Battery Pack Immersion Cooling Without Pumps or Secondary Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional immersion cooling methods for battery packs require a secondary circuit and high pump power to manage thermal issues, making them inefficient and power-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A passive thermal management method using a thermal conducting shell, vacuum-sealed battery pack with dielectric liquid and functional fillers to facilitate natural convection and two-phase flow heat transfer, reducing viscosity and enhancing heat transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional immersion cooling is used with high pump power, then cooling performance is improved, but power consumption increases and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements natural circulation of dielectric liquid through the battery pack without external pumps. The liquid circulates autonomously driven by temperature differences and density variations, allowing the system to cool itself passively. This eliminates pump power consumption while maintaining effective heat transfer from battery cells to the thermal management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pump-driven forced circulation system with a passive natural circulation system. Instead of using mechanical energy to drive fluid flow, the system utilizes thermal buoyancy forces and density gradients to circulate the dielectric liquid, substituting mechanical actuation with thermodynamic driving forces.
2Temperature
If conventional immersion cooling is used with secondary circuit, then cooling performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the cooling function directly into the battery pack structure by immersing battery cells in dielectric liquid within a sealed housing. The thermal management system is merged with the battery assembly, eliminating the need for separate secondary cooling circuits and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric liquid serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides thermal conduction for cooling, electrical insulation for safety, and acts as the cooling medium without requiring external circulation systems. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate circuits and components needed in the thermal management system.
3Reliability
If dielectric liquid with high viscosity is used, then electrical insulation is improved, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the dielectric liquid by adding functional fillers that reduce viscosity while maintaining or enhancing dielectric properties. This parameter optimization allows the liquid to achieve low enough viscosity for effective natural circulation and heat transfer, while retaining sufficient electrical insulation capability for safe battery operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite dielectric liquid consisting of base fluid and functional fillers. This composite formulation achieves the optimal balance between viscosity, dielectric strength, and heat transfer properties. The fillers enhance the liquid's thermal conductivity and reduce viscosity, creating a material that simultaneously satisfies electrical insulation and heat transfer requirements.
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 enables effective passive thermal management with reduced power consumption and improved heat transfer efficiency through natural circulation of the dielectric liquid, eliminating the need for a secondary cooling circuit and high pump power.
Implementation Method 1
a natural circulation of the dielectric liquid is formed in the circulation space for transferring heat
Implementation Method 2
the dielectric liquid comprises a plurality of fillers for reducing a viscosity of the dielectric liquid
Implementation Method 3
providing a battery pack, comprising a thermal conducting shell, a plurality of battery cells, and a circulation space
Data Source
AI summary
A passive thermal managing method adopts immersion cooling for a battery pack, comprising: providing a battery pack, comprising a thermal conducting shell, a plurality of battery cells, and a circulation space, wherein the battery cells and the convection space are in the thermal conducting shell; vacuuming the battery pack; immersing the battery cells with a dielectric liquid, wherein a natural circulation of the dielectric liquid is formed in the circulation space for transferring heat, wherein the dielectric liquid comprises a plurality of fillers for reducing a viscosity of the dielectric liquid.