Metal Flow Restrictor Press-Fit in Polymer Battery Cooling Tube
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for battery packs face challenges in maintaining balanced flow distribution of cooling fluid and robustness against external mechanical influences, leading to potential disruptions and leaks.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system featuring a polymer-based flow tube with a metal member attached to its inner wall, which acts as both a flow restrictor and a crash support, ensuring balanced flow distribution and increased robustness through press-fitting, eliminating the need for adhesives that can cause fluid disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a flow restrictor is attached to the inner wall of a plastic tube using adhesive, then balanced flow distribution is achieved, but the cooling fluid may detach the flow restrictor causing flow disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the adhesive bonding mechanism with a mechanical press-fit system. The flow restrictor is designed with an outer diameter that creates interference fit with the tube's inner diameter, generating friction force and normal force to secure the flow restrictor without adhesives, thereby eliminating the risk of detachment and flow disruption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the dimensional tolerances of the flow restrictor and tube. The flow restrictor's outer diameter is designed to be slightly larger than the tube's inner diameter within specific tolerance ranges, creating a press-fit condition that provides both secure mounting and balanced flow distribution
2Strength
If a clamp is applied to the outer wall of a plastic tube for mounting, then secure mounting is achieved, but the plastic tube may crack or open causing cooling fluid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining a plastic tube with a metallic reinforcement layer. This composite structure provides both the flexibility of plastic and the mechanical strength of metal, enabling the tube to withstand clamping forces without cracking while maintaining its integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The metallic reinforcement layer acts as a pre-existing protective cushion that absorbs and distributes clamping forces before they can concentrate on the plastic tube wall. This prevents stress concentration that would lead to cracking or opening of the tube
3Ease of manufacture
If the flow restrictor is made of the same material as the tube, then manufacturing is simplified, but the flow restrictor cannot provide crash support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining plastic tube with metal flow restrictor. The metal material provides the necessary mechanical strength and crash support functionality, while the plastic provides flexibility and ease of installation, achieving both structural requirements and manufacturing feasibility
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 achieves stable and balanced flow distribution while enhancing the system's resistance to mechanical forces, preventing leaks and disruptions, thus ensuring efficient cooling of battery packs.
Implementation Method 1
said member being sized such as to reduce the flow of the cooling fluid through the at least one flow tube
Implementation Method 2
A cooling system featuring a polymer-based flow tube with a metal member attached to its inner wall, which acts as both a flow restrictor and a crash support, ensuring balanced flow distribution and increased robustness through press-fitting
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A cooling system for a battery module, said cooling system comprising: at least one flow tube adapted to receive a cooling fluid, wherein the material of the at least one flow tube is a polymer-based material, and a member attached on the inner wall of at least a part of the at least one flow tube, wherein the material of the member is a metal, said member being sized such as to reduce the flow of the cooling fluid through the at least one flow tube to thereby achieve a balanced flow.