Battery Module Heatsink Layout for Cooling, Isolation, and Venting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery cooling solutions often focus on cooling the sides of battery cells, neglecting the conducting ends where most heat is rejected, making it difficult to efficiently manage thermal issues while maintaining electrical isolation and gas-venting pathways.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a heatsink, with or without a cold plate, into a battery module, utilizing thermally conductive pads to create an electrically isolated interface between battery-cell lead plates and the heatsink, while optimizing thermal performance by stacking thin and thick pads to form gas-venting channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If cooling solutions focus on the sides of battery cells, then the cooling structure is simple to implement, but the thermal management effectiveness is poor because most heat is rejected at the conducting ends

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal management effectivenessVSAvoidcooling structure implementation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of cooling the battery cells from the sides (conventional approach), the patent inverts the cooling approach by targeting the conducting ends (lead plates) where most heat is actually rejected. This inversion of the cooling location provides superior thermal management effectiveness despite the increased structural complexity required to access and cool the terminal areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Temperature

If thermally conductive pads are used to cool the lead plates, then thermal management effectiveness improves, but electrical isolation becomes difficult to maintain due to exposure to cell voltage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelead plate cooling effectivenessVSAvoidelectrical isolation

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary substance (thermally conductive pad with electrical insulation properties) between the electrically active lead plates and the cooling structure. This intermediary pad conducts heat away from the lead plates while simultaneously providing electrical isolation, thus resolving the contradiction between thermal management effectiveness and electrical isolation reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Temperature

If the cooling structure is integrated close to the battery cells, then thermal management effectiveness improves, but gas-venting pathways become blocked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidgas venting capability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating localized cooling zones near the lead plates using thermally conductive pads positioned specifically at the heat-generating areas, while simultaneously designing the cooling structure to include integrated gas-venting channels. This allows efficient cooling at the critical locations without blocking the gas-venting pathways, as the cooling structure itself incorporates provisions for gas escape.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Object-generated harmful factors

If thermally conductive pads are stacked to create gas-venting channels, then gas venting capability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas venting capabilityVSAvoidpad stacking structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functions into the thermally conductive pads themselves: thermal conduction, electrical isolation, and gas-venting channel formation. By integrating the gas-venting channel creation directly into the pad stacking structure rather than adding separate components, the patent reduces overall device complexity while maintaining improved gas venting capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach enhances thermal management by effectively cooling the battery module, maintaining electrical isolation, and ensuring safe gas venting, thereby improving the operational range and safety of battery cells.

Implementation Method 1

a heatsink, with or without an integrated cold plate, into a battery module

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

features for dissipating heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

Thermally conductive pads create an electrically isolated interface between a plurality of series-connected battery-cell lead plates, at different potentials, and the heatsink

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS12206081B2Battery module thermal management

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

A battery module includes features to optimize cooling while providing electrical isolation and cell gas-venting channels. The battery module can include the integration of a heatsink in order to improve thermal performance. Thermally conductive pads can be provided to create an electrically isolated interface between a plurality of series-connected battery-cell lead plates, at different potentials, and the heatsink. Optimization, by stacking thin and thick thermally conductive pads, allows for creation of gas-venting channels along the positive cell terminal locations. In some arrangements, a plurality of fluid paths are disposed between the inlet and the outlet of the battery module to provide heat convective airflow through the battery module.