Heat exchanger and battery unit structure for cooling thermally conductive batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638475-B2
Application number	US-201113282675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2011
Priority date	Oct 29, 2010
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A heat exchanger and battery unit structure is provided for cooling battery units (or cells) where the thermally conductive nature of the battery forms a cooling path. The heat exchanger is in the form of a cooling element provided with an engaging device formed on or attached to an outer surface of the cooling plate for receiving and/or engaging with a corresponding engaging portion on a battery unit (or cell). The interconnection between the battery unit (or cell) and heat exchanger creates a mechanical interlock between the two components that results in improved heat transfer properties between the two components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger and battery unit structure, comprising:
at least one battery unit having an outer housing, the outer housing having a base portion;
at least one heat exchanger plate pair comprising first and second spaced-apart walls that are sealingly joined together at their periphery so as to define an enclosed fluid channel between said first and second walls, the heat exchanger plate further comprising a fluid inlet formed therein in fluid communication with an inlet end of said enclosed fluid channel and a fluid outlet formed therein in fluid communication with an outlet end of said enclosed fluid channel for inletting and discharging a liquid fluid to and from said enclosed fluid channel, said enclosed fluid channel extending between said inlet end and said outlet end between said first and second walls, wherein one of said first and second walls defines a primary heat transfer surface for heat exchange with said at least one battery unit;
a first engaging device formed as part of a bottom surface of the base portion of the battery unit;
a second engaging device formed on an outer surface of and extending away from the primary heat transfer surface defined by one of said first and second walls that define the enclosed fluid channel of the heat exchanger plate;
wherein one of the first engaging device and the second engaging device is received within and mechanically engages the other of the first engaging device and the second engaging device such that the mechanical engagement between the first engaging device and the second engaging device secures the base portion of the at least one battery unit to the primary heat transfer surface of said at least one heat exchanger plate; and
wherein the corresponding first and second engaging devices are arranged so that their spatial distribution across the primary heat transfer surface minimizes thermal resistance between the at least one battery unit and the at least one heat exchanger plate; and wherein the surface area of the primary heat transfer surface underneath the base portion of the at least one battery unit is greater than the surface of the second engaging device in contact with first engaging device of the at least one battery unit.

2. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base portion is formed separately to the outer housing and affixed to the outer housing.

3. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the base portion is welded, brazed or soldered to the outer housing of the at least one battery unit.

4. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the base portion is an extruded body that is separate to and affixed to the outer body of the at least one battery unit.

5. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one battery unit and the at least one heat exchanger plate are removably locked together.

6. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one battery unit and the at least one heat exchanger plate are irremovably locked together.

7. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery unit is cylindrical having top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top and bottom surfaces are in the form of one of the following alternatives: rectangular, circular, square, triangular, or any other prismatic form.

8. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first engaging member is in the form of a recessed opening that extends from said bottom surface into the base portion of the at least one battery unit and the second engaging member is in the form of a protruding member that extends from the outer surface of the at least one of the first and second walls that define the fluid channel of the heat exchanger plate.

9. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first engaging device is at a bottom portion of the outer housing of the battery unit and the second engaging device is in the form of a collar, the collar extending away from the outer surface of the at least one of the first and second walls that define the fluid channel of the heat exchanger plate and defining a central opening, the bottom portion of the at least one battery unit being received in the central opening and engaging the collar for securing said at least one battery unit to said at least one heat exchanger plate.

10. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer housing of the battery unit is in the form of a cylindrical can having circular top and bottom surfaces and the first engaging device is the base portion of the outer housing, the second engaging device being in the form of an annular ring attached to the outer surface of the at least one of the first and second walls of the heat exchanger plate.

11. The heat exchanger and battery unit structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first engaging device comprises a base plate having a plurality of spaced-apart protruding members that extend away from a first surface of said base plate, the at least one battery unit being received between said spaced-apart protruding members so that the bottom surface of the outer housing contacts and rests against the first surface of said base plate, the plurality of spaced-apart protruding members adapted for releasably-affixing the at least one battery unit to the base plate; and
wherein said base plate has a second surface generally opposed to said first surface, said second surface of said base plate mechanically engaging with said second engaging device.

12. The heat exchanger and battery unit system as claimed in 11 , wherein the protruding member is a fin.

13. The heat exchanger and battery unit system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of protruding members comprise a first fin and a second fin, the first and second fins defining a casing for releasably-affixing the battery unit; and wherein the second surface of the base plate further defines a recessed opening, and wherein the second engaging member is in the form of a protruding member that extends from the outer surface of the at least one of the first and second walls that define the fluid channel of the heat exchanger plate, the second engaging device being received in and mechanically engaging the recessed opening of the base plate of the first engaging device.

14. The heat exchanger and battery unit system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first engaging device comprises a fin for engaging a lateral surface of the at least one battery unit, each fin further comprising a plurality of spaced-apart pins projecting from a base portion of each fin for coupling to and/or mechanically engaging the second engaging device of the first or second wall of the heat exchanger plate.

15. The heat exchanger and battery unit system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the second engaging device comprises one or more brackets formed on and projecting away from the surface of the first wall of the at least one heat exchanger plate, each bracket adapted for receiving a corresponding one of the plurality of pins, the pins and brackets mechanically engaging with one another so as to secure the at least one battery unit to the heat exchanger plate.

16. A heat exchanger comprising:
spaced-apart first and second walls sealingly joined together at their periphery and defining an enclosed fluid channel therebetween, the heat exchanger having a fluid inlet in flui

Assignees

• Burgers John G
• Martin Michael A
• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

• Burgers John G
• Martin Michael A

Classifications

• H01M10/6556 Primary

  Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) · CPC title

• H01M10/6565

  with recirculation or U-turn in the flow path, i.e. back and forth · CPC title

• H01M10/6568

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

• H01M2220/20

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