Side Bus Bar Heat Dissipation in Battery Pack Assemblies

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery packs have inefficient heat dissipation due to thermal pads and heatsinks being coupled to the bottom portion, increasing the total height and manufacturing cost, while heat generation primarily occurs at the electrode leads and bus bars.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design where a heat dissipation member is positioned in contact with the bus bar at the side surface of the battery module, incorporating a thermal pad and heatsink with a flow path for fluid cooling, reducing the overall height and manufacturing cost by focusing heat dissipation on the primary heat emission areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If thermal pad and heatsink are coupled to the bottom portion of the battery module, then heat dissipation is provided, but the total height of the battery pack is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidtotal height

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from vertical heat dissipation (bottom coupling) to horizontal heat dissipation (side surface coupling). The heat dissipation member is positioned at the side surface of the battery module in contact with the bus bar, changing the spatial dimension of heat dissipation from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, thereby avoiding increase in total height while maintaining effective heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Temperature

If thermal pad and heatsink are manufactured to have a size corresponding to the total size of the bottom portion, then heat dissipation coverage is maximized, but the manufacturing cost is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning the heat dissipation member specifically at the bus bar location on the side surface, where heat generation is most intense. Instead of providing uniform heat dissipation coverage across the entire bottom portion, the design concentrates heat dissipation resources at the critical heat emission point (bus bar), thereby improving cost-effectiveness while maintaining heat dissipation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the heat dissipation function from the bottom portion structure and relocates it to the side surface bus bar area. This extraction allows the heat dissipation member to be sized only according to the bus bar dimensions rather than the entire battery module bottom area, reducing material usage and manufacturing cost while targeting the actual heat generation source.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If thermal pad and heatsink are coupled to the bottom portion, then heat dissipation structure is simple, but heat dissipation efficiency is not high due to heat generation location

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation structureVSAvoidheat dissipation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent improves heat dissipation efficiency by applying local quality - placing the heat dissipation member specifically at the bus bar location on the side surface where heat is generated most intensely. This targeted approach ensures that heat dissipation resources are concentrated at the critical thermal zone, significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency compared to uniform bottom coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the conventional heat dissipation approach by moving from bottom-up heat dissipation to side-surface heat dissipation. Instead of coupling the heat dissipation member to the bottom portion as conventionally done, the invention couples it to the side surface bus bar, reversing the traditional spatial arrangement to better match the actual heat generation pattern.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 heat dissipation efficiency by directly addressing heat emission at the electrode leads and bus bars, reduces the total height of the battery pack, and decreases the area and cost of the heat dissipation member.

Implementation Method 1

a thermal pad and a heatsink are sequentially coupled to a bottom portion 3 to emit heat generated from the battery module 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a thermal pad and a heatsink are sequentially coupled to a bottom portion 3 to emit heat generated from the battery module 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

a thermal pad and a heatsink are sequentially coupled to a bottom portion 3 to emit heat generated from the battery module 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS12051789B2Battery pack

Publication Date: 2024.07.30 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is a battery pack including a battery module having a plurality of battery cells, and a heat dissipation member provided in contact with a bus bar at a side surface of the battery module where electrode leads of the battery cells and the bus bar coupled to the electrode leads are disposed.