Modular Battery Pack with Closely Spaced Cylindrical Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in designing battery modules and packs for electric vehicles that balance increasing energy storage capacity with packaging efficiency and safety, as high-capacity battery cells can lead to overheating, venting issues, and reduced energy density, while traditional approaches require unique designs for each product, increasing development time and costs.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a modular battery pack design using standardized 'battery blocks' with cylindrical cells arranged in parallel, spatially separated by less than 2 mm, which can be combined to form modules and packs, allowing for flexible power and energy configurations and improved reliability through modularization and standardized components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high-capacity battery cells are used to increase energy storage capacity, then the battery capacity is improved, but overheating and venting issues occur reducing safety
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple battery modules, each containing multiple battery blocks with cylindrical cells. This segmentation allows heat to be distributed across multiple smaller units rather than concentrated in a single high-capacity cell, reducing overheating risks while maintaining total energy storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal management components and spacing structures are introduced as intermediaries between adjacent cylindrical battery cells. These intermediaries facilitate heat dissipation and prevent direct thermal contact between cells, addressing overheating issues while preserving battery capacity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional battery designs are used for each product, then specific performance requirements are met, but development time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A universal battery block design with standardized cylindrical cells, dimensions, and electrical connections is created. These standardized blocks can be configured in different arrangements to meet various energy and power requirements across different electric vehicle models, eliminating the need for unique battery pack designs for each product while maintaining performance adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery system is segmented into modular blocks that can be independently designed, manufactured, and assembled. This modular approach allows standardization at the block level while enabling flexibility at the system level, reducing development time and costs through reuse of proven components.
3Volume of stationary object
If cylindrical battery cells are placed close together to improve packaging efficiency, then volumetric energy density is improved, but thermal management and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Different spacing arrangements are implemented in different regions of the battery pack. Critical areas with higher thermal risk have greater spacing for thermal management, while less critical areas have minimal spacing to maximize volumetric energy density. This localized approach balances safety and packaging efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal management intermediaries such as cooling plates, thermal conductive materials, and spacing structures are strategically placed between cylindrical battery cells. These intermediaries enable close cell spacing for high energy density while simultaneously providing thermal pathways for effective heat dissipation.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods to power electric vehicles are disclosed. A battery pack to power an electric vehicle is provided. The battery pack residing in the electric vehicle. The battery pack can include a plurality of battery modules. Each of the plurality of battery modules can include a plurality of battery blocks. A first battery block can include a plurality of cylindrical battery cells. Each of the plurality of cylindrical battery cells can have a pair of battery cell terminals and can have a voltage of up to 5 volts across the pair of battery cell terminals. The plurality of cylindrical battery cells can be electrically connected in parallel within the first battery block. Each cylindrical battery cell of the plurality of cylindrical battery cells can be spatially separated from each of at least one adjacent cylindrical battery cell within the first battery block by less than 2 millimeter (mm).