Modular Battery Pack Frame With Weld-Free Cooling Passages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules face limitations in scalability, serviceability, and recycling due to their design, which hinders efficient energy capacity modification and manufacturing efficiency, and they often require a welding process that can lead to electrical errors.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design that eliminates the welding process by forming a cooling circuit outside the base plate, using a base plate with cooling passages, refrigerant supply and discharge guides, and a frame structure connected by fastening members, allowing for disassembly and assembly of battery modules for simplified design changes and preventing electrical errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a welding process is used to assemble battery modules, then structural strength is improved, but electrical errors and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is divided into separate components (battery cells, cooling plates, housing) that are assembled through mechanical fastening rather than welding. The cooling plate is segmented into multiple sections that can be independently assembled, eliminating the need for welding operations and reducing electrical error risks while maintaining structural integrity through distributed mechanical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
A non-conductive fastening system serves as an intermediary between metal components, replacing direct metal-to-metal welding connections. This intermediary approach prevents electrical current pathways that could cause errors while still providing the necessary structural bonding between battery module components.
2Ease of manufacture
If a conventional battery module design is used, then initial manufacturing is simplified, but scalability and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module design incorporates dynamic configurability through standardized mechanical interfaces and modular cooling plate sections. This allows the system to adapt to different energy capacity requirements by simply reconfiguring the number and arrangement of battery cell stacks and cooling plate sections, without requiring complex welding or custom manufacturing processes for each configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized fastening system and modular cooling plate design create universal interfaces that can accommodate various battery cell types and configurations. This multi-functional design enables the same basic module structure to serve different energy capacity needs, improving adaptability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through repeated use of the same components and assembly procedures.
3Temperature
If cooling passages are integrated inside the base plate, then cooling efficiency is improved, but electrical flow paths may be created
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling passages are extracted from the base plate and relocated to a separate, dedicated cooling plate assembly. This separation eliminates the risk of creating electrical flow paths within the base plate structure while maintaining efficient thermal contact with battery cells through the specialized cooling plate design. The cooling function is isolated from potential electrical interference sources.
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 enables easy modification of the battery module structure, improves manufacturing efficiency, and prevents electrical flow paths during operation, enhancing scalability and serviceability while ensuring stable cooling of the battery modules.
Implementation Method 1
a base plate (100) including a cooling passage in which a refrigerant for cooling a plurality of battery modules (500) circulates by contacting a first surface of the battery modules (500)
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes: a base plate having a first surface for supporting a plurality of battery modules and including a cooling passage configured to receive a refrigerant; a lower cover covering a second surface of the base plate; a frame portion on the first surface of the base plate and including a plurality of frames coupled to each other by a fastening member; a sealing member sealing spaces between the frames of the frame portion; and an upper cover covering an upper portion of the frame portion.