Battery Module Heat Exchanger Housing for Uniform Cell Tempering

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery systems face challenges in efficiently and homogeneously tempering battery cells, leading to potential performance deterioration or dangerous destruction due to temperature peaks during high loads or charging.

Innovation Solution

A battery module with a liquid-tight housing containing multiple battery cells, where a first tempering fluid is in thermal contact with both the battery cells and the housing inner surface, and a secondary tempering fluid flows between the inner and outer surfaces of the housing, acting as a heat exchanger.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If indirect cooling with a cooling body is used, then thermal contact is established with battery cells, but thermal inertia causes large temperature peaks during high load or charging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature controlVSAvoidtemperature peak prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the tempering fluid from the conventional cooling body and places it directly into the battery module housing, eliminating the intermediate cooling body structure. This allows direct thermal contact between the tempering fluid and battery cells, reducing thermal inertia and preventing temperature peaks during high load or charging operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Temperature

If direct cooling with tempering fluid is used, then temperature control is improved, but liquid-tight seals are required at multiple locations increasing system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature controlVSAvoidseal requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the tempering fluid chamber with the battery module housing by making the housing itself liquid-tight. The housing serves dual purposes: containing the battery cells and serving as the tempering fluid reservoir. This eliminates the need for separate cooling bodies and reduces seal requirements to only where the housing itself requires liquid-tightness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If entire battery cells are immersed in tempering fluid, then homogeneous tempering is achieved, but system weight and costs increase due to large fluid amount

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature homogeneityVSAvoidsystem weight
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by concentrating the tempering fluid specifically around the battery cell poles where heat is generated, rather than immersing entire cells. The housing design allows tempering fluid to contact the poles directly, achieving effective heat removal with minimal fluid volume, thus reducing system weight while maintaining temperature homogeneity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Temperature

If conventional cooling bodies are used, then thermal contact is provided, but rapid load changes cannot be accommodated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature controlVSAvoidrapid load change response
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by enabling rapid adjustment of tempering fluid circulation and temperature control parameters in response to varying battery loads. The direct-contact tempering system with minimal thermal inertia allows the system to quickly adapt to rapid load changes, providing responsive temperature control that conventional cooling bodies cannot achieve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution enhances temperature homogeneity within the battery module, improves heat transfer between cells and the housing, and allows for individual temperature control of each module, minimizing temperature differences while reducing system weight and complexity.

Implementation Method 1

a first tempering fluid included in the liquid-tight housing in thermal contact with the plurality of battery cells and with an inner surface of the liquid-tight housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal contact heat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The liquid-tight housing is constructed to allow for a flow of a second tempering fluid between the inner surface and an outer surface of the liquid-tight housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow heat transfer: Convection

Implementation Method 3

the liquid-tight housing is constructed to allow for a flow of a second tempering fluid between the inner surface and an outer surface of the liquid-tight housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchanger: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP4111526B1Battery module and battery system with heat exchanger housing
Publication Date: 2025.02.19 WHITEMARK TECH GMBH
  • EP4111526B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4111526B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4111526B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Provided is a battery module, comprising a liquid-tight housing and a plurality of battery cells arranged in the liquid-tight housing. A first tempering fluid is included in the liquid-tight housing in thermal contact with the plurality of battery cells and with an inner surface of the liquid-tight housing. The liquid-tight housing is constructed to allow for a flow of a second tempering fluid between the inner surface and an outer surface of the liquid-tight housing. Further provided is a battery system comprising a battery module and a secondary tempering system connected to the liquid-tight housing of the battery module and configured to establish the flow of the second tempering fluid.