Battery Pack Immersion Cooling Flow Paths Between Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cooling methods for battery packs, such as cold plates and ribbons, struggle to effectively manage heat during high-power density and energy-intensive conditions, leading to increased temperatures, degradation, and potential thermal runaway events.
Innovation Solution
Immersion cooling systems that utilize support structures, planar cooling and distribution structures, splitters, manifolds, and protruding elements to direct coolant flow, maximizing contact cooling surface area and improving thermal management within battery packs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional cooling methods (cold plates and ribbons) are used, then the cooling system structure is simple, but cooling efficiency is insufficient during high-power density conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements immersion cooling by circulating coolant through the battery pack, using fluid dynamics to directly contact and cool battery cells. The coolant flow system includes inlet and outlet conduits that distribute cooling fluid across multiple cells simultaneously, providing superior heat removal capability compared to traditional contact-based cooling methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from surface-based cooling (cold plates contacting only the bottom of cells) to volumetric cooling by submerging cells in coolant. This dimensional change allows heat transfer to occur across the entire surface area of battery cells, dramatically increasing the effective cooling surface area and thermal management efficiency.
2Reliability
If immersion cooling with complex flow distribution structures is implemented, then cooling efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple cooling zones with individual flow distribution structures for different cell rows. Each zone has dedicated coolant inlet conduits and flow paths, allowing independent optimization of cooling parameters for different regions. This segmentation enables uniform heat removal across all cells while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant distribution manifold serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a flow distribution system, a structural support element, and a thermal management component. By integrating these functions into a single structure, the patent reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining high cooling efficiency.
3Reliability
If coolant flow is increased to improve cooling, then heat transfer improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system applies different coolant flow rates to different regions based on local thermal demands. High-power density cells receive higher flow rates through optimized conduit positioning and flow distribution, while lower-demand cells receive proportionally less flow. This local quality approach maximizes heat transfer efficiency per unit of energy consumed, reducing overall pump power requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant flow rate is dynamically adjusted based on real-time battery thermal conditions and power demand. During high-power charging or discharging when heat generation is elevated, the system increases coolant flow to enhance heat removal. During low-demand periods, flow rate is reduced to minimize pump energy consumption, optimizing the balance between cooling performance and energy usage.
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
Enhances cooling efficiency and operating performance, reduces degradation, and mitigates thermal runaway events by maximizing heat transfer and providing active/passive coolant flow control.
Implementation Method 1
Immersion cooling systems that utilize support structures, planar cooling and distribution structures, splitters, manifolds, and protruding elements to direct coolant flow, maximizing contact cooling surface area and improving thermal management within battery packs
Implementation Method 2
The planar structure and at least some of the walls direct the coolant to flow across and between the battery cells
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack is disclosed and includes battery cells, an outer housing, a support structure, and a planar structure. The outer housing is configured to enclose and immerse the plurality of battery cells in a coolant. The outer housing includes multiple walls including side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall. The support structure supports the battery cells. The support structure includes dividing members separating the battery cells. The planar structure is disposed above or below the battery cells. A gap exists between a planar surface of the planar structure and a planar surface of one of the top wall and the bottom wall of the outer housing for flowing the coolant between the planar structure and the one of the top wall and the bottom wall. The planar structure and at least some of the walls direct the coolant to flow across and between the battery cells.