Multi-Chamber Battery Cooling Element for Planar Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery modules face challenges in efficient cooling, particularly in motor vehicle applications, where lithium-ion cells are prone to overheating during rapid charging, leading to potential electrolyte evaporation and cell damage, and existing cooling solutions are either ineffective or excessively heavy due to manufacturing tolerances and multi-layer constructions.
Innovation Solution
A battery element design featuring a multi-chamber hollow profile integrated within the battery module, surrounded by an outer, flexible, electrically insulating film, which allows for efficient heat transfer through a wide side surface contact with the electrode stacks, using a coolant or refrigerant to dissipate heat generated in the battery cell, while maintaining structural integrity and minimizing weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling plates are provided on the top side of the battery module with heat-conducting contact with battery cells, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are integrated directly into the longitudinal beams that provide structural support for the battery module. This merging of cooling function with structural support eliminates the need for separate cooling plates and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The longitudinal beams serve dual functions: providing mechanical support for the battery cells and acting as heat sinks with integrated cooling channels. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity and weight.
2Temperature
If cooling elements are made thick to ensure sufficient stability and large contact area, then heat dissipation is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing thickness in one dimension, the cooling channels are distributed across multiple longitudinal beams arranged in space. This spatial distribution achieves sufficient heat dissipation surface area without requiring any single beam to be excessively thick, thereby reducing weight.
3Ease of manufacture
If manufacturing tolerances are not controlled, then production cost is reduced, but air pockets form between cooling elements and pouch cell impairing heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
A compliant layer is introduced between the pouch cell and the cooling channels in the longitudinal beams. This layer compensates for manufacturing tolerances and ensures consistent thermal contact without requiring tight manufacturing tolerances, thereby maintaining heat dissipation performance while reducing production costs.
4Device complexity
If only small areas of battery cells are cooled, then device complexity is reduced, but heat dissipation becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is segmented across multiple longitudinal beams that are distributed throughout the battery module. Each beam provides cooling to its adjacent cells, and the collective effect of all beams achieves comprehensive heat dissipation without requiring a single complex cooling system.
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 optimal heat transport and dissipation, maintaining the battery cell's stability and preventing overheating, while reducing weight and maintaining structural integrity, with a geometry factor and thermal characteristics that ensure effective temperature control across the electrode stacks.
Implementation Method 1
The heat generated in the pouch cell is transferred to the cooling elements by thermal conduction and then dissipated by a cooling fluid flowing through at least one flow channel of the respective cooling elements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a new battery element (10), in which a thermal conduction element in the form of a multi-chamber hollow profiled element (20) having chambers (21) is integrated in addition to a battery cell. The heat transfer is optimal, because the temperature-controlled multi-chamber hollow profiled element (20) is in planar contact with the battery cell. The electrodes (31) of the battery element (10) are surrounded by an outer electrical insulation, which is formed solely by an outer film (40, 40') or by said film (40, 40') and a thermoplastic plastic coating (27) of the multi-chamber hollow profiled element (20).