Battery Cell Terminal Cooling With Separate Thermal Contact Surfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current battery assemblies face inefficiencies in thermal management of electric battery cells, requiring significant energy for cooling or heating due to high thermal resistance between coolant channels and active cell components.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates separate thermal connection surfaces on the cell terminals that are thermally coupled to coolant channels, allowing for direct and efficient cooling or heating of electrodes and electrolytes with minimal thermal resistance, using plastic materials for lightweight and adaptable coolant channels and integrating electric conductors with coolant channels for compactness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If coolant channels are integrated into battery assemblies, then thermal management capability is improved, but thermal resistance between coolant and active cell components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal management capabilityVSAvoidthermal resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cell terminal is divided into two separate surfaces: an electric connection surface for electrical connectivity and a thermal connection surface for thermal management. This segmentation allows the coolant channel to be directly coupled to the thermal connection surface, minimizing thermal resistance while maintaining electrical functionality through the separate electric connection surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The thermal connection surface acts as an intermediary between the coolant channel and the active cell components (electrodes and electrolyte). This intermediary surface enables direct thermal coupling with minimal thermal resistance, facilitating efficient heat transfer from the active components to the coolant without interfering with electrical connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If separate thermal connection surfaces are added to cell terminals, then thermal management efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal management efficiencyVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cell terminal is designed to serve dual functions: the electric connection surface handles electrical connectivity while the thermal connection surface handles thermal management. This multi-functionality approach integrates thermal management capabilities into the existing terminal structure without adding separate components, thereby improving thermal efficiency while minimizing increases in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If coolant channels are thermally coupled to thermal connection surfaces, then cooling efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The coolant channel structure is merged with the thermal connection surface in an integral design, where the coolant channel is directly formed as part of the cell terminal assembly. This combining of functions into a single integrated component simplifies the manufacturing process by reducing the number of separate parts and assembly steps, while still achieving efficient thermal coupling between the coolant and active cell components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach enhances thermal management efficiency, reducing energy requirements for achieving cooling or heating effects and allowing for a more compact and structurally simple battery assembly, suitable for vehicle propulsion systems.

Implementation Method 1

heat from the battery cells is transferred into the coolant. If the coolant is used for heating, heat from the coolant is transferred into the battery cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

only a comparatively little thermal resistance exists between the thermal connection surface and the active parts of the battery cell

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS20240079680A1Battery assembly, electric battery cell, and vehicle

Publication Date: 2024.03.07 VOLVO CAR CORP

AI summary

The disclosure relates to a battery assembly comprising at least one electric battery cell and at least one coolant channel being configured to guide a coolant. The at least one electric battery cell comprises at least a first electrode being electrically connected to a first cell terminal and a second electrode being electrically connected to a second cell terminal. Moreover, each of the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal comprises an electric connection surface for electrically connecting the respective first cell terminal or second cell terminal and at least one of the first cell terminal or the second cell terminal comprises a thermal connection surface being separate from the respective electric connection surface. The coolant channel is thermally coupled to the thermal connection surface. Additionally, an electric battery cell for such a battery assembly is presented. Moreover, a vehicle comprising a battery assembly is explained.