Counter-flow heat exchanger for battery thermal management applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11843102-B2
Application number	US-202217660599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2022
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A heat exchanger for thermal management of battery units made-up of a plurality of battery cells or battery cell containers housing one or more battery cells. The heat exchanger has a main body portion defining at least one primary heat transfer surface for surface-to-surface contact with a corresponding surface of at least one of the battery cells or containers. A plurality of alternating first and second fluid flow passages are formed within the main body portion each defining a flow direction, the flow direction through the first fluid flow passages being generally opposite to the flow direction through the second fluid flow passages. In some embodiments the heat exchanger has two pairs of inlet and outlet manifolds, providing a single-pass, counter-flow arrangement. In other embodiments the first and second fluid flow passages are interconnected by turn portions forming a U-flow, counter-flow heat exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for thermal management of a battery unit having a plurality of battery cell containers each housing one or more battery cells, comprising:
a rectangular main body portion having a first surface defining a planar, primary heat transfer surface, the first surface extending between first and second end surfaces that extend perpendicular to, or substantially perpendicular to, the first surface, the main body portion having a plurality of spaced apart tubular channels extending through the main body portion from the first end surface to the second end, the plurality of tubular channels forming a plurality of alternating first and second fluid flow passages wherein the plurality of first fluid flow passages and the plurality of second fluid flow passages are arranged so as to alternate laterally at least once across the main body and wherein a flow direction of the first fluid flow passages is opposite to a flow direction of the second fluid flow passages, the heat exchanger further comprising:
a manifold section having a first end surface arranged in face-to-face sealing engagement with one of the first and second end surfaces of the main body portion, the manifold section comprising:
a plurality of alternating inlet and outlet flow channels formed within the manifold section each extending from a first open end disposed in the first end surface of the manifold section to a second end disposed within the manifold section;
a first manifold comprising a row of spaced apart fluid flow openings formed in an upper surface of the manifold section and extending into the manifold section establishing fluid communication with the second end of one of the plurality of inlet flow channels or the plurality of outlet flow channels; and
a second manifold comprising at least one fluid flow opening formed in the upper surface of the manifold section and extending into the manifold section establishing fluid communication with the second end of the other one of the plurality of inlet flow channels or the plurality of outlet flow channels;
wherein the row of spaced apart fluid flow openings extends parallel to and is inwardly disposed with respect to the at least one fluid flow opening of the second manifold.

2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
an end cap arranged at the second end surface of the main body portion, the end cap having an end surface in face-to-face sealing engagement with the second end surface, the end cap comprising:
a plurality of spaced apart U shaped turn portions formed within the end cap, each of the turn portions having a first end and a second end formed in the end surface and a U-shaped flow channel extending into the end cap and interconnecting the first and second ends;
wherein the first ends of the turn portions are aligned with and in fluid communication with the plurality of first fluid flow passages formed in the main body portion and wherein the second ends of the turn portions are aligned with and in fluid communication with the plurality of second fluid flow passages in the main body portion, the main body portion and the end cap together forming U-shaped flow channels of the heat exchanger.

3. A heat exchanger for thermal management of a battery unit having a plurality of battery cell containers each housing one or more battery cells, comprising:
a main body portion having opposed ends and defining at least one primary heat transfer surface for surface-to-surface contact with a corresponding surface of at least one of the battery cell containers, wherein the main body portion has a base plate and a cover plate;
a plurality of planar first fluid flow passages formed within the main body portion, each of the first fluid flow passages having a first end for inletting a fluid into the first fluid flow passages and a second end for discharging the fluid from the first fluid flow passages, the first and second ends defining a flow direction through the first fluid flow passages;
a plurality of planar second fluid flow passages formed within the main body portion, each of the second fluid flow passages having a first end for inletting the fluid into the second fluid flow passages and a second end for discharging the fluid from the second fluid flow passages, the first and second ends defining a flow direction through the second fluid flow passages;
wherein the first and second fluid flow passages are arranged to alternate laterally at least once across the main body portion and wherein the flow direction of the first fluid flow passages is opposite to the flow direction of the second fluid flow passages;
an inlet manifold in fluid communication with the first ends of the first fluid flow passages; and
an outlet manifold in fluid communication with the second ends of the second fluid flow passages;
wherein the inlet and outlet manifolds are arranged perpendicular to the flow direction at one end of the main body portion of the heat exchanger; and
wherein the cover plate comprises at least one series of longitudinally staggered fluid flow openings.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the longitudinally staggered fluid flow openings are arranged inward along a central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger from at least one of the inlet manifold fluid opening or the outlet manifold fluid opening.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein each of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold has a fluid opening comprising an outlet fitting projecting from the fluid openings perpendicular to the flow channels.

Assignees

• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

• Kenney Benjamin A
• Buckrell Andrew J M
• Shore Colin A
• Vanderwees Doug
• Abels Kenneth M A

Classifications

• H01M10/6556 Primary

  Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) · CPC title

• B23P15/26

  heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} · CPC title

• F28F1/022

  with multiple channels · CPC title

• F28F1/045

  with assemblies of stacked elements · CPC title

• F28F3/12

  Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} · CPC title