Battery Module Thermal Management Hood and Heat Sink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion battery modules in electric vehicles face challenges in managing temperature effectively, leading to potential overheating issues that can affect their functionality and longevity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a battery module design featuring a housing with a heat sink on one side and a fan on the top, combined with a flow diverting hood that guides airflow over the heat sink, enhances convective thermal management, reducing the module's footprint and optimizing heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional passive cooling methods are used for battery modules, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature control effectiveness deteriorates leading to overheating issues
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is divided into multiple cell groups with dedicated cooling channels, allowing independent temperature control for different sections. The thermal management system is segmented into discrete cooling plates, channels, and airflow paths that can be optimized separately.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling fluid acts as an intermediary medium between the battery cells and the external environment. The fluid absorbs heat from the battery cells through thermal conduction in the cooling plates and transports it away through convection in the channels.
2Temperature
If active convective cooling with fans and housings is implemented, then temperature control effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is merged with the thermal management system, where the housing itself serves as part of the cooling pathway. The fan, housing, and cooling channels are integrated into a unified assembly that performs both structural support and thermal management functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural containment for the battery cells, acts as a thermal management component by guiding airflow, and serves as a mounting structure for the fan and cooling elements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.
3Temperature
If the battery module design includes extended housing and flow diverting features, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but the module footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels and airflow paths are arranged in three-dimensional configurations within the existing footprint. Multiple cooling plates are stacked or positioned at different heights, creating vertical airflow paths that increase heat dissipation surface area without expanding the horizontal footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are nested within the housing structure and battery module assembly. The flow diverting features are integrated into the existing housing geometry rather than adding external extensions, allowing the cooling system to be contained within the overall module boundaries.
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 the battery module, reducing the risk of overheating and ensuring efficient operation while maintaining a compact form factor suitable for vehicle integration.
Implementation Method 1
A fan is disposed over the top side of the housing... The hood is configured to guide an airflow through the airspace from the fan on the top side of the housing, over the edge between the top side and the lateral side of the housing, and over the heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing... over the heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing
Implementation Method 3
The hood is configured to guide an airflow... over the heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes a system having a battery module, where the battery module includes a housing having a top side, a lateral side, and an edge extending along and between the top side and the lateral side. The battery module also includes electrochemical cells disposed in the housing, and a heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing. A fan is disposed over the top side of the housing. A hood includes a first hood portion disposed over the top side of the housing and the fan and a second hood portion coupled to the first hood portion and disposed over the lateral side of the housing, where the hood defines an airspace between the hood and the housing and the hood is configured to guide an airflow through the airspace from the fan on the top side of the housing, over the edge between the top side and the lateral side of the housing, and over the heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing.