CN111628241A

CN111628241A - Temperature control structure

Info

Publication number: CN111628241A
Application number: CN202010099849.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 埃里克·佩尔松
Original assignee: Mahle International GmbH
Current assignee: Mahle International GmbH
Priority date: 2019-02-28
Filing date: 2020-02-18
Publication date: 2020-09-04
Also published as: DE102019105133A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a temperature control structure (1, 1') for temperature control of a battery (2). The invention is essentially: the temperature control structure (1, 1') comprises a first longitudinal side (6) and a second longitudinal side (7) and a first transverse side (8) and a second transverse side (9), wherein an inlet (10) and an outlet (11) are provided on the first transverse side (8), the inlet (10) being arranged substantially centrally on the first transverse side (8), and the outlet (11) being arranged off-center, in particular in a corner region with the first longitudinal side (6), a first transverse wall (24) designed as a flow switch is provided which divides a fluid flow (13) flowing in via the inlet (10) into a first fluid portion flow (14) and a second fluid portion flow (15), the flow channels (19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27) being arranged such that the first fluid portion flow (14) flows through a first U-shaped ring (16) and a second U-shaped ring (16) adjacent to the first U-shaped ring and connected to the outlet (11) (17) And a second fluid portion stream (15) flows through a third U-shaped ring (18) and together with the first fluid portion stream (14) through the second U-shaped ring (17) adjacent to the third U-shaped ring and connected to the outlet (11).

Description

Temperature control structure

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a temperature control structure for temperature control of a battery having a first plate and a second plate according to the preamble of claim 1. In addition, the present invention relates to a temperature control plate having two such temperature control structures, and to a battery control device having such a temperature control structure.

Background

In electrically driven motor vehicles (e.g., pure electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles), individual battery cells are combined into modules. In order to be able to keep these in the optimum output range and at the same time protect them from too rapid an aging, the battery cells are thermally limited, in particular cooled.

The temperature control structure for this purpose usually consists of two cooling plates (two-layer design) attached to the battery cell or battery module. In order to reduce the number of parts and the complexity, a method is carried out in which the temperature control function, in particular the cooling function, is integrated into the base plate of the battery housing. The base plate has two plates connected to each other in a liquid-tight manner (e.g., soldering) and defining a flow channel therebetween for conducting a temperature control fluid, such as, for example, a cooling fluid. In order to be able to achieve as homogeneous a condition as possible for the temperature control of the individual battery cells, a U-shaped flow guidance is usually used.

A disadvantage of such a U-shaped flow guide, in particular with a large temperature control structure which is used for cooling a plurality of battery modules or battery cells, is the increased number of connections (inputs and outputs) which need to be provided due to the need to exclude insertion points. The increased number of connections in turn leads to increased design expenditure and increased costs. Furthermore, since the battery cells are either no longer uniformly cooled but are cooled to a different extent and, in addition, the flow resistance in the temperature control structure rises, the length of the individual flow channels cannot be extended as desired. The present invention therefore addresses the following problems: an improved or at least alternative embodiment is described for a temperature control structure of the general type, which enables a temperature control of a plurality of battery cells to be as uniform as possible while reducing the number of connections.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the invention, this problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the following main concepts: this is performed by a temperature control structure for temperature control of a battery having a first plate and a second plate which in the interconnected state define a flow channel between them, after an inlet opening the temperature control fluid flow is divided into two fluid partial flows (two fluid partial flows) and initially the fluid partial flows are led separately U-shaped through separate regions of the temperature control structure, so that subsequently both of these fluid partial flows are jointly led again U-shaped to an outlet opening. In summary, three U-shaped loops are thus provided in the temperature control arrangement according to the invention, wherein a first U-shaped loop is exclusively flowed through by a first fluid partial flow, a third U-shaped loop is exclusively flowed through by a second fluid partial flow, and a second U-shaped loop is flowed through by both fluid partial flows. The division of the temperature fluid flow takes place on a first transverse wall after the inlet, which first transverse wall acts as a switch before reaching the first battery cell. The temperature control structure according to the present invention comprises first and second longitudinal sides, and first and second lateral sides extending orthogonally thereto, wherein an inlet and an outlet are provided on the first lateral side. The inlet is arranged substantially in the middle of the first transverse side, whereas the outlet is arranged outside the center, in particular in the corner region with the first longitudinal side. In the region of the inlet, the aforementioned flow switch formed as a transverse wall is arranged, which splits the (temperature-controlled) fluid flow flowing in via the inlet into a first fluid partial flow and a second fluid partial flow. According to the invention, the flow channels within the temperature control structure are arranged such that the first fluid portion stream flows through a first U-ring connected to the inlet and adjacent to a second U-ring connected to the outlet, while the second fluid portion stream flows through a third U-ring also connected to the inlet and co-flows with the first fluid portion stream after and to the second U-ring connected to the outlet. With such a temperature control structure, a more uniform division of the temperature control fluid (cooling medium) and thus a more uniform temperature control (cooling) of the module or battery cell is thus enabled by the division of the fluid flow into two fluid partial flows directly in the region of the inlet, i.e. in the region of the inlet. The first and third U-shaped loops are designed smaller than the second U-shaped loop through which the two partial flows of fluid flow jointly flow, taking into account the respective cross-sections of the first and third U-shaped loops.

