Vehicle Battery Cooling Module with Open Bottom and Integrated Heat Conduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems for high-voltage and high-capacity vehicle batteries have inefficient heat transfer paths, leading to reduced cooling performance due to the complexity of heat transfer from battery cells to cooling units, resulting in heat loss and adverse effects on battery life.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus simplifies the heat transfer path by using a module housing with an open bottom to expose battery cell surfaces, applying heat-conductive filler directly on the lower housing's seating surface, and integrating a cooling unit with a cooling channel that contacts the bottom surface of the top panel, allowing cooling water to flow directly and efficiently transfer heat from the battery cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an indirect water cooling method is used with multiple heat transfer components (thermal conductive filler, bottom plate, TIM, top plate), then the battery cells can be cooled, but the heat transfer path becomes complicated and heat loss increases, lowering cooling performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the battery cell housing bottom plate and the cooling unit top plate into a single integrated component. This eliminates the intermediate TIM layer and reduces the number of heat transfer interfaces, directly resolving the technical contradiction by simplifying the heat transfer path while maintaining effective cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the thermal interface material (TIM) layer from the heat transfer path. By eliminating this intermediate layer between the battery cell housing and cooling unit, the design reduces thermal resistance and simplifies the overall structure, directly addressing the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and path complexity.
2Loss of energy
If an indirect water cooling method with multiple components is used, then cooling can be achieved, but heat loss occurs during heat transfer, reducing cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the housing bottom plate and cooling unit top plate into one integrated component, the patent eliminates intermediate heat transfer interfaces where thermal resistance occurs. This merging reduces heat loss during transfer while simultaneously reducing the total number of components, thus resolving the contradiction between energy loss and device complexity.
3Reliability
If a complicated heat transfer path with multiple interfaces is used, then the battery structure can be maintained, but cooling performance is reduced due to heat loss
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the housing bottom plate and cooling unit top plate maintains structural integrity by providing a unified load-bearing component while simultaneously improving thermal transfer efficiency. This design resolves the contradiction by ensuring structural reliability is not compromised while enhancing cooling performance through reduced thermal resistance.
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 configuration enhances cooling performance by minimizing heat loss during transfer, improving the overall cooling efficiency and extending battery life by simplifying the heat transfer path from battery cells to the cooling unit.
Implementation Method 1
heat-conductive filler applied on a seating surface of the lower housing, on which the plurality of battery cells are accommodated, to be in contact with the bottom surfaces of the plurality of battery cells
Implementation Method 2
a lower housing having an accommodation space in which the battery module is accommodated, wherein the lower housing includes a cooling unit cooling the battery module
Implementation Method 3
allowing cooling water to flow directly and efficiently transfer heat from the battery cells
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus of cooling a vehicle battery is provided. A battery module includes a module housing having an open bottom portion, with an accommodation space for accommodating a plurality of battery cells in the accommodation space, and a plurality of battery cells accommodated in the accommodation space of the module housing, with bottom surfaces of the plurality of battery cells being exposed through the open bottom portion of the module housing. A lower housing has an accommodation space in which the battery module is accommodated. The lower housing includes a cooling unit cooling the battery module and is configured for being attached to a bottom portion of a vehicle floor. Heat-conductive filler is applied on a seating surface of the lower housing, on which the plurality of battery cells are accommodated, to be in contact with the bottom surfaces of the plurality of battery cells exposed externally through the bottom portion of the module housing.