Battery Module Flow-Guiding Ducts for Uniform Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature-control apparatuses for battery modules face challenges in achieving uniform heat exchange between battery cells due to varying flow velocities, especially when cells are packed densely, leading to inefficient cooling and potential temperature spreads during power peaks.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates flow guiding surfaces and diffuser sections spaced from the battery cell lateral sections, forming a guide duct with uniform fluid flow and minimizing stagnation points, while using flow dividers and optimized fluid connections to enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If battery cells are packed densely in the flow duct, then space utilization is improved, but flow uniformity deteriorates due to dead volumes
Solution Approach 1:
Flow guiding surfaces are introduced as intermediary elements between the temperature-control fluid and battery cells. These surfaces actively guide and redistribute the fluid flow, mediating between the conflicting requirements of dense packing and uniform flow distribution, thereby eliminating dead volumes while maintaining high cell density
Solution Approach 2:
The flow guiding surfaces create locally optimized flow conditions by directing fluid specifically to areas with dead volumes or insufficient cooling. This local quality adjustment ensures uniform flow distribution across different regions of the flow duct, allowing dense packing without sacrificing flow uniformity
2Productivity
If flow velocity is increased for dynamic temperature regulation, then cooling efficiency is improved, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
Diffuser sections are positioned upstream to preliminarily prepare the flow conditions by reducing flow velocity and pressure loss before the fluid reaches critical areas. This preliminary action allows for dynamic temperature regulation while minimizing energy loss, as the flow is already optimized before encountering resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser sections change the flow parameters (velocity and pressure) by gradually expanding the flow cross-section. This parameter transformation reduces kinetic energy loss and allows the system to achieve dynamic cooling efficiency without excessive pressure loss
3Volume of stationary object
If flow duct cross-section is reduced for compact design, then device size is improved, but heat exchange efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Flow guiding surfaces extend the cooling approach into a new dimensional configuration by creating three-dimensional flow paths around battery cells. This dimensional transformation allows efficient heat exchange in a compact cross-section, as the fluid accesses cell surfaces through multiple spatial routes rather than relying solely on cross-sectional area
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 design achieves more dynamic and uniform temperature regulation, reducing dead volumes and pressure loss, ensuring efficient cooling even during power peaks with minimal temperature-control fluid.
Implementation Method 1
A temperature-control fluid flows through the flow duct in a main flow direction from a group of first fluid connections to a group of second fluid connections
Implementation Method 2
uniform heat exchange between the battery cells and the temperature-control fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature-control apparatus has individual battery cells combined to form a module and arranged within a flow duct through which a temperature-control fluid flows in a main flow direction. Temperature regulation of a temperature-control apparatus is improved with a constant packing density of the battery cells despite small amounts of temperature-control fluid, with a flow guiding surface provided for each battery cell of a group. The flow guiding surface is spaced apart from a lateral section of the battery cell and has in each case an inlet section and an outlet section that are both substantially parallel to the lateral section. A diffuser section is arranged between the inlet section and the outlet section, the diffuser section-being set back with respect to the inlet section and the outlet section and with respect to the lateral section.