Battery Module Stack Structure for Cooling and Swelling Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium secondary battery modules and packs face challenges in cooling performance, leading to potential overheating, accelerated cell deterioration, and increased risk of explosion or ignition, especially in large-scale applications like vehicle batteries, due to inadequate heat dissipation in densely packed configurations.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a battery cell stack with protruding electrode leads, covered by sensing blocks and an elastic member, and a thermal conductive resin layer in the battery pack, which simplifies heat transfer paths and prevents deformation, while guiding high and low voltage connections and protecting cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a large number of battery cells are stacked to form a battery module for high output, then capacity and output are improved, but heat dissipation becomes difficult and temperature rises excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is divided into multiple battery cell stacks arranged in parallel. Each stack is an independent unit that can be cooled individually, preventing heat accumulation in a single dense configuration while maintaining high overall output capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single vertical stacking arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration with multiple stacks arranged side-by-side. This spatial redistribution increases the surface area for heat dissipation and allows cooling systems to access heat sources from multiple directions, effectively managing thermal load while maintaining high power output.
2Volume of moving object
If battery cells are densely packed to improve space utilization, then compactness is improved, but cooling performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dense packing is achieved through segmentation into multiple compact stacks rather than a single large block. This allows cooling channels to be integrated within or between stacks, maintaining high space utilization while ensuring adequate thermal management pathways.
3Reliability
If the lower surface of the battery cell stack is covered to protect cells, then protection is improved, but heat transfer path is complicated and cooling performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lower surface covering is removed or extracted from the design. Instead of enclosing the lower surface, the patent exposes it to create a direct heat transfer path to the cooling system, prioritizing thermal management over protective enclosure at this specific location.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the battery cell stack and the cooling system. This plate provides both structural support and an efficient thermal conduction pathway, enabling effective heat transfer from the exposed lower surface while maintaining system integrity.
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 enhances cooling performance, suppresses cell swelling, and ensures effective heat dissipation, reducing the risk of overheating and explosion, while allowing for a more compact and efficient battery pack configuration.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal conductive resin layer that is located between the battery module and the bottom part of the pack frame
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells including electrode leads are stacked; a first sensing block and a second sensing block that cover the front surface and the rear surface of the battery cell stack from which the electrode leads protrude; and an elastic member that covers both side surfaces of the first sensing block, the second sensing block, and the battery cell stack, wherein each of the first sensing block and the second sensing block includes an outer protrusion part that protrudes in a direction opposite to a direction in which the battery cell stack is located.