Battery Pack Cooling Layout With Dual Heat Conduction Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs face issues with high thermal resistance, poor cooling efficiency, low space efficiency, and insufficient energy density due to the large number of components in the heat transfer path and the module housing surrounding the cell stack.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a pack housing with upper and lower cooling plates and heat conduction members that contact the cell stack, along with a sealing member to restrict substance flow and improve thermal management, allowing for efficient heat dissipation through both upper and lower portions and enhancing space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a module housing entirely surrounds the cell stack, then structural protection is provided, but space efficiency deteriorates and energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the module housing that entirely surrounded the cell stack in conventional designs. Instead, only necessary protective components are retained, eliminating unnecessary structural elements that occupied space. This extraction of redundant housing allows the cell stack to occupy more volume within the battery pack, directly improving space efficiency and energy density while maintaining adequate protection through alternative design approaches.
2Reliability
If a large number of components are disposed on the heat transfer path, then structural support is provided, but thermal resistance increases and cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates unnecessary components from the heat transfer path between the cell stack and cooling plates. By removing redundant structural elements that were previously required for support, the thermal resistance is reduced. The design achieves structural support through alternative means while maintaining a clear, minimal heat transfer path, thereby improving cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from dissipating heat through only the lower portion of the pack housing to utilizing both upper and lower cooling plates. This dimensional change in heat dissipation architecture creates dual heat transfer paths, effectively reducing thermal resistance by distributing heat flow through multiple routes simultaneously, thereby significantly improving cooling efficiency.
3Device complexity
If heat is dissipated through only the lower portion of the pack housing, then structural simplicity is maintained, but cooling performance becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds upper cooling plates to the conventional lower-only cooling architecture, creating a three-dimensional heat dissipation system. This dimensional expansion from single-point (lower) to dual-point (upper and lower) heat dissipation significantly enhances cooling performance by providing multiple thermal escape routes, effectively doubling the heat transfer capacity while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity.
4Ease of manufacture
If no sealing member is disposed between cell stacks, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but substance flow between cell stacks cannot be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sealing members as intermediary components disposed between adjacent cell stacks. These sealing members act as barriers that prevent the flow of substances (such as electrolyte leakage or contaminant migration) between neighboring cell stacks. The sealing members are integrated into the assembly structure with minimal additional manufacturing steps, maintaining ease of manufacture while providing necessary substance isolation for reliability.
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 reduces thermal resistance, improves cooling efficiency, increases energy density, and prevents substance flow between cell stacks, resulting in enhanced performance and protection.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat conduction member disposed between the plurality of battery assemblies and the upper cooling plate; and a second heat conduction member disposed between the plurality of battery assemblies and the lower cooling plate
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery pack includes: a plurality of battery assemblies, respectively including a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a pack housing forming an accommodation space that accommodates the plurality of battery assemblies and including an upper cooling plate, a lower cooling plate, and a side wall extending between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate; a first heat conduction member disposed between the plurality of battery assemblies and the upper cooling plate; and a second heat conduction member disposed between the plurality of battery assemblies and the lower cooling plate, in which each of the first heat conduction member and the second heat conduction member is in contact with the cell stack.