Battery Pack Shield with Gap for Thermal and EMI Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage traction battery packs in electrified vehicles face challenges with thermal sensitivity, especially in polymer-based enclosures, and electromagnetic interference, which existing solutions do not adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A shield made of metal or metal alloy, such as aluminum, is designed to provide thermal and electromagnetic shielding for the battery pack. The shield is secured to the vehicle frame, includes a movable cover with a living hinge, and features an isolator to absorb vibrations, ensuring effective protection and grounding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a polymer-based enclosure is used for the battery pack, then ease of manufacture and cost are improved, but thermal sensitivity and vulnerability to thermal energy increase
Solution Approach 1:
A shield comprising a floor and walls extending from the floor is introduced as an intermediary component between the polymer-based battery enclosure and the external environment. The shield provides thermal protection while the polymer enclosure maintains its manufacturing advantages, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and thermal sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution combines the polymer-based enclosure material with a shield made of thermally resistant material to create a composite protective structure. This composite approach allows the battery pack to benefit from both the ease of polymer manufacturing and the thermal resistance of the shield material.
2Volume of moving object
If the shield is positioned close to the battery pack, then space efficiency is improved, but thermal and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The shield structure incorporates localized features including protrusions that extend toward the battery pack and gaps at specific locations. This local quality approach allows the shield to maintain effective thermal and electromagnetic shielding in critical areas while minimizing overall space consumption, resolving the contradiction between space efficiency and shielding effectiveness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the shield is rigidly secured to the vehicle frame, then structural stability is improved, but vibration and shock transmission to the battery pack increases
Solution Approach 1:
A vibration isolation element is introduced as a mediator between the shield and the vehicle frame. This intermediary component provides mechanical coupling for structural stability while filtering out harmful vibrations and shocks, preventing their transmission to the battery pack and resolving the contradiction between structural stability and vibration protection.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the shield provides complete enclosure, then protection is improved, but accessibility and serviceability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The shield structure is segmented with removable panels or access points that can be opened or detached. This segmentation allows the shield to provide complete enclosure and protection during normal operation while enabling easy access to the battery pack for maintenance, inspection, or repair, resolving the contradiction between protection and accessibility.
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 shield effectively reduces thermal stress and electromagnetic interference, enhancing the durability and performance of polymer-based battery enclosures by creating a gap between the shield and the battery pack, thereby isolating thermal and electromagnetic loads.
Implementation Method 1
The shield includes an aluminum material, and the shield provides thermal energy and electromagnetic shielding for the battery pack
Implementation Method 2
The shield includes an aluminum material, and the shield provides thermal energy and electromagnetic shielding for the battery pack
Implementation Method 3
an isolator of the shield that isolates loads from the vehicle frame
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary battery assembly includes a shield having a floor and walls extending transversely away from the floor. The shield provides a cavity configured to receive a battery pack of an electrified vehicle. The cavity is larger than the traction battery pack so that there is a gap between at least some of the walls and the traction battery pack within the cavity. An exemplary shielding method includes securing a shield to a vehicle frame to enclose a traction battery pack held within a cavity of the shield.