Battery Module Central Gas Chamber Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems for hybrid vehicles face challenges in efficiently managing electrical performance, thermal regulation, and containment of gases vented from battery cells, which affects the overall performance and safety of the system.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design that includes a plurality of electrochemical cells arranged to form a central chamber for gas containment, with frame members to receive and orient cell ends, and a bus board to connect terminals, integrated with a thermal management system and battery management system for efficient power and temperature regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If electrochemical cells are arranged in a compact configuration to improve space utilization, then the volume efficiency is improved, but the ability to effectively manage and contain vented gases deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is segmented into distinct functional zones: a cell receiving area for housing electrochemical cells and a separate gas receiving area for containing vented gases. This spatial segmentation allows the compact cell arrangement to be maintained while providing a dedicated containment zone for gases, resolving the contradiction between space efficiency and gas management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition wall acts as an intermediary structure between the cell receiving area and the gas receiving area. This partition enables the compact integration of both functions within a single module while preventing direct mixing of cells and vented gases, thus maintaining both high space utilization and effective gas containment.
2Device complexity
If multiple battery cells are integrated into a single module to improve system compactness, then the device complexity is reduced, but the difficulty of thermal management and electrical performance monitoring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is designed as a multi-functional integrated unit that simultaneously provides structural support, thermal management pathways, electrical connection routing, and gas containment. This universal design approach maintains device compactness while incorporating dedicated channels and interfaces for monitoring thermal and electrical parameters across all integrated cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The module incorporates monitoring systems that provide feedback on thermal and electrical performance of individual cells and the module as a whole. This enables real-time detection and measurement of performance parameters, allowing the integrated system to maintain safety and efficiency despite the increased complexity of monitoring multiple cells within a single module.
3Area of stationary object
If frame members are positioned close together to reduce module size, then the overall dimensions are reduced, but the effectiveness of gas flow paths and thermal management channels deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The module design utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement of frame members to create efficient gas flow paths and thermal management channels. By optimizing the vertical and depth dimensions in addition to the horizontal area, the module achieves compact overall dimensions while maintaining adequate channel dimensions for effective gas venting and heat dissipation through strategic channel routing and cross-sectional optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module that includes a plurality of electrochemical cells. Each of the electrochemical cells has a first end including at least one terminal and a second end having a vent. The plurality of electrochemical cells are arranged such that the second ends of a first set of the plurality of electrochemical cells face the second ends of a second set of the plurality of electrochemical cells. A central chamber is located between the second ends of the first set of the plurality of electrochemical cells and the second ends of the second set of the plurality of electrochemical cells. The central chamber is configured to receive gases released from the vents of the plurality of electrochemical cells.