Pouch Cell Cooling Structure for Battery Swelling Accommodation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage motor vehicle traction battery modules with internal liquid cooling systems face challenges in accommodating the significant volume growth of pouch battery cells over their lifetime, which can lead to deformation and inefficiencies in heat transfer and cooling liquid flow.
Innovation Solution
A rigid and compressible plate-shaped cooling structure with trench bodies and resilient tensioning means is used between pouch battery cells, allowing for direct and efficient liquid cooling while accommodating expansion, with trench bodies and spacers ensuring fluid-tight channels and maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a rigid cooling structure is used to maintain structural integrity and ensure efficient heat transfer, then cooling performance is improved, but the structure cannot accommodate the volume growth of pouch battery cells over their lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling structure transitions from a completely rigid design to a dynamic system where the resilient trench body tensioning means allows the cooling structure to adapt its configuration as battery cells expand over time, maintaining contact and cooling efficiency throughout the battery's lifetime
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient trench body tensioning means changes the physical state of the cooling structure from fully rigid to partially compliant, allowing controlled deformation that accommodates battery expansion while maintaining cooling effectiveness
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cooling structure is made compressible to accommodate battery cell expansion, then adaptability is improved, but heat transfer efficiency and structural integrity may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the cooling structure have different mechanical properties - the trench bodies maintain rigidity for effective heat transfer, while the resilient trench body tensioning means provides local compliance to accommodate expansion, achieving both cooling efficiency and adaptability
3Duration of action of stationary object
If pouch battery cells are allowed to expand freely, then cell capacity and service life are improved, but the cooling structure may deform or become misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient trench body tensioning means creates a dynamic adaptation mechanism that moves with the expanding battery cells, maintaining proper alignment and preventing deformation of the cooling structure throughout the battery's service life
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
This configuration ensures optimal heat transfer and maintains structural integrity by allowing pouch battery cells to expand without deforming the cooling structure, ensuring consistent cooling performance and preventing liquid flow disruptions.
Implementation Method 1
the respective pouch battery cell is directly cooled by a cooling liquid flowing in the respective trench body
Implementation Method 2
an optimal heat transport or heat transfer is realized
Implementation Method 3
The cooling structure comprises a resilient trench body tensioning means, which biases the respective inherently rigid trench body in the transverse direction against the cooled pouch battery cell
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle traction battery module having an inherently rigid battery housing, in which a plurality of plate-shaped pouch battery cells are arranged parallel to one another. A plate-shaped cooling structure for direct cooling of the pouch battery cells by a cooling liquid is arranged between two adjacent pouch battery cells. The cooling structure, which is compressible in the transverse direction and perpendicular to its plate plane, includes a plurality of inherently rigid trench bodies, each having a trench opening. The trench bodies alternately face with their respective trench openings the one pouch battery cell and the other pouch battery cell of the two adjacent pouch battery cells in such a way that the respective pouch battery cell is directly cooled by a cooling liquid flowing in the respective trench body.