Battery Thermal Control via Heat Pipe to AC Condenser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery temperature control systems face inefficiencies in heat transfer and mass/power consumption, leading to prolonged vehicle travel distances and increased weight due to air-cooled or water-cooled systems.
Innovation Solution
A battery temperature control device utilizing thermally conductive members, such as heat pipes, to directly connect batteries to condensers or evaporators, bypassing air-cooled or water-cooled systems, ensuring efficient heat transfer and uniform temperature control without increasing mass or power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air cooling system is used for battery temperature control, then the system structure is simple, but the heat transfer efficiency is insufficient and temperature uniformity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat pipe as an intermediary thermal conduction member between the battery and the air cooling system. The heat pipe's evaporating section contacts the battery while the condensing section contacts the cooling air, enabling efficient heat transfer without direct thermal contact between battery and cooling medium. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple system structure while dramatically improving heat transfer efficiency through the phase-change mechanism of the heat pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pipe utilizes phase transitions (evaporation and condensation) of the working fluid inside the heat pipe to transfer heat from the battery to the cooling air. The evaporating section absorbs heat from the battery through phase change, while the condensing section releases heat to the air, achieving high heat transfer efficiency without increasing system complexity.
2Reliability
If water-cooled system with motor pump is used, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but mass and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the motor pump and water circulation system from the cooling system, replacing them with a passive heat pipe-based air cooling system. This removes the heavy water-cooled infrastructure while maintaining effective heat transfer through the heat pipe's phase-change mechanism, thereby reducing vehicle mass without sacrificing cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pipe system operates autonomously without requiring external power sources or active control components. The phase-change process occurs naturally driven by temperature differences, making the system self-regulating and eliminating the need for energy-consuming pumps and motors, thus reducing both mass and power consumption.
3Reliability
If water-cooled system with motor pump is used, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pipe system operates autonomously without requiring external power sources or active control components. The phase-change process occurs naturally driven by temperature differences, making the system self-regulating and eliminating the need for energy-consuming pumps and motors, thus reducing both mass and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical water circulation system (motor pump, pipes, radiators) with a thermal field-based heat pipe system. This substitution eliminates mechanical moving parts and energy consumption while achieving superior heat transfer efficiency through passive phase-change heat transfer.
4Reliability
If separate cooling system for battery is used, then temperature control is achieved, but mass and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the battery cooling function with the existing air conditioning system by using the same heat pipe condensing section that serves both purposes. The heat pipe's evaporating section cools the battery while the condensing section utilizes the AC system's refrigerant cycle, thereby integrating two cooling functions into one system and eliminating the need for separate cooling infrastructure.
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 achieves enhanced heat transfer efficiency and uniform temperature control, reducing vehicle weight and power consumption while allowing for compact battery designs with increased charging capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive member having one end portion thermally connected to the battery... transport heat generated from a battery to a fin of a condenser or an evaporator by using a thermally conductive member
Implementation Method 2
The thermally conductive member is a heat pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A battery temperature control device comprises: a battery including a battery cell; and a thermally conductive member having one end portion thermally connected to the battery, wherein another end portion of the thermally conductive member is thermally connected to a fin of a condenser and/or an evaporator, and the fin of the condenser and/or the evaporator is disposed at a passage through which a fluid flows and the passage is brandied into a plurality of paths at a position downstream of the fin of the condenser and/or the evaporator in a direction of a flow of the fluid.