Plastic Cooling Plate With Integrated Seals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for battery cells in vehicles are costly and complex due to the high number of parts, seals, and joints, and they fail to efficiently manage heat generation during charging and discharging processes, impacting battery performance.
Innovation Solution
A cooling plate with a substantially planar design, featuring a cutout with an inlet, outlet, and flow field, coupled with films to form conduits for fluid circulation, which reduces the number of parts and simplifies manufacturing, while being electrically insulating to prevent electrical current transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cooling systems with multiple seals and joints are used, then cooling function is achieved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling plate structure with the sealing function by integrating seals directly into the cooling plate body, eliminating the need for separate sealing components. This integration reduces the total number of parts while maintaining the cooling function, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides thermal management through fluid circulation, structural support for battery cells, and sealing through integrated seals. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
2Reliability
If traditional cooling systems with multiple components are used, then cooling function is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple functions (cooling, sealing, structural support) into a single integrated cooling plate component, the manufacturing process is simplified. Fewer parts mean fewer assembly steps, reduced inventory management, and lower overall manufacturing costs while maintaining the required cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-functional cooling plate reduces the total component count, which directly lowers manufacturing costs through economies of scale in producing a single versatile component rather than multiple specialized parts.
3Temperature
If cooling fluid is used to manage heat, then temperature control is achieved, but electrical insulation requirements increase system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is designed to provide both thermal management and electrical insulation functions simultaneously. The plate structure acts as both the cooling channel carrier and the electrical insulator between battery cells, eliminating the need for separate insulation components and reducing overall system complexity.
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 provides a cost-effective, lightweight cooling system that maintains battery cell temperature within a specific range, improving ease of construction, weight reduction, and voltage isolation, and is suitable for use in vehicle battery assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
A cooling plate provides a simplified cooling system for a battery cell. The cooling plate includes a flow field for circulating a fluid to exchange heat with the battery cell.
Implementation Method 2
The flow field, the first film, and the second film form at least one conduit that fluidly couples the inlet and the outlet. A cooling fluid is circulated through the at least one conduit of the cooling plate.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling plate design for cooling a battery cell is provided that employs a plastic plate having cutouts for coolant flow paths. The plastic plate has a layer of adhesive film on each side to maintain coolant in the channels. Compression within an alternating battery cell and coolant plate stack provides pressure that minimizes coolant load on the film. Methods to manufacture the cooling plate are also provided.