Battery Module Cooling Fins with Variable Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery modules face challenges in uniformly cooling battery cells, leading to increased temperature at the central portion due to heat accumulation, which reduces battery life and energy density, especially in electric and hybrid automobiles.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a series of cooling fins with varying thicknesses, where the central fins are thicker than those at the sides, and each fin is formed by coupling sub-cooling fins with a thermal conductive adhesive, enhancing heat transfer efficiency and minimizing energy density loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat transfer sheets of the same thickness are stacked to radiate heat from the central portion, then heat transfer performance improves, but energy density deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fin structure applies local quality by varying the thickness of cooling fins based on their position. Central cooling fins have greater thickness to handle higher heat loads from central battery cells, while outer cooling fins have reduced thickness. This localized differentiation optimizes heat transfer performance where needed without unnecessarily increasing overall material usage, thereby maintaining energy density while effectively managing thermal distribution across the battery module.
2Temperature
If multiple heat transfer sheets are stacked to increase heat transfer capability, then heat radiation from central portion improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple cooling fins of varying thicknesses arranged in a specific pattern. Instead of stacking multiple identical heat transfer sheets, the invention divides the cooling function into discrete segments (cooling fins) with different thicknesses positioned at different locations. This segmentation approach simplifies the overall structure by eliminating the need for complex multi-layer stacking while maintaining effective heat transfer capability through the strategically designed fin thickness distribution.
3Ease of manufacture
If cooling fins of uniform thickness are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but uniform cooling of battery cells is achieved poorly
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fin structure implements local quality by varying the thickness of individual cooling fins according to their positional requirements. Central cooling fins are designed with greater thickness to handle the higher heat generation from central battery cells, while outer cooling fins have reduced thickness. This localized thickness variation ensures uniform temperature distribution across all battery cells without requiring complex manufacturing processes, as each fin can be independently formed to the required thickness.
4Temperature
If thicker cooling fins are placed at the central portion, then heat accumulation is reduced, but material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fin array applies local quality by strategically varying fin thickness based on local heat generation patterns. Thicker cooling fins are positioned only at the central portion where heat accumulation occurs, while outer regions use thinner fins. This localized thickness differentiation effectively reduces heat accumulation at critical areas without proportionally increasing overall material usage, as the thicker fins are confined to specific high-heat zones rather than being applied uniformly across the entire cooling structure.
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 uniform temperature distribution across the battery module, preventing heat accumulation and extending the battery's replacement period while maintaining high energy density, making it suitable for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The sub-cooling fins are coupled to each other with a thermal conductive adhesive, and the array of cooling fins is formed by a pair of left and right cooling fins which face each other
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery module including an array of cooling fins having different thicknesses is provided. The battery module includes: a plurality of battery units arranged in one direction; a plurality of cooling fins between adjacent battery units; and a heat sink coupled to ends of the plurality of cooling fins, wherein each cooling fin has a structure in which a pair of sub-cooling fins are face-to-face coupled to each other, and thicknesses of the plurality of cooling fins are reduced toward the side region from the central region due to a difference in a thickness of at least one of the pair of sub-cooling fins. Since heat is not accumulated at the central region, the battery module has uniform temperature distribution while being charged or discharged.