Cell Contacting System with Integrated Degassing and Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell contacting systems for energy storage devices, particularly in electric vehicles, face challenges in simplifying assembly while ensuring operational reliability, temperature control, and safe degassing, often resulting in complex and costly constructions that can be damaged by escaping gases.
Innovation Solution
A cell contacting system integrating cell connectors, a degassing channel, temperature control channels, and open-loop/closed-loop control electronics within a modular structure, featuring a support structure with molded channels and protective layers, allowing for pre-assembly and simplified mounting, and including temperature sensors with elastic contact elements for reliable thermal contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cell connectors, degassing channels, temperature control channels, and control electronics are integrated into a single modular cell contacting system, then assembly is simplified and operational reliability is enhanced, but the device complexity increases due to the multi-functional integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates cell connectors, degassing channels, temperature control channels, and control electronics into a single modular cell contacting system. This merging of previously separate components into one unified structure enables pre-assembly and simplified mounting onto energy storage cells, directly resolving the contradiction by improving assembly productivity while managing complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The cell contacting system is designed as a multi-functional module that simultaneously performs electrical connection, degassing, temperature control, and monitoring functions. This universal design allows a single component to replace multiple separate systems, enhancing productivity through reduced assembly steps while the modular architecture manages the inherent complexity through standardized interfaces.
2Manufacturing precision
If a support structure with molded degassing channels and temperature control channels is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to the complexity of molding multi-channel structures
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure incorporates molded channels including degassing channels and temperature control channels directly into its geometry. This integration of flow paths into the structural material itself achieves high manufacturing precision for channel geometry while the molding process, though complex, enables monolithic production that eliminates subsequent assembly steps, ultimately improving ease of manufacture through single-step fabrication.
3Reliability
If control electronics are protected from escaping gases, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for protective structures
Solution Approach 1:
The control electronics are nested within the modular cell contacting system structure, which provides inherent protection from escaping gases. The degassing channels are configured to direct gases away from the electronics compartment, and the integrated design allows the protective function to be achieved through the system's own architecture rather than adding separate protective structures, thus improving reliability while minimizing complexity increase.
4Measurement precision
If temperature sensors with elastic contact elements are used to ensure reliable thermal contact, then measurement precision is improved, but the ease of operation increases due to the need for precise sensor placement
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensors incorporate elastic contact elements that automatically adjust their contact pressure with the energy storage cell surfaces. This elastic property allows the sensors to compensate for surface irregularities and maintain reliable thermal contact without requiring precise manual placement, thereby achieving high measurement precision while actually simplifying the ease of operation through self-adjusting contact mechanics.
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
The solution simplifies assembly, enhances operational reliability, and reduces costs by integrating multiple functions into a single module, while protecting electronics from gases and ensuring effective temperature control and degassing, thus improving the safety and efficiency of energy storage devices.
Implementation Method 1
at least one temperature control channel for conducting a fluid for controlling the temperature of the energy storage cells and/or the cell connectors
Implementation Method 2
at least one temperature sensor with an elastic contact element for contacting the energy storage cells
Data Source
AI summary
A cell contacting system is provided for energy storage cells of an energy storage device, in particular an energy storage device for a vehicle. The system contains a plurality of cell connectors for electrically contacting pole contacts of the energy storage cells, at least one degassing channel for discharging gases escaping from the energy storage cells, at least one temperature control channel for conducting a fluid for controlling the temperature of the energy storage cells and/or the cell connectors, and open-loop and/or closed-loop control electronics for open-loop and/or closed-loop control of the energy storage cells of the energy storage device.