Two-Plate Heat Exchanger Layout for Uniform Battery Tempering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchanger devices for battery and power electronics in electric and hybrid vehicles experience a significant temperature gradient of the heat transfer fluid, leading to potential damage and inefficiency in cooling or heating, particularly when the vehicle is stationary.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising two plate-shaped heat exchanger elements with planar contact, where the fluid flows through the first element before reaching the second element in contact with the battery or power electronics, allowing for heat transfer and maintaining a low temperature difference, thereby reducing the temperature gradient and achieving uniform temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single plate-shaped heat exchanger element with fluid-conducting channels is used, then the device structure is simple, but a significant temperature gradient of the heat transfer fluid occurs along the heat transfer surface
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into two separate plate-shaped heat exchanger elements (first and second elements), each with its own fluid-conducting channels. The fluid flows through both elements in sequence, which segments the heat transfer process and reduces the temperature gradient along the heat transfer surface by distributing the thermal load across multiple stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The first plate-shaped heat exchanger element acts as an intermediary between the fluid inlet and the second heat exchanger element. The fluid first exchanges heat with the battery through the first element, then continues to the second element for further heat exchange, allowing gradual temperature adjustment and reducing the overall temperature gradient.
2Volume of stationary object
If the heat transfer fluid flows through a single heat exchanger element, then the device is compact, but the cooling capacity becomes insufficient particularly near the outlet
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is segmented into two plate elements with separate fluid-conducting channels. The fluid flows through both elements sequentially, which distributes the cooling function across multiple stages. This segmentation maintains a compact overall structure while ensuring sufficient cooling capacity throughout the entire heat transfer surface by preventing fluid overheating before reaching the outlet.
3Productivity
If turbulators are integrated into fluid-conducting channels to distribute coolant uniformly, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but the temperature gradient along the channels increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding turbulators to a single channel, the invention segments the heat exchanger into two separate plate elements with distributed fluid-conducting channels. This segmentation allows the fluid to undergo gradual heat exchange across multiple channels and stages, maintaining efficient heat transfer through distributed flow paths while reducing the temperature gradient that would occur in a single long channel.
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 device effectively reduces the temperature gradient along the heat transfer surface, ensuring more uniform temperature control, which can be applied for both cooling and heating, and can be integrated into existing systems to conserve energy by reducing fluid flow requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a first plate-shaped heat exchanger element and a second plate-shaped heat exchanger element for transferring heat are arranged with planar contact with one another such that heat is transferred over the entire contact surface
Implementation Method 2
heat exchangers with a flat cooling surface have been used to control the temperature of battery cells or electronic components. The heat exchangers are typically formed with fluid-conducting channels
Data Source
AI summary
A device for the transfer of heat to control the temperature of batteries and components of the power electronics, particularly for an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, includes an inlet for a fluid and an outlet for the fluid as well as at least two fluid-conducting plate-shaped heat exchanger elements, of which a first plate-shaped heat exchanger element and a second plate-shaped heat exchanger element have planar contact with one another for the transfer of heat. In doing so, the second plate-shaped heat exchanger element is formed for planar contact with a heat transfer surface of a battery and/or a component of power electronics. At least one fluid connection is formed between the first plate-shaped heat exchanger element and the second plate-shaped heat exchanger element such that fluid escaping from the first plate-shaped heat exchanger element can flow through the second plate-shaped heat exchanger element.