Battery Module Cooling Plate Structure for Uniform Flow and Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for battery modules face challenges in achieving uniform cooling and structural rigidity, with refrigerant flow paths causing pressure loss and size inefficiencies, leading to potential heat accumulation and increased module size.
Innovation Solution
A cooling member with a supporter and reinforcing member design that includes parallel refrigerant flow paths and a patterned reinforcing structure to enhance cooling efficiency and structural rigidity, using extrusion molding and press methods for fabrication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If refrigerant flow paths with narrow intervals are formed to cool densely stacked battery cells, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but pressure loss increases and design becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is divided into multiple independent flow path regions, each serving specific battery cells. This segmentation allows optimization of each flow path's characteristics, balancing cooling effectiveness with acceptable pressure loss by creating dedicated cooling zones rather than attempting uniform narrow-interval cooling across all cells.
Solution Approach 2:
Different flow path configurations are applied to different regions of the cooling plate based on local cooling requirements. High-priority cooling zones receive optimized flow paths with appropriate intervals, while other zones use standardized configurations, allowing the system to achieve effective cooling where needed without incurring excessive pressure loss system-wide.
2Temperature
If multiple refrigerant flow paths are formed for multiple battery cells, then cooling coverage is improved, but module size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flow paths are merged into a single integrated cooling plate structure rather than using separate cooling components for each battery cell. This consolidation provides comprehensive cooling coverage across multiple cells while maintaining a compact footprint, as the shared cooling plate serves the entire battery module without requiring additional space for multiple independent cooling systems.
3Temperature
If cooling structures with narrow refrigerant flow path intervals are designed, then cooling performance is improved, but structural rigidity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate incorporates localized reinforcing structures at specific positions where structural rigidity is needed, rather than uniformly thickening the entire plate. This allows the design to maintain narrow flow path intervals for good cooling performance in critical areas while adding reinforcement only where structural support is required, optimizing both thermal and mechanical performance.
4Temperature
If inlet and outlet positions are optimized for narrow flow paths, then cooling efficiency is improved, but design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is designed with segmented flow path regions that have standardized inlet and outlet configurations. This segmentation simplifies the overall design by creating modular, repeatable flow path patterns with consistent connection points, reducing the complexity of optimizing inlet/outlet positions while maintaining effective cooling efficiency through the segmented architecture.
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 design improves cooling performance and structural integrity by ensuring uniform refrigerant flow and reducing pressure loss, thereby preventing heat accumulation and maintaining module compactness.
Implementation Method 1
a method of passing the refrigerant through the refrigerant flow path in the cooling member for heat exchanging
Implementation Method 2
a laminate sheet of the pouch-type battery widely used in a battery module is coated with a polymer material with low thermal conductivity at the surface, so it is difficult to effectively cool the entire battery cell
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooling member for a battery module and a battery pack including the same, and the cooling member for the battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a cooling plate including an upper plate and a lower plate; and a supporter disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate and having a plurality of refrigerant flow paths, wherein the lower plate has a refrigerant inflow part and a refrigerant outflow part, and a reinforcing member is formed adjacent to at least one of the refrigerant inflow part and the refrigerant outflow part.