Integrated Water-Cooling Block for EV Battery Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery-cooling methods for high-voltage/high-capacity batteries in electric and hybrid vehicles face challenges in achieving even contact during assembly, leading to limitations in cooling efficiency due to assembly tolerances, which affects battery life and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery-cooling device with a simplified structure utilizing an indirect water-cooling method, featuring a frame with apertures for pipe insertion, thermal interface material inlets, and a water-cooling block with a cooling flow path, which simplifies assembly and reduces manufacturing costs while improving cooling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an indirect water-cooling method is used with a cooling plate, TIM, and water-cooling block, then cooling performance is improved, but assembly complexity increases due to the need for even contact among multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling plate and water-cooling block into a single integrated water-cooling block structure. The cooling flow paths are directly formed within this integrated block, eliminating the need for separate cooling plates and thermal interface materials. This consolidation maintains effective heat transfer while significantly simplifying the assembly process and reducing the number of components that require precise alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the cooling plate and thermal interface material (TIM) from the conventional cooling system. By directly forming cooling flow paths within the water-cooling block, the design eliminates intermediate components that contributed to assembly complexity and contact uniformity issues, while preserving the essential cooling function.
2Reliability
If multiple components (cooling plate, TIM, water-cooling block) are assembled, then cooling function is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases due to multiple parts and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (cooling plate, TIM, water-cooling block) into a single integrated water-cooling block. This reduction in component count directly lowers manufacturing costs by eliminating the need to produce, source, and assemble multiple separate parts, while the integrated design ensures reliable cooling function through direct heat transfer paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes unnecessary intermediate components (cooling plate and TIM) from the assembly, reducing the total number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled. This extraction of redundant components simplifies the supply chain and manufacturing process while maintaining effective thermal management.
3Temperature
If conventional cooling components are used, then cooling capability is provided, but energy density decreases due to increased component volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the cooling function directly into the water-cooling block structure, eliminating separate cooling plates and interface materials. This consolidation reduces the total volume occupied by cooling components, thereby increasing the space available for battery cells and improving overall energy density while maintaining adequate cooling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates redundant cooling components (cooling plate and TIM) that occupied valuable space without providing proportional cooling value. By removing these intermediate components and directly forming cooling channels in the water-cooling block, the design reduces component volume and improves energy density.
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 enhances cooling efficiency and reduces manufacturing costs by ensuring even heat transfer and improved assembly precision, leading to increased energy density and extended battery life.
Implementation Method 1
transferring heat produced in the battery cells to a cooling plate that is in contact with the battery cells, and the cooling plate transfers the heat to a thermal interface material (TIM) and a water-cooling block
Implementation Method 2
a water-cooling block (900) through which a coolant flows, thereby cooling the battery cells
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery-cooling device (10) for a vehicle is provided. The device includes a plurality of frames (100) provided with battery cells (600) mounted thereto and having apertures provided in opposite side surfaces of lower ends of the frames. A pipe (200) is inserted through the apertures (130). A coolant inlet (300) is mounted on a first side surface of a lower end of each of the plurality of frames and communicates with a first end of the pipe. A coolant is introduced into the coolant inlet. Additionally, a coolant outlet (400) is mounted on a second side surface of the lower end of each of the plurality of frames and communicates with a second end of the pipe. The coolant is then discharged from the coolant outlet. A thermal interface material (700) is provided to improve heat conduction between the battery cells and the battery cooling device.