Battery Module Terminal Cooling via Conductive Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passive cooling of battery matrices in electric drive vehicles is challenging due to limited available space, and existing solutions do not efficiently manage heat distribution across batteries.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design that utilizes conductive plates made of thermal and electrical materials to cool batteries through their terminals, with a liquid-cooled wall and resilient pads for effective heat transfer and electrical isolation, allowing for optimal packing and heat exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If passive cooling methods are used for battery matrices, then cooling is achieved without additional energy consumption, but the available space is insufficient and cooling efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive plates serve dual functions: electrical connection between batteries and thermal conduction for heat removal. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling structures, maximizing space utilization while achieving efficient cooling through the existing electrical connection components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from surface-based cooling to terminal-based cooling by conducting heat through the three-dimensional terminal structures. This dimensional change allows heat extraction from the battery terminals directly, bypassing space constraints of traditional surface cooling methods.
2Temperature
If traditional cooling structures are added to battery modules, then cooling capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive plates perform both electrical connection and thermal conduction functions simultaneously. This eliminates the need for separate cooling structures, reducing device complexity while maintaining effective heat management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the electrical connection function and thermal conduction function into a single integrated component (the conductive plates). This consolidation simplifies the overall structure by eliminating redundant components and reducing assembly complexity.
3Strength
If conductive plates are made thicker to improve structural strength, then mechanical strength increases, but heat exchange surface area decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention maximizes heat exchange surface area in the planar dimensions of the conductive plates rather than relying on thickness. By expanding the plate surface area and optimizing the two-dimensional contact interface with battery terminals, efficient heat transfer is achieved without increasing thickness, thereby maintaining mechanical strength.
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 provides efficient cooling of batteries by maximizing heat exchange surface area, reducing thermal resistance, and ensuring even heat distribution across the battery module, while being easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
This conductive plate physically and simultaneously contacts the terminals of two or more batteries of the set, thus forming the necessary connections in series or in parallel and providing the cooling of the same batteries
Implementation Method 2
Between the liquid-cooled wall and the at least one conductive plate it is interposed a pad of resilient material, suitable for transferring heat and at the same time electrically isolating the at least one conductive plate from the liquid-cooled wall
Data Source
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AI summary
Battery module (25) for an electrical storage system (14) for an electric drive vehicle (1); wherein the battery module (25) includes: a set of parallel cylindrical chemical batteries (19) arranged side by side, at least two conductive plates (26) arranged on said opposite sides and welded to the corresponding opposite terminals (21, 22) of said set of batteries, at least one refrigerated wall (72) set adherent to one of said at least two conductive plates (26), at least one pad (32) sandwiched between said at least one refrigerated wall and said at least one respective conductive plate, in which said pad is made of an electrically insulating and thermally conductive material.