Battery Cooling Thermal Model for High-Load Safety Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery cooling systems face challenges in testing cooling performance under high-load conditions due to the risk of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries, which can lead to inefficiencies and safety issues during performance evaluation.
Innovation Solution
A battery cooling system that employs a heating element with a metal body and heating wire to simulate the battery's resistance, controlled by a heating-load controller, along with an environment controller and power supply to manage temperature, allowing for safe testing under high-load conditions by generating a thermal model that matches the battery's temperature changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lithium-ion battery is directly used in a cooling system test under high-load conditions, then the cooling performance can be evaluated, but thermal runaway phenomenon occurs leading to safety issues and test interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a thermal model that copies the essential thermal characteristics of a lithium-ion battery without using the actual battery during testing. The model includes thermal parameters such as heat generation rate, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity that replicate battery behavior under high-load conditions, enabling safe yet representative cooling performance evaluation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a thermal model as an intermediary between the cooling system and the test environment. This model acts as a mediator that receives cooling fluid input and produces thermal responses similar to a real battery, allowing the cooling system to be tested without direct exposure to the thermal runaway risks of actual lithium-ion batteries.
2Measurement precision
If cooling fluid is supplied at constant temperature and flow rate to a battery under high-load condition, then cooling performance can be measured, but thermal runaway risk increases due to rapid heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal model replicates the battery's heat generation characteristics under high-load conditions, allowing researchers to measure cooling performance with the same precision as real batteries would provide, while eliminating the actual thermal runaway risk through the use of a controlled computational model.
3Loss of information
If multiple cooling performance tests are conducted under various evaluation conditions, then comprehensive performance data can be obtained, but the number of tests increases leading to time and resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal model serves multiple functions simultaneously: it can simulate various battery types, evaluate different cooling conditions, and test multiple performance metrics within a single unified framework. This multi-functionality allows comprehensive performance data to be obtained without conducting separate physical tests for each scenario, significantly reducing time and resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the thermal model to efficiently evaluate different cooling scenarios. By adjusting input parameters such as heat generation rate, thermal conductivity, and cooling fluid properties, the model can simulate various evaluation conditions without requiring physical reconfiguration or additional tests, thereby obtaining comprehensive performance data rapidly.
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 approach enables safe testing of the cooling system under high-load conditions, reduces the number of tests, and improves the efficiency and lifespan of the battery cooling system by preventing thermal runaway and ensuring target performance is met.
Implementation Method 1
a heating wire inserted into the body to enable temperature control of the body and constantly generate heat by a DC voltage supplied from the power supply
Implementation Method 2
a cooling processing part configured to supply cooling fluid at a constant temperature and flow rate
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cooling system includes: a heating element for performing a resistance function of a battery to be subjected to a cooling test; a heating-load controller for controlling a heating load of the heating element according to a thermal model; an environment controller for controlling at least one battery cooling environment parameter such as outdoor temperature and initial temperature; a power supply for applying a current for each evaluation condition by connecting a charger/discharger to the heating element; a cooling processing part for supplying a cooling fluid such as air, coolant, or a refrigerant at a constant temperature and flow rate; and a cooling performance determination part for measuring a temperature of a battery cell over time and determining whether a target performance of the battery is satisfied.