Extruded Cold Plate Channels for Uniform Battery Module Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal management systems for battery packs are limited in maintaining battery cells within a desirable temperature range, controlling maximum and minimum cell temperatures, and ensuring a limited range of thermal variability, leading to inefficiencies and potential premature failure due to excess heat generation.
Innovation Solution
A cold plate apparatus with extruded channels and manifolds, integrated with a flow directing structure, is manufactured using an extrusion process, allowing for efficient fluid flow and thermal management by minimizing thermal resistance and maintaining consistent temperature across the battery pack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thermal management systems are used for battery packs, then basic cooling function is provided, but the ability to maintain battery cells within desirable temperature range and control thermal variability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cold plate is divided into multiple channels that extend linearly from first end to second end, with each channel capable of receiving battery cells. This segmentation allows independent thermal management of different cell groups, improving temperature control and reducing thermal variability across the battery pack.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold plate features localized manifolds at opposite ends with ports for fluid inlet and outlet, creating targeted flow distribution zones. The linear channels provide uniform thermal contact along the length of the plate, ensuring consistent cooling performance across different locations of the battery pack.
2Ease of manufacture
If extrusion process is used to manufacture cold plate, then manufacturing efficiency and consistency are improved, but complex flow directing structures may be difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold structures and channels are integrated into a single extruded cold plate component, combining multiple functions (fluid distribution, thermal management, structural support) into one piece. This merging simplifies manufacturing while maintaining effective flow directing capabilities through the linear channel design.
3Temperature
If linear channels extending from first end to second end are used, then thermal resistance is minimized and temperature consistency is improved, but fluid flow distribution may become uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold structures at both ends of the cold plate create a feedback mechanism for fluid flow distribution. By positioning manifolds at opposite ends with inlet and outlet ports, the system ensures balanced fluid distribution across all linear channels, maintaining both temperature consistency and flow efficiency.
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 effectively manages thermal variability, reduces thermal resistance, and ensures consistent temperature across the battery pack, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of battery packs by efficiently removing heat and maintaining optimal operating conditions.
Implementation Method 1
efficiently removing heat and maintaining optimal operating conditions
Implementation Method 2
channels that extend from a first end of the plate, linearly, to a second end of the plate... for inlet of a working fluid to the first manifold
Data Source
AI summary
A cold plate for a battery may comprise channels that extend from a first end of the plate to a second end of the plate or from a first side of the plate to a second side of the plate, the channels are located in parallel with each other and between the top surface and the bottom surface. The channels may be separated from each other by walls. The plate may be milled to form a first manifold on each end. The plate may also be milled to form notches in the surface(s) over the manifold. A port for the inlet and a port for the outlet of a working fluid may be inserted into the notches. The plate may have end caps, and the end caps and the ports may be welded or brazed to form a sealed enclosure. In various embodiment, the plate is an extruded plate, a cast plate, or a stamped/formed plate.