Cooling Device With Conductive Foil For Battery Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling devices for energy storage units in motor vehicles face challenges in achieving effective heat transfer while allowing for easy dismounting of battery modules without causing damage, as current gap fillers require high compression forces and can lead to adhesive issues that hinder removal.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device design that incorporates a thermally conductive foil and a filling layer, where the filling layer spreads to create a large-area thermal connection with reduced forces and the foil reduces adhesive effects, enabling easy separation of the energy storage unit from the cooling device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gap pads are compressed to ensure complete compensation of tolerances, then thermal connection uniformity is improved, but strong forces are required that cannot readily be absorbed by the supporting surface
Solution Approach 1:
A thermally conductive foil is introduced as an intermediary layer between the gap filler and the battery module. The foil spreads out under low compression forces to provide large-area thermal contact, while the gap filler compensates for tolerances. This mediator approach allows achieving uniform thermal connection without requiring strong compression forces that the supporting surface cannot absorb.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a thermally conductive foil (thin film) that can flex and spread out over the supporting surface. This flexible thin film adapts to surface irregularities and provides consistent thermal contact area without requiring high compression forces, thereby resolving the contradiction between thermal connection uniformity and force requirements.
2Reliability
If gap pads are compressed to compensate tolerances, then thermal connection is improved, but the components stick or create cohesion between components, impeding or preventing their removal
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal connection system is segmented into three distinct functional layers: a gap filler layer for tolerance compensation, a thermally conductive foil layer for heat transfer, and a battery module. This segmentation allows the foil to provide thermal contact without the adhesive properties of gap pads, enabling easy dismounting while maintaining thermal connection during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally conductive foil acts as an intermediary between the gap filler and the battery module. It provides the necessary thermal contact area without creating adhesive bonds, thus maintaining reliable thermal connection during operation while allowing easy separation when dismounting is required.
3Area of stationary object
If gap pads are used to provide thermal connection, then thermal contact area is improved, but the components stick together, creating cohesion that hinders separation
Solution Approach 1:
A thin thermally conductive foil is used instead of thick gap pads. The foil's thin nature reduces adhesive effects while its flexibility allows it to spread out and provide large-area thermal contact. This enables maintaining good thermal connection during operation while facilitating easy separation when needed for servicing.
4Reliability
If thermally conductive adhesive is used to provide stable connection, then connection stability is improved, but electric insulation is lost
Solution Approach 1:
Different layers are assigned different functional qualities: the gap filler provides mechanical tolerance compensation, the thermally conductive foil provides thermal conduction and electrical insulation, and adhesive is applied only at specific locations (busbar connections) where stable electrical connection is needed. This local differentiation allows maintaining electrical insulation in most areas while providing stable connections where required.
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 solution enhances heat dissipation by preventing air gaps and allowing for easy disassembly with minimal force, ensuring the energy storage unit can be removed without damage while maintaining effective thermal contact.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive filling layer are arranged between the cooling plate and the energy storage unit... with the advantages already presented, namely that upon compression the spreading out ensures that the energy storage unit is connected to the cooling plate over a large area
Implementation Method 2
a cooling device for an energy storage unit, particularly for motor vehicles... a cooling plate to cool an energy storage unit. For this purpose the energy storage unit is in thermal contact with the cooling plate
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes a cooling device with a cooling plate for an energy storage unit to be cooled that is arranged or capable of being arranged thereupon and that is in thermal contact with the cooling plate, wherein a thermally conductive foil and a thermally conductive filler layer are arranged between the energy storage unit and the cooling plate.