Vehicle energy-storage systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018254536-A1
Application number	US-201715859072-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	Sep 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to energy storage systems for vehicles. In some aspects, the energy storage system may be used to power an electric automobile. The energy storage system may include a plurality of individual battery cells. The cells may be cylindrical and have a positive and negative terminal on the same side. The cells may be physically and/or electrically organized into bricks. The bricks may be physically and/or electrically organized into modules. The modules may be physically and/or electrically organized into strings. The strings may be physically and/or electrically organized into a pack. In some embodiments, packs, strings, modules and/or bricks may include flexible circuitry and/or may be liquid cooled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery housing comprising:
an enclosure configured to surround at least one battery, the enclosure having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; a first retainer spaced away from the first side by a first gap, the first retainer having at least one opening therethrough, the first retainer configured to contact a first surface of a battery disposed within the enclosure; a second retainer spaced away from the second side by a second gap, the second retainer having a at least one opening therethrough, the second retainer configured to contact a second surface of the battery that is opposite to the first surface; a inlet configured to deliver liquid coolant into the first gap; and a outlet configured to receive fluid from the second gap, such that pressurized fluid is capable of entering the inlet and into the first gap, passes through the at least one opening in the first retainer, contacts the battery, passes through the at least one opening in the second retainer, enters the second gap, and exits the outlet to regulate the temperature of the battery.

2 . The housing of claim 1 , further comprising a first fluid path in fluid communication with the inlet, the first fluid flow path disposed within at least one wall of the housing.

3 . The housing of claim 2 , further comprising a second fluid path in fluid communication with the outlet, the second fluid flow path disposed within at least one wall of the housing.

4 . The housing of claim 3 , wherein the first fluid path is disposed and the second fluid path are disposed within walls that are on opposite sides of the enclosure.

5 . The housing of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of cylindrical batteries disposed within the enclosure.

6 . The housing of claim 5 , further comprising a circuit disposed within the first or second gap, the circuit configured to electrically connect the plurality of cylindrical batteries.

7 . A battery housing comprising:
a first battery enclosure between a first wall and a center plate and a second battery enclosure between the center plate and a second wall, the first wall on the opposite side of the housing as the second wall, the center plate disposed between the first and second walls, the center plate having a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side; a first retainer spaced apart from the first side of the center plate by a first gap, the first retainer having at least one opening therethrough, the first retainer configured to contact a first surface of a battery disposed within the first battery enclosure; a second retainer spaced apart from the second side of the center plate by a second gap, the second retainer having at least one opening therethrough, the second retainer configured to contact a first surface of a battery disposed within the second battery enclosure; a first inlet configured to deliver liquid coolant into the first gap; a second inlet configured to deliver liquid coolant into the first gap; a first outlet positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first wall; and a second outlet positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the second wall, such that pressurized fluid is capable of entering the first or second inlets and into the first or second gaps, passes through the at least one opening in the first retainer or the at least one opening in the second retainer, contacts batteries disposed within the first or second enclosure, and exits the first or second outlets to regulate the temperature of the battery.

8 . The housing of claim 7 , wherein the first inlet is configured to expel liquid coolant across the first side of the center plate and the second inlet is configured to expel liquid coolant across the second side of the center plate.

9 . The housing of claim 8 , further comprising a third retainer disposed within the first enclosure and spaced apart from the first wall by a third gap, the first outlet disposed within the third gap.

10 . The housing of claim 9 , further comprising a fourth retainer disposed within the second enclosure and spaced apart from the second wall by a fourth gap, the second outlet disposed within the fourth gap.

11 . The housing of claim 10 , further comprising a first fluid path in fluid communication with the first and second inlets, the first fluid flow path disposed within at least one wall of the housing.

12 . The housing of claim 11 , further comprising a second fluid path in fluid communication with the first and second outlets, the second fluid flow path disposed within at least one wall of the housing.

13 . The housing of claim 12 , wherein the first fluid path is disposed and the second fluid path are disposed within walls that are on opposite sides of the enclosures.

Assignees

• Faraday&Future Inc

Inventors

• Chidester Douglas D
• Sampson Nicholas John

Classifications

• H01M2220/20

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

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/643

  Cylindrical cells · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M10/6568 Primary

  characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings · CPC title