EP3747069A1

EP3747069A1 - Energy storage module having energy storage cells connected via uninsulated conductor pieces and/or having a cooling system, energy storage block and method for cooling an energy storage module

Info

Publication number: EP3747069A1
Application number: EP19702569.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Achim Fedyna
Original assignee: Stoba E Systems GmbH
Current assignee: Huber Automotive AG
Priority date: 2018-01-31
Filing date: 2019-01-29
Publication date: 2020-12-09
Also published as: US20210050578A1; CN111919311A; WO2019149699A1; DE102018102142A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an energy storage module (1) for a vehicle drive system for supplying energy to an electric motor in a vehicle or for supplying energy to a unit, wherein a plurality of individual energy storage cells (2) are combined to form a battery (3), wherein at least some of the energy storage cells (2) are connected in an electrically conductive manner to a plurality of connecting boards (4), wherein the connecting boards (4) are prepared for contacting at least one electronic board (5), wherein an electrical connection of an energy storage cell (2) to at least one of the connecting boards (4) is realised by way of at least one uninsulated conductor piece (6) and/or cooling fluid conducting means are present which convey fluid used for cooling and for heat removal in a targeted manner past the energy storage cells (2) in the longitudinal direction of the energy storage cells, wherein a transfer of heat from the energy storage cells (2) to the fluid is nonetheless ensured. The invention also relates to a method for cooling an energy storage module (1) of this kind, wherein cooling fluid conducting means are used which convey fluid in a targeted manner past the energy storage cells (2) in the longitudinal direction of the energy storage cells in order to achieve cooling and heat removal, wherein a transfer of heat from the energy storage cells (2) to the fluid is nonetheless ensured.

Description

Energy storage module with connected via uninsulated conductor pieces energy storage cells and / or a Kühlsvstem, Enerqiespeicherblock and

Method for cooling an energy storage module

The invention relates to a device for integrating energy storage cells for forming a battery and electronic components in an energy storage module, a device for combining a plurality of energy storage cells into one

Energy storage block, as well as a device and a method for cooling the batteries.

In particular, the invention relates to an energy storage module for a

Vehicle drive system for power supply one, for example, as

Generator usable electric motor in a vehicle on the one hand, such as a land, water or airborne vehicle, such as a car, a truck, a train, a ship or an aircraft, or for powering an aggregate on the other hand, such as a pump or a generator, wherein a plurality of individual energy storage cells to a battery, for example. As a package

combined / summarized, wherein at least some of the energy storage cells, preferably all energy storage cells are electrically connected to a plurality of interconnection boards, the interconnection boards for contacting at least one electronic board, possibly with an integrated battery management system (BMS), prepared / designed.

Energy storage modules are already known from the prior art. For example, DE 11 2014 004 708 T5 discloses an energy storage module in which a plurality of rectangular energy storage devices, one each

Have electrode assembly and an electrolyte, wherein the

Energy storage devices are housed in a housing and are constructed so that they are connected to each other, wherein the plurality of

Energy storage devices are strung in a predetermined arrangement direction, and are bonded together in a lined state, and wherein thicknesses of areas on bonded sides of the housings are smaller than thicknesses of areas on non-bonded sides.

The use of batteries, as previously done, is in many

Applications such as electromobility and the technical field of energy supply, for example, in the Flaustechnik, not optimally solved. It must namely be used so far plug and lines. These plugs and lines are weight and cost intensive, since they must meet certain safety requirements. Their use is not space efficient. This is particularly evident when a battery management system (BMS) is used. On

Battery Management System (BMS) is an electronic circuit which serves to monitor and control an array of rechargeable energy storage cells and provides the necessary energy storage cell equalization. To ensure safe operation of these batteries, such

Battery Management System (BMS) is required, usually with each connected in series cells each voltage level is monitored. It is thus particularly in batteries with higher voltage, that the previous serial

Wiring represents a considerable expense.

