EV Powerpack Layout With Central Cooling and Service Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Straddle seat vehicles face challenges in efficiently arranging electric components like battery assemblies, charging components, and power distribution systems while maintaining convenient access for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack arrangement with a cooling channel through its center, connected to a liquid cooling system, housing an inverter and charger directly, and using current collectors to minimize spatial footprint and enhance maintenance access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If battery components are arranged in a compact spatial configuration, then spatial efficiency is improved, but access for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple battery modules, each with its own housing. This segmentation allows the powerpack to be broken down into smaller, more manageable units that can be accessed and maintained individually, resolving the contradiction between compact arrangement and maintenance access.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverter and charger are mounted directly on the battery pack housing, creating a nested arrangement where components are integrated within the same spatial envelope. This nesting achieves compact spatial footprint while maintaining individual access to each component through the housing structure.
2Temperature
If cooling channels are integrated through the battery pack, then thermal management is improved, but spatial arrangement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack housing serves multiple functions: it encloses the battery modules, provides mounting surfaces for the inverter and charger, and incorporates cooling channels for thermal management. This multi-functionality integrates cooling into the existing structure without adding separate complex cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are merged with the battery pack housing structure itself, rather than being separate components. This integration achieves effective thermal management while avoiding the spatial complexity that would result from separate cooling systems.
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
Efficient spatial arrangement of battery components with integrated cooling and direct mounting of inverter and charger, facilitating easy maintenance and optimal performance.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling channel is fluidly connected to a liquid cooling system of the vehicle, permitting the battery cells to be cooled during operation
Data Source
AI summary
A straddle seat electric vehicle including an electric motor and an electric powerpack including a battery pack including a battery housing including a housing body, a cooling channel extending generally vertically through a center portion of the housing body, two covers selectively connected to the housing body; a plurality of cylindrical battery cells disposed in a two chambers defined by the housing laterally between the cooling channel and the first cover, each battery cell of the first plurality of battery cells extending generally orthogonally to the cooling channel and the first cover; one or more current collectors electrically connected to the first plurality of battery cells, the covers enclosing the current collectors and outer ends of the battery cells being electrically insulated from the at least one first current collector.