Battery Disconnect Busbar Cooling With Integrated Heat Dissipation Sheet

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery disconnect units face limitations in heat dissipation performance due to structural restrictions, particularly in increasing the cross-sectional area of the busbar to manage higher energization currents in electric vehicles, which hinders efficient heat dissipation.

Innovation Solution

A battery disconnect unit is designed with a heat dissipation sheet integrated with the busbar, a cooling plate, and a heat transfer pad, where the busbar is embedded in the sheet and the cooling plate features a cooling flow path with an inlet and outlet, allowing for enhanced heat dissipation while minimizing the busbar's cross-sectional area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the cross-sectional area of the busbar is increased to manage higher energization currents, then the heat dissipation performance is improved, but the structural restrictions within the battery disconnect unit prevent further increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoidcross-sectional area of busbar

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The busbar is integrated with the heat dissipation sheet through insert injection, merging the electrical conductor function with the thermal management function into a single unified structure. This allows the busbar to serve dual purposes: electrical current transmission and heat dissipation, thereby improving heat dissipation performance without requiring additional space for separate cooling components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat dissipation sheet is made of a thermally conductive material that is insert-injected together with the busbar, creating a composite structure. This composite material approach enables effective heat transfer from the busbar to the cooling plate while maintaining the electrical conductivity of the busbar, resolving the contradiction between electrical performance and thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Device complexity

If the busbar cross-sectional area is reduced to meet structural restrictions, then the device complexity is reduced, but the heat dissipation performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidheat dissipation performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

By combining the busbar and heat dissipation sheet into a single integrated component through insert injection, the invention eliminates the need for separate cooling structures, thereby reducing device complexity while simultaneously improving heat dissipation performance through the thermally conductive material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If a separate heat transfer pad is added between the cooling plate and busbar, then the heat dissipation performance is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heat transfer pad is integrated with the busbar through insert injection, merging what would be a separate component into a unified structure. This eliminates the need for additional assembly steps and reduces device complexity while maintaining the heat transfer function through the thermally conductive material.

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 configuration improves heat dissipation performance by effectively transferring heat from the busbar to the cooling plate through the heat dissipation sheet and heat transfer pad, maintaining efficient cooling even with reduced busbar size, thus addressing the structural limitations of conventional units.

Implementation Method 1

heat generated from the busbar can be dissipated at the cooling plate via the heat transfer pad

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the cooling plate features a cooling flow path with an inlet and outlet, allowing for enhanced heat dissipation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

heat generated from the busbar can be dissipated at the cooling plate via the heat transfer pad

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS20230335872A1Battery disconnect unit and battery pack including the same

Publication Date: 2023.10.19 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

A battery disconnect unit includes a contactor; a busbar electrically connected to the contactor; a heat dissipation sheet insert-injected together with at least a part of the busbar; and a cooling plate located under the heat dissipation sheet, wherein an end portion of the busbar is electrically connected to the contactor.