Deformable Cooling Conduits for Battery Pack Impact Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicles with undercarriage-mounted battery packs face risks of thermal runaway and damage from road debris or collisions, which can lead to catastrophic battery pack fires, necessitating enhanced protection measures beyond conventional shielding techniques.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack protection system utilizing deformable cooling conduits made from plastic polymers, interposed between the battery pack and the enclosure panel, which absorb impact energy and include coolant channels to manage heat, combined with a ballistic shield and compressible materials for additional protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ballistic shield is mounted under the battery pack to protect from road debris, then protection against external damage is improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling conduits are designed to serve dual purposes: providing thermal management during normal operation and absorbing impact energy during collisions. This eliminates the need for separate protective structures, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the cooling function and impact protection function into a single integrated structure. The cooling conduits are positioned and designed to simultaneously remove heat from batteries and deform to absorb impact energy, merging two separate protection mechanisms into one.
2Strength
If rigid shielding structures are used to protect the battery pack, then impact resistance is improved, but the ability to absorb impact energy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling conduits are made from materials with specific mechanical properties that allow them to deform plastically under impact while maintaining sufficient structural integrity. By changing the material parameters and conduit geometry, the system achieves both impact resistance and energy absorption capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable cooling conduits act as pre-positioned energy absorbers between the battery pack and potential impact sources. These conduits are designed to deform first during impact, cushioning the battery pack from direct impact forces before the force can reach critical components.
3Strength
If the cooling conduits are made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then structural strength is improved, but the impact energy absorption capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling conduit system incorporates regions of varying structural properties. Certain sections are designed with thinner walls or geometric features that facilitate deformation for energy absorption, while other sections maintain sufficient thickness and reinforcement to preserve overall structural integrity and coolant flow paths.
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 system effectively absorbs impact energy, regulates battery temperature, and reduces the risk of thermal runaway, providing tailored protection for various vehicle designs by managing deformation zones and coolant flow to prevent damage and potential fires.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling conduits are configured to deform and absorb impact energy when an object, such as road debris, strikes the lower surface of the lower battery pack enclosure panel
Implementation Method 2
The deformable cooling conduits include one or more coolant channels that may utilize either a circular or non-circular cross-section. The coolant flowing within the coolant channels flows within a plane that is substantially parallel to the lower battery pack enclosure panel
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack protection system is provided for use with an electric vehicle in which the battery pack is mounted under the car. The system utilizes a plurality of deformable cooling conduits located between the lower surface of the batteries within the battery pack and the lower battery pack enclosure panel. The cooling conduits are configured to deform and absorb impact energy when an object, such as road debris, strikes the lower surface of the lower battery pack enclosure panel. Further protection may be achieved by positioning a ballistic shield, alone or with a layer of compressible material, under the bottom surface of the battery pack.