Heatable Battery Cell With Integrated Switch and Heating Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicle batteries experience power losses due to increased internal resistance at low temperatures, leading to reduced energy availability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A heatable battery design incorporating a heating element and a controllable switch within each battery cell, allowing for direct actuation of heating by using the battery's voltage potential, reducing cabling complexity and current demands on the switch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heating element with separate high-resistance terminal and controllable switch is added to each battery cell, then the battery can be heated effectively at low temperatures, but the device complexity and cabling requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the high-resistance terminal, controllable switch, and heating element into an integrated heating device mounted directly on each battery cell. This merging eliminates the need for separate cabling connections and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining effective heating capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device serves multiple functions: it provides heating capability, acts as a mounting structure on the battery cell, and integrates the electrical connection points. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system architecture.
2Ease of operation
If the controllable switch carries full heating current, then the heating function can be controlled, but the switch current requirements and potential failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating circuit is segmented into a high-resistance terminal that carries the full heating current and a controllable switch that operates at lower current levels. This segmentation allows the switch to be smaller and more reliable while still providing effective heating control through the high-resistance path.
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 maintains battery performance by heating cells individually, reducing power losses and ensuring consistent energy delivery across varying temperatures with minimal cabling complexity and reduced switch current requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element and a terminal for applying a voltage potential to the heating element... When a current is flowing through the heating element, the heating element heats up
Data Source
AI summary
A heatable battery includes a battery cell with an anode, a cathode, an anode connection which is connected to the anode, and a cathode connection which is connected to the cathode. The battery cell has a heating element and a connection for applying a voltage potential to the heating element. The heating element is connected to one of the components of the anode connection and the cathode connection. The battery cell further has a controllable switch which is arranged between the connection for applying the voltage potential to the heating element and the other of the components of the anode connection and the cathode connection.