Battery Module Thermal Management via Compressing Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-power battery systems, particularly those using lithium-ion or lithium-polymer cells, face thermal management challenges due to heat generation during energy release or absorption, requiring efficient active thermal management systems, and existing solutions for thermal contact between battery cells and cooling elements are not always reliable for long-term electrical insulation and mechanical load transfer.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring prismatic lithium-ion cells arranged in a housing with a compressing and supporting element system, where the bottom surfaces of the cells and housing are adhesively bonded using a thermally conductive adhesive for improved heat conduction, mechanical support, and electrical insulation, with the compressing element ensuring thermal decoupling and compensating for tolerances and swelling forces over the service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If thermal interface material is used to connect cell bottom to cooling element, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but electrical insulation reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the connection system into three separate functional components: a cooling element for thermal management, an adhesive layer for mechanical bonding and electrical insulation, and a compressing element for maintaining contact pressure. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its primary function without compromising others, particularly enabling electrical insulation to be ensured through the adhesive layer while heat transfer is maintained through the compressing element's sustained contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive layer serves as an intermediary between the cooling element and the battery cell, providing both mechanical bonding and electrical insulation functions. This intermediary layer prevents direct electrical contact between the cooling element and cell while maintaining thermal coupling through the compressing element, thus resolving the contradiction between heat transfer and electrical insulation.
2Temperature
If compressing force is applied to ensure thermal contact, then heat transfer is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates due to swelling forces
Solution Approach 1:
The compressing element is designed to be elastically deformable, allowing it to dynamically adapt to swelling forces generated by battery cells during charging and discharging cycles. This dynamic property enables the compressing element to maintain sustained compressive force on the cell while accommodating volume changes, thereby preserving both thermal contact quality and mechanical stability throughout the battery's service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in the compressing element's physical parameters, particularly its elastic modulus and compression force, to optimize performance. By selecting materials and dimensions that provide appropriate stiffness, the compressing element can exert sufficient force for thermal contact while remaining compliant enough to absorb swelling forces, thus maintaining mechanical stability.
3Strength
If adhesive bonding is used to connect housing to battery cells, then mechanical strength is improved, but electrical insulation reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive used in the patent is a composite material that combines mechanical bonding properties with electrical insulation characteristics. This composite adhesive layer provides both the necessary shear strength for mechanical bonding between the housing and battery cells while simultaneously serving as an electrical insulator, thus resolving the contradiction between mechanical strength and electrical insulation reliability.
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
The design provides reliable electrical insulation, efficient heat transfer, and mechanical load management, reducing the risk of cohesive connection failure and ensuring effective temperature control and safety throughout the battery module's service life.
Implementation Method 1
the bottom surfaces of the cells and housing are adhesively bonded using a thermally conductive adhesive for improved heat conduction
Implementation Method 2
a compressing element is arranged between the housing and the plurality of battery cells... so that a defined spacing is formed for electrical insulation from the housing
Implementation Method 3
the bottom surfaces of the cells and housing are adhesively bonded using a thermally conductive adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module having a plurality of prismatic battery cells, in particular lithium-ion battery cells, which are arranged next to one another in a longitudinal direction of the battery module, wherein the plurality of battery cells are received in an interior of a housing of the battery module and additionally a bottom surface of the housing of the battery module and a bottom surface of the battery cells are respectively cohesively connected to one another, in particular in an adhesively bonded manner by means of an adhesive, wherein a compressing element is arranged between the housing and the plurality of battery cells in the longitudinal direction of the battery module, so that a defined spacing is formed for electrical insulation from the housing.