Integrated Busbar Cooling Duct for EV Battery Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of electric vehicle battery packs faces challenges in ensuring reliable electrical connections and efficient cooling while minimizing costs and maximizing safety, particularly in assembling thousands of individual battery cells into modular packs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a busbar with an integral busbar cooling duct that allows for the flow of a refrigerant, which is connected to a heat exchanger, to facilitate thermal management and eliminate the need for separate cooling components, thereby simplifying the design and enhancing the reliability of the battery pack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If separate cooling components are used for battery pack cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the cooling duct directly into the busbar structure, merging the electrical connection function and thermal management function into a single component. This eliminates the need for separate cooling components while maintaining effective cooling, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The busbar is designed to perform multiple functions: electrical connection and thermal management. The integral cooling duct within the busbar allows the same component to conduct electricity and cool the battery pack, achieving multi-functionality without increasing complexity
2Reliability
If multiple separate components are used for electrical connections and cooling, then functional reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the electrical connection function and cooling function into a single integrated busbar component, the patent reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled. This integration maintains reliable electrical connections while simplifying manufacturing processes and reducing costs
3Device complexity
If integral busbar cooling duct is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced and design is simplified, but cooling effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling duct is strategically integrated within the busbar structure at locations optimized for thermal management. The duct positioning and dimensions are designed to maximize cooling effectiveness while maintaining the electrical connection function, ensuring that local thermal requirements are met without compromising overall cooling performance
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 efficient thermal management, increases the service life of the battery pack, and reduces manufacturing costs by integrating cooling directly into the busbar, ensuring reliable electrical connections and improved safety.
Implementation Method 1
the busbar cooling duct is in thermal connection with the plurality of contacts
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger fluidly connected to at least one of the entrance and the exit of the busbar cooling duct
Implementation Method 3
a refrigerant contained within the heat exchanger and the busbar cooling duct
Data Source
AI summary
A rechargeable battery system, a battery pack, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed herein. The rechargeable battery system and/or battery pack can be for an electric vehicle. The rechargeable battery system and/or battery pack can include a plurality of battery cells arranged into one or more rows and a busbar. The battery cells can each include a first terminal and a second terminal, and the plurality of battery cells can include a subset of battery cells with the first terminal oriented in a same direction. The busbar can be conductive so as to be able to conduct electrical energy to and from at least the subset of battery cells. The busbar can define a busbar cooling duct having an entrance and an exit. The busbar cooling duct can in thermal connection with a plurality of contacts of the busbar.