Electric Work Vehicle Battery Housing Gap Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric work vehicles, such as electric tractors, face challenges in effectively cooling their battery systems, which can lead to reduced performance and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a battery housing with a gap between its portions, which is fluidly connected to air cooling system evaporators, allowing cool air to flow rearwardly into the gap for efficient heat dissipation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a battery housing with gap and air cooling system is implemented, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery housing is divided into multiple portions (first battery housing portion and second battery housing portion) with a gap between them. This segmentation allows the cooling system to access different regions of the battery housing through the gap, enabling more effective heat dissipation from multiple evaporators while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The gap in the battery housing serves multiple functions: it provides a pathway for cool air from the evaporators to reach the battery housing portions, and it allows the cooling system to efficiently cool multiple battery housing portions simultaneously. This multi-functionality improves cooling efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Temperature

If evaporators are positioned to maximize cooling coverage, then cooling efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple evaporators (first evaporator and second evaporator) are integrated into a single air cooling system that shares common refrigerant lines and control mechanisms. This merging approach allows comprehensive cooling coverage of the battery housing portions while simplifying the manufacturing process compared to having completely separate cooling systems for each evaporator.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances the cooling efficiency of the battery system, improving the overall performance and longevity of the electric work vehicle.

Implementation Method 1

the air cooling system includes a first evaporator and a second evaporator, and the gap is fluidly connected to each of the first evaporator and the second evaporator to receive cool air from each of the first evaporator and the second evaporator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP4563379A1Electric work vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.06.04 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4563379A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4563379A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4563379A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

An electric work vehicle includes a battery housing including a first battery housing portion and a second battery housing portion, and an air cooling system. The battery housing includes a gap (90) located between the first battery housing portion and the second battery housing portion, the air cooling system includes a first evaporator (48) and a second evaporator (52), and the gap (90) is fluidly connected to each of the first evaporator (48) and the second evaporator (52) to receive cool air from each of the first evaporator (48) and the second evaporator (52).