In an advantageous further development of the solution according to the invention, the first U-shaped loop comprises a first flow channel and a second flow channel extending parallel to the longitudinal sides. The first flow channel extends directly along the second longitudinal side of the temperature control structure, while the second flow channel extends adjacent to the first flow channel. Thus, the first flow channel is arranged between the second longitudinal side (outer side) and the second flow channel. Thereby, an optimized cooling along the second longitudinal side can be achieved.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the second U-shaped ring comprises a third flow channel and a fourth flow channel. The third flow channel extends along the centrally disposed first partition wall and directly adjacent to the second flow channel, while the fourth flow channel is directly adjacent to and extends along the first longitudinal side of the temperature control structure. The third and fourth flow channels usually have a larger cross section than the first and second flow channels, since in the third and fourth flow channels not only the first flow portion streams originating from the first and second flow channels flow through, but also the second flow portion streams leading to the outlet.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the third U-shaped loop comprises a fifth flow channel and a sixth flow channel. A third U-shaped ring is disposed within the second U-shaped ring and is thus U-shaped circumferentially engaged by the third and fourth flow channels and the transverse channel connecting the two flow channels. The fifth flow path extends directly adjacent to the fourth flow path such that the fourth flow path is disposed between the fifth flow path and the first longitudinal side of the temperature control structure, and the sixth flow path extends along and between the first partition wall and the fifth flow path. Thus, looking at the temperature control structure from the top, the outlet is located at the bottom left and the inlet is located at the bottom in the middle, while from the left to the right, a fourth, fifth, sixth, third, second and first flow channel are arranged. A central first partition wall is located between the sixth and third flow channels.

Between the individual flow channels, further partition walls are arranged which bring about a U-shaped flow. Between the first and second flow channels, a second partition wall connected to the transverse wall is provided, while between the second and third flow channels, a third partition wall connected to the second transverse side is arranged. In the fifth and sixth channels through which the second fluid portion flows exclusively, the fourth partition wall connected to the first transverse wall serving as a flow switch is arranged between these, while between the sixth and third flow channels the first partition wall not connected to either of the two transverse sides is arranged centrally. Between the fourth and fifth flow channels, a fifth partition wall connected to the first lateral side is additionally arranged. Each partition wall represents an elevation in the first plate via which the two plates are tightly connected to each other.

The first plate can comprise, for example, a stamped flow channel, while the second plate is flat, as a result of which not only a simple construction of the module or the battery cell can be produced, but at the same time a large-area heat transfer connection of the module or the battery cell to be cooled can also be achieved via the second plate. The joining of the two plates can be achieved by soldering, gluing or welding.

With the temperature control structure according to the invention, a natural equal distribution of the temperature control fluid can be achieved, since the relatively same length of the individual flow channels enables the omission of an additional choke (choke), as a result of which the temperature control structure can be operated optimally for different operating points. By the division of the temperature fluid flow which is carried out on the first transverse wall designed as a flow switch, a temperature spread in the temperature control fluid can additionally be produced, as a result of which a significantly improved, uniform temperature control can likewise be achieved. In the third and fourth flow channels, in which the discharge of the two fluid fractions towards the outlet takes place, the volume flow can be increased depending on the cross section of the two flow channels, as a result of which the further temperature increase in the temperature control fluid (e.g. cooling medium) can be reduced and thus a uniform temperature distribution is likewise achieved. By dividing (temperature controlling) the fluid flow even before the first battery cell, the local low temperature in the first battery cell is additionally reduced, as is the temperature gradient in the first battery cell. By means of the temperature control structure according to the invention, the number of connections can be reduced to only two in any case, as a result of which a substantial cost reduction can be achieved.

