Battery Pack Coolant Inlet Port Width Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs face challenges in achieving high cooling efficiency and uniform temperature distribution due to coolant mixing and asymmetric flow patterns, which can lead to reduced lifespan and increased risk of overheating or explosion in high-output, large-capacity battery modules.
Innovation Solution
The battery pack design features independently formed coolant inlet ports with gradually decreasing widths towards the outlet, ensuring coolants pass through each module at the same flow rate, preventing local cooling deviations and reducing temperature and pressure differentials, while maintaining a compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If coolant inlet ports are formed with same width for all battery modules, then manufacturing is simplified, but temperature distribution becomes non-uniform and cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making each coolant inlet port have a different width according to the specific thermal characteristics and position of each battery module. The inlet port width is designed to be larger for modules generating more heat or positioned in less favorable cooling locations, and smaller for modules with lower heat generation or better cooling conditions. This localized customization of inlet port dimensions enables uniform temperature distribution across all modules while maintaining effective cooling.
2Temperature
If coolant flow channels are extended to reach all battery modules, then cooling coverage is improved, but pressure differential increases and cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coolant flow system by providing separate coolant inlet ports for different battery modules rather than using a single long flow channel. This segmentation divides the originally long flow path into multiple shorter independent channels, reducing the overall flow length and minimizing pressure differential. Each module receives coolant through its dedicated inlet port, ensuring adequate cooling coverage while maintaining low pressure loss throughout the system.
3Volume of moving object
If battery modules are arranged in compact configuration, then battery pack volume is reduced, but coolant flow distribution becomes asymmetric and cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately introduces asymmetry in the coolant inlet port widths to compensate for the asymmetric arrangement of battery modules in the compact battery pack. Rather than attempting to maintain symmetric flow distribution, the inlet ports are designed with different widths that match the specific thermal and positional characteristics of each module's location. This asymmetric design of inlet ports balances the overall cooling performance across all modules despite their asymmetric compact arrangement.
4Productivity
If coolant inlet port width is increased, then flow rate increases and cooling efficiency improves, but device complexity and pack volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of inlet port width to optimize coolant flow rate and cooling efficiency. By adjusting the width of each inlet port according to the specific requirements of corresponding battery modules, the system achieves appropriate flow rates without requiring uniform large-width ports for all modules. This parameter optimization allows effective cooling while controlling device complexity and maintaining compact battery pack volume.
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 configuration ensures uniform cooling of battery modules, reduces the overall volume of the battery pack, and enhances cooling efficiency by maintaining consistent temperature across all modules, thereby extending their lifespan and preventing overheating risks.
Implementation Method 1
coolants introduced through the respective coolant inlet ports cools the unit cells of the respective battery modules while passing through the respective battery modules
Implementation Method 2
coolants introduced through the respective coolant inlet ports cools the unit cells of the respective battery modules while passing through the respective battery modules at the same flow rate per unit time
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules, each having a battery cell or a unit module (unit cell) that can be charged and discharged, mounted in a pack case, wherein two or more unit cells constitute one battery module, two or more battery modules are arranged in a length direction of the battery pack to constitute one battery module group, two battery module groups are arranged in a width direction of the battery pack in a state in which the batter module groups are spaced apart from each other such that a coolant discharge part is defined between the battery module groups, a coolant inlet port is independently formed at a region of the pack case corresponding to each of the battery modules located at a position opposite to the coolant discharge part, and a coolant outlet port is formed at a front or a rear of the pack case in the length direction of the battery pack such that coolant introduced through the respective coolant inlet ports cools the unit cells of the respective battery modules while passing through the respective battery modules and is then discharged out of the pack case.