Battery Cooling via Perpendicular Bottom Airflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current temperature regulation methods for batteries, where cooling air is brought into contact with the lid or lateral faces, suffer from high thermal resistance and low cooling efficiency due to the separate configuration of the lid and case body, and inefficient heat transfer when air is directed parallel to the bottom face.

Innovation Solution

A temperature regulation structure where air is supplied perpendicularly to the bottom face of the case body, guided by a guide member with a supply passage, guide face, and exhaust passage, enhancing heat exchange and cooling efficiency by directing air flow in a width direction along the bottom face.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If cooling air is brought into contact with the lid to cool the battery, then the cooling structure is simple, but high thermal resistance leads to low cooling efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling structure complexityVSAvoidcooling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of cooling the battery from the top (lid) as in conventional designs, this invention inverts the cooling approach by directing air to contact the bottom face of the case body first, then guiding it to flow along the lateral faces. This inversion allows direct heat contact with the power generation element at the bottom, reducing thermal resistance while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Device complexity

If cooling air is directed parallel to the bottom face, then the cooling structure is simple, but heat transfer is inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling structure complexityVSAvoidheat transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

This invention transitions from two-dimensional parallel airflow along the bottom face to three-dimensional airflow by guiding the air to flow upward along the lateral faces after contacting the bottom face. This dimensional change increases the contact area between cooling air and the battery components, significantly improving heat transfer efficiency while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If air is supplied perpendicularly to the bottom face and guided along lateral faces, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the cooling structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidcooling structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide member in this invention serves multiple functions: it guides air from the supply passage to contact the bottom face, directs air flow along the lateral faces, and facilitates exhaust. By making the guide member multi-functional, the invention achieves improved cooling efficiency without proportionally increasing structural complexity, as one component performs multiple cooling-related tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Ease of manufacture

If the lid and case body are configured separately, then manufacturing is easier, but thermal resistance increases reducing cooling efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing easeVSAvoidthermal resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

This invention extracts the cooling function from the lid and relocates it to the bottom face and lateral faces of the case body. By taking out the cooling contact point from the lid (which has high thermal resistance due to separate configuration), the invention enables efficient heat transfer through the bottom face while maintaining the ease of manufacturing separate lid and case body components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 efficiently regulates the temperature of the power storage element by promoting heat transfer and reducing thermal resistance, allowing for effective cooling without increasing the battery's size or complicating its structure.

Implementation Method 1

air for temperature regulation that comes into contact with the power storage element is supplied from a direction substantially perpendicular to a bottom face of the case body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

the temperature of the power storage element can be efficiently regulated by bringing the air for temperature regulation into contact with the bottom face of the case body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10135046B2Temperature regulation structure

Publication Date: 2018.11.20 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

In a temperature regulation structure according to the invention, the power storage element includes a power generation element for charging and discharging, and has a case body having an opening portion for incorporating the power generation element, and a lid that closes up the opening portion of the case body. Air for temperature regulation that comes into contact with the power storage element is supplied from a direction substantially perpendicular to a bottom face of the case body, which is opposed to the lid across the power generation element. The temperature of the power storage element can be efficiently regulated by bringing the air for temperature regulation into contact with the bottom face of the case body.