Counter-Flow Battery Heat Exchanger for Uniform Cell Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery thermal management systems face challenges in achieving temperature uniformity across the surface of heat exchangers, leading to inconsistent cooling of battery cells and the need for adaptable heat exchanger designs that can accommodate varying battery unit sizes without costly tooling changes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a counter-flow heat exchanger design with staggered fluid flow passages and manifold arrangements, such as two-pass or U-flow configurations, to enhance temperature uniformity and improve thermal management by counteracting temperature differentials within the heat exchanger surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If coolant flows through heat exchanger channels in conventional configuration, then heat removal from battery cells is achieved, but temperature differential across the heat exchanger surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional parallel flow configuration by implementing counter-flow where coolant enters at opposite ends of adjacent channels. This reversal of flow direction allows the coldest coolant to contact the hottest battery cell regions, equalizing temperature distribution across the heat exchanger surface and reducing thermal gradients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow arrangement parameter from parallel to counter-flow configuration. This parameter modification fundamentally alters the thermal interaction pattern between coolant and battery cells, transforming the temperature profile from differential to uniform across the heat exchanger surface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If heat exchanger size is changed to accommodate different battery unit sizes, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to tooling changes
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is designed with modular channel configurations that can accommodate various battery unit sizes using the same basic tooling. The counter-flow arrangement and channel geometry are configured to be universally applicable across different scale applications, allowing one tooling setup to produce heat exchangers for multiple battery sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger channels are designed as segmented, interchangeable modules that can be arranged in different configurations. This segmentation allows the same tooling to produce various channel arrangements suitable for different battery unit sizes, maintaining manufacturing consistency while achieving adaptability.
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 counter-flow design improves temperature uniformity across the heat exchanger surface, ensuring consistent cooling of battery cells and accommodating various battery unit sizes without requiring extensive tooling modifications.
Implementation Method 1
the battery cell heat exchanger dissipating heat in rechargeable battery units
Implementation Method 2
the coolant travelling through the heat exchangers removes thermal energy from the battery cells
Data Source
Figure 1~1A
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A heat exchanger for thermal management of battery units made-up of plurality of battery cells or battery cell containers housing one or more battery cells is disclosed. The heat exchanger has a main body portion defining at least one primary heat transfer surface for surface-to-surface contact with a corresponding surface of at least one of the battery cells or containers. A plurality of alternating first and second fluid flow passages are formed within the main body portion each defining a flow direction, the flow direction through the first fluid flow passages being generally opposite to the flow direction through the second fluid flow passages providing a counter-flow heat exchanger. In some embodiments the heat exchanger has a two pairs of inlet and outlet manifolds, the heat exchanger providing a single-pass, counter-flow arrangement. In other embodiments the first and second fluid flow passages are interconnected by turn portions forming a U-flow, counter-flow heat exchanger.