Integrated Battery Tray Cooling Channels for EV Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery trays for electric and hybrid-electric vehicles lack efficient integrated cooling systems, leading to inefficient heat management and potential damage from varying climates and impacts.
Innovation Solution
A battery tray with integrally formed coolant channels and supplemental cooling elements, such as cooling plates, that are designed to draw heat away from battery modules, providing a consistent cross-sectional profile and efficient coolant distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid coolant is pumped through a separate cooling system with channels formed in a cooling plate, then battery cooling is achieved, but the device complexity increases due to additional cooling plates and manifolds required for each battery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling system with the battery tray by integrating coolant flow channels directly into the tray structure. The tray includes a first portion with a first coolant flow channel and a second portion with a second coolant flow channel, eliminating the need for separate cooling plates and manifolds for each battery. This merging of functions reduces device complexity while maintaining effective battery cooling.
2Temperature
If multiple separate cooling plates and manifolds are used for each battery, then cooling coverage is improved, but the quantity of substance increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is merged with the battery tray structure, where the tray itself serves as the cooling component. The first and second coolant flow channels are formed directly in the first and second portions of the tray, respectively. This integration eliminates the need for multiple separate cooling plates and manifolds, reducing the quantity of substance while ensuring comprehensive cooling coverage for all batteries.
3Temperature
If separate cooling systems are used for each battery, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase due to assembly of multiple precision components
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is integrated into the battery tray as a unified structure, with coolant flow channels formed directly in the tray portions. This integration eliminates the need to assemble multiple separate cooling components, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining effective cooling performance for all batteries.
4Temperature
If additional cooling plates and manifolds are added to the system, then battery cooling capacity is improved, but the weight of moving object increases due to additional metal components
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is combined with the battery tray structure, eliminating the need for additional separate cooling plates and manifolds. The tray portions themselves serve as the cooling components, reducing the overall weight of the moving object while maintaining adequate cooling capacity for all batteries through the integrated coolant flow channels.
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
Enhances heat management and protection of battery modules by reducing coolant lines within the tray area, ensuring effective cooling and impact resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a coolant is pumped through a cooling system having channels formed in a cooling plate
Implementation Method 2
the cooling system integrated with the battery tray facilitates heat transfer from the batteries to the coolant
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 2A
Figure 3~3A
AI summary
A battery support tray for an electric vehicle includes a tray floor structure that has an upper surface that is configured to interface with battery modules. The battery support tray also includes a plurality of cooling features that integrally extend along portions of the tray floor structure that are configured to draw heat away from the battery modules supported at the upper surface of the tray floor structure. The tray floor structure may also have a cross-sectional profile that is substantially consistent longitudinally along a length of the tray floor structure or laterally across a width of the tray floor structure, such as formed from extruding a metal, such as an aluminum alloy.