Battery Housing Pressure Equalizing Conduit Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery housing designs face stress on seals due to significant pressure differences between the interior and exterior, which can lead to moisture penetration and require complex sealing and repair processes, especially when thermal loading occurs during charging or exposure to solar radiation.
Innovation Solution
A battery arrangement with a large-surface pressure equalizing element, such as a membrane, is integrated into the conduit system of the battery housing to limit pressure differences to less than 10 mbar, ensuring air exchange and preventing seal overload, while maintaining a tight seal against liquid water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealed battery housing with pressure equalizing elements is used to protect against moisture penetration, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for robust sealing and hardening adhesives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure equalizing element from the sealed battery housing structure and places it in the ventilation conduit. This allows the housing to be opened for repairs without destroying the seal, as the pressure equalizing function is now external to the sealed housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a ventilation conduit as an intermediary between the battery housing interior and exterior. This conduit with its pressure equalizing element allows pressure balancing while maintaining the simplicity of the housing seal, serving as a mediator that prevents moisture ingress while enabling easy access for repairs.
2Reliability
If a hardening adhesive is used to seal the battery housing to ensure thorough sealing, then reliability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates as the adhesive must be mechanically destroyed for access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure equalizing function from the sealed housing structure and relocates it to the ventilation conduit. This allows the housing to be opened for repairs without destroying the seal, as the pressure equalizing element is now external to the sealed housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the pressure equalizing function from the housing seal by placing it in the ventilation conduit. This separation allows the housing to be easily opened for repairs while the pressure equalizing element remains in the conduit, maintaining both sealing integrity and ease of repair.
3Device complexity
If pressure equalizing elements with minimal surface area are used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates as significant pressure differences stress the seals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a membrane as the pressure equalizing element in the ventilation conduit. This flexible film structure provides a large surface area for pressure equalization while maintaining simplicity in design and integration into the conduit system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface area parameter of the pressure equalizing element to be large, which reduces the pressure difference across the seals by distributing the pressure equalization function over a larger area, thereby improving seal performance.
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 simplifies the sealing concept, allows easy opening and closing of the battery housing for repairs, and maintains low pressure differences despite thermal and environmental changes, preventing seal failure and moisture ingress.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one pressure equalizing element is designed in such a manner that it limits a pressure difference between a pressure in an interior of the battery housing and a pressure in surroundings of the battery housing to less than 10 mbar
Data Source
AI summary
A battery arrangement for a motor vehicle (10). The battery arrangement comprises a battery, which has a battery housing and at least one battery cell arranged in the battery housing, and at least one pressure-equalising element for reducing a pressure difference between a pressure in the interior of the battery housing and a pressure in the surroundings of the battery housing. The battery housing has at least one connection region having a passage opening in which at least one conduit of the battery arrangement through which air can flow is connected to the battery housing. The at least one pressure-equalizing element is arranged on the at least one conduit and provides an air throughflow surface of a size that is designed to limit the pressure difference to less than 10 mbar. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle having such a battery arrangement.