Resin-Encapsulated Battery Pack Cooling With Structural Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric vehicle battery packs face challenges in efficient cooling and structural support, leading to potential temperature fluctuations and reduced battery life, as well as limitations in scalability and flexibility in power cell configuration.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design featuring a housing with resin sheets for structural support and electrical insulation, a heat-absorbing fluid circulating through intervening spaces between power cells, and an integrated cooling system that allows for efficient heat management and scalability through modular configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If power cells are arranged in parallel configuration with intervening spaces, then cooling efficiency is improved, but structural support and stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidstructural support
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Resin encapsulation material is introduced as an intermediary substance that fills the intervening spaces between power cells. This resin serves dual functions: it maintains the cooling channels and fluid circulation paths while providing structural support and stability to the parallel-arranged power cells, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material construction by combining power cells with resin encapsulation material. The resin-infused power cell assembly creates a composite structure where the resin matrix provides structural integrity while allowing fluid circulation channels to maintain cooling efficiency, thus achieving both structural support and effective cooling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If resin encapsulation is used to hold power cells in rigid configuration, then structural stability is improved, but heat dissipation may be hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The resin encapsulation is applied with local quality differentiation: it provides rigid structural support in regions requiring stability while maintaining open channels and spaces in regions requiring heat dissipation. The fluid circulation system is integrated within the resin structure to ensure heat dissipation pathways remain unobstructed, thus resolving the contradiction between structural stability and heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If power cells are arranged with intervening spaces for fluid circulation, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functions into the resin encapsulation structure: it provides structural support, defines cooling channels, enables fluid circulation, and secures power cell positioning. By combining these functions into a single integrated resin structure rather than separate components, the design achieves efficient cooling while reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances cooling efficiency, maintains stable temperatures, extends battery life, and allows for flexible power configurations and scalability, improving the overall performance and reliability of electric vehicle battery packs.

Implementation Method 1

a heat absorbing fluid within the housing, circulating through the intervening spaces contacting an exterior of at least one of the plurality of power cells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat absorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

heat absorbing fluid within the housing, circulating through the intervening spaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3878683B1Fluid-cooled energy storage device having resin encapsulation
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 VOLTU MOTOR INC
  • EP3878683B1 patent drawingFigure 11A~11E
  • EP3878683B1 patent drawingFigure 11F
  • EP3878683B1 patent drawingFigure 12~13D

AI summary

An energy storage device for an electric vehicle comprising a housing (1105) defining an interior volume; a plurality of power cells (1200), arranged in the interior volume of the housing (1105), each power cell (1200) having a first terminal at one end and a second terminal at another end, each of the plurality of power cells (1200) extending in a substantially parallel configuration with intervening spaces being provided between adjacent power cells (1200); a resin sheet (1305, 1310) encapsulating at least one end of each of the plurality of power cells (1200) and holding the plurality of power cells (1200) in a rigid configuration; and a heat absorbing fluid within the housing (1105), circulating through the intervening spaces contacting an exterior of at least one of the plurality of power cells (1200).