Thermal Management for High-Current Energy Storage Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-energy-density lithium-ion batteries face significant thermal management challenges due to temperature sensitivity, especially when operating at high charge and discharge rates, leading to reduced efficiency and safety concerns, as conventional cooling methods are inefficient or unsuitable for rapid cycling and compact battery packs.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system combining thermally conductive microfibrous media with phase change materials and active cooling structures, which provides both passive and active cooling strategies for efficient heat transfer and regulation, enhancing the safety and longevity of energy storage devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high charge/discharge rates are used to achieve high power capacity, then power output increases, but heat generation increases and temperature control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A thermal conductive paste is introduced as an intermediary material between the battery cell and the heat dissipation plate, improving thermal contact and heat transfer efficiency. The paste fills gaps and conforms to surface irregularities, enabling more effective heat removal during high power operation
Solution Approach 2:
The heat dissipation plate is designed to replicate and extend the thermal management function to multiple battery cells simultaneously. The plate structure copies the cooling function across the battery pack, providing uniform temperature control for multiple cells through a single thermal management component
2Quantity of substance
If multiple batteries are tightly packed to achieve high energy density, then space utilization improves, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple battery cells are merged into a compact pack configuration with integrated thermal management. The heat dissipation plate serves multiple cells simultaneously, and thermal conductive materials are used to merge the thermal paths of individual cells into a unified cooling system, enabling efficient heat removal despite tight packing
Solution Approach 2:
A liquid cooling system is implemented using hydraulic principles, where coolant flows through channels in the heat dissipation plate to actively remove heat from densely packed batteries. The fluid circulation enables continuous heat extraction from the compact battery arrangement
3Device complexity
If conventional cooling methods are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but cooling efficiency is insufficient for rapid cycling
Solution Approach 1:
Conventional air cooling is replaced with a liquid cooling system that uses fluid circulation through the heat dissipation plate. This substitution provides significantly higher cooling efficiency for rapid charge/discharge cycling while maintaining reasonable system complexity through the use of integrated thermal management components
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 system effectively manages heat dissipation in high-energy-density batteries, allowing for extended useful life and operational safety during rapid charge and discharge cycles, even in compact configurations, by leveraging the latent heat capacity of phase change materials and improved interfacial heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
one or more phase change materials are dispersed within the microfibrous media
Implementation Method 2
leveraging the latent heat capacity of phase change materials
Implementation Method 3
one or more thermal conductive micro fibrous media... improved interfacial heat transfer
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
Figure 3a~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Thermal management systems for high energy density batteries, particularly arrays of such batteries, and methods of making and using thereof are described herein. The system includes one or more thermal conductive microfibrous media with one or more phase change materials dispersed within the microfibrous media and one or more active cooling structures. Energy storage packs or arrays which contain a plurality of energy storage cells and the thermal management system are also described. Further described are thermal or infrared shielding blankets or barriers comprising one or more thermal conductive microfibrous media comprising one or more phase change materials dispersed within the microfibrous media.