Battery Module Manifold Cooling With Sealed Cell Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery cooling systems are inefficient due to indirect cooling and a small thermal contact area, leading to reduced charging rates and increased dead weight, while also posing safety risks from thermal runaway events.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a manifold with a plurality of cells partially submerged in a coolant fluid, where the coolant fluid flows through cross-flow to enhance heat transfer, and a sealed interface between cell holders and cells using a sealant, along with a current collector extending throughout the cells for efficient cooling and structural stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional indirect cooling systems with cooling channels are used, then the battery cells can be cooled, but the thermal contact area is small and heat transfer efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coolant fluid as an intermediary substance that directly contacts the battery cells through a manifold system. The manifold distributes coolant across multiple cells simultaneously, creating a large thermal contact area and enabling efficient heat transfer from the cells to the coolant, resolving the limitation of small thermal contact area in conventional indirect cooling systems.
2Temperature
If conventional cooling systems are used, then cooling function is provided, but dead weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a cooling system for heat dissipation, provides structural support for the battery cells, and enables fluid distribution. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated cooling components, thereby reducing overall dead weight while maintaining effective cooling capability.
3Productivity
If high C rate charging is performed, then charging speed increases, but heat generation increases and cooling becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant fluid flows continuously through the manifold system, maintaining constant contact with the battery cells during charging operations. This continuous cooling action ensures that heat generated during high C rate charging is immediately dissipated, allowing sustained high charging rates without thermal buildup that would otherwise limit charging speed.
4Reliability
If thermal runaway prevention is prioritized, then safety improves, but charging speed must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The direct coolant-to-cell contact system provides immediate thermal feedback during charging. The coolant continuously monitors and removes heat from the cells, creating a negative feedback loop that prevents temperature runaway. This enables the system to maintain safe operating temperatures even at high charging rates, as the cooling response is immediate and proportional to heat generation.
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 improves heat transfer efficiency, increases energy density, enhances structural stiffness, and reduces dead weight by ensuring homogeneous cell surface temperatures and effective cooling, thereby addressing safety and performance limitations of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
the plurality of cells are partially submerged in a coolant fluid... to ensure homogeneous cell surface temperature
Implementation Method 2
the flow of the coolant fluid... to enhance heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module (102) is contained in a battery pack (100) and includes plural cells (118), a first cell holder (112), a second cell holder (114), and a current collector (116). The first cell holder (112) and the second cell holder (114) each have plural pockets to retain the cells (118). The first cell holder (112) and the second cell holder (114) are assembled to form a manifold to partially submerge the cells (118) within fluid. In addition, an interface (130) between a curved surface of the cells (118) and a curved surface of the pockets of at least one of the first cell holder (112) and the second cell holder (114) is sealed using a sealant. Further, the interface between the first cell holder (112) and the second cell holder (114) is sealed.