Accumulator Battery Heat Pipe Cooling With Integrated Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 28V batteries in the aeronautical field lack an active cooling system, relying on passive thermal conduction, which affects performance and service life, and separate components are used for cooling and mechanical maintenance, increasing bulk and mass.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a heat pipe system with a thermal pad and interface plate for active temperature control, combining cooling and mechanical maintenance functions, using a heat transfer fluid and heat exchanger to manage temperature and maintain accumulator position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive cooling by thermal conduction is used, then the battery structure is simple, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient and performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive thermal conduction with a heat pipe system that uses phase change (evaporation and condensation of heat transfer fluid) to actively transport heat. The heat pipe contains a heat transfer fluid that evaporates at the hot end (accumulator contact) and condenses at the cold end (heat exchanger), providing efficient active cooling without complex mechanical moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pipe utilizes phase transitions of the heat transfer fluid (liquid to vapor at the evaporator, vapor to liquid at the condenser) to transport thermal energy efficiently. This phase change mechanism enables high heat flux removal while maintaining a simple structure, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and cooling efficiency.
2Reliability
If separate components are used for cooling and mechanical maintenance, then each function is performed effectively, but the battery mass and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mechanical maintaining plate and the heat pipe into a single integrated component. The heat pipe serves dual functions: it provides active cooling through heat transfer and simultaneously acts as a mechanical maintaining element that holds the accumulator in position. This merging eliminates the need for separate cooling and mechanical components, reducing overall battery mass and bulk.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pipe is designed as a multi-functional component that performs both thermal management (cooling) and mechanical support (maintaining accumulator position) functions. This universal component approach allows a single element to fulfill multiple roles, thereby reducing the total number of parts and the overall battery weight.
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
Active temperature control reduces the number of components, minimizing bulk and mass while ensuring efficient heat exchange and maintaining accumulator position, thereby extending service life and performance.
Implementation Method 1
the heat pipe comprising a heat transfer fluid ensuring the transport of thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
the thermal pad being positioned between the strip and the thermal interface plate in order to improve the contact surface and the thermal conduction
Implementation Method 3
connected to a heat exchanger allowing to heat or to cool the heat transfer fluid
Data Source
AI summary
Battery comprising an accumulator in contact via one of its ends with a heat pipe via the stack of a strip, of a thermal pad and of a thermal-interface plate, the strip allowing electrical connection of the accumulator, the thermal pad being positioned between the strip and the thermal-interface plate so as to improve the area of contact and thermal conduction, the thermal-interface plate being thermally connected to the heat pipe, the heat pipe comprising a heat-transport fluid which transports heat energy and being connected to a heat exchanger allowing the heat-transport fluid to be heated or cooled.