Stepped Battery Pack Housing With Stacked Cold Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery packs face challenges in increasing the number of battery cells due to limited installation space, leading to large volume and practical difficulties, especially when stacking multiple battery packs.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack housing design featuring a tray with side beams and steps for multiple layers of cold plates, where each layer supports a layer of battery cells, with varying sizes and fastening methods to optimize space utilization and heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple battery packs are stacked to increase the number of battery cells, then the battery cell capacity increases, but the overall volume becomes large and difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-layer horizontal arrangement to a multi-layer vertical stacking arrangement. Multiple cold plates are stacked in the vertical direction, with each cold plate supporting a layer of battery cells. This dimensional change allows the battery pack to accommodate more battery cells without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint, thereby reducing the overall volume while increasing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where multiple cold plates and battery cell layers are stacked within a single battery pack housing. Each cold plate with its corresponding battery cells is nested within the same structural envelope, creating a compact multi-layer configuration that maximizes space utilization and reduces the external dimensions of the battery pack.
2Quantity of substance
If the battery cell capacity is increased to extend driving range, then the energy storage increases, but the installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by stacking multiple cold plates and battery cell layers one above another. This vertical arrangement allows the battery pack to achieve high capacity without expanding the horizontal installation area, effectively solving the space constraint problem while increasing energy storage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is segmented into multiple independent layers, each consisting of a cold plate and battery cells. This segmentation allows for efficient space utilization and enables the system to achieve high capacity through vertical stacking rather than horizontal expansion, thereby reducing the required installation area.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of battery cells is increased through better integration, then the capacity increases, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cold plate structure serves multiple functions: it acts as a thermal management component for cooling battery cells, provides structural support for mounting battery cells, and serves as a modular unit that can be stacked to increase capacity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in structural complexity while achieving better integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the thermal management function and structural support function into a single cold plate component. By combining these functions, the design avoids adding separate cooling systems and support structures, thus increasing battery cell integration without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
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 design results in a compact, efficient battery pack structure that is easy to use, allowing for increased battery cell capacity and improved heat management, enhancing the battery pack's reliability and stability.
Implementation Method 1
n layers of cold plates... each layer of cold plate is used for arrangement of a layer of battery cells
Implementation Method 2
the cold plate is fastened to steps of the first side beam and the second side beam by welding with welding rods
Implementation Method 3
the cold plate is fastened to steps of the first side beam and the second side beam by bonding with an adhesive tape
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An electrical device includes a battery pack. The battery pack includes a battery pack housing. The battery pack housing includes a tray and n layers of cold plates, wherein the tray includes a first side beam and a second side beam opposite to each other, m steps are separately disposed on either opposite side of the first side beam and the second side beam, and m≥3; two opposite ends of the n layers of cold plates are disposed on corresponding steps of the first side beam and the second side beam, each layer of cold plate corresponds to one step, each layer of cold plate is used for arrangement of a layer of battery cells, 2≤n≤m, and the m steps and the n layers of cold plates are numbered in an ascending order from the bottom to the top of the first side beam; and in a direction from the first side beam to the second side beam, a size of an (n-1)th layer of cold plate is smaller than a size of the nth layer of cold plate.