Battery Cell Cooling Structure With Segmented Flow Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery cooling technologies face challenges in efficiently cooling battery cells, particularly in managing temperature differences between large and small area portions, which can lead to thermal abuse and reduced power supply efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cooling structure comprising bars arranged to press battery cells, with flow paths and separation walls that guide a cooling medium in direct contact with the cells, and a support system that includes inlet and outlet paths with sealing grooves and fastening portions to ensure efficient heat transfer and pressure distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a cooling medium flows directly over battery cell surfaces, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but temperature uniformity across different area portions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling structure segments the cooling medium flow into multiple separate flow paths using partition walls. Each flow path is configured to contact different area portions of battery cells, allowing independent temperature control and uniform heat dissipation across large and small area portions simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling structure implements local quality by configuring flow paths with different characteristics for different battery cell areas. Large area portions receive cooling through optimized flow path geometries that match their thermal requirements, while small area portions receive appropriate cooling through separately configured flow paths, ensuring uniform temperature distribution
2Loss of energy
If cooling structure applies pressure to battery cells, then thermal contact is improved, but cell deformation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure application is segmented through multiple discrete bars rather than a single continuous pressing surface. This distributes the mechanical load across multiple contact points, maintaining adequate thermal contact while reducing localized stress concentrations that cause cell deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The bars are configured with adjustable positioning capabilities, allowing the cooling structure to adapt to battery cell dimensional changes during operation. This dynamic adjustment maintains optimal thermal contact without applying excessive static pressure that would cause permanent deformation
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 effectively cools battery cells by maximizing forced convection and direct heat transfer, improving power supply efficiency and extending battery lifespan by maintaining temperature uniformity and preventing thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
heat is transferred when a cooling medium directly contacts a target that is to be cooled
Implementation Method 2
maximizing forced convection and direct heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling structure includes a plurality of bars arranged separately from each other and configured to press a battery cell, a support configured to support the plurality of bars, flow paths defined by a first surface of the battery cell and one pair of neighboring bars, and configured to guide a flow of a cooling medium, with the cooling medium being in direct contact with the first surface of the battery cell, and a separation wall provided in at least one of the flow paths and being configured to separate each of the at least one flow path into sub-flow paths.