Busbar Cooling Channels for Uniform Battery Pack Temperature
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for electric energy storage devices, such as batteries in electric vehicles, face challenges in maintaining uniform temperature distribution, leading to uneven heat dissipation and reduced lifespan due to non-homogeneous heat generation, where the center of the device often reaches higher temperatures than the ends.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of busbar cooling channels integrated into or on the busbars, coupled with a cooling system that includes a heat exchanger and coolant control elements, allows for targeted coolant flow to hotspots, ensuring even heat dissipation and maintaining optimal temperatures across the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cooling channel is used to cool the entire electric energy storage device, then the cooling system is simple, but the temperature distribution becomes non-uniform with the center reaching higher temperatures than the ends
Solution Approach 1:
The single cooling channel is divided into multiple independent cooling channels (first cooling channel and second cooling channel) that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows different flow rates to be applied to different regions of the battery pack, enabling uniform temperature distribution across the entire device while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular channel design.
Solution Approach 2:
Different flow rates are applied to different cooling channels based on local temperature requirements. The first cooling channel serves regions with lower heat generation while the second cooling channel serves regions with higher heat generation, creating a non-uniform cooling strategy that matches the local thermal characteristics of different battery regions.
2Ease of operation
If uniform coolant flow rate is maintained throughout the cooling channel, then the cooling system is easy to control, but the center regions of the battery pack experience higher temperatures and wear out more quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system transitions from a static uniform flow rate to a dynamic variable flow rate system. Flow rates in different cooling channels are adjusted dynamically based on real-time temperature measurements from multiple thermal sensors, allowing the system to adapt to changing thermal conditions and prevent localized overheating that would reduce battery lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal sensors positioned at different locations within the battery pack provide feedback on local temperatures. This feedback is used to automatically adjust the coolant flow rates in corresponding cooling channels, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains optimal temperatures and prevents premature wear of battery cells in high-temperature regions.
3Quantity of substance
If the battery pack size is increased to provide more energy storage, then the energy capacity increases, but temperature variations become more significant and cooling effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The enlarged battery pack is divided into multiple cooling zones with independent cooling channels, allowing each region to be cooled independently. This segmentation ensures that even as the battery pack size increases to provide more energy storage, the thermal management system can maintain uniform temperature distribution by addressing each region's cooling needs separately rather than relying on a single overwhelmed cooling channel.
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 solution enables more uniform temperature distribution across the electric energy storage device, prolonging its lifespan and improving continuous performance by effectively managing heat dissipation, especially in regions prone to high temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
coolant in the cooling system is configured to flow through each respective busbar cooling channel
Implementation Method 2
flowing coolant along the inside of hollow busbars
Implementation Method 3
a cooling system including a heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for cooling an electric energy storage device. In some examples, a system includes an electric energy storage device comprising a plurality of battery cells, and a plurality of busbars coupled to the electric energy storage device, each busbar including a respective busbar cooling channel fluidly coupled to a cooling system including a heat exchanger, wherein coolant in the cooling system is configured to flow through each respective busbar cooling channel.