Zig-Zag Bus Bar Layout in Battery Packs for Voltage Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs face challenges in efficiently connecting multiple battery cells while minimizing voltage differences and reducing the risk of electrical short-circuits, particularly in high-power applications like electric vehicles, where traditional bus bar arrangements can lead to increased voltage and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring an imaginary rectangular envelope with zig-zag arranged bus bars connecting circular battery cells, where the bus bars extend in a zig-zag shape along the short side direction and alternately above and below the cells, with a higher number of bus bars in the zig-zag configuration compared to those extending lengthwise, ensuring safe and efficient electrical connections between cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional bus bar arrangements are used to connect multiple battery cells, then electrical connections can be established, but voltage differences increase and the risk of electrical short-circuits increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bars are arranged in a zig-zag shape instead of straight lines, creating a curved path that connects battery cells in an offset arrangement. This curved configuration reduces the potential difference between cells and minimizes electrical stress concentrations, thereby improving safety and reliability while managing the complexity of connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar arrangement uses an asymmetric zig-zag pattern rather than a symmetric straight-line configuration. This asymmetric design allows for optimized electrical connection paths that account for the offset arrangement of circular battery cells, reducing voltage differences and improving overall system reliability.
2Reliability
If more bus bars are arranged in zig-zag shape along the short side direction, then voltage differences between cells are reduced, but the number of bus bars increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bars extend in three dimensions by alternating above and below the battery cells in a zig-zag pattern. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows for more efficient electrical connections that reduce voltage differences between cells while optimizing the use of space, effectively managing the quantity of bus bars needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar system is segmented into multiple sections that connect adjacent battery cells in a zig-zag pattern. This segmentation allows for distributed electrical connections throughout the battery pack, improving voltage balance by creating multiple parallel paths for current flow rather than relying on a single long connection path.
3Productivity
If battery cells are arranged in offset manner to increase energy density, then space utilization improves, but electrical connection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The zig-zag bus bar configuration provides flexible curved connection paths that adapt to the offset arrangement of circular battery cells. This curved design maintains compact packaging for high energy density while simplifying the electrical connection topology compared to rigid straight-line arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The zig-zag bus bar design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical connections, manages spatial constraints of offset cell arrangement, and reduces voltage differences. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite the non-traditional cell layout.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack including battery cells bounded by an imaginary rectangular envelope including a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides extending to linearly surround an outer periphery of the battery cells across an outer circumference of the battery cells; and bus bars that electrically connect at least some of the battery cells to each other, the bus bars being arranged to extend in a zig-zag shape along a short side direction of the imaginary rectangular envelope.