Counter-flow heat exchanger for battery thermal management applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019207280-A1
Application number	US-201916295224-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat exchanger for thermal management of battery units made-up of plurality of battery cells or battery cell containers housing one or more battery cells is disclosed. 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 providing a counter-flow heat exchanger. In some embodiments the heat exchanger has a two pairs of inlet and outlet manifolds, the heat exchanger 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 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 said battery cell containers; a plurality of first fluid flow passages formed within said main body portion, each of said first fluid flow passages having a first end for inletting a fluid into said first fluid flow passages and a second end for discharging said fluid from said first fluid flow passages, said first and second ends defining a flow direction through said first fluid flow passages; a plurality of second fluid flow passages formed within said main body portion, each of said second fluid flow passages having a first end for inletting said fluid into said second fluid flow passages and a second end for discharging said fluid from said second fluid flow passages, said first and second ends defining a flow direction through said second fluid flow passages;
wherein said first and second fluid flow passages are arranged so as to alternate through said main body portion and wherein the flow direction of said first fluid flow passages is opposite to the flow direction of said second fluid flow passages.

2 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a first inlet manifold in fluid communication with said first ends of said first fluid flow passages; a first outlet manifold in fluid communication with said second ends of said first flow passages; a second inlet manifold in fluid communication with said first ends of said second fluid flow passages; a second outlet manifold in fluid communication with said second ends of said second fluid flow passages;
wherein said first inlet manifold and said second outlet manifold are arranged adjacent to each other at one end of said main body portion, one of said first inlet manifold and second outlet manifold being inwardly disposed with respect to the other one of said first inlet manifold and second outlet manifold; and
wherein said second inlet manifold and said first outlet manifold are arranged adjacent to each other at the other, opposed end of said main body portion, one of said second inlet manifold and first outlet manifold being inwardly disposed with respect to the other one of said second inlet manifold and first outlet manifold.

3 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said main body portion comprises:
a base plate having a central, generally planar portion surrounded by a peripheral flange, said plurality of alternating first and second fluid flow passages being formed within the central generally planar portion of said base plate; a cover plate arranged over top of and in sealing engagement with said base plate enclosing said plurality of first and second fluid flow passages therebetween, said cover plate having a central, generally planar portion that defines said primary heat transfer surface; a pair of manifold covers, each manifold cover arranged at respective ends of said main body portion enclosing said first inlet manifold and said second outlet manifold and said second inlet manifold and said first outlet manifold; said first inlet manifold and said first outlet manifold each comprise a plurality of spaced apart fluid openings formed in said cover plate at respective ends thereof wherein the spaced apart fluid openings in said first inlet manifold are in fluid communication with said first ends of said first fluid flow passages and wherein the spaced apart fluid openings in said first outlet manifold are in fluid communication with said second ends of said first fluid flow passages; and said second inlet manifold and said second outlet manifold each comprise a plurality of spaced apart fluid openings formed in said cover plate at respective ends thereof wherein the spaced apart fluid openings in said second inlet manifold are in fluid communication with said first ends of said second fluid flow passages and wherein the spaced apart fluid openings in said second outlet manifold are in fluid communication with said second ends of said second fluid flow passages;
wherein the second inlet and outlet manifolds extend generally parallel to said first inlet and outlet manifolds and are offset with respect thereto.

4 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first and second fluid flow passages are formed by U-shaped flow channels having a pair of elongate fluid branches that are interconnected at one end by a turn portion such that said second ends of said first fluid flow passages are in fluid communication with said first ends of said second fluid flow passages; and
wherein said heat exchanger further comprises an inlet manifold in fluid communication with said first ends of said first fluid flow passages; and an outlet manifold in fluid communication with said second ends of said second fluid flow passages; wherein said inlet and outlet manifolds are arranged adjacent to each other at one end of the main body portion of the heat exchanger, one of said inlet and outlet manifolds being inwardly disposed with respect to the other one of said inlet and outlet manifold and offset with respect thereto.

5 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said main body portion comprises:
a base plate having a central, generally planar portion surrounded by a peripheral flange, said plurality of alternating first and second fluid flow passages being formed within the central generally planar portion of said base plate; a cover plate arranged over top of and in sealing engagement with said base plate enclosing said plurality of first and second fluid flow passages therebetween, said cover plate having a central, generally planar portion that defines said primary heat transfer surface; and a manifold cover arranged over top said main body portion enclosing said inlet and outlet manifolds;
wherein said U-shaped flow channels forming said first and second fluid flow passages are formed by a plurality of U-shaped depressions formed in said central, generally planar portion of said base plate, wherein one of said elongate fluid branches has a greater length than the other of said elongate fluid branches such that one of the first end of the first flow passages and the second end of the second fluid flow passages is longitudinally offset with respect to the other.

6 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each of said elongate fluid branches terminates at a discrete, closed end corresponding respectively to one of said first ends of said first fluid flow passages and one of said second ends of said fluid flow passages; and
wherein said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold each comprise a plurality of spaced apart fluid openings formed in said cover plate wherein the spaced apart fluid openings forming said inlet manifold are in fluid communication with said first ends of said first fluid flow passages and wherein the spaced apart fluid openings forming said outlet manifold are in fluid communication with said second ends of said second fluid flow passages.

7 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 5 , wherein one of said elongate fluid branches of each U-shaped depression terminates at an open free end, the open free ends of adjacent U-shaped depressions being interconnected by an inlet header region formed in the base plate the inlet header region being in fluid communication with said inlet manifold.

8 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said inlet manifold comprises at least one elongate opening in the f

Assignees

• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F28F1/045

  with assemblies of stacked elements · CPC title

• H01M10/617

  for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature · 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

• 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