Battery Module Cooling Plate with Conductive Adhesive

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lithium secondary battery modules used in large devices face challenges in achieving efficient cooling performance while maintaining a small design, rigidity, and high capacity, especially when stacked and exposed to high temperatures, which can lead to performance deterioration and safety issues like explosions.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring pouch-type secondary batteries arranged vertically and stacked with thermally-conductive cartridges and a cooling plate, where the cooling fin makes surface contact with the batteries and the cooling plate, and a thermally-conductive adhesive is used to enhance heat transfer, reducing air layers and improving cooling efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If pouch-type secondary batteries are stacked to configure a battery module, then capacity and output are enhanced, but heat accumulation occurs and cooling performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidheat accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

A cooling plate made of thermally-conductive material is introduced as an intermediary component between stacked batteries. The cooling plate has a large surface area that facilitates heat dissipation from multiple batteries simultaneously, acting as a heat sink and thermal management intermediary that prevents heat accumulation while maintaining high battery capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling plate serves multiple functions: it acts as a thermal management component for heat dissipation, provides structural support for stacking batteries, and creates a standardized interface for assembling battery modules. This multi-functionality allows effective cooling without compromising the compact design and structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Volume of moving object

If the battery module design is made compact to reduce volume and weight, then design efficiency improves, but cooling performance and heat dissipation are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodule volumeVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate utilizes the horizontal dimension by providing a large surface area parallel to the battery stacking direction. Instead of increasing vertical spacing between batteries, the cooling plate extends in the horizontal plane, allowing heat dissipation in another dimension without compromising the compact vertical stacking arrangement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling plate is made of thermally-conductive materials that combine high thermal conductivity with relatively low density. This composite material approach enables effective heat dissipation while minimizing the added weight, resolving the contradiction between compact design and cooling performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If adhesive is used to fix cartridges to cooling plate, then structural integrity is enhanced, but air layers may form and reduce thermal contact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidthermal contact
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive layer thickness is controlled to be extremely thin, changing the parameter of thermal resistance. By minimizing the thickness of the adhesive layer while maintaining sufficient bonding strength, the thermal contact between cartridges and cooling plate is preserved, allowing structural integrity without significant thermal barrier

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 achieves improved cooling performance, reduces weight and volume, and enhances the module's structural integrity and heat dissipation, making it suitable for high-capacity and high-temperature applications, such as in vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling plate made of a thermally-conductive material and disposed at a lower portion of the cartridges so that the cartridges are placed thereon

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a thermally-conductive adhesive is used to enhance heat transfer, reducing air layers and improving cooling efficiency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3276739B1Battery module
Publication Date: 2021.09.01 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP3276739B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3276739B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3276739B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Disclosed is a battery module which ensures efficient cooling performance and advantageously has a structurally firm and small design, and a battery pack and a vehicle including the battery module. The battery module includes a plurality of pouch-type secondary batteries standing in a vertical direction and arranged in a right and left direction; a plurality of cartridges configured to accommodate the pouch-type secondary batteries in an inner space thereof and stacked in a right and left direction; and a cooling plate made of a thermally-conductive material and disposed at a lower portion of the cartridges so that the cartridges are placed thereon, the cooling plate having an upper surface which is at least partially adhered and fixed to the cartridges by means of an adhesive.