Extruded Corrugated Flow Plates for Battery Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-performance rechargeable batteries like Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles face reduced lifespan due to excessive temperature and thermal gradients, necessitating an effective and lightweight cooling system to manage waste heat and maintain optimal operating temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooled multi-cell battery assembly featuring corrugated flow plates and fluid manifolds, where the plates are made of extruded plastic with parallel channels, interleaved with battery cells, and a clamping system applying compressive force to ensure efficient heat dissipation and uniform temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a cooling system is added to manage waste heat, then battery lifespan is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is merged with the battery pack structure by integrating flow plates directly into the battery assembly. The flow plates serve dual purposes: they provide structural support for the battery cells and simultaneously channel coolant through parallel channels to remove heat. This integration eliminates the need for separate cooling components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow plates are designed to perform multiple functions: they act as structural support elements for the battery cells, serve as coolant channels for heat removal, and provide thermal coupling between cells and coolant. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity while achieving effective cooling to extend battery lifespan.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a cooling system is added to manage waste heat, then battery lifespan is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow plates are constructed as thin-walled structures with parallel channels formed by corrugated barriers between two sheets. This thin-film approach provides sufficient coolant flow paths and thermal conduction while minimizing the amount of material used, thereby reducing the weight of the cooling system while maintaining effective heat removal to extend battery lifespan.
3Temperature
If corrugated flow plates with parallel channels are used, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The parallel channels in the flow plates are designed to efficiently channel coolant flow through the battery assembly. The hydraulic design of the channels optimizes coolant distribution and heat removal efficiency. The channels can be formed through extrusion or molding processes that create the corrugated structure between two sheets, providing efficient thermal management while using established manufacturing techniques.
4Ease of operation
If flow plates are inserted into slots in manifold back plates, then assembly ease is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into modular flow plates that can be individually inserted into slots in the manifold back plates. This segmentation allows for simplified assembly where each flow plate is a discrete component that fits into a corresponding slot. The slots provide guidance and positioning features that ensure proper alignment during assembly, reducing the need for high-precision manufacturing while maintaining effective thermal coupling between the flow plates and manifolds.
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 waste heat and maintains temperature gradients within a safe range, extending battery lifespan while being inexpensive and lightweight, thus enhancing the performance and reliability of Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The corrugated structure forms an array of parallel channels extending from one end of the first and second sheet to an opposite end of the first and second sheet. The plurality of corrugated plates and the plurality of battery cells are interleaved with each other, and each plate of the plurality of corrugated flow plates extends from the first manifold to the second manifold and is oriented so that the plurality of channels within each plate forms a plurality of fluid flow paths connecting the first and second manifolds.
Implementation Method 2
A liquid-cooled multi-cell battery assembly featuring corrugated flow plates and fluid manifolds, where the plates are made of extruded plastic with parallel channels, interleaved with battery cells, and a clamping system applying compressive force to ensure efficient heat dissipation and uniform temperature distribution.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A battery assembly including: a plurality of prismatic battery cells; first and second fluid manifolds; and a plurality of corrugated flow plates interleaved with the plurality of battery cells, each the flow plates extending from the first manifold to the second manifold and providing an array of flow channels for carrying fluid from the first manifold to the second manifold, wherein each plate of the plurality of corrugated flow plates is an extruded plastic structure comprising first and second fluid impermeable sheets and a plurality of parallel ribs between and connecting the first and second sheets, said plurality of ribs forming the array of flow channels.