Battery Module Heat Pipe Layout for Fast Cooling and Preheating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal management systems for lithium-ion power batteries face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat, particularly in high-integration battery systems, leading to issues such as poor contact due to battery expansion, large temperature differences, and inadequate handling of super-fast charging and low-temperature environments, with existing heat pipe technologies offering low efficiency and limited thermal runaway prevention.
Innovation Solution
A heat pipe structure is tightly attached to the current collectors of battery cell units, integrated with a liquid channel, and made of the same material as the current collectors, enhancing heat transfer and incorporating flame-retardant supporting columns and steam cavities to manage thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air cooling is used for power batteries, then the cooling system structure is simple, but the cooling effect is poor and battery temperature is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling plate as an intermediary component between the battery and the cooling system. The cooling plate with heat dissipation channels acts as a heat transfer mediator, conducting heat from the battery to the cooling fluid more efficiently than direct air cooling, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple structure and poor cooling effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid cooling by introducing cooling fluid circulation through the cooling plate. This hydraulic cooling system provides superior heat transfer capability compared to air cooling, effectively reducing battery temperature while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
2Temperature
If liquid cooling is used for power batteries, then the cooling effect is good, but the cooling system structure is complex and occupies large space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling plate with the battery pack structure, integrating the cooling function into the existing battery assembly. The cooling plate is positioned between battery modules and utilizes the same structural space, thereby achieving effective liquid cooling without significantly increasing overall system complexity or occupying additional space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by placing the cooling plate between battery modules in the stacking direction. This dimensional arrangement allows the cooling system to operate within the existing footprint of the battery pack, avoiding horizontal space expansion and reducing apparent structural complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If large size power batteries are used, then the energy storage capacity is high, but the heat dissipation area per unit volume is small leading to poor heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large power battery into multiple smaller battery modules arranged in series. This segmentation increases the total surface area available for heat dissipation while maintaining the overall energy storage capacity. The cooling plate is correspondingly segmented to match the module arrangement, providing efficient heat transfer from each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the heat dissipation issue by utilizing the vertical dimension for heat transfer. The cooling plate is positioned between battery modules in the stacking direction, creating heat dissipation pathways in the vertical dimension that complement the horizontal heat dissipation surfaces, thereby improving overall heat dissipation efficiency without reducing battery capacity.
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 reduces heat transfer resistance, increases heat dissipation and preheating speed, improves thermal management efficiency, and effectively prevents thermal runaway, meeting the demands of high-integration battery systems in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling plate is configured between two battery modules in the stacking direction of the battery pack, and two ends of the cooling plate are respectively connected to the cooling pipes
Implementation Method 2
a cooling plate is arranged between the battery modules, and cooling pipes are arranged in a cooling plate channel
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Disclosed are a power battery module, a power battery pack and a thermal management method of the power battery module. The power battery module comprises a plurality of battery cell units, a plurality of heat pipe structures and a plurality of liquid channels, wherein one end of the heat pipe structure is embedded between the battery cell units, and the liquid channel is connected to the other end, which is not embedded into the battery cell unit, of the heat pipe structure, the battery cell unit comprises a positive current collector, a positive electrode material, a diaphragm, a negative electrode material and a negative current collector which are arranged in sequence, and two sides of the heat pipe structure are tightly attached to the positive current collector or the negative current collector respectively. The two sides of the heat pipe structure are tightly attached to the current collectors of the battery cell unit, so that the heat transfer resistance can be reduced, the heat dissipation/preheating speed can be greatly increased, the thermal management effect of the power battery can be improved, and the heat exchange efficiency can be improved.