Segmented Electrically Isolated Heat Sink for Battery Pack Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable battery packs in vehicles are prone to thermal runaway, leading to potential fires due to instability and lack of effective safety measures to prevent propagation within the battery pack.
Innovation Solution
A battery assembly design featuring segmented heat sinks thermally coupled with coolant conduits, where each battery group is electrically isolated to prevent short circuits and enhance heat dissipation, using thermally conductive and electrically insulative materials to manage thermal energy efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a single large heat sink is used for the entire battery pack, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but electrical short circuit risk between different voltage groups increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink is divided into multiple electrically isolated segments, each serving a specific battery group. This segmentation maintains effective thermal coupling within each battery group while preventing electrical short circuits between different voltage groups, thus resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation efficiency and electrical isolation reliability
2Power
If batteries are grouped in series configurations, then voltage output is improved, but thermal runaway propagation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple battery groups connected in series, with each group having its own dedicated heat sink segment. This segmentation allows high voltage output through series connection while limiting thermal runaway propagation to individual groups, as the physical and thermal isolation prevents fire spread between groups
3Reliability
If thermal management systems are added to control heat, then thermal runaway prevention is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink structure is merged with the battery group configuration, where each heat sink segment is directly coupled to its corresponding battery group. This integration provides effective thermal management for preventing thermal runaway without requiring separate complex thermal management systems, thus improving reliability while minimizing additional complexity
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 solution effectively reduces the risk of battery pack fires by isolating voltage groups and enhancing heat dissipation, thereby minimizing the risk of arcing and property damage.
Implementation Method 1
at least one coolant conduit thermally coupled to the plurality of heat sink segments
Implementation Method 2
plurality of heat sink segments; each heat sink segment thermally coupled to one battery group
Implementation Method 3
a thermally conductive material layer interposed between the second end portion of each battery and the corresponding heat sink segment
Data Source
AI summary
A battery assembly is provided that utilizes electrically isolated heat sinks to enhance battery pack thermal management and safety. The battery assembly is divided into groups of batteries, where the batteries within each group are of the same voltage, and where each battery group is serially coupled to the other battery groups. The heat sink is segmented, where each heat sink segment is thermally coupled to the batteries within a single battery group, and where each heat sink segment is electrically isolated from the adjacent heat sink segments. The heat sink segments are thermally coupled to, and electrically isolated from, at least one coolant conduit which, in turn, is coupled to a thermal management system.