Thermal Tower Battery Cooling System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Battery modules, especially in electric vehicles, face challenges in maintaining stable temperatures during charge and discharge cycles due to heat generation from electrical resistance, which can reduce battery life and pose safety risks if temperatures become excessive, while existing cooling systems often result in uneven cooling and space inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A battery module cooling system featuring thermal towers with a holding member and a thermally-conductive flexible cooling member that contours to contact battery cells, providing localized cooling through a cooling fluid channelled through a hollow interior region, with inlet and outlet reservoirs and tubes to ensure efficient heat exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling systems are used to cool battery cells, then battery temperature is reduced, but uneven cooling and space inefficiency occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform cooling to localized cooling. Thermal towers are positioned at specific locations around battery cells to target hot spots and regions with higher thermal generation (such as near current collectors), allowing different parts of the battery to receive cooling according to their specific thermal needs, thereby achieving uniform overall cooling performance
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent thermal towers rather than using a single conventional cooling unit. Each thermal tower operates independently and can be strategically positioned to address specific cooling requirements of different battery cell regions, improving both cooling uniformity and space utilization
2Temperature
If conventional cooling systems are used to cool battery cells, then battery temperature is reduced, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal towers are designed to nest within or around existing battery module structures, utilizing available spaces efficiently. The towers can be positioned in gaps between battery cells or integrated into the module housing, thereby reducing the overall space requirement for the cooling system while maintaining effective cooling coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system transitions from a planar or distributed configuration to a vertical three-dimensional structure. Thermal towers extend upward from the battery cell surfaces, utilizing the vertical dimension to provide cooling without occupying additional horizontal space within the battery module
3Reliability
If battery cells are cooled during charge and discharge cycles, then battery stability and workable life are improved, but cooling system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal towers are designed to be passive cooling devices that utilize natural convection and conduction principles. The cooling fluid circulates through the towers without requiring active pumping mechanisms, and the towers automatically position themselves to contact battery cell surfaces, reducing the need for complex control systems and actuators, thereby lowering overall system cost while maintaining reliability
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 reduces temperature gradients within battery cells, extends battery life, and optimizes space usage by providing localized and efficient cooling, preventing overheating and ensuring safe operation.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling member may include a thermally-conductive flexible material
Implementation Method 2
The hollow interior region may be configured to channel a cooling fluid
Data Source
AI summary
Various arrangements for a battery module cooling system are presented. A thermal tower may be contoured to contact one or more battery cells. The thermal tower may include a holding member and a cooling member. A hollow interior region having a top aperture may be defined by the holding member. A portion of each of the one or more battery cells may be contacted by the cooling member to provide localized cooling to each of the one or more battery cells. A seal may be formed between the holding member and the cooling member by positioning the cooling member on the top aperture of the holding member. Optionally, the portion that the cooling members may contact to provide localized cooling may include a hot region having a higher temperature than other portions of each of the one or more battery cells.