Battery Module Thermal Management via Segmented Housing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lithium-ion battery modules experience poor temperature uniformity due to varying heat conduction paths, leading to inefficient heat management and reduced reliability.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring a housing with heat insulators between side plates and the battery stack, and heat conductors between the battery stack and plates, ensuring consistent heat conduction paths and efficiency among batteries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the housing is a closed structure with direct contact between batteries and inner wall, then heat conduction efficiency is improved, but temperature uniformity among batteries deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat conduction efficiencyVSAvoidtemperature uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The housing inner wall is segmented into different regions: heat insulating regions (with heat insulating material) and heat conducting regions (with heat conducting material). This segmentation allows different parts of the housing to perform different thermal functions, preventing excessive heat loss at contact points while maintaining overall heat conduction efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the housing inner wall are assigned different thermal properties: heat insulating material in certain areas to prevent heat loss, and heat conducting material in other areas to facilitate heat dissipation. This local differentiation of thermal properties ensures uniform temperature distribution across all batteries while maintaining efficient heat conduction where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If heat insulators are added between batteries and housing, then temperature uniformity is improved, but heat conduction efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature uniformityVSAvoidheat conduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The housing inner wall is divided into heat insulating regions and heat conducting regions. Heat insulating material is applied only in specific areas where direct contact would cause excessive heat loss, while heat conducting material is used in regions where efficient heat dissipation is needed. This segmented approach maintains overall heat conduction efficiency while preventing temperature non-uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Heat insulating material and heat conducting material act as intermediary layers between the batteries and the housing inner wall. These intermediary materials mediate the thermal interaction, controlling heat flow paths to achieve both uniform temperature distribution and efficient heat conduction where required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 solution achieves uniform temperature distribution among individual batteries, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of heat management within the battery module.

Implementation Method 1

heat insulators disposed between the battery stack and the side plates

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

heat conductor which is disposed between the battery stack and the top plate or the bottom plate, and wherein the heat conductor is disposed in contact with each of the plurality of batteries

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3522293B1Battery module
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP3522293B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3522293B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3522293B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a battery module. The battery module includes: a housing (10) including a top plate (12) and a bottom plate (13) which are disposed opposite to each other, and two side plates (11) which are connected to the top plate (12) and the bottom plate (13) and spaced along a first direction (D1); two end plates (20) spaced along a second direction (D2) which is perpendicular to the first direction (D1), wherein the two side plates (11) are alternately connected with the two end plates (20); a battery stack (30) including a plurality of batteries (31) arranged side by side between the two side plates (11), wherein the plurality of batteries (31) extend between the two end plates (20) in the second direction (D2); heat insulators (40) disposed between the battery stack (30) and the side plates (11); and a cushion (50) disposed between the battery stack (30) and one of the top plate (12) and the bottom plate (13). According to the present disclosure, heat insulators are disposed between the side plates of the housing and the battery stack, so that the heat conduction paths and heat conduction efficiency between the plurality of batteries arranged side by side in the housing and the housing are the same. As a result, the uniformity in temperature among the individual batteries is guaranteed and the reliability of the battery module is improved.