Furthermore, for example, DE 20 2010 017 685 U1 discloses a connecting element for connecting cells of an electrical energy storage module, wherein the connecting element has a first contact portion, a second contact portion and a central portion, wherein the two contact portions and the

Central portion made of electrically conductive metal and wherein the central portion between the first contact portion and the second contact portion is arranged and the two contact portions mechanically and electrically interconnected. For this purpose, a melting zone is formed in the middle section, which interrupts the electrical connection between the two contact sections in the case of melting, namely when an electrical current flowing through the connecting element significantly exceeds a predetermined rated current.

Also, DE 11 2015 004 307 T5 discloses an energy storage module having a pair of end plates for clamping a plurality of secondary cells parallel to one another Direction are arranged with a first and second cover member, which are fixed to an end plate of the pair of end plates, wherein the first and second cover member of the upper surface of a shell are arranged facing, wherein an electrode terminal is provided on the upper surface.

Furthermore, WO 2007/033651 A1 discloses an energy storage package which has a plurality of energy storage cells and at least two carrier units, wherein the

Energy storage cells are arranged between the carrier units.

It is the object of the invention to provide an energy storage module which meets the requirements of high-voltage batteries and at the same time is easy to interconnect and offers compact processing. When used in the

In connection with the drive of a vehicle, a weight-minimized and space-efficient unit is to be made available, which is also universally applicable.

The object of the invention is in a generic device

solved according to the invention that an electrical connection of a

Energy storage cell is realized with the connection boards via at least one, preferably completely, uninsulated conductor piece. Isolation can be eliminated and, by judicious choice of joint location, "small cross-sectional" connectors (i.e., small cross-section connectors) can be used. In this way, can be dispensed with the weight-intensive use of insulated cable and eliminates the relatively expensive use of plugs and plug receptacles.

Due to the connection boards used in the energy storage module, which are expediently arranged above and below the energy storage cells, it is on the one hand enables several energy storage cells to be electrically connected to one another. On the other hand, it is also possible to combine the energy storage cells in a compact manner to a battery, such as a package. This has the advantage that the battery is a small-scale energy storage module, which can be obstructed without great effort in a vehicle or the like. Advantageous embodiments are claimed in the subclaims and are explained in more detail below.

For example, it is expedient if the conductor piece is designed as a wire or ribbon and / or that the conductor piece is resilient or resetting

Owns properties. By using a conductor piece, which is designed as a wire or ribbon, can at a considerable expense the

Energy storage cell poles by means of wires to wire together, be dispensed with. By taking advantage of the resilient or restoring properties of the conductor piece on both sides of the respective energy storage cell, the contact is not lost due to the inertial forces in a blow from the outside, as this is the spring following the shock setback and the energy storage cell after each movement back in the original situation is traced back. If the conductor piece is designed as a wire or ribbon, there is no freedom of movement between the energy storage cell and the connection boards. A shock from the outside on the energy storage module then leads here to no loss of contact, because the shock-related shift of

Energy storage cell ends in its initial position.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the conductor piece extends from one side facing the energy storage cell through the connection board or past it to a side of the connection board facing away from the energy storage cell or if the conductor piece only extends away from the energy storage cell up to the one of the energy storage cell

Energy storage cell facing side of the connection board extends.

Thus, in other words, one end of the conductor piece is always fixed to one end of each energy storage cell and the other end of the conductor piece is fixed either on the surface of the connection board facing away from the energy storage cells or on the surface of the connection board facing the energy storage cells. In this way, various embodiments are possible, which in each case a compact

Energy storage module yield and a proper electrical contact allow, but are optimized for different uses. In both cases advantageously the conductor pieces do not have to be crossed, which would otherwise require more space and a necessary insulation of the conductor pieces by itself.

In particular, if both connection boards centered to each energy storage cell in the respective interconnect through-holes, such as holes, in particular holes have to pass through the conductor piece, a simple and space-saving processing of the energy storage cells to a

Energy storage module can be achieved.

A further advantage arises when the length of the conductor piece in this type of processing is smaller than the diameter of the energy storage cell, for example less than 1/20 of the diameter of the energy storage cell. Thus, it is possible to save both space, as well as with a lower total weight of the

Energy storage module to get along. The short length and the low

Among other things, the diameter of each conductor piece is made possible by the use of conductor tracks on the connection boards.

