Electric Vehicle Battery Thermal Management via Floor Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial vehicles powered by engines generate exhaust gas and noise, making it desirable to switch to electric power sources, but batteries are affected by heat generated by equipment like hydraulic pumps and electric motors, requiring effective heat management in limited space.
Innovation Solution
The industrial vehicle uses a lithium ion or organic radical battery housed in a planar battery storage area below the floor, with heat-generating equipment positioned above to dissipate heat upwards, and an oil cooler with a cooling fan to further reduce heat impact on the battery, allowing for efficient space utilization and simplified battery replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a battery is installed within the vehicle body frame together with hydraulic pump and electric motor, then space utilization is improved, but the battery is exposed to heat generated by equipment causing shortened battery life
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is relocated from a horizontal arrangement within the engine room to a vertical arrangement below the floor surface. This dimensional change allows the battery to occupy the unused space beneath the floor, separating it vertically from heat-generating equipment while maintaining compact overall vehicle dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is extracted from the engine room and placed in a dedicated battery storage part below the floor. This separation removes the battery from the thermal environment created by the engine, hydraulic pump, and electric motor, allowing independent thermal management of the battery system.
2Productivity
If equipment such as hydraulic pump and electric motor are operated, then work output is improved, but heat generation increases affecting battery performance
Solution Approach 1:
The heat generated by the hydraulic pump and electric motor during operation is allowed to rise naturally and be utilized for warming the battery when ambient temperatures are low. The thermal management system can selectively utilize this waste heat to maintain optimal battery operating temperature, converting a harmful effect into a beneficial one.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle thermal management system is segmented into separate zones: the engine room for heat-generating equipment and the battery storage part below the floor for thermal-sensitive components. This segmentation allows independent thermal control of each zone while enabling optional heat recovery from the engine room to benefit the battery.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If battery is disposed to avoid heat from equipment, then battery life is extended, but space for other equipment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The battery storage part is positioned below the floor surface, utilizing the vertical dimension rather than horizontal space. This allows the battery to be thermally isolated from equipment while the engine room above maintains full capacity for hydraulic pump, electric motor, and other components without spatial conflict.
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 configuration minimizes environmental impact by eliminating engine exhaust and noise, extends battery life, and provides increased space for other equipment, with lighter and faster-recharging batteries, while maintaining operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a battery storage part for storing the battery is formed in a planar shape below a floor surface of the vehicle body frame, and equipment that generates heat when operated is disposed within the vehicle body frame in a position above the battery so that heat generated by the equipment is dissipated upwards
Implementation Method 2
an oil cooler with a cooling fan is disposed within the vehicle body frame
Implementation Method 3
an oil cooler with a cooling fan is disposed within the vehicle body frame
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A shovel loader (1) has a vehicle body frame (9), a travel device (5), a loader device (20), and a drive power generation section for generating drive power for making the travel device (5) travel. The vehicle body frame (9) has a pair of side frames (9a, 9a) arranged on both the left and right sides of the shovel loader (1). The loader device (20) is made up of a pair of lift arms (21,21) vertically swingably attached to the pair of side frames (9a, 9a) and of a bucket (29) vertically swingably attached to the forward end of the pair of lift arms (21,21). The drive power generation section has a pair of electric motors (71,71) for individually transmitting drive power to the pair of travel devices (5,5) and capable of being controlled independent of each other so that a vehicle (10) can be made to travel in a manner the left and right are independent of each other, and also has a battery (50) for supplying electric power to the electric motors (71,71).