Low-profile battery module cooling with lateral cell arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules for electric vehicles face challenges in space-efficient mounting and lowering the vehicle's center of gravity while maintaining effective cooling, as they typically require a substantial number of cells connected in series and parallel, leading to height constraints and heat management issues.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring laterally arranged cells with interconnectors and cell holders that obstruct fluid flow partially, housed in a configuration forming continuous spaces for efficient cooling fluid flow, with specific flow guiding means to ensure uniform cooling and minimize temperature variation among cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If cells are arranged upright in conventional configuration, then dense packing and convenient interconnection are achieved, but the battery module height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical upright arrangement to lateral horizontal arrangement of cells. Instead of stacking cells vertically which increases height, the cells are arranged side-by-side in horizontal rows, changing the primary dimension of arrangement from vertical to horizontal. This dimensional change maintains packing density while significantly reducing the battery module height, allowing for better integration into vehicle platforms with lower center of gravity requirements.
2Temperature
If cooling fluid flows directly between cell poles, then cooling efficiency improves, but temperature variation between cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flow guiding means that create different flow conditions in different regions of the cooling system. The flow guiding means include flow guiding elements positioned at specific locations to direct cooling fluid preferentially toward hotter cells or to distribute flow more uniformly across the cell array. This local modification of flow characteristics ensures that cells with higher temperature requirements receive enhanced cooling, while maintaining overall temperature uniformity across all cells.
3Ease of operation
If cell holders obstruct fluid flow partially, then cell positioning is improved, but cooling efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cell holders are designed with segmented or modular structures that provide positioning functionality while minimizing flow obstruction. The holders include positioning elements such as recesses, protrusions, or clamping mechanisms that secure cells in precise locations. The flow guiding means are integrated into or positioned adjacent to these holders, creating a segmented cooling system where different flow paths serve different cell groups, thereby maintaining both positioning accuracy and cooling efficiency.
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 design allows for space-efficient mounting, lowers the vehicle's center of gravity, and ensures reliable and efficient cooling of cells, maintaining a minimal temperature variation of less than 5 K across individual cells.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling fluid (liquid, air, gas, etc.) that flows along or in the thermal vicinity of the cells so as to absorb heat
Implementation Method 2
cooling fluid (liquid, air, gas, etc.) that flows along or in the thermal vicinity of the cells so as to absorb heat and carry it away from the cells
Implementation Method 3
the chemical processes for binding or releasing charges are associated with respective electric currents that dissipate heat as the flow through conductive paths with finite resistance
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2~4C
AI summary
Battery module comprising at least one battery assembly in turn comprising a plurality of cells with two poles at opposing ends and arranged laterally in one row next to each other so that a pole of a cell is next to a pole of a neighbouring cell, a plurality of interconnectors connecting a pole of a cell to pole of a neighbouring cell, a cell holder arranged on at least one side of the plurality of laterally arranged cells so as to position the cells at a mutual distance and to obstruct at least partially a fluid flow in a direction between the two poles at opposing ends of each cell, the battery module further comprising a housing arranged to accommodate the battery assembly and forming two continuous spaces around each row of poles allowing for fluid flow.