Battery Module Spacing Keeping Member for Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules for electric vehicles face challenges in cooling efficiency and size, as separators are either too large, increasing module size, or insufficient, leading to inadequate cooling when not used.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design with a spacing keeping member that alternates odd and even spacings between battery cells, allowing for efficient cooling gas flow while minimizing module size by maintaining larger spacings on one surface and smaller spacings on the other, utilizing different types of separators with varying thermal insulation properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If separators are arranged between all adjacent battery cells to ensure sufficient cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the battery module size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separators are segmented into different types based on their position in the battery module. First separators are placed between odd-numbered battery cells while second separators are placed between even-numbered battery cells, allowing each type to have optimized properties for its specific location rather than using uniform separators throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the battery module have different separator characteristics. The first separators have lower thermal insulation properties to facilitate heat dissipation from odd-numbered cells, while second separators have higher thermal insulation properties for even-numbered cells, creating locally optimized thermal management.
2Temperature
If separators with lower thermal insulation properties are used to improve cooling, then heat dissipation is enhanced, but thermal insulation between battery cells is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different thermal insulation properties to different locations within the battery module. First separators have lower thermal insulation properties to enable effective cooling of odd-numbered battery cells, while second separators have higher thermal insulation properties to maintain thermal isolation for even-numbered cells, thus locally optimizing both cooling and insulation requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The uniform separator design is segmented into two distinct types with different thermal properties. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve heat dissipation where needed (through first separators) and thermal insulation where needed (through second separators), resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and thermal insulation.
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 effectively cools battery cells and miniaturizes the battery module, enhancing the performance and travel capabilities of electric vehicles by ensuring efficient heat dissipation and compact size.
Implementation Method 1
The one or plurality of first separators may have lower thermal insulation properties than the one or plurality of second separators. In this case, heat generated by each of the battery cells easily moves to the cooling gas through the first separator. Thus, each of the battery cells is efficiently cooled.
Data Source
AI summary
A plate-shaped portion of each of separators has a cross-sectional shape bent in a concavo-convex shape in a vertical direction. The plate-shaped portion of each of the separators has a flat cross-sectional shape. The plurality of separators are arranged parallel to one another to alternately line up. One surface of each of the battery cells abuts on the plate-shaped portion of the separator, and the other surface abuts on the plate-shaped portion of the separator. Thus, a spacing between the battery cells, which are adjacent to each other with the separator sandwiched therebetween, becomes equal to the thickness of the plate-shaped portion, and a spacing between the battery cells, which are adjacent to each other with the separator sandwiched therebetween, becomes equal to the thickness of the plate-shaped portion.