Battery Module Heat Conduction Pad Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-density battery modules in electric vehicles face challenges with heat dissipation due to spatial constraints, leading to potential heat accumulation, deterioration, and safety risks during high-rate discharge, necessitating improved cooling efficiency and connection scalability.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring cylindrical cells with electrode terminals, a module housing, current collecting plates, a bus bar, and a heat conduction pad with a contact protrusion portion to enhance heat dissipation, along with a heat sink and accommodation grooves for efficient cooling and easy module connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a plurality of battery cells are densely packed in a narrow space to achieve high output and large capacity, then the energy density and output are improved, but heat dissipation becomes difficult and heat accumulation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat conduction pad extending in the vertical dimension from the current collecting plate to contact the electrode terminals. This adds a third-dimensional heat dissipation pathway, allowing heat to be conducted away from the densely packed cells without increasing horizontal space occupation, thus resolving the contradiction between high density and heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat conduction pad acts as an intermediary component between the current collecting plate and the electrode terminals. It provides a dedicated thermal conduction pathway that mediates the heat transfer process, enabling effective heat removal from the high-density cell arrangement without compromising the electrical connection or requiring additional cooling system complexity.
2Temperature
If a built-in cooling device is added to remove heat effectively, then heat accumulation is prevented, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat conduction function with the existing current collecting plate structure. The heat conduction pad is integrated into the current collecting assembly, combining electrical current collection and heat dissipation functions into a single integrated system. This eliminates the need for separate cooling devices, reducing structural complexity while maintaining effective heat removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collecting plate is given dual functionality: it continues to collect electrical current from the battery cells while simultaneously serving as a heat conduction pathway through the attached heat conduction pad. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for dedicated cooling components, simplifying the overall system structure.
3Power
If multiple battery modules are connected to achieve high output, then the power capacity is improved, but connection time and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs modular battery cell design with standardized current collecting plates and heat conduction pads. Each module is self-contained with pre-integrated cooling and electrical connection components, allowing for easy segmentation and assembly. This modular approach enables rapid connection of multiple modules to achieve high power capacity without complex installation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat conduction pads and current collecting plates are pre-assembled and pre-positioned during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that when modules are connected, the thermal and electrical connections are already established, eliminating the need for on-site adjustment or complex connection procedures, thus reducing installation time and cost.
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 effectively dissipates heat generated during high-rate discharge, enhances cooling efficiency, and simplifies the connection and installation of multiple battery modules, reducing costs and time while ensuring safety.
Implementation Method 1
a heat conduction pad disposed outside the current collecting plate and including a contact protrusion portion protruding and extending in a direction in which the electrode terminals are disposed, so as to be in contact with a contact connection portion between the electrode terminals and the bus bar
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes: a plurality of cylindrical battery cells each having electrode terminals respectively at an upper portion and a lower portion thereof; a module housing including an accommodation portion having hollow structures in which the cylindrical battery cells are inserted and accommodated; a current collecting plate on an outer surface of the module housing and including welding holes through which the electrode terminals of the cylindrical battery cells are exposed to the outside; a bus bar in contact with each of the electrode terminals and the current collecting plate to electrically connect the electrode terminals to the current collecting plate; and a heat conduction pad disposed outside the current collecting plate and including a contact protrusion portion protruding and extending in a direction in which the electrode terminals are disposed to be in contact with a contact connection portion between the electrode terminals and the bus bar.