Vehicle Underbody Battery Cooling Cover With Integrated Flow Path
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underbody designs for vehicles require separate assembly of battery trays and lack efficient cooling methods for battery modules, leading to space inefficiencies and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
An underbody design featuring a tray member directly fastened to the vehicle body frame with a receiving portion for accommodating a battery module, and a cover member with a flow path for refrigerant fluid movement, integrated with irregularities for enhanced cooling and structural rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a large-capacity battery module is mounted to increase driving distance or power, then the vehicle's energy performance is improved, but the mounting space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery module mounting function with the underbody structure itself. The underbody is designed with a receiving portion that directly accommodates the battery module, eliminating the need for separate mounting trays or brackets. This integration allows efficient use of space under the vehicle while accommodating large-capacity battery modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical space under the vehicle by designing the underbody to extend downward from the vehicle body frame. The receiving portion is formed by downward extensions of side wall panels, creating a three-dimensional mounting space that maximizes the use of available volume without increasing the vehicle's footprint.
2Device complexity
If air-cooling method is used to cool the battery module, then the cooling system is simple, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient when driving a vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a liquid cooling system by introducing a cooling plate with coolant flow paths between the battery module and the underbody. The coolant circulates through the cooling plate to efficiently remove heat from the battery module, providing superior cooling performance compared to air cooling, especially during vehicle operation when higher thermal management is required.
3Device complexity
If air-cooling method is used, then the cooling system is simple, but a separate space for forming an air flow path is required
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is integrated into the underbody structure, merging the cooling function with the structural component. The cooling plate forms part of the underbody assembly, eliminating the need for separate air flow paths and reducing the overall space requirement for the cooling system.
4Ease of manufacture
If separate battery tray assembly is used, then the battery module can be accommodated, but the assembly process becomes complex and space-efficient mounting is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The underbody structure is designed to directly receive and accommodate the battery module without requiring separate mounting trays or brackets. The receiving portion of the underbody serves as both the structural support and the mounting mechanism, simplifying the assembly process to a single integration step while maintaining space efficiency.
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 design provides a compact, efficient space for battery module storage, eliminates the need for separate battery tray assembly, and enhances cooling efficiency by integrating the flow path with the cover member, while also improving structural rigidity.
Implementation Method 1
a cover member (100) which covers the open lower surface of the receiving portion (310)... the cover member (100) includes a flow path (101, 102) through which the refrigerant fluidly moves
Data Source
AI summary
Discussed is an underbody for a vehicle including a tray member fastened to a lower portion of a vehicle body frame and including a receiving portion having a structure with an open lower surface to accommodate a battery module; and a cover member to cover the open lower surface of the receiving portion, wherein the cover member includes a flow path to circulate a refrigerant fluid.