Battery Assembly Insulating Element for High Voltage Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery assemblies for hybrid vehicles face challenges in achieving effective electrical insulation between battery cells and cooling elements, particularly at high voltages, while maintaining efficient heat dissipation, as existing coatings do not adequately address the insulation requirements between the battery cells and the cooling elements.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a separate, electrically non-conductive and thermally highly conductive insulating element between the cell base and the cooling element, such as a plate with openings, and using a metal cooling element with a second insulating element between the attachment extension and the cooling element, or a cooling element made of electrically insulating plastic, to ensure both good thermal conductivity and high electrical insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coating is applied to the cell housing and/or cooling element for electrical insulation, then electrical insulation is provided, but the insulation reliability is insufficient at high voltages due to coating damage or poor quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an insulating element as an intermediary component between the cell base and cooling element. This mediator provides reliable electrical insulation without requiring the cell housing or cooling element to be coated, thus solving the reliability issue while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating element is made from composite materials that provide both electrical insulation and thermal conductivity. This allows the system to achieve high voltage insulation reliability while maintaining efficient heat dissipation, without adding complex multi-layer coating structures.
2Temperature
If the cooling element is made of metal for good thermal conductivity, then heat dissipation is improved, but electrical insulation between the battery cells and cooling element becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal management system into two functional parts: a metal cooling element for heat dissipation and a separate insulating element for electrical insulation. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its primary function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating element acts as an intermediary between the metal cooling element and the battery cells. It provides the necessary electrical insulation while allowing thermal energy to pass through to the cooling element, thus resolving the contradiction between thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.
3Manufacturing precision
If an intermediate layer with poor thermal conductivity is used to compensate for dimensional tolerances, then dimensional tolerance compensation is achieved, but heat transfer from battery cells to cooling element is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of the intermediate layer by selecting materials with high thermal conductivity. This allows the system to maintain good thermal contact for efficient heat transfer while still accommodating dimensional tolerances through the compressible nature of the insulating element.
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 configuration provides reliable electrical insulation and enhanced heat dissipation, preventing thermal overload and ensuring the electrical properties of the battery assembly are not compromised, even at high voltages, by increasing the heat transfer surface and using materials with inherent insulation properties.
Implementation Method 1
a separate, electrically non-conductive and thermally highly conductive first insulating element (25) is arranged between the cell base (17) and the cooling element (12)
Implementation Method 2
electrically non-conductive and thermally highly conductive first insulating element (25)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a battery assembly (100) consisting of several battery cells (10) which are electrically connected to each other and which respectively comprise a preferably prismatic cell housing (16). Each cell housing (16) comprises at least one fastening projection (18) on the base of the cell (17), said fastening projection protruding through an opening (19) of a cooling element (12) embodied as a cooling plate (13) or as a cooling housing (35) for the cell housings (16). Said fastening projection (18) interacts with a tensioning element (22) which maintains the cell housing (16) against the cooling element (12).