Furthermore, the invention is based on the following main concepts: a temperature control plate having two such temperature control structures is indicated, wherein a first temperature control structure is connected via its second longitudinal side to a first longitudinal side of a second temperature control structure. Purely theoretically, it is also obviously conceivable for the respective first or second plate of the respective temperature control structure to be formed as one piece, so that such a temperature control plate has only the first and second plates, but two inlets, two outlets and in each case twice the number of partition walls or flow channels. The temperature control structure according to the invention can thereby be increased almost arbitrarily, and thereby also enables temperature control or cooling of larger modules.

Furthermore, the invention is based on the following main concepts: the foregoing temperature control structure is employed in a battery cooling device (particularly in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle), and is used to cool a battery. This also makes it possible to apply the advantages, in particular with regard to cost reduction, to the battery cooling device or to the electric or hybrid vehicle.

Further important features and advantages of the invention will be derived from the dependent claims, the figures and the associated description of the figures with the aid of the figures.

It will be understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Drawings

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures and are described in more detail in the following description, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

In each case shown schematically in the drawings,

figure 1 is a highly schematic view of a temperature control structure according to the invention with a partition wall and flow channels and possible flow paths,

fig. 2 is a representation as in fig. 1, but with an inset of the temperature control structure,

figure 3 is a temperature control plate having two interconnected temperature control structures according to figure 1,

fig. 4 is a representation as in fig. 2, but with a temperature control plate having two such temperature control structures,

figure 5 is a view of the temperature control plate according to figure 4,

fig. 6 is a cross-sectional representation through a battery cooling arrangement according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

According to fig. 1 to 5, a temperature control structure 1 according to the invention, in particular for temperature control (in particular for cooling) of a battery 2 (see fig. 6) in an electric or hybrid vehicle 3, comprises a first plate 4 (see fig. 1 to 5) and a second plate (see fig. 6), which in the interconnected state define

flow channels

19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27 between them.

The temperature control structure 1 has a longitudinal side 6 and a second longitudinal side 7, and a first lateral side 8 and a second lateral side 9, wherein an inlet 10 and an outlet 11 for a (temperature control) fluid are provided on the first lateral side 8. The inlet 10 is arranged substantially centrally on the first transverse side 8, whereas the outlet 11 is arranged centrally, in particular in the corner region with the first longitudinal side 6. Just in the region of the inlet 10, a flow switch designed as a first transverse wall 12 or a transverse wall 12 designed as a flow switch is provided, which divides a fluid flow 13 flowing in via the inlet 10 into a first fluid portion flow 14 and a second fluid portion flow 15. The first fluid portion flow 14 according to fig. 1 and 3 is represented by a rectangular starting point of the flow arrows, while the second fluid portion flow 15 is represented by a circular starting point of the corresponding flow arrows. The

flow channels

19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27 are arranged such that the first fluid portion flow 14 flows through the first U-shaped ring 16 and adjacent thereto the second U-shaped ring 17 connected to the outlet 11, whereas the second fluid portion flow 15 flows through the third U-shaped ring 18 and together with the first fluid portion flow 14 adjacent and connected to the outlet 11 flows through the second U-shaped ring 17 adjacent to the third U-shaped ring 18. The first U-shaped loop 16 therefore runs exclusively through the first flow section 14 from the inlet 10, while the third U-shaped loop 18 runs exclusively through the second flow section 15, while the

flow sections

14, 15 together run through the second U-shaped loop 17. By means of the flow guidance within the temperature control structure 1 according to the invention shown in fig. 1 and 3, a uniform distribution of the temperature control fluid flow 13 can be created over the entire temperature control structure 1, as a result of which, in particular, an additional choke can be omitted and a uniform temperature control of the battery 2, which is connected thermally transferable to the temperature control structure 1, can be achieved. It is particularly advantageous, however, that with the temperature control structure 1 according to the invention it is possible to cool a plurality of batteries 2 or modules or battery cells and for this purpose only one temperature control structure 1 is required, for which purpose one inlet and one outlet 11, respectively, is required, which represents a significant design simplification and thus a significant cost reduction.

Looking at fig. 1 to 5, it is even more evident that the first U-shaped loop 16 has a first flow channel 19 and a second flow channel 20 extending parallel to the

longitudinal sides

6, 7 and connected in a U-shape via a first transverse channel 21 arranged at the front end. The first flow channel 19 according to fig. 1 and 2 extends directly along the second longitudinal side 7, while the second flow channel 20 extends adjacent to the first flow channel 19, such that the latter is arranged between the longitudinal side 7 and the second flow channel 20.

