Battery Section Contact Element for Uniform Heat Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Large batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles, experience temperature hotspots due to uneven thermal and electrical energy distribution, which can reduce service life and charging efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery cell arrangement with a conductor structure element made of non-electrically conductive material, featuring electrically and thermally conductive contacting sections on either side, and a core of conductive material that absorbs and dissipates heat, ensuring even distribution of electrical current and heat flow across the battery cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If battery cells are arranged in large batteries with high current intensities, then the battery capacity and power are improved, but temperature hotspots occur due to uneven thermal and electrical energy distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is divided into multiple battery sections, each with its own contacting section element. This segmentation allows independent thermal and electrical management of each section, preventing hotspot formation by distributing energy flow across multiple smaller units rather than treating the battery as a single large unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The contacting section element acts as an intermediary component between adjacent battery sections. It provides both electrical connection and thermal management functions, mediating the energy distribution between sections to prevent localized overheating while maintaining overall battery power output.
2Reliability
If conventional contacting elements are used between battery sections, then electrical connection is achieved, but thermal management is insufficient leading to hotspot formation
Solution Approach 1:
The contacting section element is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical connection between battery sections while also serving as a thermal management component. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate electrical and thermal management systems, preventing hotspots while maintaining reliable electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The contacting section element is made from composite materials that combine high electrical conductivity with high thermal conductivity. This composite structure allows the single component to efficiently transfer both electrical current and heat, addressing both the reliability requirement for electrical connection and the need to prevent temperature hotspots.
3Device complexity
If battery sections are arranged adjacent to each other without intermediate structures, then device complexity is reduced, but uniform distribution of electrical current and heat flow cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection function and thermal management function are merged into a single contacting section element. This combination maintains simple adjacent arrangement of battery sections while ensuring uniform distribution of both electrical current and heat flow through the integrated functionality of the contacting element.
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 prevents the formation of hotspots by uniformly distributing thermal and electrical energy, enhancing the battery's performance and longevity by maintaining even temperature and resistance across all cells.
Implementation Method 1
a core made of an electrically and thermally conductive material is arranged in the non-electrically conductive material of the conductor structure element... so that an electrically and thermally conductive connection of the contacting sections on the first side with the contacting sections on the second side through the bushing element is produced and a flow of heat can be absorbed by the core and removed from the conductor structure element
Implementation Method 2
at least one electrically and thermally conductive feedthrough element extends through the core and through the non-electrically conductive material arranged on both sides of the core, wherein the feedthrough element is electrically insulated from the core and electrically conductive with the at least one contacting section on the first side and with the at least one contacting section on the second side
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a battery (2) having a cell arrangement (1), wherein the cell arrangement (1) has multiple battery cells (5), wherein the cell arrangement (1) has at least two battery sections (6), and each battery section (6) is composed of multiple battery cells (5). According to the invention, between at least two adjacent battery sections (6), there is arranged an at least partially electrically and thermally conductive contacting section element (7) with a first side and with a second side, which contacting section element has, on the first side and on the second side, in each case at least one electrically and thermally conductive contacting section, wherein the end connectors facing toward the first side of the contacting section element (7) are connected in electrically and thermally conductive fashion to the at least one contacting section of said first side, and wherein the end connectors facing toward the second side of the contacting section element (7) are connected in electrically and thermally conductive fashion to the at least one contacting section (21) of said second side, and wherein end connectors of the battery cells (5) are connected in electrically and thermally conductive fashion to one another by means of the contacting section element (7), such that an electrical current and a flow of heat are distributed over the entire cell arrangement (1).