Battery Cooling Plate with Opposing Flow for Thermal Homogenization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling plate arrangements for battery systems fail to achieve uniform temperature distribution, leading to hotspots and increased risk of thermal runaway, and are not efficiently manufacturable or arrangeable for coolant flow.

Innovation Solution

A cooling plate arrangement featuring a corrugated intermediate sheet between two cover sheets, forming opposing flow direction cooling channels that enhance heat homogenization and reduce the risk of thermal runaway, while maintaining low space consumption and ease of manufacturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a conventional cooling plate arrangement is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but uniform temperature distribution cannot be achieved leading to hotspots

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature distribution uniformityVSAvoidcooling plate structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate is segmented into multiple cooling channels formed by corrugated intermediate sheets between cover sheets. This segmentation creates multiple flow paths that distribute coolant across different zones, enabling uniform temperature distribution while maintaining a modular structure that is relatively easy to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intermediate sheets are corrugated with curved profiles rather than being flat. This curvature creates alternating cooling channels that efficiently distribute coolant and heat, achieving uniform temperature distribution across the battery cells while the corrugated shape can be formed through standard sheet metal processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Temperature

If cooling channels are added to achieve better heat dissipation, then temperature control improves, but space consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidspace consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cooling channels are nested within each other between the cover sheets and corrugated intermediate sheets. This nested arrangement allows multiple cooling paths to occupy the same spatial envelope, achieving efficient heat dissipation without increasing the overall volume of the cooling plate assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling channels are arranged in alternating layers between the cover sheets, utilizing the vertical dimension rather than expanding horizontally. This dimensional arrangement enables efficient heat dissipation through multiple channels while maintaining a compact footprint with low space consumption.

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

3Reliability

If opposing flow direction channels are implemented, then thermal runaway risk is reduced through better heat homogenization, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal runaway risk reductionVSAvoidmanufacturing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate is segmented into multiple independent cooling channels with opposing flow directions using corrugated intermediate sheets. This segmentation allows coolant to flow in opposite directions through adjacent channels, creating heat homogenization that reduces thermal runaway risk, while each segment can be manufactured separately and assembled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The corrugated profile of the intermediate sheets naturally creates opposing flow directions in adjacent channels through their curved geometry. This curvature-based design achieves thermal homogenization through opposing flows while using standard corrugated sheet manufacturing processes, avoiding complex custom tooling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Productivity

If multiple cooling channels are created, then coolant distribution improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoolant flow efficiencyVSAvoidcooling plate structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate is divided into multiple cooling channels through corrugated intermediate sheets, allowing coolant to be distributed across multiple parallel paths. This segmentation improves coolant flow efficiency and heat dissipation productivity while maintaining a modular structure that is relatively simple to manufacture and assemble.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 provides improved temperature homogenization and reduced risk of thermal runaway by efficiently distributing heat across battery cells, maintaining low space consumption and ease of manufacturing, and ensuring effective coolant flow.

Implementation Method 1

to provide thermal control of the battery pack a thermal management system is required to safely use the at least one battery module by efficiently emitting, discharging and/or dissipating heat generated from its rechargeable batteries

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the intermediate sheet and the first cover sheet form at least one first cooling channel confined between the intermediate sheet and the first cover sheet, the intermediate sheet and the second cover sheet form at least one second cooling channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4254604A1Cooling plate arrangement, battery system, electric vehicle and method for assembling
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4254604A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4254604A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4254604A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present disclosure refers to a cooling plate arrangement (10) for cooling a plurality of battery cells (120) of a battery system (100), the cooling plate arrangement (10) comprises a first cover sheet (11), a second cover sheet (12), and a corrugated intermediate sheet (13) arranged between the first cover sheet (11) and the second cover sheet (12), wherein the intermediate sheet (13) and the first cover sheet (11) form at least one first cooling channel (14, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6) confined between the intermediate sheet (13) and the first cover sheet (11), the intermediate sheet (13) and the second cover sheet (12) form at least one second cooling channel (15) confined between the intermediate sheet (13) and the second cover sheet (12), and wherein the first cooling channel (14, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6) and the second cooling channel (15) are fluidly connected to each other so that first cooling channel (14, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6) and second cooling channel (15) comprise an opposite flow direction (F1, F2).