Battery Module Cooling Element with Compensation Element

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery modules face challenges in reliably fixing multiple battery cells and efficiently dissipating heat, particularly due to production-induced air-filled cavities and deformation caused by aging processes, which can lead to reduced thermal conductivity and mechanical instability.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring a housing with a cooling element receptacle and a compensation element that increases heat transfer and mechanical fixation, using a metallic cooling element with a separate housing formed from an electrically insulating material, and a compensation element for direct contact with battery cells to enhance thermal conductivity and mechanical stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a cooling element is integrated into the battery module housing, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but production-induced air-filled cavities between battery cells and cooling element reduce thermal conductivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidthermal conductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A compensation element is introduced as an intermediary component between the cooling element and the battery cells. This compensation element fills the air-filled cavities that form due to production tolerances, ensuring continuous thermal contact and maintaining high thermal conductivity while allowing the cooling element to effectively dissipate heat from the battery cells.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The compensation element is designed with specific material properties (thermally conductive, mechanically compliant) that change the thermal and mechanical parameters of the interface between the cooling element and battery cells. By selecting appropriate material parameters, the system achieves reliable thermal contact despite dimensional variations in production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If additional fixing measures are implemented for battery cells, then mechanical stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical stabilityVSAvoidfixing measures

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling element is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a thermal management component for heat dissipation and a mechanical fixing element for securing the battery cells in position. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate fixing mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining mechanical stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The functions of thermal management and mechanical fixation are merged into a single integrated cooling element structure. By combining these two functions into one component, the overall device complexity is reduced while achieving both heat dissipation and mechanical stabilization of the battery cells.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If the housing wall thickness is reduced for heat dissipation, then thermal conductivity is improved, but mechanical strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal conductivityVSAvoidmechanical strength

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The housing structure is designed with non-uniform wall thickness, where the wall thickness is reduced specifically in the regions adjacent to the cooling element receptacle to enhance heat dissipation, while other regions maintain sufficient thickness to provide the necessary mechanical strength and structural integrity for the overall housing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 ensures reliable mechanical fixation and efficient heat dissipation from the battery module, reducing air-filled cavities and enhancing thermal conductivity, thereby maintaining performance and stability over the battery cells' lifespan.

Implementation Method 1

the heat transfer between the battery cells and the cooling element is advantageously increased, and an amount of heat that can be dissipated from the battery module is thus also increased overall

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the formation of air-filled cavities owing to production-induced tolerances between the battery cells and a cooling element of the battery module to be reduced or even prevented entirely

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal contact improvement: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11398651B2Battery module, method for the production thereof, and battery

Publication Date: 2022.07.26 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

AI summary

A battery module having a battery module housing (2) which has a multiplicity of housing walls (3) which form an interior space (4), wherein a multiplicity of battery cells (22) is arranged in the interior space (4), and the battery module housing (2) furthermore has a cooling element receptacle (5), wherein a cooling element (12) of the battery module (1) is arranged in the cooling element receptacle (5) of the battery module housing (2).