Battery Tray Cooling Plate Assembly With Adhesive Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cooling plate assemblies for battery modules in automobile battery trays are expensive and complex due to manufacturing processes like controlled atmosphere brazing, vacuum brazing, or roll bonding, which limit material choices and manufacturing conditions.
Innovation Solution
A cooling plate assembly is created using a first and second plate stacked with an adhesive between them, where mechanical fixations are applied adjacent to the adhesive to secure the plates during curing, replacing the traditional methods with a less expensive, simpler, and more dynamic bonding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional manufacturing processes like controlled atmosphere brazing, vacuum brazing, or roll bonding are used to connect cooling plates, then the structural strength and reliability are improved, but the manufacturing cost and process complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/thermal bonding processes (brazing, roll bonding) with a chemical bonding system using adhesives. The adhesive layer is applied between the first and second cooling plates, eliminating the need for complex controlled atmosphere brazing or vacuum brazing equipment, while still providing reliable structural connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the bonding mechanism from high-temperature thermal processes to ambient or controlled-cure chemical processes. By using adhesives that can cure at lower temperatures and simpler conditions, the manufacturing process complexity is reduced while maintaining the structural integrity of the cooling plate assembly.
2Strength
If traditional brazing or roll bonding processes are used, then the bonding strength is improved, but the material selection flexibility and ease of manufacture are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive bonding system replaces complex mechanical and thermal bonding processes with a simpler chemical bonding approach. The adhesive can be applied using standard coating equipment and cures under controlled conditions, making the manufacturing process easier while maintaining bonding strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material structures where an adhesive layer is introduced between metal cooling plates. This composite approach allows for greater material selection flexibility, as the adhesive can be chosen to be compatible with various plate materials, unlike traditional brazing which is limited to specific material combinations.
3Manufacturing precision
If mechanical fixations are added to hold plates during adhesive curing, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical fixations are applied before the adhesive curing process to establish and maintain the correct relative positioning of the cooling plates. By performing this positioning action preliminarily, the adhesive can then cure in the correct position without requiring complex real-time control systems during curing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical fixations serve as temporary intermediary elements that facilitate accurate positioning during assembly. These fixations are removed after the adhesive cures, having served their purpose of ensuring manufacturing precision during the critical bonding phase.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, simplified, and easier-to-service method for securing the plates, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs while maintaining effective thermal management for battery modules.
Implementation Method 1
An adhesive is disposed between the first and second plates and extends along at least a portion of the cooling channel for structurally bonding the first and second plates to one another
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling plate assembly for cooling at least one battery module in a battery tray includes a first plate and a second plate disposed in stacked relationship with one another to collectively define a cooling channel extending therebetween. An adhesive is disposed between the first and second plate and extends along at least a portion of the cooling channel for structurally bonding the first and second plates to one another. At least one mechanical fixation is disposed adjacent the adhesive and extends between the first and second plates for maintaining a position of the first and second plates during a curing of the adhesive. A method of manufacturing the cooling plate assembly is also disclosed.