It is preferable if the conductor piece is fixed to the energy storage cell by means of a spot and laser welding method or ultrasonic bonding, and if that

Conductor piece is fixed to the connection board by means of soldering or bonding. In this way, the effort to produce an electrical connection between the respective energy storage cell poles within limits and allows the use of appropriate connection method for contacting.

Furthermore, it is useful if the conductor piece / conductor pieces is designed / are and / or oriented predominantly horizontally / are and / or run on one side of the energy storage cells, especially since then no (unnecessarily) long conductor pieces must be used.

It is useful if the conductor piece is designed as a spring, which is used to fix the energy storage cells in the energy storage module, each Spring is oriented so that it is in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the

Energy storage cell springs. Such a structure offers the energy storage cells some freedom of movement to compensate for impacts from the outside.

It is preferred if the spring is fastened either to the connection board and / or to the energy storage cell itself. Here is for everyone

Energy storage cell pole uses only one spring, which is centered on the

Energy storage cell is arranged. As a result, the distances can be kept the same, which facilitates construction and simplifies installation. Disturbances between the connections are also avoided. Alternatively, each energy storage cell pole and two conductor pieces can be used for contacting. When only one conductor piece is used, the current flow through the cells, which must overcome the contact resistance between the energy storage cell pole and the connection board, causes an additional voltage drop and thus falsifies the voltage measurement when contacting with only one conductor piece. By the

The use of two contacts at each energy storage cell pole can

Energy storage cell voltage largely de-energized directly at the

Energy storage cell are measured according to the four-wire measuring principle.

Such a structure offers the advantage that a downstream

Battery management system can measure both energy storage cell voltage signals and these two signals are compared, causing the

Performing a line break detection is enabled. In a conventional system, twice the number of lines would have to be laid for such functionality. In the present invention, only twice the number of conductor pieces is necessary, resulting in only negligible additional costs compared to the conventional system.

An advantage of contacting by means of a spring as a conductor piece is when a single connection board is in electrically conductive connection on both sides with energy storage cells, in particular the one side with energy storage cells of a first energy storage module and the second side with energy storage cells of a second energy storage module. Thus, both on (unnecessary) Connection material for the individual energy storage cells omitted, as well as on such conductor pieces, which must be passed through the connection boards and therefore are arranged on two different surfaces of the connection board.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the energy storage cells of the

Energy storage module in the battery are connected in series. The

Connection boards then offer the possibility of a serial connection of the

Energy storage cells using the connection boards used

To achieve printed conductors by short conductor pieces.

In addition, it is expedient if the energy storage cells in a

checkerboard pattern or in the manner of a dense packing are arranged to save space.

In addition, the energy storage module has advantages when the electronic components are arranged with a battery management system (BMS) on the electronic board, which is attached to a distal end of the battery. The said placement allows the battery management system in combination with the electronic components to be attached in one piece to the interconnect boards. It should be noted that several electronic boards can also be combined to form a common electronic board.

It is preferred if the electronics board with a plug connection to the

Connection boards is connected to obtain a more compact system and a problem-free contacting and electrical connection between the battery management system and the built-in on the electronic board

To enable electronic components. In this way, the energy storage module contains individual boards which are brought into contact without further wiring and also an exchange of certain components is facilitated. As an alternative to a direct plugging of the electronic board on the connection board, such a connection via multi-wire cable connection, such as

Ribbon cable, done. It is useful if certain electronic components are outsourced from the electronic board to the interconnection boards and that temperature sensors are inserted directly into the battery, creating on the one hand on the electronics board space for non-removable electronic components, as well as the possibility of a certain sorting of the electronic components is given , In other words, it makes sense to put the temperature sensors directly into the battery. Thus, it is advantageous if such electronic components are installed on the electronic board, the

Power electronics requirements must meet and not be outsourced.

Power electronics is understood to mean a sub-field of electrical engineering that deals with the transformation of electrical energy with switching electronic components.

