Spacer Protrusions Enhance Battery Cell Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electric storage apparatuses do not provide sufficient cooling efficiency for electric storage units due to the limited effectiveness of air guided between adjacent cells.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a spacer with protruding portions on opposite faces that are shifted in a direction orthogonal to the cell alignment, creating turbulence in the airflow to enhance heat exchange between the heat exchange medium and the electric storage units, and optionally forming these protrusions as ribs for improved airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air is guided to the space between two adjacent cells for cooling, then cooling function is provided, but cooling efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A spacer is introduced as an intermediary component between adjacent electric storage units. The spacer includes protruding portions that extend into the space between units, serving as a mediator to enhance heat exchange by creating turbulence in the heat exchange medium flow and increasing the effective heat transfer surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portions of the spacer change the flow parameters of the heat exchange medium by creating turbulence and altering flow patterns. This transforms the laminar flow into turbulent flow, significantly enhancing heat exchange efficiency between the electric storage units and the cooling medium.
2Volume of moving object
If cells are placed in line in one direction to form assembled battery, then space utilization is improved, but heat exchange efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding portions of the spacer extend in a direction perpendicular to the main flow direction of the heat exchange medium. This dimensional addition creates multi-directional heat exchange pathways, allowing heat to be dissipated not only in the primary cooling direction but also laterally through the protruding structures.
3Temperature
If air cooling is used for electric storage units, then cooling function is achieved, but temperature adjustment efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer with protruding portions passively enhances heat exchange by utilizing the flow of the heat exchange medium itself. The protruding structures automatically create turbulence and increase heat transfer area without requiring additional active cooling components, control systems, or complex mechanisms.
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 significantly improves the efficiency of heat exchange, allowing for better temperature adjustment and reduced thermal stress on the electric storage units.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchange medium for use in temperature adjustment of the electric storage unit being moved in the space
Implementation Method 2
the protruding portions can be located in the entire space formed by the two ribs to produce turbulence in the flow of the heat exchange medium in the entire space
Data Source
AI summary
An electric storage apparatus has a plurality of electric storage units placed in line in a first direction, and a spacer forming space between two adjacent ones of the electric storage units, a heat exchange medium for use in temperature adjustment of the electric storage unit being moved in the space in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The spacer has a protruding portion on each of two faces forming the space and opposite to each other, the protruding portion protruding toward the inside of the space. The protruding portions provided on the two respective faces are shifted in the second direction from positions where the protruding portions are opposite to each other in the first direction.