Thermally Conductive Spacer for Heat Pipe Energy Storage Cooling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy storage assemblies face inefficiencies in temperature control, particularly in maintaining electrical energy stores at moderate temperatures to prevent overheating or undercooling, which can damage the components.

Innovation Solution

The energy storage assembly incorporates thermally conductive spacer elements coupled with heat pipes from multiple heat pipe assemblies to form a thermal bridge, allowing for efficient heating or cooling of electrical energy stores, with each heat pipe assembly having distinct evaporation and condensation zones to optimize temperature control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single heat pipe assembly is used for temperature control, then the structure is simple, but the temperature control efficiency is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat pipe assembly structureVSAvoidtemperature control efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The heat pipe system is divided into multiple independent heat pipe assemblies (first heat pipe assembly and second heat pipe assembly), each capable of independently controlling temperature. This segmentation allows parallel temperature control operations, improving overall temperature control efficiency without requiring a single complex heat pipe system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Area of stationary object

If heat pipes are arranged closely to save space, then space utilization improves, but heat exchange interference occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidheat exchange interference

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A thermally insulating spacer element is introduced as an intermediary between the first and second heat pipe assemblies. This spacer element physically separates the heat pipes, preventing harmful heat exchange interference between them, while still allowing the overall structure to maintain compact dimensions for good space utilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 configuration enhances the efficiency and space utilization of temperature control, preventing heat exchange interference between heat pipes, thereby effectively maintaining energy stores and associated components at moderate temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

the at least one spacer element is thermally coupled to at least one heat pipe of a first heat pipe assembly which has at least one heat pipe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat pipe: Heat Pipe

Implementation Method 2

the at least one spacer element is thermally conductive and thermally coupled between the at least two electrical energy stores and the at least one heat pipe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10116019B2Energy storage assembly, temperature control device, and motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2018.10.30 AUDI AG

AI summary

An energy storage assembly includes a plurality of electrical energy stores. Arranged between at least two electrical energy stores is at least one thermally conductive spacer element which has at least one area to separate the at least two electrical energy stores. The at least one spacer element is thermally coupled to at least one heat pipe of a first heat pipe assembly and to at least one heat pipe of a second heat pipe assembly.