Side-Oriented Battery Pack with Shared Vent Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for space-efficient battery pack designs for electrified vehicles that can effectively manage thermal and venting requirements within limited vehicle spaces.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates side-oriented battery assemblies that share a common vent chamber and heat exchanger devices, with the battery cells arranged such that a smaller dimension extends along the X-axis and a larger dimension along the Z-axis, allowing for efficient packaging and thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional battery pack layouts are used, then individual vent chambers are required for each battery assembly, but this increases the overall space consumption and reduces packaging efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual vent chambers into a single shared vent chamber that serves multiple battery assemblies. The vent chamber is configured to receive vented materials from first and second battery assemblies through respective vents, eliminating the need for separate vent chambers for each assembly. This reduces the overall volume of the battery pack while maintaining effective venting functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared vent chamber performs multiple functions: it receives vented materials from different battery assemblies, provides a common pathway for gas extraction, and serves as a unified containment structure. This multi-functional design reduces the number of components needed and simplifies the overall venting system architecture.
2Volume of moving object
If battery assemblies are arranged with larger horizontal dimensions, then packaging efficiency improves, but thermal management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional horizontal battery assembly arrangements to a vertical orientation where battery assemblies extend primarily in the vertical dimension rather than horizontal dimensions. The first and second battery assemblies are positioned at different vertical levels, with the shared vent chamber located between them. This vertical stacking approach improves packaging efficiency while maintaining effective thermal management through the heat exchanger devices.
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 configuration enables a compact, efficient battery pack that effectively manages thermal and venting needs, enhancing the packaging and performance of electrified vehicle batteries.
Implementation Method 1
a first vent of a first battery cell of the first side oriented battery assembly faces toward a second vent of a second battery cell of the second side oriented battery assembly such that both the first vent and the second vent are in fluid communication with the vent chamber
Implementation Method 2
The first and second battery assemblies can include heat exchanger devices that provide thermal management for the battery pack
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes a first side oriented battery assembly, a second side oriented battery assembly, and a vent chamber arranged between the first side oriented battery assembly and the second side oriented battery assembly. The first and second side oriented battery assemblies are thus arranged to share a common vent chamber. One of the first and second side oriented battery assemblies may additionally share a common heat exchanger device with a third side oriented battery assembly.