Battery Pack Thermal Management via Directional Heat Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs lack a mechanism to prevent the propagation of abnormal heat generation from one lithium-ion battery cell to adjacent cells, particularly in matrix-form arrangements where thin cells are arranged in the x- and y-directions, leading to potential fires due to inadequate heat dissipation and conduction control.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design incorporating heat insulating members between thin cells in the y-direction and heat conducting members contacting the surfaces of cells in the x-direction, with a resin holder structure that includes porous spaces to suppress convection and prevent heat conduction between adjacent cells, allowing for immediate heat dissipation while preventing abnormal heat propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat conducting members are provided between all adjacent cells to dissipate heat, then heat dissipation is improved, but heat may be conducted to adjacent cells causing propagation of abnormal heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different thermal properties to different spatial locations: heat conducting members (high thermal conductivity) are placed between cells in the x-direction to dissipate heat, while heat insulating members (low thermal conductivity) are placed between cells in the y-direction to prevent heat propagation. This local differentiation of thermal properties resolves the contradiction by optimizing heat management for each directional relationship.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is segmented into different thermal zones using heat conducting members and heat insulating members arranged in a grid pattern. This segmentation allows independent thermal management for different cell groups, enabling heat dissipation in certain directions while blocking heat propagation in other directions, thus resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation and heat propagation prevention.
2Area of stationary object
If thin cells are arranged in matrix form with large opposing area, then space utilization is improved, but heat conduction between adjacent cells increases causing abnormal heat propagation
Solution Approach 1:
Heat insulating members are introduced as intermediary elements between thin cells adjacent in the y-direction. These intermediaries have low thermal conductivity and prevent direct heat conduction between cells, allowing the thin cells to be arranged with large opposing areas for space efficiency while blocking the harmful heat conduction path.
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 dissipates heat generated due to abnormal conditions in lithium-ion battery packs, preventing the spread of heat and potential fires by suppressing heat conduction between cells, thereby ensuring safer operation and reducing the risk of thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
a heat insulating member that insulates heat between the thin cells adjacent in the y-direction
Implementation Method 2
a heat conducting member that contacts in common the surfaces of the plurality of thin cells arranged in the x-direction
Implementation Method 3
a resin holder structure that includes porous spaces to suppress convection and prevent heat conduction between adjacent cells
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a battery pack that includes: a plurality of thin cells arranged in a matrix form in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a width of each thin cell in the first direction is smaller than widths of each thin cell in the second direction and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and wherein each of the thin cells has a surface substantially perpendicular to the first direction; a heat insulating member that insulates heat between the thin cells adjacent in the first direction; and a heat conducting member that contacts in common the surfaces of the thin cells arranged in the second direction.