Battery Pack Thermal Management with Heat Transfer Oil
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery packs generate excessive heat during charging and discharging, leading to cell deterioration and requiring efficient heat management solutions to prevent over-temperature states and potential short circuits.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design incorporating a plurality of battery cells with heat transfer oil, a cooling plate, and a battery management unit that utilizes temperature sensors to monitor cell, oil, and cooling water temperatures to manage heat efficiently, detect over-temperature states, and prevent leaks, while ensuring insulation to prevent short circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a battery pack uses a plurality of battery cells for high output applications, then power and energy capacity are improved, but heat generation increases causing cell deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces heat transfer oil as an intermediary substance between the battery cells and the cooling plate. This oil fills the gaps and contacts the cell surfaces, efficiently transferring heat from the cells to the cooling system, thereby resolving the heat generation problem while maintaining high power output capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a liquid cooling system using heat transfer oil and cooling water to manage thermal effects. The hydraulic cooling mechanism circulates coolant through channels in the cooling plate, providing continuous heat removal from the battery cells during high-power operation
2Productivity
If battery cells are closely arranged to increase energy density, then productivity and space utilization are improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer oil acts as a mediator that fills the interstitial spaces between closely arranged battery cells, enabling thermal contact between cells and the cooling plate without requiring large gaps for air circulation or direct cooling, thus maintaining high energy density while improving heat dissipation
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate with its cooling water channels provides a flexible thermal management interface that can conform to the arrangement of battery cells, efficiently extracting heat from the cell bottoms without requiring rigid structural spacing that would reduce energy density
3Device complexity
If traditional cooling methods are used without insulation, then cooling simplicity is maintained, but short circuits may occur due to lack of insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer oil serves a dual function as both a cooling medium and an electrical insulator. It transfers heat from the battery cells to the cooling plate while simultaneously providing electrical insulation between the cells and the cooling plate, preventing short circuits without adding separate insulation components
Solution Approach 2:
The heat transfer oil performs multiple functions simultaneously: heat transfer, electrical insulation, and gap filling. This multi-functionality allows the cooling system to maintain simplicity while ensuring reliable short circuit prevention, as the same substance provides both thermal management and electrical isolation
4Reliability
If temperature monitoring is enhanced to detect abnormal states, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer oil enables temperature monitoring of the battery cells by conducting thermal energy to the cooling plate where temperature sensors can be positioned. This indirect measurement approach through the oil medium provides reliable temperature data without requiring direct contact sensors on each cell, thus improving detection capability while limiting complexity increase
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 solution enhances cooling efficiency, accurately detects abnormal states, and ensures reliable temperature monitoring, preventing overheating and short circuits, thereby improving battery performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a heat transfer oil configured to contact surfaces of the battery cells
Implementation Method 2
a cooling plate configured to contact bottom surfaces of the battery cells through the frame and having cooling water flowing therein
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a battery pack. The present invention includes: a plurality of battery cells disposed in one direction; a heat transfer oil configured to contact surfaces of the battery cells; a frame configured to accommodate the battery cells and the heat transfer oil; a cooling plate configured to contact bottom surfaces of the battery cells through the frame and having cooling water flowing therein; and a battery management unit configured to manage heat generated from the battery cells by using at least one of a cell temperature of the battery cells, a temperature of the heat transfer oil, and a temperature of the cooling water.