Cold Plate Flow Channel Layout for Uniform Cooling and Low Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cold plate systems for battery cooling suffer from temperature variance and high pressure drops, leading to inefficient heat transfer and increased costs due to the need for high coolant flow rates and heavy, power-intensive pumps.
Innovation Solution
A high efficiency cold plate system is designed with parallel fluid jets and optimized fluid paths to reduce pressure drops and maintain consistent temperatures across the active surface, using input and output plenums with orifice plates to ensure uniform coolant flow and convective heat transfer, and potentially made from carbon composite materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional loop style cold plate systems are used, then fluid can circulate to cool batteries, but fluid temperature varies significantly across the active surface leading to hot spots and decreased heat transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The cold plate is segmented into multiple flow channels with internal members dividing the interior region, allowing fluid to flow through multiple parallel paths rather than a single loop. This segmentation ensures that fluid reaches all areas of the active surface with more uniform temperature, eliminating hot spots and improving heat transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Internal members are strategically positioned to create localized flow patterns that address specific thermal requirements different areas of the battery pack may have. The fluid flow path is optimized locally to ensure adequate cooling at each position on the active surface.
2Temperature
If coolant flow rate is increased to cool all hot spots, then temperature uniformity improves, but system pressure drop increases requiring heavier, more power-intensive pumps
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the flow into multiple parallel channels, the pressure drop in each individual channel is reduced while maintaining adequate flow rates for effective cooling. This allows achieving temperature uniformity without requiring excessively high overall flow rates that would demand powerful, energy-intensive pumps.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid path design optimizes hydraulic flow characteristics to minimize pressure drops. The internal members and channel geometry are configured to promote efficient fluid circulation, reducing the energy required by pumps while maintaining effective cooling across the entire active surface.
3Quantity of substance
If higher system pressure drops are accepted, then coolant flow rates can be maintained, but pump weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple parallel flow channels reduce the burden on any single channel, allowing adequate coolant flow rates to be achieved with lower overall system pressure drops. This eliminates the need for heavy, high-power pumps while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flow distribution parameters by introducing internal members that create multiple flow paths. This parameter change allows the system to operate at lower pressure drops while maintaining adequate flow rates, reducing pump weight and power consumption.
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 achieves stable pressure and temperature across the cold plate system, reducing the power required for pumping and enhancing convective heat transfer, thereby improving cooling efficiency and reducing system costs.
Implementation Method 1
The flat surface may cool the device by transferring heat from a device, such as a battery, to fluid
Implementation Method 2
using input and output plenums with orifice plates to ensure uniform coolant flow
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for a high efficiency cold plate system. A high efficiency cold plate system may include an interior surface. A heat source may be configured adjacent to a lower portion of the interior surface. The interior surface may enclose an interior region. The interior surface may also include members extending across the interior surface. The members may be separated by an orifice. The members and interior surface may defined an inlet region and an outlet region. The inlet and outlet regions may be fluidly joined by an orifice separating the members extending across the interior surface. The members may be angled relative to a lower portion of the interior surface. Angling the members may allow the system to constrain and direct fluid flowing through the system to achieve efficient cooling.