Multi-Row Battery Module Assembly for Cooling and Swelling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery module assemblies face challenges in standardization and component sharing due to diversified cell sizes, reduced space efficiency, and low unit volume energy, particularly with pouch cells and cylindrical cells, which affect durability and cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery module assembly with a multi-row structure, featuring a cell array stacked in one direction, side plates, inner guide brackets with I-type cross-sections, and tightening bands to enhance durability and cooling, while allowing for flexible cell arrangement and standardization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional battery module assembly uses plates or frames surrounding the cells to form a cell array, then the cells are bound by limited movement, but the structure cannot be standardized and shared across diversified cell sizes, leading to excessive production facility investment cost
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module assembly is divided into multiple cell arrays, where each cell array can be independently configured with different cell arrangements. This segmentation allows standardization of the module assembly structure while accommodating various cell sizes and types, reducing the need for dedicated production facilities for each configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The module assembly structure is designed to be universal, capable of accommodating multiple cell array configurations within the same module. This multi-functionality enables a single production facility to produce standardized module assemblies that can adapt to different cell sizes, types, and arrangements, thereby reducing production facility investment costs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If pouch cells are used in the battery module assembly, then flexibility is improved, but it becomes difficult to design a cell fixing structure and requires internal buffer structures due to thickness changes during charging/discharging
Solution Approach 1:
The cell fixing structure incorporates localized buffer regions and flexible fixing elements at specific positions within the cell array. These local adaptations allow the structure to accommodate thickness changes of pouch cells during charging/discharging without requiring complex overall redesign, maintaining both flexibility and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cell fixing structure is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to adapt to thickness changes of pouch cells during operation. The structure can flexibly adjust to maintain proper cell positioning and spacing, eliminating the need for rigid internal buffer structures while preserving cell flexibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If cylindrical cells are used in the battery module assembly, then ease of manufacture is improved, but space efficiency is reduced due to excessive dead space, resulting in low unit volume energy
Solution Approach 1:
Cylindrical cells are arranged in nested configurations within the cell arrays, allowing efficient packing that minimizes dead space. The nested arrangement enables better utilization of the module volume while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of cylindrical cells, thereby improving unit volume energy density.
4Device complexity
If a single-row cell array structure is used, then device complexity is reduced, but durability and cooling efficiency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cell array is divided into multiple rows with systematic spacing and support structures. This segmentation improves durability by distributing mechanical stresses across multiple rows and enhances cooling efficiency by creating optimized fluid flow paths between rows, without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 3
AI summary
A battery module assembly includes a cell array configured by stacking a plurality of cells in a same direction, and a side plate connected to one lateral side of the cell array to pressurize the cell array. Plural ones of the cell array are connected in a transverse direction to form a multi-row structure.