The second U-shaped ring 17 comprises a third flow channel 22 and a fourth flow channel 23, both likewise extending parallel to the

longitudinal sides

6, 7. The third flow channel 22 extends centrally along the first partition wall 24 and directly adjacent to the second flow channel 20, while the fourth flow channel 23 extends along the first longitudinal side 6. The third and

fourth flow channels

22, 23 are connected in a U-shape via a second transverse channel 25.

Finally, the third U-shaped ring 18 has a fifth flow channel 26 and a sixth flow channel 27, which in turn also extend parallel to the

longitudinal sides

6, 7. The fifth and

sixth flow channels

26, 27 are connected in a U-shape via a third cross channel 28. It is further evident from fig. 1 to 5 that a fifth flow channel 26 extends directly adjacent to the fourth flow channel 23, while a sixth flow channel 27 extends along the first partition wall 24 and between the first partition wall 24 and the fifth flow channel 26. The sixth flow channel 27 and the second flow channel 20 open into the third flow channel 22 via a fourth transverse channel 29.

According to fig. 1 to 5, the second partition wall 20 connected to the transverse wall 12 is arranged between the first flow channel 19 and the second flow channel 20, while between the second flow channel 20 and the third flow channel 22 a third partition wall 31 connected to the second transverse side 9 is arranged. Between the fifth flow channel 26 and the sixth flow channel 27, a fourth partition wall 32 is arranged, which is connected to the first transverse wall 12, while between the sixth flow channel 27 and the third flow channel 22, the aforementioned partition wall 24 according to the embodiment depicted in fig. 1 to 5 is arranged, which is significantly thicker. The partition wall 24 is not connected to any of the

lateral sides

8, 9. Finally, between the fourth flow channel 23 and the fifth flow channel 26, a fifth partition wall 33 is connected to the first lateral side 8. The fifth partition 33 and the first partition 24 are connected to each other via a second transverse wall 34.

According to fig. 1 and 2, the following arrangement is obtained for the temperature control structure 1 according to the invention from left to right: the first longitudinal side 6, the fourth flow channel 23, the fifth dividing wall 33, the fifth flow channel 26, the fourth dividing wall 32, the sixth flow channel 27, the first dividing wall 24, the third flow channel 22, the third dividing wall 31, the second flow channel 20, the second dividing wall 30 and the first flow channel 19, it being assumed that the plane of the observer is located at approximately half the height of the longitudinal side 6.

Looking at fig. 1-5, it is further apparent that third U-shaped loop 18 is disposed within second U-shaped loop 17, i.e., is circumferentially engaged by second U-shaped loop 17.

The first plate 4 of the temperature control structure 1 according to the invention can be designed as stamped and comprises stamped flow channels or

transverse channels

19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, while the second plate 5 is flat and thus enables a large-area heat transfer connection with the component to be cooled (for example, the battery 2) (see fig. 6). The first plate 4 and the second plate 5 are preferably soldered, bonded or welded together.

For example, looking at fig. 3 to 5, it is evident here that the temperature control plate 35 shown in fig. 1 and 2 has two temperature control structures 1, wherein the first temperature control structure 1 is connected via its second longitudinal side 7 to the first longitudinal side 6 of the second temperature control structure 1'. Between the two temperature control structures 1, 1 'there is a widened region 37, in which the first plate 4 of the first and second temperature control structures 1, 1' is designed continuously and integrally, just like the second plate 5, so that each entire temperature control plate 35 has only the first plate 4 and the second plate 5. When a plurality of such temperature control structures 1, 1 'are combined into the temperature control plate 35, each temperature control structure 1, 1' has its own inlet 10 and its own outlet 11.

The temperature control structure 1 according to the invention or the temperature control plate 35 according to the invention is used, for example, in a battery cooling device 36 (see fig. 6), in particular in an electric or hybrid vehicle 3, wherein it serves for temperature control or cooling of the battery 2, so that the battery 2 can be protected against excessive aging and, on the other hand, an optimum temperature range is maintained. The heating and cooling of the battery 2 can be performed by the temperature control fluid.

Looking again at fig. 1 to 5, it is evident that the

respective flow channels

22, 25 and 23, for example of the second U-shaped ring 17, have a larger cross section, so that a faster outflow of the temperature control fluid is achieved. Thereby, uniform temperature control can be supported as well. The first, second and third

U-shaped loops

16, 17, 18 are aligned, with the first U-shaped loop 16 and the second U-shaped loop 17 disposed adjacent to each other, and the second U-shaped loop 17 engaging the third U-shaped loop 18. By the arrangement of the (first) transverse wall 12, which serves as a fluid switch even before the first battery cells or before the batteries 2, locally low temperatures in the first battery cells can be reduced, as can the temperature gradients in these first battery cells.

