Battery Pack Separated Cooling Channels Discharge Path
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs face challenges in efficiently managing heat and gas discharge, which can lead to safety issues such as explosions or fires, particularly in high-power applications like electric vehicles, due to the mixing of coolant and discharge gas within the same path.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a cooling channel that penetrates between battery cells with a separation member to spatially separate the coolant flow from the discharge path, using a shield area to contain discharge gas and a hollow protruding portion to form the cooling channel, ensuring the coolant and discharge gas do not mix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cooling channels and discharge paths are integrated in existing battery packs, then structural simplicity is maintained, but safety deteriorates due to mixing of coolant and discharge gas causing explosions or fires
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack structure is segmented into distinct cooling channels and discharge paths using separation members. The separation member divides the internal space, creating separate pathways for coolant flow and gas discharge, preventing their mixing while maintaining functional independence of each system
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge path is extracted and separated from the cooling channel system. The separation member removes the discharge gas pathway from the coolant flow path, allowing independent management of cooling and venting functions to eliminate safety hazards associated with mixed pathways
2Reliability
If separation members are added to spatially separate cooling channels and discharge paths, then safety improves by preventing mixing, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separation member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a physical barrier to separate cooling and discharge pathways, provides structural support within the battery pack, and guides the flow of both coolant and discharge gas. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components
3Reliability
If shield areas are used to contain discharge gas, then safety improves by directing gas away from coolant, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separation member functions as a thin partition structure that creates shield areas for containing discharge gas. This thin-film approach provides effective gas containment and pathway separation while maintaining ease of manufacturing through simple geometric forms that can be produced using standard fabrication processes
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 enhances safety by preventing the mixing of coolant and discharge gas, reducing the risk of explosions or fires and ensuring the discharge gas is safely directed outside the battery pack, while maintaining efficient cooling of the battery cells.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling channel penetrating between battery cells neighboring to each other
Implementation Method 2
a separation member disposed on the cell holder, the separation member including an open area opened to allow the hollow protruding portion to be inserted therein and a shield area that closes above the vent portion
Implementation Method 3
a shield area that closes above the vent portion... a discharge path of a discharge gas discharged from the vent portion may be formed between the shield area of the separation member and each of the plurality of battery cells
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes battery cells adjacent to each other, each of the battery cells including a vent portion, cooling channels penetrating between adjacent ones of the battery cells, a cell holder to accommodate the battery cells, the cell holder including hollow protruding portions surrounding the cooling channels, respectively, and protruding away from the battery cells, and a separation member on the cell holder, the separation member including open areas opened to accommodate the hollow protruding portions inserted therein, respectively, and a shield area that closes above the vent portion.