Z-Type Battery Pack Cooling Channel Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Z-type battery packs experience uneven cooling, leading to high maximum temperatures and significant temperature variations among battery cells, which shortens their lifespan and increases the risk of explosion.
Innovation Solution
A Z-type battery pack design featuring a flux control plate with a blocking plate and a flow guide plate in the second cooling channel, where the flow guide plate guides the cooling gas in the opposite direction of introduction, ensuring uniform flux and reducing pressure differences between cooling channels, with specific dimensions to optimize cooling efficiency and motor load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling gas is introduced through the first cooling channel and discharged through the second cooling channel in the same direction, then the cooling gas can absorb heat from the battery cells, but the pressure difference increases as the distance from the introduction side increases, causing uneven cooling and temperature variation among battery cells
Solution Approach 1:
The second cooling channel is segmented into multiple discharge sides (first discharge side and second discharge side) with corresponding slits distributed along the flow direction. This segmentation allows the cooling gas to be discharged at multiple locations, reducing the pressure difference accumulation and improving temperature uniformity across the battery cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The slits in the second cooling channel are strategically positioned at different locations along the flow direction to create localized discharge points. This ensures that cooling gas is discharged where needed most, addressing the local pressure differences and temperature variations in different regions of the battery pack.
2Quantity of substance
If the cooling gas flows through all spaces between battery cells, then more cells can be cooled, but the pressure difference causes larger amounts of gas to pass through spaces farther from the introduction side, leading to insufficient cooling near the introduction side
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge function is segmented across multiple sides and locations in the second cooling channel, creating multiple exit points for the cooling gas. This distributes the gas flow more evenly through the battery cell spaces, preventing excessive flow through distant spaces while ensuring adequate flow near the introduction side.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling gas discharge is extended from a single-direction flow to multi-directional discharge through slits on opposite sides of the second cooling channel. This dimensional change in flow pattern ensures more uniform distribution of cooling gas across all battery cell spaces.
3Ease of manufacture
If the battery pack uses a conventional Z-type cooling channel design, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the temperature variation among battery cells is too great, shortening battery lifespan and increasing explosion risk
Solution Approach 1:
The second cooling channel is divided into multiple discharge sections with slits on opposite sides, maintaining the overall simple Z-type structure while adding segmented discharge functionality. This preserves ease of manufacture while significantly improving temperature uniformity and battery reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Slits are added at specific locations in the second cooling channel where discharge is needed, rather than redesigning the entire channel structure. This localized modification maintains manufacturing simplicity while addressing the temperature uniformity issue to extend battery lifespan.
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
This design significantly reduces maximum temperatures and temperature variations among battery cells, extending the battery pack's lifespan and preventing explosions by maintaining uniform cooling gas flux across all cells.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling gas introduced through the side 32 is discharged to the outside while passing through the slits 34, the spaces between the battery cells 20, and the slits 44 in order. In this procedure, the cooling gas absorbs heat from the battery cells 20, so the battery cells 20 may be cooled.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
A flux of cooling gas passing between battery cells is kept uniformly, and accordingly a maximum temperature of the battery cells and temperature variation among the battery cells are greatly decreased. Thus, a life span of a battery pack is greatly elongated, and the possibility of explosion of the battery pack is eliminated.