Use of a composite material for absorbing and distributing liquids in actively and/or passively cooled current-carrying systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12334527-B2
Application number	US-202017767060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2020
Priority date	Oct 9, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of a composite material, comprising a backing layer and a liquid-absorbing layer fixed on the backing layer, the liquid-absorbing layer containing fixed superabsorbent particles, there being, on the side of the liquid-absorbing layer facing away from the backing layer, a liquid-distributing layer which is in liquid-conducting contact with the liquid-absorbing layer and absorbs and distributes, in the plane of the composite material, a liquid to be absorbed, for absorbing and distributing liquids in actively- and/or passively-cooled current-carrying systems—in particular, in actively- and/or passively-cooled energy storage systems.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing a composite material, the composite material comprising:
a backing layer;
a liquid-absorbing layer fixed on the backing layer, the liquid-absorbing layer containing fixed superabsorbent particles, wherein the superabsorbent particles are fixed on the backing layer with a binder comprising a water-swellable binder;
a liquid-distributing layer in liquid-conducting contact with the liquid-absorbing layer is arranged on a side, facing away from the backing layer, of the liquid-absorbing layer, the liquid-distributing layer being configured to absorb and distribute, in a plane of the composite material, a liquid to be absorbed, wherein the liquid-distributing layer comprises at least two distribution layers, wherein at least one distribution layer is water-soluble and at least one other distribution layer is not water-soluble, and wherein the water-soluble distribution layer comprises same materials as the water-swellable binder; and

using the composite material to absorb and distribute liquids in actively or passively-cooled current-carrying systems, the actively or passively-cooled current-carrying systems comprising actively or passively-cooled energy storage systems.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actively or passively-cooled energy storage systems comprise battery systems, inverter systems, power electronics systems, or charging stations.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actively or passively-cooled energy storage systems comprise current-carrying systems that are actively or passively cooled with water-glycol mixtures comprising energy storage systems that are actively or passively cooled with water-glycol mixtures.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the superabsorbent particles are fixed on the backing layer with a binder comprising a water-soluble binder or with a partially-crosslinked starch.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the superabsorbent particles comprise a swelling retardant.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-distributing layer comprises a non-woven, a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, or an open-pore foam.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a surface energy of the liquid-distributing layer measured according to DIN 55660 is greater than 30 mN/m.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backing layer comprises thermoplastic polymers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backing layer and the liquid-distributing layer are welded or weldable to one another.

10. An absorber pad, comprising:
a cut composite material that is welded at edges thereof;
a backing layer; and
a liquid-absorbing layer fixed on the backing layer,
wherein the liquid-absorbing layer contains fixed superabsorbent particles, wherein the superabsorbent particles are fixed on the backing layer with a binder comprising a water-swellable binder, and
wherein a liquid-distributing layer in liquid-conducting contact with the liquid-absorbing layer is arranged on a side, facing away from the backing layer, of the liquid-absorbing layer and is configured to absorb and distribute, in a plane of the composite material, a liquid to be absorbed, wherein the liquid-distributing layer comprises at least two distribution layers, wherein at least one distribution layer is water-soluble and at least one other distribution layer is not water-soluble, and wherein the water-soluble distribution layer comprises same materials as the water-swellable binder.

11. The absorber pad of claim 10 , wherein the absorber pad comprises:
the composite material welded thermally at an edge;
the non-water-soluble distribution layer; and
the backing layer,
wherein the non-water-soluble distribution layer and the backing layer have been thermally melted at an edge with partial penetration of the liquid-absorbing layer, thereby thermally connecting all layers to one another at the edge.

12. The absorber pad of claim 10 , wherein the absorber pad comprises two composite materials,
wherein a first distribution layer assigned to a first composite material has a water-soluble distribution layer and a non-water-soluble distribution layer, and a second distribution layer assigned to a second composite material has a water-soluble distribution layer,
wherein the two composite materials are arranged such that liquid-absorbing layers of each of the two composite materials face one another,
wherein the absorber pad is, circumferentially, thermally welded at an edge,
wherein at least one non-water-soluble distribution layer has been at least partially melted so as to partially penetrate the liquid-absorbing layers and thereby cause a fixation of the absorber pad.

13. The absorber pad of claim 10 , wherein the absorber pad comprises two composite materials having water-soluble distribution layers,
wherein the two composite materials are arranged such that liquid-absorbing layers of each of the two composite materials face one another,
wherein a thermoplastic adhesive comprising a two-dimensional sheet product comprising a non-woven, film, woven fabric, or knitted fabric is arranged between the liquid-absorbing layers,
wherein the absorber pad is, circumferentially, thermally welded at an edge,
wherein the thermoplastic adhesive has been at least partially melted so as to penetrate the liquid-absorbing layers and thereby cause a fixation of the absorber pad.

14. An actively or passively-cooled current-carrying system, comprising:
a composite material;
a backing layer; and
a liquid-absorbing layer fixed on the backing layer,
wherein the liquid-absorbing layer comprises fixed superabsorbent particles, wherein the superabsorbent particles are fixed on the backing layer with a binder comprising a water-swellable binder,
wherein a liquid-distributing layer in liquid-conducting contact with the liquid-absorbing layer is arranged on a side, facing away from the backing layer, of the liquid-absorbing layer and is configured to absorb and distribute, in a plane of the composite material, a liquid to be absorbed, wherein the liquid-distributing layer comprises at least two distribution layers, wherein at least one distribution layer is water-soluble and at least one other distribution layer is not water-soluble, and wherein the water-soluble distribution layer comprises same materials as the water-swellable binder.

15. The method of claim 4 , wherein the water-soluble binder comprises polyvinyl alcohol, starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone, casein glue, polyvinyl butyral, or
wherein the water-swellable binder comprises at least partially-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol.

16. The method of claim 5 , wherein the swelling retardant comprises same materials as the water-soluble or swellable binder.

17. The method of claim 7 , wherein the surface energy is greater than 35 mN/m.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the surface energy is greater than 40 mN/m.

19. The method of claim 4 , wherein the water-soluble distribution layer comprises the same materials as the water-soluble binder.

Assignees

• Freudenberg Carl Kg

Inventors

• Schneider Ulrich
• Senne Sarah
• Kritzer Peter

Classifications

• H01M10/6567

  Liquids · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/60

  Heating or cooling; Temperature control · CPC title

• H01M50/572

  Means for preventing undesired use or discharge · CPC title