Battery Pack Desiccant Renewal via Automated Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle battery packs face moisture accumulation due to breather vents, leading to shortened lifecycles and potential fires, necessitating regular desiccant replacement and maintenance tracking.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack exchange and tracking system that robotically removes and renews desiccant cartridges by drying them in a controlled environment, allowing for efficient swapping of battery packs and tracking of maintenance and health status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If desiccant material is used to absorb water vapor, then moisture accumulation is reduced, but the desiccant requires regular removal and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a desiccant recovery system where used desiccant cartridges are automatically removed from battery packs, dried in a drying oven, and reinstalled. This eliminates the need for manual replacement and extends the service life of desiccant material, resolving the contradiction between maintaining moisture protection and reducing maintenance effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs automatic desiccant management including automated removal, drying, and reinstallation mechanisms. The battery pack exchange system automatically tracks and services desiccant cartridges without human intervention, allowing the desiccant system to maintain itself and eliminating manual maintenance requirements.
2Stress or pressure
If breather vents are installed for pressure equalization, then pressure balance is achieved, but water vapor can enter the battery pack
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces desiccant material as an intermediary substance between the external environment and the battery pack interior. The desiccant absorbs water vapor that enters through the breather vent, allowing the vent to maintain pressure equalization while the desiccant prevents harmful moisture accumulation inside the battery pack.
3Reliability
If manual desiccant replacement is performed, then moisture protection is maintained, but time and labor are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous desiccant servicing through automated systems that constantly monitor, remove, dry, and reinstall desiccant cartridges. This continuous automated process eliminates interruptions and manual labor, maintaining moisture protection while minimizing time loss by performing all operations automatically during battery pack exchanges.
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 system prevents moisture buildup, extends battery pack lifespan, and ensures optimal performance by automating desiccant servicing and tracking, reducing the risk of fires and improving charging efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
drying, by a heater, a desiccant material of the desiccant cartridge
Implementation Method 2
drying the desiccant material renews the desiccant cartridge
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are described that maintain and service electric vehicle battery packs and assemblies. The methods and systems automatically remove a used battery pack from an electric vehicle, replace the used battery pack with a charged battery pack, and service the removed used battery pack for subsequent vehicle installation. The servicing of the used battery pack includes removing a desiccant cartridge from the used battery pack and renewing a desiccant material associated with the desiccant cartridge. This desiccant material may be renewed by drying the desiccant cartridge using a heater. The used battery pack may be conveyed to a battery charger to charge the used battery pack to a predetermined charge level. The renewed, dry, desiccant cartridge may be attached to any battery pack and installed in an electric vehicle after the battery pack has been charged.