Flexible Battery Heat Exchange Panel for Cell Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery heat exchange structures face challenges in maintaining high heat exchange efficiency due to thermal expansion and deterioration of battery cells, leading to inefficient heat transfer and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A battery heat exchange structure featuring a flexible thin plate heat exchange wall that closely follows the battery cell's side surface, with a flow path wall that can expand and contract, and an elastic storage portion filled with latent heat storage material, ensuring consistent contact and efficient heat exchange even during cell expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid heat exchange panel is used to maintain close contact with the battery cell, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the structure cannot adapt to battery cell expansion due to thermal expansion or deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchange panel incorporates a flexible thin plate that can elastically deform to follow the contours of the battery cell surface. This flexibility allows the panel to maintain close contact with the battery cell even when the cell expands due to thermal effects or deterioration, thereby preserving effective heat exchange without requiring a rigid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchange panel is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to adapt its shape in response to changes in battery cell dimensions. The panel can expand and contract elastically to match the battery cell's thermal expansion and deterioration-induced expansion, ensuring continuous optimal contact for heat exchange throughout the battery's operational life.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the heat exchange wall is made flexible to follow battery expansion, then adaptability is improved, but heat exchange efficiency may deteriorate due to reduced contact pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a counterbalancing mechanism where the elastic flexibility of the heat exchange panel is offset by a controlled pressing force. This pressing force ensures that despite the panel's flexibility allowing it to follow battery expansion, sufficient contact pressure is maintained between the panel and battery cell surface to preserve effective heat exchange efficiency.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a fixed flow path wall is used in the heat exchange panel, then structural stability is improved, but the panel cannot accommodate battery cell expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path wall is designed with dynamic characteristics, incorporating elastic elements that allow it to expand and contract in response to battery cell dimensional changes. This dynamic design enables the flow path wall to maintain its structural integrity and functional integrity while adapting to the expanding battery cell, preventing structural failure or loss of fluid flow pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow path wall's physical parameters, particularly its dimensions and shape, are designed to change elastically in response to battery cell expansion. The wall can stretch and deform within elastic limits to accommodate increased battery cell volume while maintaining the enclosed fluid flow paths, allowing the structure to adapt without compromising its defining function.
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 maintains high heat exchange efficiency, prevents excessive temperature fluctuations, and extends the battery's operational temperature range, thereby enhancing performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic storage portion forming the flow path wall is filled with a latent heat storage material that undergoes a phase change at a temperature lower than the temperature of the refrigerant when the refrigerant is supplied
Implementation Method 2
a latent heat storage material that undergoes a phase change at a temperature lower than the temperature of the refrigerant when the refrigerant is supplied
Implementation Method 3
the heat exchange wall following the side surface of the battery cell is formed of a flexible thin plate
Implementation Method 4
thermal expansion of the battery cell occurs at high temperatures, and expansion of the battery cell also occurs due to deterioration
Implementation Method 5
a refrigerant circuit for extracting heat from the battery is provided, heat is transferred through the refrigerant
Implementation Method 6
heat exchange fluid circulates along the heat exchange wall
Data Source
AI summary
In this battery heat exchange structure, a heat exchange panel 42 and a battery cell 41 are closely arranged side by side so that a heat exchange wall 421 of the heat exchange panel 42 in which a heat exchange fluid circulates follows a side surface 411 of the battery cell 41, and the heat exchange wall 421 following the side surface 411 of the battery cell 41 is formed of a flexible thin plate. Preferably, a flow path wall 425 defining a flow path through which the heat exchange fluid circulates along the heat exchange wall 421 is provided in the heat exchange panel 42 so as to be able to expand and contract in an erecting direction. This battery heat exchange structure can perform heat exchange between the heat exchange panel and the battery cell with high efficiency and stably maintain high heat exchange efficiency even when the battery cell expands.