Battery Module Curved Ribs Turbulent Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery modules face inefficiencies in heat dissipation, leading to temperature deviations and reduced performance and lifespan due to uneven cooling of battery cells.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring a flow path plate with curved ribs and circular elements connected via a netlike structure, creating turbulent coolant flows that evenly cool both surfaces of neighboring battery cells, enhancing cooling efficiency and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a cooling plate with a cooling passage is interposed between neighboring battery cells, then heat dissipation is improved, but the cooling efficiency is reduced due to uneven cooling of battery cell surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces curved ribs within the cooling passage that redirect the coolant flow from a straight path to a curved path, creating turbulence and enhancing heat transfer efficiency. The curved structure increases the cooling path length and ensures more uniform heat dissipation across the battery cell surfaces, resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation capability and cooling efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the coolant flow parameters by introducing circular elements and curved ribs that change the flow velocity distribution and create turbulent flow patterns. These parameter changes enhance the convective heat transfer coefficient, improving cooling efficiency while maintaining effective heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If cooling passages are formed on only one surface of the cooling plate, then device complexity is reduced, but cooling efficiency is reduced due to uneven cooling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling passage structureVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate is segmented into multiple functional zones by dividing the cooling passage into several sections using curved ribs and circular elements. This segmentation allows the coolant to flow through multiple paths, ensuring that both surfaces of the battery cells are cooled uniformly without requiring separate cooling passages for each surface, thus maintaining simple device structure while improving cooling efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the cooling path is extended to improve cooling efficiency, then material consumption increases, but structural stability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidmaterial consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The curved ribs and circular elements extend the cooling path length within the same plate thickness by creating a tortuous flow path. This curvature-based extension increases the cooling efficiency and heat transfer area without requiring additional plate material or increasing overall device size, thus improving cooling performance while minimizing material consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 improves cooling performance by maximizing linear velocity and even distribution of coolant, extending the cooling path, and reducing material consumption while maintaining structural stability, thus enhancing the battery module's thermal management.

Implementation Method 1

The curved ribs and the circular elements turn the coolant flow and cause turbulent flows. The turbulent flows minimize the volume of air flow while providing the maximum linear velocity at the surface.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulent flow: Turbulence

Implementation Method 2

a cooling passage for a coolant from the first cooling channel towards the second cooling channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

heat generated from the rechargeable batteries should be efficiently emitted, discharged and/or dissipated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat dissipation: Heat Sink

Data Source

PatentEP3316340B1Battery module
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP3316340B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3316340B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3316340B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention refers to a battery module comprising: a plurality of secondary battery cells, a first cooling channel aligned to one side of the row and a second cooling channel aligned to the same side of the row; and a flow path plate installed between neighboring battery cells forming a cooling passage for a coolant from the first cooling channel towards the second cooling channel, the plate including a guiding structure configured to guide the coolant flow from an inlet of the plate, which communicates with the first cooling channel, to an outlet of the plate, which communicates with the second cooling channel. The guiding elements include a plurality of curved ribs and plurality of circular elements, which are connected via a netlike supporting structure. According to the present invention, a turbulent cooling passage having a long cooling length is shared by both neighboring battery cells. Thus, a battery module having an improved cooling efficiency is provided.