Electric Vehicle Cooling Assembly with Composite Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling plates for electric and hybrid vehicles are prone to mechanical damage, leading to insufficient battery cooling and potential vehicle inoperability, due to lack of structural robustness, and require increased surface area for high thermal power extraction during fast charging.
Innovation Solution
A cooling assembly comprising a cooling unit with fluid channels formed by stamped plates and a frame made of different material, providing enhanced structural protection and fixation, with elastic material sandwiched between the plates for improved friction and insulation, and accommodating auxiliary devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If cooling plates are made of thin metallic plates to meet weight requirements, then weight is reduced, but structural robustness deteriorates making them prone to mechanical damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is constructed as a composite structure combining a metallic core (aluminum or steel) with a plastic protective layer. This composite design maintains the low weight advantage of thin metallic plates while adding mechanical protection against damage, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and structural robustness.
Solution Approach 2:
A plastic protective layer is applied over the thin metallic cooling plate to provide mechanical protection. This thin film approach protects the fragile metallic plate from damage while minimizing additional weight, addressing the contradiction between weight constraints and structural strength.
2Power
If cooling plate surface area is increased to extract high thermal power during fast charging, then thermal management performance is improved, but device complexity and susceptibility to damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The enlarged cooling plate surface area is protected by the composite structure with plastic protective layers on both sides. This allows the cooling plate to achieve the necessary surface area for high thermal power extraction (10-20kW) during fast charging while the protective layers prevent mechanical damage, maintaining reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If connection points are crimped or welded onto cooling plates, then fluid circuit connection is achieved, but structural integrity deteriorates due to additional stress concentration points
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic protective layer extends to form integrated connection points that protrude from the cooling plate surface. This integration eliminates the need for separate crimped or welded connection points, maintaining structural integrity by avoiding stress concentration points while achieving fluid circuit connection functionality.
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 enhances the structural robustness and protection of the cooling assembly, ensuring effective heat transfer and mechanical integrity, while allowing for the integration of auxiliary devices and efficient thermal management, thus preventing damage and ensuring reliable vehicle operation.
Implementation Method 1
heat transfer fluid and the electric cells must be increased
Implementation Method 2
channels, in which a heat transfer fluid circulates, allow calories to be taken from the batteries and released at a distance from the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
elastic material sandwiched between the plates for improved friction and insulation
Implementation Method 4
elastic material sandwiched between the plates for improved friction and insulation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An object of an invention is, among others, a cooling assembly (100) for an electric vehicle comprising: a cooling unit (200) comprising fluid channels (210), a first and a second plate (201, 202) joined in a liquid-tight manner by their peripheral edges (201a, 201b), the first plate (201) being stamped so as to form a plurality of channels (210) for a first fluid separated by raised ribs (211), the second plate (202) comprising a substantially flat surface, wherein the cooling assembly (100) further comprises a frame (300) fixed to the cooling unit (200), wherein the frame (300) is made of different material than the cooling unit (200).