Counter-flow heat exchanger for battery thermal management applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022255163-A1
Application number	US-202217660599-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 25, 2022
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2022
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. 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 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 base plate; a plurality of first fluid flow passages formed within the base plate, each of the first fluid flow passages extending between spaced apart first and second ends; a plurality of second fluid flow passages formed within the base plate, each of the second fluid flow passages extending between spaced apart first and second ends; wherein the first fluid flow passage and the second fluid flow passages are arranged so as to alternate laterally at least once across the base plate; and wherein a flow direction of the first fluid flow passages is opposite to a flow direction of the second fluid flow passages; a cover plate arranged over top of and in sealing engagement with the base plate enclosing the plurality of first fluid flow passages and the plurality of second fluid flow passages therebetween, the cover plate having a central, generally planar portion defining a primary heat transfer surface; and at least one series of longitudinally staggered fluid flow openings at a first end; an inlet manifold with a fluid opening in fluid communication with at least the first ends of the plurality of first fluid flow passages; an outlet manifold with a fluid opening in fluid communication with at least the second ends of the second fluid flow passages; wherein the longitudinally staggered fluid flow openings are arranged inward along a central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger from at least one of the inlet manifold fluid opening or the outlet manifold fluid opening.

2 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first fluid flow passages and the plurality of second fluid flow passages are defined by U-shaped flow channels having a pair of elongate fluid branches that are interconnected at one end by a turn portion such that the second ends of the first fluid flow passages are connected to and in fluid communication with the first ends of the second fluid flow passages; and
wherein one of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold is offset with respect to the longitudinally staggered fluid flow openings.

3 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the U-shaped flow channels forming the first and second fluid flow passages are formed by a plurality of U-shaped depressions formed in the central, generally planar portion of the base plate, wherein one of the elongate fluid branches of each U-shaped depression terminates at an open free end, the open free ends of adjacent U-shaped U-shaped depressions being interconnected by an inlet header region formed in the base plate, the inlet header region being in fluid communication with the inlet manifold.

4 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the U-shaped flow channels forming the first and second fluid flow passages are formed by a plurality of U-shaped embossments formed in the central, generally planar portion of the base plate, the U-shaped embossments having two elongate branches that are interconnected at one end thereof by a U-shaped end portion, wherein the first fluid flow passages are formed between adjacent U-shaped embossments, the second fluid flow passages being formed between the two elongate branches of each of the U-shaped embossments.

5 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold each have a fluid opening comprising an outlet fitting.

6 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 further comprising a manifold cover comprising at least one fluid opening, wherein the manifold cover has channels that align with the at least one series of longitudinally staggered fluid openings.

7 . The heat exchanger of claim 6 , further comprising a manifold base plate, wherein the manifold base plate is below the manifold cover.

8 . The heat exchanger of claim 7 , wherein the manifold base plate comprises a series of longitudinally spaced fluid flow openings.

9 . The heat exchanger of claim 8 , wherein the longitudinally spaced fluid flow openings of the manifold base plate align with the longitudinally staggered fluid flow openings of the cover plate.

10 . 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 rectangular, or generally rectangular, main body portion having a first surface defining a planar, or substantially planar, primary heat transfer surface, the first surface extending between first and second end surfaces that extend perpendicular to, or substantially perpendicular to, the first surface, the main body portion having a plurality of spaced apart tubular channels extending through the main body portion from the first ends surface to the second end, the plurality of tubular channels forming a plurality of alternating first and second fluid flow passages wherein the plurality of first fluid flow passages and the plurality of second fluid flow passages are arranged so as to alternate laterally at least once across the main body and wherein a flow direction of the first fluid flow passages is opposite to a flow direction of the second fluid flow passages, the heat exchanger further comprising: a manifold section having a first end surface arranged in face-to-face sealing engagement with one of the first and second end surfaces of the main body portion, the manifold section comprising: a plurality of alternating inlet and outlet flow channels formed within the manifold section each extending from a first open end disposed in the first end surface of the manifold section to a second end disposed within the manifold section; a first manifold comprising a row of spaced apart fluid flow openings formed in an upper surface of the manifold section and extending into the manifold section establishing fluid communication with the second ends of one of the plurality of inlet flow channels or the plurality of outlet flow channels; and a second manifold comprising at least one fluid flow opening formed in the upper surface of the manifold section and extending into the manifold section establishing fluid communication with the second ends of the other one of the plurality of inlet flow channels or the plurality of outlet flow channels; wherein the row of spaced apart fluid openings extends generally parallel to and is inwardly disposed with respect to the at least one fluid flow opening of the second manifold.

11 . The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
an end cap arranged at the second end surface of the main body portion, the end cap having an end surface in face-to-face sealing engagement with the second end surface, the end cap comprising: a plurality of spaced apart generally U-shaped turn portions formed within the end cap, each of the turn portions having a first end and a second end formed in the end surface and a U-shaped flow channel extending into the end cap and interconnecting the first and second ends; wherein the first ends of the turn portions are aligned with and in fluid communication with the plurality of first fluid flow passages formed in the main body portion and wherein the second ends of the turn portions are aligned with and in fluid communication with the plurality of second fluid flow passages in the main body portion, the main body portion and the end cap together forming U-shaped flow channels of the heat exchanger.

12 . A heat exchanger for thermal management of a battery unit having a plurality of battery cell containers each housing one or more battery cells, comprisin

Assignees

• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• 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

• F28F2009/0297

  Side headers, e.g. for radiators having conduits laterally connected to common header · 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