By means of the temperature control structure 1 according to the invention, a significant uniformity of the temperature distribution of the battery and thus a significantly more uniform temperature control (in particular cooling) can thus be achieved, wherein the temperature control structure 1 is designed for temperature control, in particular for cooling of a plurality of modules or batteries 2 up to the battery unit, but only a single inlet 11 and a single outlet 11 are required in each case, which represents a significant design simplification.

Claims

1. A temperature control structure (1, 1') for temperature control of a battery (2) having a first plate (4) and having a second plate (5), the first and second plates defining flow channels (19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27) between them in an interconnected state, characterized in that

-the temperature control structure (1, 1') comprises a first longitudinal side (6) and a second longitudinal side (7) and a first lateral side (8) and a second lateral side (9), wherein an inlet (10) and an outlet (11) are provided on the first lateral side (8),

-the inlet (10) is arranged substantially centrally on the first lateral side (8) while the outlet (11) is arranged off-centre, in particular in a corner region with the first longitudinal side (6),

-a first transverse wall (12) designed as a flow switch is provided, which divides a fluid flow (13) flowing in via the inlet (10) into a first fluid portion flow (14) and a second fluid portion flow (15),

-the flow channels (19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27) are arranged such that the first fluid portion stream (14) flows through a first U-shaped ring (16) and a second U-shaped ring (17) adjacent to the first U-shaped ring and connected to the outlet (11), while a second fluid portion stream (15) flows through a third U-shaped ring (18) and co-flows with the first fluid portion stream (14) through the second U-shaped ring (17) adjacent to the third U-shaped ring and connected to the outlet (11).

2. Temperature control structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the first U-shaped loop (16) comprises a first flow channel (19) and a second flow channel (20) extending parallel to the longitudinal sides (6, 7).

3. The temperature control structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the first flow channel (19) extends directly along the second longitudinal side (7), while the second flow channel (20) extends adjacent to the first flow channel (19).

4. Temperature control structure according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second U-shaped ring (17) comprises a third flow channel (22) and a fourth flow channel (23) extending parallel to the longitudinal sides (6, 7).

5. The temperature control structure according to claim 4, characterized in that the third flow channel (22) extends along a centrally arranged first partition wall (24) and directly adjacent to the second flow channel (20), while the fourth flow channel (23) extends along the first longitudinal side (6).

6. Temperature control structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the third U-shaped ring (18) comprises a fifth flow channel (26) and a sixth flow channel (27) extending parallel to the longitudinal sides (6, 7).

7. The temperature control structure according to claim 6, characterized in that the fifth flow channel (26) extends directly adjacent to the fourth flow channel (23), while the sixth flow channel (27) extends along the first partition wall (24) and between the first partition wall and the fifth flow channel (26).

8. The temperature control structure according to any one of claims 2, 4 and 6, characterized in that the sixth flow passage (27) and the second flow passage (20) open into the third flow passage (22).

9. The temperature control structure according to any one of claims 2, 4 and 6 or according to claim 8, characterized in that

-a second separation wall (30) connected to the first transverse wall (12) is arranged between the first flow channel (19) and the second flow channel (20),

-a third partition wall (31) connected to the second lateral side (9) is arranged between the second flow channel (20) and the third flow channel (22),

-a fourth partition wall (32) connected to the first transverse wall (12) is arranged between the fifth flow channel (26) and the sixth flow channel (27),

-a first partition wall (24) not connected to any lateral side (8, 9) is arranged between the sixth flow channel (27) and the third flow channel (22),

-a fifth dividing wall (33) connected to the first lateral side (8) is arranged between the fourth flow channel (23) and the fifth flow channel (26).

10. Temperature control structure according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third U-shaped ring (18) is arranged inside the second U-shaped ring (17).

11. Temperature control structure according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that

-the first plate (4) comprises stamped flow channels (19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27) and the second plate (5) is flat, and/or

-the first plate (4) and the second plate (5) are soldered, bonded or welded to each other.

12. A temperature control plate (35) having two temperature control structures (1, 1 ') according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a first temperature control structure (1) is connected via its second longitudinal side (7) to a first longitudinal side (6) of a second temperature control structure (1').

13. A battery cooling device (35), in particular for an electric or hybrid vehicle (3), having a temperature control structure (1, 1 ') according to any one of the preceding claims and having a battery (2) connected to the temperature control structure (1, 1').