Pressurized Pouch Cell Storage for EV Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle storage systems face challenges in efficiently cooling and heating electrochemical cells due to bulky and heavy cooling systems, inefficient temperature management, and space constraints, which affect performance and passenger comfort.
Innovation Solution
A dedicated air conditioning system using a reversible heat pump with a refrigeration circuit and pressurized container to maintain optimal temperature and pressure for electrochemical pouch cells, ensuring efficient cooling and heating through a pneumatic compression mechanism without rigid structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a dedicated cooling system using compression refrigeration cycle is used to cool electrical components, then cooling efficiency is improved, but system weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning system is designed to perform multiple functions: it cools both the passenger compartment and the electrical components (storage system, electric machine, power converter) using a single integrated refrigeration circuit. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated cooling systems for electrical components, thereby improving cooling efficiency while avoiding the weight penalty of duplicate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the passenger compartment air conditioning system with the electrical component cooling system into a unified system. The refrigeration circuit serves both purposes through strategic placement of evaporators and heat exchangers, consolidating cooling functions that were previously separate and reducing overall system weight.
2Volume of moving object
If the air conditioning system is shared between passenger compartment and electrical components, then space utilization is improved, but temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration circuit is segmented into distinct cooling loops: one loop serves the passenger compartment while another loop serves the electrical components. Each loop can be independently controlled with its own evaporator and expansion device, allowing precise temperature control for each function despite sharing common components like the compressor and condenser.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the system are designed with locally optimized properties: the passenger compartment evaporator is designed for air cooling with specific surface area and geometry, while the electrical component evaporators are designed for direct contact or proximity cooling of batteries and motors. This local optimization maintains temperature control precision despite the shared system architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If long connecting hoses are used to connect air conditioning system to electrical components, then system flexibility is improved, but insulation requirements and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant lines and connecting hoses are routed through existing vehicle structure cavities and channels, nesting the cooling system infrastructure within the vehicle's existing architectural spaces. This minimizes the external volume required for hoses while maintaining the necessary flexibility to connect distant components.
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 system provides lightweight, efficient, and space-saving cooling and heating for electrochemical cells, maintaining performance and safety while avoiding passenger compartment interference and reducing mechanical damage risks.
Implementation Method 1
uses a compression refrigeration cycle to cool the electrical components
Implementation Method 2
The refrigerant circuit (19) comprises a compressor (20), a condenser (21) and an expansion valve (22 or lamination valve)
Implementation Method 3
maintain optimal temperature and pressure for electrochemical pouch cells, ensuring efficient cooling and heating through a pneumatic compression mechanism
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A storage system (14) for an electric vehicle (1). The storage system (14) is designed to store electrical energy and has at least one group (26) of electrochemical pouch cells (15) and a watertight container (25) under pressure, which houses, on the inside, the group (26) of electrochemical pouch cells (15). The group (26) of electrochemical pouch cells (15) is arranged inside a flexible, watertight casing (27) inside which a vacuum is created. There is a compressor (20) configured to maintain a pressure inside the container (25) that is greater than atmospheric pressure.