Prismatic Battery Pack Cooling Plate Layout for Uniform Heat Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prismatic battery cells face challenges in cooling efficiency due to their configuration and connection structures, leading to uneven temperature distribution and reduced cooling effectiveness, especially when using multiple cooling plates.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design with cooling plates arranged in a sandwich structure between stacked battery arrays, where coolant inlets and outlets are positioned horizontally in parallel to minimize temperature differences and enhance surface contact for improved heat exchange, while preventing unnecessary cooling plate application to maintain cost and weight efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple cooling plates are used to cool prismatic battery cells, then cooling coverage is improved, but temperature difference between cooling plates increases and cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical stacking of cooling plates to horizontal parallel arrangement, changing the spatial dimension of coolant flow. This allows all cooling plates to receive coolant at the same level, eliminating temperature differences between stacked plates while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage of prismatic battery cells
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is divided into multiple independent cooling plates that are horizontally arranged in parallel, with each plate having separate inlet and outlet. This segmentation allows independent coolant flow paths for each plate, ensuring uniform cooling across all battery cells without temperature stratification
2Temperature
If cooling plates are applied to all battery cell surfaces, then cooling efficiency is maximized, but system cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies cooling plates selectively based on the specific thermal characteristics and configuration ofprismatic battery cells. Cooling plates are positioned only where heat dissipation is most critical, such as on surfaces with higher heat generation or poorer natural convection, rather than uniformly on all surfaces, thereby optimizing cooling efficiency while minimizing added weight
3Ease of manufacture
If coolant inlet and outlet are arranged vertically in stacked cooling plates, then assembly is simplified, but temperature distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the coolant flow arrangement from vertical stacking to horizontal parallel configuration. All cooling plates are positioned at the same vertical level with inlets and outlets aligned horizontally, allowing coolant to flow through each plate simultaneously at equal pressure and temperature, thus achieving uniform temperature distribution while maintaining assembly simplicity
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 design maximizes cooling efficiency by ensuring both sides of prismatic battery cells are cooled, reduces temperature variations, and simplifies the assembly process, thereby improving the overall heat balancing and stability of the battery pack.
Implementation Method 1
multiple cooling plates disposed between the battery arrays to exchange heat with the battery arrays by surface contact with the battery arrays
Implementation Method 2
exchange heat with the battery arrays by surface contact with the battery arrays
Implementation Method 3
each cooling plate having a cooling flow path formed therein and having an inlet and an outlet which are connected to the cooling flow path
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment battery pack includes multiple battery arrays stacked in a height direction, multiple cooling plates disposed between the battery arrays and configured to exchange heat with the battery arrays by surface contact with the battery arrays, each cooling plate having a cooling flow path disposed therein and having an inlet and an outlet which are connected to the cooling flow path, and multiple cooling pipes having first side ends connected to the inlet and the outlet of each cooling plate and second side ends bent to gather at one point and arranged on a same plane.