Modular Battery Cooling with Expandable Heat Sink Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery cooling devices face challenges in efficiently adapting to changes in battery capacity, requiring either over-sizing or complex flow rate adjustments, especially in vehicles with variable battery needs.
Innovation Solution
A modular battery cooling device design featuring a heat sink group connected in parallel with a main pipe and quick connectors, allowing for easy expansion of cooling capacity by adding unit heat sink sets and adjusting the refrigerant flow rate through a main flow control valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a battery cooling device is pre-installed with the capacity to cool the maximum possible battery capacity, then the cooling capacity is sufficient for maximum battery capacity, but the device size becomes unnecessarily large when battery capacity is not increased
Solution Approach 1:
The battery cooling device is divided into multiple detachable heat sink units that can be independently connected or disconnected. Each heat sink unit can be separately installed or removed based on the actual battery capacity requirements, allowing the cooling device size to match the battery capacity without being oversized.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling device configuration is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The heat sink units can be added or removed to adapt to different battery capacities, enabling the system to optimize its size and cooling capacity according to actual needs rather than being designed for maximum capacity from the start.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the configuration of the battery cooling device is expanded by increasing the number of heat sinks, then the cooling capacity increases to match battery capacity, but the flow rate adjustment becomes complex to achieve uniform cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into independent heat sink units, each equipped with its own flow control valve. This segmentation allows for decentralized flow rate adjustment, where each unit can be independently controlled to achieve uniform cooling without requiring complex centralized flow distribution systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Each heat sink unit is designed as a universal module that can be independently connected to the refrigerant circulation system. The standardized interface and integrated flow control valve in each unit enable them to function autonomously, simplifying the overall flow rate adjustment mechanism while maintaining uniform cooling across all units.
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
Enables straightforward expansion of cooling capacity to match changing battery needs without the need for oversized devices or intricate flow rate adjustments, ensuring uniform cooling and extended battery life.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink (cooler) is provided so as to be adjacent to a battery... the heat of the battery can be lowered by the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a channel through which a refrigerant flows is formed, so that the heat of the battery can be lowered
Data Source
AI summary
This battery cooling device comprises a unit heat sink set having a heat sink group wherein a plurality of heat sinks are connected in parallel, and a main flow tube connected to the heat sink group. The main flow tube has a connection portion that can be connected in a freely insertable and removable manner to the main flow pipe of another unit heat sink set, and a main flow regulating valve for regulating the flow rate of a refrigerant flowing from the main flow tube to the heat sink group.