Integrated Support Heat Exchanger for Battery Cooling Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers for thermal management in electric vehicles require separate support structures, increasing costs and complexity, especially for large cold plates used in battery thermal management, where brazing large heat exchangers is challenging due to thermal gradients and flatness tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a thermally conductive top plate and a non-thermally conductive base tray with integrated fluid channels, where the top plate and base tray form a sealing relationship to create a fluid-tight structure, reducing the number of components and simplifying installation, and incorporating heat transfer enhancements like turbulizers or offset strip fins within the fluid channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a separate support structure is used for the heat exchanger, then the structural stability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base tray is designed to serve dual functions: it provides structural support for the heat exchanger and simultaneously forms part of the fluid containment structure. By merging the support function into the base tray, the patent eliminates the need for separate support structures, reducing device complexity while maintaining structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The base tray is designed as a multi-functional component that provides both mechanical support and fluid channel containment. This universal design allows a single component to fulfill multiple roles, eliminating the need for additional dedicated support structures and reducing overall system complexity
2Productivity
If the heat exchanger is made larger to accommodate more battery cells, then the productivity is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to thermal gradients in brazing
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple modular sections that can be brazed separately and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each section to be manufactured within acceptable thermal gradient limits, while the final assembled unit provides the large surface area needed for high productivity battery thermal management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single large brazed structure to a modular assembly of smaller sections. This dimensional change in the manufacturing approach (from monolithic to modular) allows large-scale heat exchangers to be constructed while maintaining manufacturing precision in each individual section
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple smaller heat exchangers are used, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to more coolant connections
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heat exchanger sections are merged into a single integrated modular unit with a unified base tray and fluid channel system. This consolidation reduces the number of separate coolant connections needed while maintaining the manufacturing precision benefits of smaller modular sections
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 minimizes the number of components and installation complexity, enhances thermal management efficiency, and reduces costs by eliminating the need for separate support structures and minimizing fluid connections, while maintaining performance and manufacturing requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the top plate is comprised of a first thermally conductive material and the base tray is comprised of a second, non-thermally conductive material
Implementation Method 2
a base tray defining a plurality of fluid channels extending between an inlet manifold area and an outlet manifold area for the flow of a heat exchange fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger having an integrated support structure particularly suited for thermal management of heat generating components such as battery thermal management applications or thermal management of other electronic components is disclosed. The heat exchanger includes a top plate and a base tray defining a plurality of fluid channels that extend between an inlet manifold area and an outlet manifold area. The top plate has a first side defining a primary heat transfer area and a second side for effecting a sealing relationship between the top plate and the base tray. In some instances, the top plate includes a thermally conductive material while the base tray includes a non-thermally conductive material. In some instances the base tray cooperates with a cover portion to define an enclosure for housing the heat generating components.