Peristaltic Pump for Traction Battery Thermal Management System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016308262-A1
Application number	US-201514687476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 15, 2015
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery assembly including an array of battery cells, a conduit system, and an emitter is provided. The conduit system may deliver coolant for thermally communicating with the array and may define a channel with a wall having dielectric or magnetic particles. The emitter may be located proximate the wall and configured to selectively output a magnetic field, an electric field, or a voltage to impart a compression force on the particles to adjust a cross-sectional area of the channel to control a flow of the coolant therethrough. The channel may be a flexible resin-based tube. The assembly may also include a sensor and a controller. The controller may be configured to activate the emitter based on signals from the sensor indicative of conditions of the assembly or system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle traction battery assembly comprising:
an array of battery cells; a conduit system to deliver coolant for thermally communicating with the array and defining a channel with a layer including magnetic particles; and an electromagnet located proximate to the layer and configured to selectively output a magnetic field to impart a force on the magnetic particles to adjust a cross-sectional area of the channel to control a flow of the coolant therethrough.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the channel comprises a flexible resin-based tube and the layer is a mesh member at least partially encompassing the tube.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the channel is located adjacent the array and in thermal communication therewith.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor to measure a flow rate of coolant flowing within the system; and a controller in electrical communication with the sensor and the electromagnet and configured to activate the electromagnet based on signals from the sensor indicating a flow condition outside of a predetermined flow rate range to manipulate a coolant flow rate of at least a portion of the system.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor to measure a temperature of the array; and a controller in electrical communication with the sensor and the electromagnet and configured to activate the electromagnet based on signals from the sensor indicating a temperature above a predetermined threshold to manipulate a coolant flow rate of at least a portion of the system.

6 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet is arranged with a bend in the channel to adjust a flow rate of coolant traveling therethrough.

7 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal plate in thermal communication with the array and having an inlet and outlet, wherein the electromagnet is located adjacent the inlet and configured to adjust a flow rate of coolant flowing through the outlet.

8 . A battery assembly comprising:
an array of battery cells; a conduit system to deliver coolant for thermally communicating with the array and defining a channel with a wall having dielectric particles; and an emitter located proximate the wall and configured to selectively output a voltage or electric field to impart a dielectrically driven compression force on the particles to adjust a cross-sectional area of the channel to control a flow of the coolant therethrough.

9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the channel comprises a flexible resin-based tube including piezoelectric materials, and wherein the emitter outputs a voltage to move the piezoelectric materials.

10 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the channel comprises a flexible resin-based tube including materials having electrostriction properties, and wherein the emitter outputs an electric field to move the materials having electrostriction properties.

11 . The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a sensor to measure a flow rate of coolant flowing within the system; and a controller in electrical communication with the sensor and the emitter and configured to activate the emitter based on signals from the sensor indicating a flow condition outside of a predetermined flow rate range to manipulate a coolant flow rate of at least a portion of the system.

12 . The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a sensor to measure a temperature of the array; and a controller electrically connected to the sensor and the emitter and configured to activate the emitter based on signals from the sensor indicating a temperature above a predetermined threshold to manipulate a coolant flow rate of at least a portion of the system.

13 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the emitter is arranged with a bend in the channel to adjust a flow rate of coolant traveling therethrough.

14 . The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a controller electrically connected to the emitter and configured to control the emitter based on conditions of the battery cells during a vehicle drive cycle or a vehicle cold start.

15 . A vehicle comprising:
a traction battery pack; a conduit system providing a path for coolant to enter and exit the pack and including a conduit; a sensor to measure conditions of the pack and system; an emitter arranged with the conduit to form a peristaltic pump; and a control system configured to activate the pump based on signals received from the sensor such that a cross-sectional area of a portion of the conduit is adjusted to influence a flow rate of the coolant flowing therethrough.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the emitter comprises an electromagnet to output a magnetic field.

17 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the emitter comprises a voltage emitter or electric field emitter.

18 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is configured to measure a flow rate of at least a portion of the system or a temperature of the traction battery pack.

19 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to selectively activate the emitter to output a magnetic field or an electric field to promote a flow of coolant within portions of the system adjacent to battery cells of the traction battery pack having a temperature exceeding a threshold value.

20 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to selectively activate the emitter to output a magnetic field or an electric field to promote a flow of coolant within portions of the system having a flow rate below a threshold value.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Masias Alvaro
• Robert Brian Joseph

Classifications

• H01M10/6554

  Rods or plates · CPC title

• B60Y2400/112

  Batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/6556

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

• H01M10/6567

  Liquids · CPC title

• H01M10/635

  based on ambient temperature · CPC title