Multipart Battery Module Shear Wall for Vertical Load Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery module shear walls experience significant bending under vertical forces due to hanging arrangements, which can lead to structural instability and stress within the battery system.
Innovation Solution
A multipart shear wall design is implemented, comprising two elements with layered flanges that are welded together, increasing the flange thickness and providing enhanced structural support, thereby reducing bending and improving stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a single-part shear wall is used, then the device complexity is low, but the strength and stiffness under vertical forces are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The shear wall is divided into two separate elements (first element and second element) that are stacked and welded together. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized for specific functions while collectively providing enhanced strength and stiffness to resist vertical forces, resolving the contradiction between structural strength and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shear wall employs a composite structure where two different elements with potentially different material properties are combined through welding. This composite approach enables the shear wall to achieve superior mechanical properties (strength and stiffness) that neither element could provide alone, while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized connection methods.
2Strength
If flange thickness is increased to reduce bending, then the strength improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing a single thick flange, the design segments the flange structure into two separate elements with thinner individual flanges that are stacked and welded. This approach achieves the required total flange thickness for strength while simplifying manufacturing, as thinner flanges are easier to produce, handle, and weld compared to a single thick flange.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution adds a stacking dimension to the flange structure, transitioning from a single-plane thick flange to a multi-layered configuration. This dimensional change allows the achievement of equivalent or superior strength through increased moment of inertia, while each individual layer remains manufacturable with standard processes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a multipart shear wall design is implemented, then the bending resistance improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The shear wall is segmented into two manageable elements that can be manufactured and prepared separately, then assembled through a standardized welding process. This segmentation improves structural stability by reducing bending while keeping the manufacturing process divided into discrete, controllable steps rather than requiring complex monolithic fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
Two separately manufactured elements are merged through welding to form the complete shear wall assembly. This merging process, while adding an assembly step, allows for modular manufacturing where each element can be produced using standard processes, and the welding operation is a routine connection method that balances the increased assembly steps with manufacturing flexibility and quality control.
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 two-part construction significantly enhances the strength and stiffness of the shear wall, reducing bending and stress on the battery module during vertical accelerations, ensuring better structural integrity and stability.
Implementation Method 1
the first element and the second element are welded together at the interface along a path proximal to and along the lateral side of the assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A battery system for providing electric power to a vehicle includes an assembly having battery cells. The battery system also includes a shear wall that is arranged along a lateral side of the assembly to provide structural support. The shear wall is two-part, including a first element and a second element, both of which may be formed from sheet metal and welded together. The first element has a first flange extending away from the lateral side of the assembly, and the second element has a second flange. The first flange and the second flange are layered together to form an interface. The flanges are welded together at the interface, proximal to the assembly, to form a resulting flange that is thicker than either individual flange and that may be mounted to a frame member. The battery system may also include another shear wall on the opposite lateral side.