Curved Vehicular Battery Pack Layout for Aerodynamic Floor Pans
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicular battery packs with planar surfaces cause aerodynamic inefficiencies and space wastage, particularly in high-performance vehicles, due to their flat lower surfaces and angled floor pans, which disrupt fluid flow and require unnecessary space.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular battery pack design featuring a curved floor pan with cylindrical cells arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis, maximizing space utilization and aerodynamic efficiency by minimizing detachments and optimizing the lift-to-drag ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the floor pan is made planar to accommodate battery modules, then space utilization is improved, but aerodynamic performance deteriorates due to fluid flow detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The floor pan is designed with a curved configuration instead of a planar surface. The curvature allows the floor pan to maintain aerodynamic flow attachment while providing sufficient volume for battery module accommodation. The curved surface follows the natural flow of air under the vehicle, preventing flow detachment that would occur with planar or angled surfaces.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the floor pan is angled to improve rear aerodynamic load, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but space utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using an angled planar surface that would create flow detachment and reduce rear aerodynamic load, the invention employs a curved floor pan that maintains smooth airflow attachment. The curvature allows the surface to gradually change direction, keeping the flow attached while maximizing the usable volume for battery modules.
3Ease of manufacture
If cylindrical batteries are arranged with longitudinal axis perpendicular to the floor pan, then manufacturing is simplified, but aerodynamic performance deteriorates due to increased height and flow detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The curved floor pan design allows cylindrical batteries to be arranged with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the curved surface. This arrangement maintains the manufacturing simplicity of vertical battery placement while the curved surface itself prevents flow detachment, thereby maintaining aerodynamic performance despite the increased height profile.
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 curved design enhances aerodynamic performance by maintaining fluid adherence, reduces drag, and maximizes battery capacity without wasting space, while being simple and cost-effective to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
the curved battery pack design improves aerodynamic performance by maintaining fluid adherence
Implementation Method 2
enhancing aerodynamic downforce and reducing drag
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicular battery pack (9) comprising a floor (12) configured to define, at least in part, a floor pan (10) of a road vehicle (1); cylindrical electrochemical cells (16), electrically connected to each other and arranged on the inner surface of the floor (12); each of the cylindrical electrochemical cells (16) comprises a lateral surface (17) having a circular cross-section extending along an axis (A) of symmetry; the floor (12) of the support structure (11) has an at least partially curved conformation, which deflects distancing itself from the ground (G) along the longitudinal axis (X) in a direction opposite a normal travel direction (D) of the road vehicle (1); wherein said electrochemical cells (16) are arranged with said respective lateral surface (17) in contact with the inner surface (13) of the floor (12) .