Modular Thermal Management Coupler for Battery Pack Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing thermal management systems for battery packs in the automotive field, particularly in electric and hybrid vehicles, face challenges in standardizing connections and cooling configurations due to the diversity of battery architectures, leading to inefficiencies in temperature regulation and potential risks of thermal runaway.
Innovation Solution
A modular connection and distribution device for the thermal management circuit, featuring a base with expansion valve fixing means, injection and evacuation couplers with adjustable connections, and a sealing mechanism, allowing for adaptable configurations and efficient heat transfer fluid flow through a venturi effect, ensuring secure and customizable integration with various battery pack designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a standardized thermal management connection device is used, then manufacturing and installation are simplified, but adaptability to different battery architectures is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection device is divided into modular components: a base element and removable couplers (injection coupler and evacuation coupler). This segmentation allows the same base to be paired with different coupler configurations to match various battery architectures, achieving both standardization and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The base element serves as a universal component that can accommodate multiple types of couplers. The couplers are designed with different connection configurations to interface with various battery pack types, making the overall system universally applicable across different battery architectures while maintaining a standardized base design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom connection configurations are designed for each battery architecture, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the universal base from the configuration-specific couplers, the system reduces overall complexity. The base remains simple and standardized, while only the couplers vary to match different battery types, simplifying manufacturing and inventory management compared to designing entirely custom solutions for each architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic reconfiguration by swapping couplers on the standardized base, enabling adaptation to different battery architectures without redesigning the entire connection device. This modular approach simplifies the design process while maintaining flexibility.
3Reliability
If heat transfer fluid circulation is optimized for specific battery layouts, then thermal management efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The couplers are designed with local optimization of fluid circulation paths tailored to specific battery architectures. Each coupler type has internally optimized channels that adapt to the local thermal management needs of different battery configurations, while the overall system structure remains standardized and simple.
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 enhances adaptability and efficiency in temperature regulation, preventing thermal issues by allowing for tailored connections and fluid flow management, thereby improving battery pack performance and safety across different configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The heat transfer fluids can thus absorb the heat emitted by the battery or batteries in order to cool them and evacuate this heat at the level of one or more heat exchangers
Implementation Method 2
the base comprises means for fixing an expansion valve on its face comprising the inlet connector and the coolant outlet connector
Implementation Method 3
the widening comprises, on its circumference, a housing for placing a seal between said widening and the wall of the protective casing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a connection and distribution device for a thermal management circuit for batteries (100) placed within a protective enclosure, said device comprising: - a base (3), - an inlet connector (5) and an outlet connector (7) for heat transfer fluid located on one face of the base (3) and each comprising a circulation channel (50, 70), - an outlet port (52, 72) for each circulation channel on a face of the base (3) distinct from that bearing the inlet (5) and outlet (7) connectors, - an injection coupler (54) inserted and sealed within the outlet port (52), said injection coupler (54) being traversed by a circulation channel (540) comprising at least two branches (56, 58) intended to supply heat exchangers placed in contact with batteries (110), - a discharge coupler (74) inserted and sealed within the port output (72),said discharge coupler (74) comprising at least one branch connected to the heat exchangers placed in contact with batteries (110).