Oil-Immersion Battery Module Cooling Beyond Air-Cooled Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Typical air-cooled battery packs struggle to maintain battery cells within a desired temperature range due to ambient air temperatures often exceeding the maximum operating temperature of the cells.
Innovation Solution
A battery module and system utilizing a housing with non-conductive oil and a cooling manifold to conduct heat energy from the oil into a refrigerant or coolant, which is then processed through a condenser, heat exchanger, or cold plate to effectively cool the battery cells, maintaining them within a desired temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air-cooling is used for battery packs, then the cooling system is simple, but the battery cells cannot be maintained within the desired temperature range when ambient air temperature exceeds maximum operating temperature
Solution Approach 1:
A non-conductive oil is introduced as an intermediary cooling medium between the battery cells and the ambient environment. The oil absorbs heat from the battery cells through thermal conduction, and this heated oil is then cooled by a cooling manifold, allowing effective heat removal even when ambient air temperature exceeds battery operating limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system changes the thermal parameters by using a liquid cooling medium (non-conductive oil) instead of air cooling. This liquid medium has superior heat capacity and thermal conductivity, enabling the system to maintain battery cells within the desired temperature range of -40°C to 85°C operating temperature and -40°C to 105°C storage temperature.
2Temperature
If a non-conductive oil cooling system is implemented, then battery cell temperature control is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The non-conductive oil serves multiple functions: it acts as a thermal transfer medium, provides electrical insulation between battery cells, and fills the void spaces in the battery pack. The cooling manifold integrates multiple cooling channels into a single component that contacts the oil, reducing the number of separate cooling components needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses hydraulic principles by circulating a liquid cooling medium (non-conductive oil) through a closed-loop system with pumps and cooling manifolds. This liquid-based thermal management system efficiently transfers heat from battery cells through the oil to the cooling manifold, providing superior temperature control compared to air cooling.
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 effectively cools battery cells by transferring heat energy from the non-conductive oil to a refrigerant or coolant, ensuring the battery cells operate within a stable temperature range, such as 15°C-35°C, thereby enhancing the performance and longevity of the battery system.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling manifold is configured to receive a refrigerant therethrough and to conduct heat energy from the non-conductive oil into the refrigerant to cool the battery cell
Implementation Method 2
The condenser is configured to receive the refrigerant from the battery module and to extract heat energy from the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
The compressor is further fluidly coupled to the battery module. The compressor is configured to pump the refrigerant from the condenser into the battery module
Implementation Method 4
conducting heat energy from the battery cell into a non-conductive oil disposed in the housing
Data Source
AI summary
Battery systems, a battery module, and a method for cooling the battery module are provided. The battery module includes a housing having a non-conductive oil disposed therein. The battery module further includes a battery cell disposed in the housing. The battery module further includes a cooling manifold disposed in the housing that contacts the non-conductive oil. The cooling manifold is configured to receive a fluid therethrough and to conduct heat energy from the non-conductive oil into the fluid to cool the battery cell.