Dual-Cell Cooling Channel Layout for Thermal Runaway Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling devices for electrochemical cells, particularly Li-ion cells, face challenges in managing temperature efficiently and preventing thermal runaway, which can lead to overheating of adjacent cells, and they often have bulkiness and high weight issues.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a cooling body that has alternating open and closed channel sections for a cooling liquid, allowing flow direction and heat transfer between two adjacent electrochemical cells, utilizing a dielectric fluid and incorporating a phase-change material buffer to manage thermal energy effectively, with a compact and lightweight design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling devices are used for electrochemical cells, then temperature management is achieved, but the devices are bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device is divided into two separate cooling bodies, each dedicated to cooling one electrochemical cell. This segmentation allows for a more compact and lightweight design compared to a single large cooling system, as each cooling body can be optimized independently and only cools the specific cell it contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
Each cooling body serves multiple functions: it cools the electrochemical cell through thermal contact, contains the cooling liquid within its channels, and prevents thermal runaway by isolating heat between cells. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby reducing overall device weight.
2Temperature
If conventional cooling devices are used for electrochemical cells, then temperature management is achieved, but the devices have large bulk
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the cooling system into two separate cooling bodies, each contacting a specific cell, the overall volume is reduced. Each cooling body can be compact and tailored to the specific cell geometry, avoiding the need for a large centralized cooling structure that would be required to cool multiple cells from a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are integrated within the cooling bodies themselves, with the cooling liquid flowing through channels that are nested within the solid cooling structure. This nesting allows the cooling function to be embedded within the cooling body volume rather than requiring separate external cooling components.
3Reliability
If thermal management is implemented to prevent thermal runaway, then cell safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into independent cooling bodies for each cell, which simplifies the overall design by eliminating the need for complex inter-cell heat transfer mechanisms. Each cooling body independently manages its cell's temperature, reducing system complexity while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling liquid acts as an intermediary that absorbs heat from the electrochemical cell and transfers it to the cooling body structure. This intermediary mechanism provides a simple and reliable way to manage thermal runaway risk without requiring complex active cooling systems or sensors.
4Temperature
If cooling channels are designed to allow heat transfer between cells, then thermal management efficiency is improved, but the risk of thermal runaway propagation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system uses separate cooling bodies for each cell, creating thermal isolation between cells. While each cooling body efficiently manages its own cell's temperature, the segmentation prevents heat from propagating to neighboring cells, thereby eliminating thermal runaway propagation risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful heat that could cause thermal runaway propagation is extracted from the system through the cooling liquid and cooling bodies. By removing the heat at its source in each individual cooling body rather than allowing it to transfer between cells, the dangerous thermal propagation is prevented.
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 solution effectively manages temperature across electrochemical cell modules, reduces the risk of thermal runaway, and achieves efficient thermal management with a compact and lightweight design, utilizing a dielectric fluid and phase-change material to regulate heat transfer between cells.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling channel suitable for containing a cooling liquid; the cooling channel including first open channel sections which are suitable for being closed by a wall of the first electrochemical cell and the cooling channel including second open channel sections suitable for being closed by a wall of the second electrochemical cell
Implementation Method 2
the cooling device comprises a buffer housing comprising a thermal buffer of phase-change material
Data Source
AI summary
A device for cooling two adjacent electrochemical cells, characterized in that the cooling device comprises a cooling body provided with a first body face suitable for being in contact with a first electrochemical cell and a second body face suitable for being in contact with a second electrochemical cell, and with a cooling channel suitable for containing a cooling liquid. The cooling channel has first open channel sections which are suitable for being closed by a wall of the first electrochemical cell and the cooling channel comprises second open channel sections which are suitable for being closed by a wall of the second electrochemical cell.