Conveniently, the connector is designed so that both

Battery management system signals are routed to the interconnection boards, as well as the power supply of the battery takes place via the connectors.

In particular, due to the requirements, the connectors are high current connectors. High-current connectors are components through which electrical current can pass for the sole purpose of powering a device. There is no data flow over these connectors. The advantage of the high-current connectors is that you can do without lines.

A further embodiment is realized when Kühlfluidleitmittel are present, the fluid used for cooling and for heat dissipation, such as air, directed specifically in the longitudinal direction of the energy storage cells past them, but a

Heat transfer is ensured by the energy storage cells to the fluid. This prevents that the individual energy storage cells overheat and thus, if possible, all energy storage cells have the same temperature.

It is expedient for this if the energy storage module and / or the

Energy storage modules are arranged in a common / uniform housing, so as to ensure a uniform cooling of the energy storage cells, and when the Kühlfluidleitungsmittel can not escape. It is preferred if the energy storage module and / or the energy storage modules are aligned horizontally in order to ensure good cooling of the battery

Forced forced cooling and / or if the connection boards are slotted at appropriate locations or provided with through holes, such as holes, cut-outs or holes such that a guided through the battery air flow causes a forced cooling. In other words, the connection boards must be provided with holes or cut-outs at suitable locations in order to allow air to flow through. With round cells, the empty spaces between the individual energy storage cells are advantageous.

It is advantageous if an insulator is slotted flat between two connection boards at appropriate locations or is provided with through holes approximately in the manner of holes, cutouts or holes to direct the air flow targeted. It should these openings to the through holes of

Be adapted to interconnecting boards. Here, the insulator can be installed, but does not have to.

Advantageously, above and below the energy storage module and / or the energy storage modules, a respective air guide plate is attached as a current-carrying section. These baffles ensure that if several

Energy storage modules are placed one above the other, each energy storage module fresh air is available. This is a heating of the upper

Energy storage module prevented by the underlying energy storage module. Likewise, the baffles are components of the housing.

It is expedient if the air baffles are beveled at a predetermined angle relative to the horizontal angle, to guide the Kühlfluidleitmittel accordingly. In this case, the lower air baffle at a greater angle than the angle of the upper air baffle. An energy-efficient cooling fluid guide is then the result, which then on the one hand to a uniform temperature in the

Energy storage module leads and on the other hand allows an economic use of funds. Furthermore, a fan module is mounted on the opposite side of the electronics board, which is provided between the lower air baffle and the lowermost energy storage module and which contains one or more (small) fan. This fan module supports the first exhaust air / air flow, which cools the energy storage cells.

It is expedient if the housing and the current-carrying section are designed such that the energy storage cells are cooled by a first exhaust air flow / air flow and the electronics components mounted on the electronic circuit board and the battery management system are cooled by a second exhaust air flow / air flow, for example such that the first Exhaust air flow / air flow with the second

Exhaust air flow / air flow is combined at the housing outlet. In this way, the two components of the energy storage module can be cooled independently.

The invention also relates to an energy storage block in which several

Inventive energy storage modules according to one of the preceding aspects are combined. The advantage of such an energy storage block is that, if several batteries are required, several energy storage modules are stacked on top of each other. It has the advantage that (exactly) two connection boards are available per energy storage module.

Advantageously, the energy storage block is constructed so that a

Connecting plate opposite one end face of the energy storage cells of an energy storage module is arranged and the other interconnection board opposite the other end face of the energy storage cells of the

Energy storage module is arranged.

Conveniently, the energy storage block is designed such that between two juxtaposed energy storage modules, an insulator or a

Connection board is mounted, which / which connects both the lower energy storage module, as well as the upper energy storage module with each other. The insulator can be provided, but it can also be dispensed with an insulator. By mounting a connection board between the respective energy storage modules, both the lower and the upper energy storage cells are connected to each other. In this case, the electronic board can continue to be plugged to the side of the battery.

