Battery Pack Direct Cooling Channels for Uniform Cell and Busbar Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery pack cooling systems rely on indirect methods that result in uneven cooling of battery cells and fail to effectively manage thermal energy generated by busbars, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring direct fluid cooling channels that encapsulate battery cells and busbars, allowing a coolant to directly contact the cells and busbars through vertical or helical channels, ensuring uniform thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If indirect cooling systems with ribbon chambers are used, then the cooling system can be implemented with simpler structure, but the cooling uniformity deteriorates and thermal management of busbars is not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling plate as an intermediary component between the battery cells and the cooling fluid. The cooling plate features cooling channels that directly contact the battery cell tabs and busbars, serving as a mediator to transfer heat more uniformly and effectively from multiple heat-generating components simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling channels within the cooling plate, with each channel positioned to cool specific battery cell tabs or busbar sections. This segmentation allows differentiated thermal management for different components that generate heat at different rates and locations
2Reliability
If indirect cooling through ribbon chambers is used, then the system can avoid direct fluid contact with battery components, but the heat removal efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate acts as an intermediary that enables direct thermal contact between the cooling fluid and battery components (tabs and busbars) while maintaining system integrity. The fluid flows through channels in the cooling plate that are in direct thermal contact with heat-generating components, significantly improving heat removal efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses hydraulic flow of cooling fluid through precisely designed channels in the cooling plate to efficiently remove heat. The fluid dynamics are optimized to ensure adequate flow velocity and heat exchange surface area contact, maximizing thermal energy removal from the battery assembly
3Device complexity
If traditional cooling systems exclude busbars from cooling, then the cooling system design is simplified, but the thermal management completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cools battery cell tabs, cools busbars, provides structural support for the battery assembly, and acts as a fluid distribution manifold. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for different components while improving overall thermal management completeness
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 direct cooling method provides consistent and efficient thermal management of battery cells and busbars, eliminating inefficiencies associated with indirect cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
one or more fluid channels extending between the first sump and the second sump and configured to carry the fluid so that the fluid directly contacts the one or more battery cells
Implementation Method 2
A fluid can be circulated within the ribbon chamber and adjacent to the one or more battery cells to remove heat from the battery cells
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack, comprising one or more battery cells each including a first end and a second end opposite the first end and one or more busbars communicatively coupled to the one or more battery cells at the first end. The battery pack further comprising a main body, comprising an upper end, a lower end opposite and spaced from the upper end, a first sump at the upper end, a second sump, one or more cell openings extending from the first sump to the second sump and configured to receive the one or more battery cells, and one or more fluid channels arranged in each of the one or more cell openings, the one or more fluid channels extending from the upper end to the lower end so that the fluid can directly contact the one or more battery cells.