Cure in place thermal interface material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017200995-A1
Application number	US-201614990189-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 7, 2016
Priority date	Jan 7, 2016
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and devices for providing an even distribution of waste heat in a vehicular battery pack, including a battery pack, a cold plate, a coolant reservoir, a support structure between the battery pack and the coolant reservoir, and a conformable thermal interface material for filling the space between cells of the battery pack and the coolant reservoir so as to provide thermal contact between the cells and the coolant reservoir for distributing the waste heat. In addition, methods and devices for providing an even distribution of waste heat and structural support in any heat source to heat sink for applications such as small devices such as computer motors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for providing an even distribution of waste heat in a vehicular battery pack comprising:
the battery pack; at least one cold plate extending between two cells of the battery pack; a coolant reservoir coupled to the cold plate via a conformable thermal interface material such that heat can be conducted therebetween; a support structure between the battery pack and the coolant reservoir; and the conformable thermal interface material in the form of a liquid or a gel placeable within the support structure configured to be flowable so as to fill space between the reservoir and each cell of the battery pack such that there is constant thermal contact between an entire lower surface of each of the cells of the battery pack and a top surface of the coolant reservoir, and wherein the conformable thermal interface material maintains the constant thermal contact upon cross-linking, which decreases the flowability of the conformable thermal interface material and provides for the even distribution of the waste heat via conduction of the waste heat from each of the cells to the coolant reservoir.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the conformable thermal interface material comprises a cross-linked condensation polymer.

3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the cross-linked polymer comprises a resin.

4 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a thermal conducting material as part of a formulation comprising the conformable thermal interface material.

5 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a thermal dissipating agent, a processing aid, and a flame retardant, each as part of a formulation comprising the conformable thermal interface material.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the conformable thermal interface material comprises a part of a formulation comprising one or more of polyvinylidene fluoride, boron Nitride, Melamine, a processing aid, a ceramic, a synthetic diamond, and an aluminum oxide.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the formulation comprises, by weight fraction:
from about 0.10 to about 50 boron Nitride;
from about 0.05 to about 0.10 Melamine;
from about 0.05 to about 0.1 parts of the processing aid and the ceramic combined; and
the balance is polyvinylidene fluoride.

8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the conformable thermal interface material is part of a formulation comprising polydimethylsiloxane, boron Nitride, Melamine, a processing aid, and a ceramic.

9 . The system of claim 8 wherein for formulation comprises, by weight fraction:
from about 0.10 to about 50 parts boron Nitride;
from about 0.05 to about 0.10 parts Melamine;
from about 0.05 to about 0.1 parts of the processing aid and the ceramic combined; and
the balance is polydimethylsiloxane.

10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the battery pack comprises Lithium-Ion cells.

11 . A method for providing an even distribution of waste heat from a battery pack in a vehicle via a conformable thermal interface material comprising:
providing:
a coolant reservoir; and
a support structure coupled to the reservoir;
placing the conformable thermal interface material in the form of a liquid or a gel within the support structure; placing a bottom surface of the battery pack into the liquid or the gel such that the liquid or the gel flows around each of the cells of the battery pack such that there is constant thermal contact between an entire lower surface of each of the cells of the battery pack and a surface of the coolant reservoir; and cross-linking the conformable thermal interface material thereby decreasing the flowability of the conformable thermal interface material and providing for the even distribution of the waste heat via conduction of the waste heat from each of the cells to the coolant reservoir.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising, after the placing of the conformable thermal interface material and before the cross-linking, shaking the system to distribute the conformable thermal interface material.

13 . The method of claim 11 further comprising, after the placing of the conformable thermal interface material and before the cross-linking, vibrating the system to distribute the conformable thermal interface material.

14 . The method of claim 11 further comprising utilizing a formulation including the conformable thermal interface material and polyvinylidene fluoride, boron Nitride, Melamine, a processing aid, and a ceramic.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the step of utilizing comprises utilizing a formulation comprising, by weight fraction:
from about 0.10 to about 0.15 parts boron Nitride;
from about 0.05 to about 0.10 parts Melamine;
from about 0.05 to about 0.1 parts of the processing aid and the ceramic combined; and
the balance is polyvinylidene.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising utilizing a formulation including the conformable thermal interface material and polymethylsiloxane, boron Nitride, Melamine, a processing aid, and a ceramic.

17 . The method of claim 11 wherein the decreasing of the flowability of the conformable thermal interface material is such that the cross-linked thermal interface material forms a solid and provides structural support for the battery pack.

18 . The method of claim 11 further comprising further comprising utilizing a formulation including the conformable thermal interface material and, by weight fraction:
from about 0.10 to about 0.15 boron Nitride;
from about 0.05 to about 0.10 Melamine;
from about 0.05 to about 0.1 the processing aid and the ceramic combined; and
the balance is polydimethylsiloxane.

19 . The method of claim 11 further comprising placing a release liner on the reservoir prior to the placing of the conformable thermal interface material.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising removing the conformable thermal interface material by physically removing the release liner.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Phlegm Herman K
• Kollar Craig A
• Elhamid Mahmoud H Abd
• Fuller Timothy J
• Leutheuser Andrew H

Classifications

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/6557 Primary

  arranged between the cells · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M10/6555

  arranged between the cells · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title