Battery module including a 3D oscillating heat pipe

Inter-cell temperature-equalizing battery module preventing dry-out via a closed-loop upper and lower connection pipe system

This technology is a 3D heat pipe structure that connects the thermal conduction pipes of oscillating heat pipes placed between multiple battery cells to a first connection pipe at the top and a second connection pipe at the bottom, facilitating smooth circulation of the working fluid and increasing heat transfer efficiency.

Conventional oscillating heat pipes have faced issues with dry-out, where the working fluid evaporates completely under high heat, causing a loss of function. Additionally, temperature deviations between multiple battery cells have limited the overall performance of battery packs.

This technology forms a closed loop by connecting multiple thermal conduction pipes placed between battery cells with upper and lower connection pipes, ensuring that the working fluid in specific pipes does not deplete and instead circulates between them to maintain uniform temperature across cells. Applicable to electric vehicle battery packs, high-output ESS racks, and large modules for electric propulsion ships, it prevents heat pipe failure and ensures even cell temperatures even under conditions of concentrated heat, such as during rapid charging.

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Key Features:

• A plurality of battery cells arranged at a predetermined distance from each other, with oscillating heat pipes inserted into the spaces between them
• A plurality of thermal conduction pipes formed to reciprocate multiple times between the top and bottom of the space, positioned in the spaces between each cell
• A plurality of first and second connection pipes that connect the thermal conduction pipes to each other at the upper and lower outer peripheries of the battery cells, respectively
• A cooling unit and a heating unit arranged to cool the working fluid at the upper outer periphery of the battery cells and heat the working fluid at the lower outer periphery

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Education's project for developing optimization technology for next-generation high-energy-density battery thermal management systems for electric vehicles based on deep learning.

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