Battery Module Air Duct Layout for Uniform Cell Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules experience varying lifetimes due to uneven cooling, where battery cells far from the exhaust fan are not adequately cooled, leading to temperature differences and reduced module lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a battery cell stack, a case, an air circulation duct with varying hole sizes, and an exhaust fan, which ensures uniform cooling by directing airflow effectively across all battery cells, regardless of their position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the duct length is increased to cool battery cells far from the exhaust fan, then the cooling coverage is improved, but the temperature uniformity deteriorates because cells close to the fan are over-cooled while cells far away are under-cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation duct is designed with varying hole diameters along its length, where holes closer to the exhaust fan have larger diameters and holes farther away have smaller diameters. This local variation in hole size compensates for the natural decay of airflow, ensuring that each section of the duct delivers appropriate cooling intensity to its corresponding battery cells, thereby achieving uniform temperature distribution across all cells.
2Temperature
If a conventional exhaust fan with a long duct is used, then the cooling reach is extended, but the lifetime of battery cells deteriorates due to uneven cooling and temperature differences
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation duct incorporates holes with diameters that vary locally along its length, with larger holes positioned closer to the exhaust fan and smaller holes positioned farther away. This design ensures that the cooling intensity is appropriately distributed, preventing both over-cooling of cells near the fan and under-cooling of cells far from the fan, thereby extending the overall battery module lifetime.
3Reliability
If uniform cooling is achieved across all battery cells, then the lifetime of the battery module is improved, but the duct design complexity increases due to varying hole sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation duct is designed with a systematic variation in hole diameters that corresponds to the spatial distribution of battery cells. By making holes larger near the exhaust fan and progressively smaller toward the far end, the design achieves uniform cooling across all cells through a single, integrated duct structure, rather than requiring multiple complex cooling zones or adjustable mechanisms.
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 minimizes temperature differences between battery cells, thereby increasing the life expectancy of the battery module by ensuring consistent cooling across all cells.
Implementation Method 1
an exhaust fan coupled to a side of the air circulation duct... an exhaust fan may be provided, and air may be moved by the exhaust fan to cool the battery cells
Implementation Method 2
air may be moved by the exhaust fan to cool the battery cells... ensuring uniform cooling by directing airflow effectively across all battery cells
Data Source
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AI summary
BATTERY MODULE, AND BATTERY PACK AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SAME Provided are a battery module, and a battery pack and a vehicle including the same. A battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a case in which the battery cell stack is accommodated; an air circulation duct located between the battery cell stacks and having a plurality of holes formed therein; and an exhaust fan coupled to a side of the air circulation duct, wherein the plurality of holes of the air circulation duct have different sizes.