Segmented Battery Pack Structure for Swelling Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs face challenges in maintaining energy density, structural rigidity, and preventing explosive pressure increases due to swelling, particularly as the number of battery cells increases, necessitating larger empty spaces and buffer pads that exacerbate these issues.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a pack tray with dividing beams and cross beams, module and pack covers, and upper and lower elastic members to absorb swelling while maintaining structural integrity and uniform pressure distribution across battery modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buffer pads are used to absorb swelling, then swelling is controlled, but the magnitude of force required to compress the buffer pad increases explosively as the amount of swelling increases, causing explosive increase in pressure applied to battery cells
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple battery modules, each independently managed with its own swelling control mechanism. This segmentation allows localized swelling absorption without transmitting excessive forces across the entire pack, preventing explosive pressure increases on individual cells.
Solution Approach 2:
A swelling control structure acts as an intermediary between the swelling battery modules and the pack housing. This intermediary component absorbs and distributes swelling forces gradually, preventing direct transmission of explosive forces to the battery cells while maintaining controlled pressure.
2Reliability
If empty space is secured in pack housing to accommodate swelling, then swelling is absorbed, but energy density decreases due to reduced active battery volume
Solution Approach 1:
The swelling control mechanism uses adjustable parameters such as the compliance of elastic members and the geometry of the control structure to optimize the balance between swelling absorption capacity and energy density. By tuning these parameters, the system achieves effective swelling management while minimizing empty space.
3Quantity of substance
If stack thickness of one cell stack is minimized, then energy density is improved, but structural rigidity of battery pack decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is segmented into multiple modules arranged in a distributed configuration. This segmentation allows each module to have optimized thin cell stacks for high energy density, while the overall pack structure maintains rigidity through the distributed modular architecture and connection structures between modules.
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
Prevents energy density loss, secures structural rigidity, and avoids explosive pressure increases by effectively managing swelling through guided movement and elastic member compression.
Implementation Method 1
an upper elastic member located between the module cover and the pack cover and compressed, when the module cover moves toward the pack cover due to swelling of at least one battery module of the plurality of battery modules, to absorb volume expansion due to the swelling
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes a plurality of battery cell stacks, each battery cell stack having a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction; a pack tray in which the plurality of battery cell stacks are accommodated in a plurality of rows extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each row having multiple battery cell stacks arranged in the second direction, the pack tray including: a base, a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base, a plurality of first beams extending in the second direction to separate the plurality of rows into groups, and a plurality of partition walls extending in the second direction, each partition wall being located within a corresponding group to separate adjacent battery cells stacks from each other; a pack cover covering an opening portion of the pack tray opposite the base; and a plurality of elastic members.