Electric vehicle battery with series and parallel fluid flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577296-B2
Application number	US-201113313519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2011
Priority date	Dec 7, 2011
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A fluid cooled series/parallel battery pack is provided with a fluid flow system. A plurality of prismatic battery cells are arranged in parallel in two or more rows. Fluid flows in a series flow configuration from an upstream row of batteries to a downstream row of batteries. A bypass passageway provides additional fluid flow to an inner plenum located between the rows of batteries to reduce pressure drop and provide more uniform temperatures within the rows of battery cells.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery pack for a vehicle comprising:
an upstream row of battery cells;
a downstream row of battery cells;
fluid flow channels defined between the battery cells in each of the rows with fluid flowing through the upstream row and the downstream row;
a bypass passageway circumvents the upstream row;
a bypass blocker disposed between a wall of the battery pack and the downstream row redirects fluid to the downstream row; and
a drive cylinder operable to move the bypass blocker relative to the downstream row to control the volume of fluid flowing from the bypass passageway.

2. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the battery cells are planar members that extend in a vertical plane and a longitudinal plane with the fluid flow channels being defined on two planar sides of the battery cells.

3. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the fluid is directed from below the upstream row of battery cells into an inner plenum by the bypass blocker disposed below the downstream row of battery cells.

4. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein fluid flowing through the upstream row of battery cells absorbs heat from the battery cells in the upstream row and supplies heated fluid to an inner plenum that is combined with the fluid flowing through the bypass passageway that decreases the temperature of the fluid provided to the downstream row of battery cells.

5. The battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a top wall provided on top of the upstream and downstream rows of battery cells that prevents fluid flow vertically through the battery cells, and a bottom wall provided below the upstream row of battery cells that prevents fluid flow vertically through the upstream row of battery cells, and wherein the bypass blocker is provided below the downstream row of battery cells that directs the fluid through an inner plenum and the downstream row of battery cells by stopping the flow of fluid below the downstream row of battery cells.

6. The battery pack of claim 5 wherein the bypass blocker defines an exhaust passage downstream from the blocker below the downstream row of battery cells that allows a portion of the fluid to circumvent part of the downstream row of batteries.

7. A battery pack for a vehicle comprising:
upstream and downstream rows of cells each defining fluid flow channels interleaved with the cells;
a bypass passageway circumventing the upstream row;
a bypass blocker disposed between a wall of the battery pack and the downstream row to redirect fluid to the downstream row; and
a drive cylinder operable to move the bypass blocker relative to the downstream row of batteries.

Assignees

• Gebbie James George
• Paramasivam Saravanan
• Utley Brian
• Garfinkel George Albert
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gebbie James George
• Paramasivam Saravanan
• Utley Brian
• Garfinkel George Albert

Classifications

• H01M10/6566

  Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers (H01M10/6565 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M10/617 Primary

  for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature · CPC title

• H01M10/6568

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