Integrated Battery Inverter Shared Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery energy storage systems and inverters, when separately housed and interconnected, increase complexity, cost, and reliability issues due to the need for additional protection circuits and cooling systems, leading to frequent failures and high maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

Integrating the inverter and battery energy storage system into a single enclosure with a shared thermal management system, optimizing ambient conditions and duty cycles, and reducing the need for distributed protection circuitry and cooling hardware, thereby simplifying the system and reducing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the inverter and battery energy storage system are housed separately with dedicated cooling systems, then each component can be optimized independently, but the system complexity increases and maintenance costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndependent component optimizationVSAvoidSystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the inverter and battery energy storage system into a single integrated housing, eliminating the need for separate housings and interconnection cables. This merging reduces system complexity while maintaining the ability to optimize both components within the unified structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated system employs a shared cooling system that serves both the inverter and battery energy storage system simultaneously. This multi-functional approach eliminates redundant cooling hardware and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining adequate thermal management for both components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate housings with dedicated cooling systems are used, then each subsystem can be cooled independently, but the cooling hardware overhead increases and maintenance needs rise

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndependent cooling controlVSAvoidMaintenance needs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a shared cooling system that consolidates cooling hardware for both the inverter and battery system into a single unit. This reduces the total amount of cooling equipment required and simplifies maintenance procedures while maintaining reliable thermal management through unified system control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the inverter and battery system are connected with cables and protection circuits, then electrical connection is established, but the complexity and cost of deployment increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveElectrical connectionVSAvoidDeployment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the inverter and battery energy storage system within the same housing, eliminating the need for external cabling and interconnection hardware. This direct integration simplifies the electrical connection process and significantly reduces deployment costs by removing intermediate connection components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If distributed protection circuitry is used in separate housings, then each component is protected independently, but the system footprint and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveComponent protectionVSAvoidSystem footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates protection circuitry into a shared architecture within the integrated housing, eliminating the need for separate distributed protection systems. This approach maintains comprehensive component protection while reducing the overall system footprint by centralizing protective functions.

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 integration reduces maintenance needs, minimizes cooling requirements, and enhances reliability by allowing both systems to operate under ideal conditions, reducing the complexity and cost of deployment and maintenance while improving environmental protection and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a first cooling plate (1010, 1011) in thermal communication with the first battery cell (1001), a second cooling plate (1010, 1011) in thermal communication with the second battery cell (1002)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a pump (1030) configured to circulate a coolant through the cooling channels (1020, 1021)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3270455B1Battery storage system with integrated inverter

Publication Date: 2020.05.20 GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD(GB)

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AI summary

There is provided a power converter unit (100) that can include an inverter (112) and a plurality of batteries (104). The power converter unit (100) can include a battery energy storage system (BESS). The BESS and the inverter (112) can share at least one protection circuit. The inverter (112) and the plurality of batteries (104) can be cooled by a common thermal management system (106). Furthermore, the power converter unit (100) can include a battery enclosure (101) and the inverter (112) can be co-located with the plurality of batteries (104) inside the battery enclosure (101).