Hybrid Cooling of Battery Cells at Module Scale

Dr. Sylvie Lorente, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, College of Engineering; Chair and Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Villanova University, has invented a novel hybrid cooling system that utilizes modular ceramic insert architecture for stationary battery storage systems.  The invention ensures batteries are separate from the coolant, while keeping the battery cells within the desired and targeted temperature range.

Modular hybrid cooling is achieved by an external liquid cooling network combined with a ceramic architecture to regulate heat during charging and discharging operations.  The ceramics material is a dielectric of high thermal conductivity, and liquid cooling can either be single or two-phase.  When the inserts are placed appropriately between the battery cells, they convey generated heat toward the top of the module for removal by the liquid cooling channels. This liquid cooling system is highly efficient; it maintains low flow rates while simultaneously extracting a large amount of heat without compromising the integrity of the modules.

Most importantly, this invention can be scaled to stationary battery storage configurations with modules that contain battery cells while maintaining proper efficiency. While originally designed for Li-ion batteries, this invention can be used for any type of battery.

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