Energy storage module comprising a plurality of energy storage assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10068714-B2
Application number	US-201414908063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2013
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

An energy storage module ( 10 ) including a plurality of energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) electrically connected to one another, the module including an external casing ( 40 ) in which are arranged the storage assemblies ( 12 ) and at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ). The energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) are arranged side by side on at least two distinct levels (N 1 , N 2 ). The heat exchangers ( 24 ) are positioned between two adjacent levels. The exchangers ( 24 ) are fixed to the casing ( 40 ) of the module at least at a securing wall ( 28 ) that is distinct from the contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B). The securing walls and the casing are configured so that the module has a space between the corresponding securing walls ( 28; 44 ) of the exchanger and of the casing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An energy storage module ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) electrically connected to one another, the module comprising an external casing ( 40 ) in which are arranged the storage assemblies ( 12 ) and at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ), the module being characterized in that:
the energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) are disposed side by side on at least two distinct levels (N 1 , N 2 ), the at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ) being positioned between two adjacent levels so as to be in thermal contact with at least one storage assembly of each of the two adjacent levels on two opposite respective contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B) of the heat exchanger,
said at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ) is fixed to the external casing ( 40 ) of the module at least at a securing wall ( 28 ) that is distinct from the contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B), the securing walls of the heat exchanger being configured in such a way that the module has a space between the corresponding securing walls ( 28 ; 44 ) of the heat exchanger and said external casing, at least at a location distinct from a securing site ( 70 ), and
wherein the heat exchanger comprises connectors ( 32 , 34 ) forming a fluid inlet and outlet, these connectors being configured to pass through a corresponding hole ( 52 ) of the external casing ( 40 ), a seal ( 54 ) being interposed between the external casing and the connectors.

2. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger ( 24 ) is configured in such a way that each securing site ( 70 ) of the heat exchanger is protruding from the remainder of the securing wall ( 28 ).

3. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger ( 24 ) comprises at least one duct ( 30 ) into which a fluid is intended to travel.

4. The module according to claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger ( 24 ) comprises a fluid inlet ( 32 ) and outlet ( 34 ), said external casing comprising at least one hole ( 52 ) to enable the passage of fluid from the outside.

5. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the connectors ( 32 , 34 ) are protruding connectors forming a fluid inlet and outlet, these connectors being configured to pass through the corresponding hole ( 52 ) of the external casing ( 40 ), a seal ( 54 ) being interposed between the external casing and the protruding connectors.

6. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger ( 24 ) is in thermal contact with all the storage assemblies ( 12 ) of both adjacent levels (N 1 , N 2 ).

7. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger ( 24 ) comprises two opposite contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B) and at least one side wall ( 28 ) extending between the opposite contact faces, substantially perpendicular to the contact faces, the securing sites ( 70 ) being distributed on the or at least one of the side walls in such a way that the latter form the securing wall(s).

8. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger ( 24 ) is secured to the external casing ( 40 ) of the module by screwing, for that purpose, the securing sites ( 70 ) of the heat exchanger ( 24 ) comprising securing holes ( 72 ), intended to be positioned facing the securing holes ( 74 ) of the external casing.

9. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the space situated between the securing walls ( 28 ; 44 ) is sized in such a way that the distance between the corresponding securing walls of said external casing and of the heat exchanger is lower than 3 mm.

10. The module according to claim 9 , wherein the surface of the securing wall(s) ( 28 ) of the heat exchanger in contact with the external casing ( 40 ) is lower than 20%, especially 10%, of the whole surface of the securing wall(s) ( 28 ).

11. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) extend in a longitudinal direction, and are superimposed with one of the contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B) of the heat exchanger at one of their end faces along the longitudinal direction.

12. The module according to claim 11 , wherein the module comprises at least one strip ( 14 ) superimposed on the end faces of two adjacent storage assemblies ( 12 ) in order to electrically connect said assemblies.

13. The module according to claim 1 , wherein at least one electrical isolation member, such as a mat ( 20 ) made of elastomer, is interposed between the storage assemblies ( 12 ) and the heat exchanger ( 24 ).

14. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) are supercapacitors.

15. A method for assembling an energy storage module ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of storage assemblies ( 12 ) and at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ), comprising the following steps:
forming first and second groups of energy storage assemblies arranged side by side,
positioning at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ), comprising at least two opposite contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B), between both groups of the assemblies, in such a way that each contact face is respectively in thermal contact with at least one storage assembly ( 12 ) of one of the groups,
arranging an external casing ( 40 ) in such a way that it surrounds the groups of assemblies and the heat exchanger and securing the heat exchanger to at least one wall ( 44 ) of the external casing at least at one of its walls ( 28 ) that is distinct from the contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B), the heat exchanger being configured in such a way that the module has a space between the corresponding securing walls ( 28 ; 44 ) of the heat exchanger and the external casing, at least at a location distinct from a securing site ( 70 ),
wherein the heat exchanger comprises connectors ( 32 , 34 ) forming a fluid inlet and outlet, these connectors being configured to pass through a corresponding hole ( 52 ) of the external casing ( 40 ), a seal ( 54 ) being interposed between the external casing and the connectors.

16. An energy storage module ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) electrically connected to one another, the module comprising an external casing ( 40 ) in which are arranged the storage assemblies ( 12 ) and at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ), the module being characterized in that:
the energy storage assemblies ( 12 ) are disposed side by side on at least two distinct levels (N 1 , N 2 ), the at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ) being positioned between two adjacent levels so as to be in thermal contact with at least one storage assembly of each of the two adjacent levels on two opposite respective contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B) of the heat exchanger,
said at least one heat exchanger ( 24 ) is fixed to the external casing ( 40 ) of the module at least at a securing wall ( 28 ) that is distinct from the contact faces ( 26 A, 26 B), the securing walls of the heat exchanger being configured in such a way that the module has a space between the corresponding securing walls ( 28 ; 44 ) of the heat exchanger and of the external casing, at least at a location distinct from a securing site ( 70 ), and
wherein the surface of the securing wall(s) ( 28 ) of the heat exchanger in contact with the external casing ( 40 ) is lower than 20% of the whole surface of the securing wall(s) ( 28 ).

Assignees

• Blue Solutions

Inventors

• Juventin Anne-Claire
• Le Gall Laurent

Classifications

• H01G2/02

  Mountings · CPC title

• H01G9/08

  Housing; Encapsulation · CPC title

• H01G11/82

  Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations · CPC title

• H01G17/00

  Structural combinations of capacitors or other devices covered by at least two different main groups of this subclass with other electric elements, not covered by this subclass, e.g. RC combinations · CPC title

• H01G2/08

  Cooling arrangements; Heating arrangements; Ventilating arrangements · CPC title