Immersion-Cooled Battery Module With Shared Enclosure Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional modular immersion cooled battery packs face issues with increased material costs, complex manufacturing processes, and reliability due to numerous connectors, and they struggle to adapt to varying vehicle platforms with different size, shape, voltage, and current specifications.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a battery enclosure with a front and back plate, fluid inlet and outlet, and flow control members that control fluid passage between cell assemblies, reducing the need for connectors and allowing easy assembly and adaptation to various applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a modular type immersion cooled battery pack is used, then the battery pack can be adapted to various vehicle platforms with different sizes and shapes, but the number of connectors (electrical, mechanical, and liquid) increases, leading to higher material costs, complex manufacturing processes, and potential reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cell assemblies into a single integrated battery module with a shared enclosure and common fluid cooling system. This merging approach reduces the number of separate connectors needed while maintaining modular adaptability, as the integrated module requires fewer interconnection points compared to fully separate modular units.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery module enclosure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, contains the cell assemblies, and acts as the fluid cooling channel. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling plates or heat sinks, reducing the number of connectors and components required.
2Temperature
If each cell assembly is enclosed in an independent liquid container, then thermal management is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and material costs increase due to the need for multiple connectors and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cell assemblies into a single battery module with a shared fluid cooling system. This approach maintains effective thermal management by providing dedicated cooling channels for each cell assembly while reducing manufacturing complexity through fewer connectors and simplified assembly processes compared to independent liquid containers for each assembly.
3Device complexity
If a non-modular type immersion cooled battery pack is used, then fewer connectors are required, but the pack becomes bulky and heavy, making it difficult to apply on various sizes of vehicle platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery system into modular battery modules that can be independently configured and assembled. Each module contains multiple cell assemblies within a shared enclosure, creating intermediate-scale units that are easier to adapt to different vehicle platforms than a fully non-modular design, while requiring fewer connectors than fully separate modular units.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery module enclosure serves multiple functions including structural support, cell assembly containment, and fluid cooling distribution. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity and connector requirements while maintaining the adaptability needed for various vehicle platforms.
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 design enhances manufacturing efficiency, reduces connector complexity, and improves temperature control and uniformity across battery cells, making it suitable for diverse vehicle platforms.
Implementation Method 1
let the battery cells be immersed in the thermal management liquid for thermal management
Implementation Method 2
immersion cooled battery module
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module is provided. The battery module includes a liquid tight battery enclosure and at least one cell assembly. The battery enclosure includes a front plate, a back plate, a battery housing, a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and at least two enclosure interfaces. The fluid inlet is disposed on the front plate for a fluid to flow into the battery enclosure. The fluid outlet is disposed on the front plate for the fluid to flow out of the battery enclosure. The at least two enclosure interfaces are disposed on the front plate. The at least one cell assembly has battery cells, at least one cell holder, at least two cell-connectors, and at least two assembly electrodes. Each of the at least two assembly electrodes is respectively coupled to one of the at least two enclosure interfaces and electrically exposed to an exterior of the front plate.