Prismatic Battery Cell Housing With Integrated Cooling Cavities
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable Energy Storage Systems (RESS) for electric vehicles occupy a large amount of space and have complex assembly and packaging due to numerous components, requiring a large footprint.
Innovation Solution
A prismatic cell design with an inner and outer shell, incorporating cooling channels and cavities for fluid conduits, and a fluoropolymer lining, which allows for efficient cooling and reduced space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional battery cell designs with separate insulating jackets, elastic materials, thermal interface materials, and cooling interfaces are used, then thermal management functionality is provided, but the system occupies a large amount of space and has complex assembly and packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (insulating jacket, elastic material, thermal interface material, and cooling interface) into an integrated cell housing structure. The housing includes integrated cooling channels formed within the housing walls, eliminating the need for separate cooling interfaces and reducing the number of assembly steps while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cell housing is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural containment for the battery cell, serves as a thermal management system through integrated cooling channels, provides electrical insulation, and incorporates expansion compensation features. This multi-functionality reduces the overall system complexity and space requirements.
2Temperature
If multiple separate components (insulating jackets, elastic materials, thermal interface materials, cooling interfaces) are used for thermal management, then cooling functionality is achieved, but the footprint required to package the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are nested within the walls of the cell housing itself, utilizing the existing structural volume. This nesting approach allows the thermal management system to occupy no additional external space beyond what is already required for the cell housing, thereby reducing the overall footprint while maintaining effective cooling.
3Volume of moving object
If cooling channels are integrated into the cell housing, then space requirements are reduced and assembly is simplified, but the housing structure must maintain both structural rigidity and thermal conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The cell housing is constructed from composite materials that provide both the necessary structural rigidity and adequate thermal conductivity. The housing may incorporate metal alloys or composite structures that balance mechanical strength requirements with thermal management capabilities, allowing the integrated cooling channels to function effectively while maintaining cell structural integrity.
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 design reduces space requirements and simplifies assembly by integrating cooling channels and fluid conduits, enhancing thermal management and structural rigidity while maintaining efficient thermal conductivity.
Implementation Method 1
one or more cooling channels arranged in the one or more cavities and coupled to the outer side of the inner shell
Implementation Method 2
The lining can be made of a fluoropolymer material
Data Source
AI summary
A prismatic cell having a cell housing, comprising an inner shell, comprising a first side wall and a second side wall spaced from the first side wall, an upper wall coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall, a lower wall coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall, and an inner side and an outer side opposite the inner side. The prismatic cell further comprising an outer shell coupled to the outer side of the inner shell, one or more cavities between the inner shell and the outer shell, and one or more cooling channels arranged in the one or more cavities and coupled to the outer side of the inner shell. The one or more cavities comprising at least one first fluid conduit on a first side of the cooling channels and at least one second fluid conduit on a second side of the cooling channels.