion risks in hybrid and electric vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A battery module cooling structure featuring a cooling block with an upper panel, lower panel, inlet and outlet pipes, and a leakage blocking member, designed to minimize pressure drop and enhance flow rate, ensuring uniform cooling of battery modules by optimizing the flow path and preventing backflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If high-capacity batteries are used to increase mileage and reduce fast charging time, then battery capacity increases, but heat generation increases and heat dissipation performance deteriorates due to cooling water flow rate limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidheat dissipation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling block is divided into multiple cooling channels (first cooling channel, second cooling channel, third cooling channel) that segment the heat dissipation path. This segmentation allows cooling water to flow through multiple parallel paths, increasing the effective heat dissipation surface area and improving heat dissipation performance for high-capacity batteries without requiring proportionally higher flow rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the cooling block are designed with different channel configurations to match local heat generation patterns. The first cooling channel is positioned to cool high-heat generation regions, while the second and third channels address other thermal zones. This local optimization ensures efficient heat removal from critical areas without uniformly increasing flow rate across the entire system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If conventional cooling block design is used, then structure is simple, but pressure drop is high and flow rate is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling block structureVSAvoidpressure drop
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling channels are designed with varying cross-sectional areas along their length, creating a dynamic flow path that adapts to pressure changes. The channel cross-section increases in the flow direction, which reduces flow velocity and pressure drop while maintaining effective heat transfer. This dynamic geometry optimization improves flow rate without significantly increasing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling block utilizes three-dimensional space efficiently by arranging cooling channels at different depths and orientations. The first cooling channel is positioned at a different height than the second and third channels, creating a multi-layered heat dissipation structure. This spatial arrangement reduces flow path length and pressure drop while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 increases the flow rate of cooling water, leading to improved heat dissipation performance and reduced risk of battery degradation or explosion, while maintaining efficient operation of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling block disposed under the battery module and configured to reduce heat generated by the battery module

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

an inlet hole configured to take in cooling water and an outlet hole configured to discharge the cooling water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11888133B2Battery module cooling structure
Publication Date: 2024.01.30 HYUNDAI MOBIS CO LTD
  • US11888133B2 patent drawing
  • US11888133B2 patent drawing
  • US11888133B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A battery module cooling structure includes: a battery module fixed to a vehicle body; and a cooling block disposed under the battery module and configured to reduce heat generated by the battery module. The cooling block includes: an upper panel closing an upper portion of the cooling block, the upper panel having corner regions including an inlet hole configured to take in cooling water and an outlet hole configured to discharge the cooling water; a lower panel spaced downward from the upper panel and closing a lower portion of the cooling block; an inlet pipe coupled to an upper portion of the upper panel, and configured to take in the cooling water; and an outlet pipe coupled to the upper portion of the upper panel at a position spaced apart from the inlet pipe, and configured to discharge the cooling water.