Tab cooling structure and tab cooling structure assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The temperature of battery cell tabs in electric vehicles becomes a rate-limiting factor during fast charging and high-load driving, reaching the allowable temperature limit before the cell body does, which restricts charging and discharging capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A tab cooling structure comprising first and second coolers sandwiching the tab, with refrigerant supply and discharge pipes integrated into unitized bodies, effectively cooling the tab and adjacent cell body portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fast battery charging and high-load driving are performed, then charging and discharging rates are improved, but tab temperature rises excessively and becomes a rate-limiting factor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local cooling to the tab region by positioning coolers specifically at locations adjacent to the tabs (first cooler at one side of the tab in the stacking direction, second cooler at the other side). This localized cooling approach targets the specific heat generation problem at the tab without requiring cooling of the entire battery cell, thereby enabling high-rate charging and discharging while controlling tab temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent coolers (first cooler and second cooler) positioned at different locations around the tab. This segmentation allows for distributed heat removal from the tab region, improving cooling effectiveness while maintaining system modularity and enabling high current operation without excessive temperature rise.
2Reliability
If tab temperature is controlled within allowable range, then safety is improved, but charging and discharging rates are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is designed to actively remove heat from the tab region during high-rate charging and discharging operations, preventing temperature from reaching limiting values. By applying cooling in advance and continuously during high-current operation, the system maintains tab temperature within allowable ranges while sustaining high charging and discharging rates, thus resolving the trade-off between reliability and productivity.
3Temperature
If coolers are positioned to cool the tab effectively, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple supply and discharge pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the refrigerant supply and discharge functions into a unified cooler structure. The first cooler includes both a first supply pipe and a first discharge pipe, while the second cooler includes both a second supply pipe and a second discharge pipe. This merging of supply and discharge pathways into integrated cooler units simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining effective cooling of the tab from multiple positions.
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
The solution reduces tab temperature increases, preventing it from becoming a rate-limiting factor, allowing for high-current charging and discharging without overheating.
Implementation Method 1
a first cooler that is positioned further toward one side in the X direction than the tab to be cooled... a second cooler that is positioned further toward an opposite side in the X direction than the tab to be cooled... the first cooler and the second cooler sandwich the tab to be cooled therebetween
Implementation Method 2
a first supply pipe through which a refrigerant is supplied to the first cooler... a second supply pipe through which the refrigerant is supplied to the second cooler... a first discharge pipe through which the refrigerant is discharged from the first cooler... a second discharge pipe through which the refrigerant is discharged from the second cooler
Data Source
AI summary
A tab cooling structure cools a tab of one of battery cells. The tab cooling structure includes first and second coolers, first and second supply pipes, and first and second discharge pipes. The first cooler is positioned further toward one side in the X direction than the tab to be cooled. The second cooler is positioned further toward an opposite side in the X direction than the tab to be cooled. A refrigerant is supplied to the first cooler through the first supply pipe. The refrigerant is supplied to the second cooler through the second supply pipe. The refrigerant is discharged from the first cooler through the first discharge pipe. The refrigerant is discharged from the second cooler through the second discharge pipe. The first cooler and the second cooler sandwich the tab to be cooled therebetween in the X direction.