Battery Module Thermal Compensation Layer for Heat Conduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion battery cells in high-performance battery modules for electric vehicles face challenges in maintaining optimal temperature and thermal conduction due to surface irregularities and temperature-induced expansions, leading to reduced thermal conductivity and potential overheating.
Innovation Solution
A thermal compensation layer comprising a bimetallic actuator with a conversion temperature above 20°C, preferably 30°C or 40°C, is used between the battery cell and cooling plate, which changes shape to adapt to surface irregularities and expansions, ensuring reliable thermal conduction and electrical insulation, and can be formed with an electrically insulating base material for enhanced thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thermal compensation layer is arranged between the battery cell and cooling plate, then thermal conduction is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A thermal compensation layer is introduced as an intermediary element between the battery cell and cooling plate. This layer contains a bimetallic actuator that expands when heated, filling gaps and maintaining thermal contact. The mediator adapts to surface irregularities and compensates for dimensional changes, ensuring reliable thermal conduction without requiring precision machining of the battery cell surfaces.
2Power
If the battery cell operates at high temperature, then power delivery is improved, but battery lifetime decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The bimetallic actuator's expansion characteristic is utilized to dynamically adjust the thermal contact pressure. When the battery cell temperature increases during high-power operation, the bimetallic actuator expands, maintaining optimal thermal contact between the cell and cooling plate. This enables effective heat dissipation even under high power conditions, allowing the battery to operate at elevated temperatures for improved power delivery while preventing excessive temperature accumulation that would reduce lifetime.
3Reliability
If the cooling plate is in direct contact with the battery cell, then thermal conduction is maximized, but tolerance-related surface irregularities reduce effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal compensation layer provides localized adaptation to surface irregularities. The bimetallic actuator within the layer expands in response to temperature changes, filling gaps and conforming to the specific surface topology at the contact interface. This local quality adjustment compensates for manufacturing tolerances without requiring the entire cooling plate or battery cell to achieve high precision, making the system robust to variations in manufacturing quality.
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 effectively maintains thermal conduction by adapting to surface changes, reducing air gaps, and enhancing thermal conductivity, thereby preventing overheating and extending battery life by ensuring consistent temperature within the optimal range.
Implementation Method 1
The thermal compensation layer is formed from a base material and furthermore comprises at least one bimetallic actuator. The at least one bimetallic actuator herein has a conversion temperature above a temperature of 20° C.
Implementation Method 2
by a shape change of the bimetallic actuator, the thermal compensation layer can be adapted to the surface irregularities of the at least one battery cell and the surface modifications of the at least one battery cell
Implementation Method 3
thermal conduction between the at least one battery cell and the cooling plate can be formed in a reliable way... configured in order to increase the thermal conductivity between the at least one battery cell and the cooling plate
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module comprising at least one battery cell (2), in particular a lithium-ion battery cell, and a cooling plate (3) thermally conductively connected to the at least one battery cell (2), a thermal compensation layer (4) configured in order to increase the thermal conductivity between the at least one battery cell (2) and the cooling plate (3) furthermore being arranged between the at least one battery cell (2) and the cooling plate (3), whereinthe thermal compensation layer (4) is formed from a base material (5),and furthermore comprises at least one bimetallic actuator (6), which has a conversion temperature above a temperature of 20° C.