Cell-to-Pack Battery Open Frame With Multisided Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery pack designs for electric and hybrid electric vehicles face challenges with complex manufacturing processes, increased costs, and reduced robustness due to closed frame enclosures, side cooling, and integrated electrical components, which affect performance and serviceability.
Innovation Solution
A cell-to-pack battery pack design using an open frame enclosure with a separate electrical box, integrated cooling manifold, and enhanced thermal management system, featuring modular construction, multisided cooling, and vent gas collection, which simplifies manufacturing and improves performance and serviceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a closed frame enclosure is used, then structural robustness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into separate functional modules: an open frame enclosure providing structural support, a separate electrical box containing electrical components, and an integrated cooling manifold. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured and assembled independently, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining structural robustness through the dedicated frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Electrical components are extracted from the main enclosure and placed in a separate electrical box, while the frame enclosure focuses solely on providing structural support. This separation of functions simplifies the manufacturing process for each component and reduces the complexity of integrating multiple functions into a single structure.
2Volume of moving object
If electrical components are integrated into the enclosure, then device compactness is improved, but serviceability and manufacturing complexity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is segmented into distinct functional areas: the open frame enclosure for structural support, a separate electrical box for electrical components, and an integrated cooling manifold. This segmentation allows electrical components to be accessed and serviced independently without disassembling the entire enclosure, improving serviceability while maintaining a compact overall design through efficient spatial arrangement.
3Temperature
If side cooling is used, then thermal management is provided, but manufacturing precision and robustness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged with the frame enclosure to create an integrated cooling manifold that forms part of the structural framework. This integration eliminates the need for separate cooling channels in the enclosure walls, reducing manufacturing precision requirements while providing effective thermal management through the manifold structure.
4Device complexity
If an open frame enclosure is used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but structural robustness may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The open frame enclosure is designed as a dedicated structural framework that provides robust support for the battery modules and cooling manifold. By segmenting the structural support function from the electrical housing, the frame can be optimized for strength and rigidity using simple, manufacturable components, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining structural robustness.
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 design achieves reduced complexity, lower costs, improved thermal management, and enhanced robustness, resulting in a high-performance battery pack with extended life and efficient space utilization.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal management system having a plurality of cooling plates that includes first and second cooling plates, the first and second cooling plates sandwich the one or more cells in the cell arrangement
Data Source
AI summary
In implementations, a high-voltage power system may include circuitry and a cell-to-pack battery that is operatively connected to the circuitry. The cell-to-pack battery has: a cell arrangement including one or more cells, the cell arrangement configured to store energy for conversion into electrical energy for use in the high-voltage power system; a thermal management system having at least one of a first cooling plate arranged at a first side of the cell arrangement and a second cooling plate is arranged at a second side of the cell arrangement; and a modular open frame with which to secure the cell arrangement and the thermal management system, the modular open frame including a manifold for vent gas collection and an electrical box that houses a majority of electrical components for the battery pack, each of the manifold and the electrical box being connectible to the cell arrangement.