The invention also relates to a method for cooling at least one

Energy storage module, wherein a Kühlfluidleitmittel is used for conducting a cooling fluid, such as fluid, such as air, which specifically in the longitudinal direction of

Energy storage cells is passed to these past, used to realize a cooling and heat dissipation, but a heat transfer from the energy storage cells to the fluid is guaranteed.

The invention will be explained below with the aid of a drawing. Show it:

1 shows a schematic structure of an energy storage module,

2a is a schematic side view of a contacting of the energy storage cells by means of ribbon or wire,

2b is a schematic plan view of a contacting of the energy storage cells by means of ribbon or wire,

3a shows a schematic side view of a contacting of the energy storage cells by means of springs,

3b is a schematic plan view of a contacting of the energy storage cells by means of springs,

4 shows a schematic structure of two energy storage cells in one

Energy storage block and

5 shows a schematic structure of a cooling system of an energy storage block. The figures are merely schematic in nature and are for the sole purpose of understanding the invention. The same elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic structure of an energy storage module 1. Das

Energy storage module 1 includes a plurality of energy storage cells 2, which are arranged side by side to a battery 3 combined / combined. In this case, energy storage cells 2 are arranged between two connection boards 4, wherein a connection board 4 above the energy storage cells 2 and a

Connection board 4 is placed below the energy storage cells 2.

At the distal end of the battery 3, an electronic circuit board 5 is arranged for contacting the connection boards 4, which is aligned perpendicular to the connection boards 4. The individual energy storage cells 2 are with the

Linking boards 4 electrically connected via at least one uninsulated conductor piece 6. The connection boards 4 are by means of connectors 7 to the

Electronics board 5 infected. On the electronic board 5 electronic components 8 and the battery management system and possibly required power electronics are arranged.

Fig. 2a shows a schematic side view of a contacting of

Energy storage cells 2 by means of ribbon or wire 11. Here are the

Energy storage cells 2 shown in FIG. 1 and arranged at the

Energy storage cell poles 12 with the connection boards 4 via a ribbon or a wire 11 electrically connected. The ribbon or wire 11 is in this case contacted at one end to an energy storage cell pole 12, by a

Through hole 13 in the connection board 4 and passed with the other end to the energy storage cell 2 side facing away from the

Connection board 4 contacted.

Fig. 2b shows a schematic plan view of a contacting of

Energy storage cells 2 by means of ribbon or wire 11 as shown in FIG. 2a. The order the energy storage cell 2 between the connection boards 4 shows a checkerboard pattern. In this case, the ribbon or the wire 11 always in the same direction and may be shorter than the radius 2a of the

Energy storage cell 2 and the radius 13a of the passage openings 13 is smaller than the radius 2a of the energy storage cells 2. The passage openings 13 are arranged centrally to the energy storage cells 2.

Fig. 3a shows a schematic side view of a contacting of

Energy storage cells 2 by means of springs 14. In this case, the energy storage cells 2 are arranged as shown in FIG. 1 and at the energy storage cell poles 12 with the

Linking boards 4 electrically connected via a spring 14. The spring 14 is in this case contacted at one end to an energy storage cell pole 12 and at the other end to the energy storage cell 2 side facing the

Connection board 4 contacted. The springs 14 allow the energy storage cells 2 a suspension in the spring direction 14a. The contacts of the energy storage cells 2 thus take place only on one side of the respective connection board 4.

Fig. 3b shows a schematic plan view of a contacting of

Energy storage cell 2 by means of springs 14 as shown in FIG. 3a. The arrangement of

Energy storage cell 2 between the connection boards 4 indicates a

checkerboard pattern. The springs 14 are arranged corresponding to the ribbon or wire 11 in the middle of the energy storage cells 2.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic structure of two energy storage modules 2, according to FIG. 1, in an energy storage block 9. The two energy storage modules 1, whereby more than two energy storage modules 1 can be used, are arranged one above the other and the electronic circuit board 5 extends with them mounted thereon electronic components 8 perpendicular to the connection boards 4 on the entire side of the stacked batteries 3, in the present case at the distal ends. Each connection board 4 is plugged by means of connectors 7 to the electronic board 5. Between the two contacting connection boards 4, that is, between the upper connection board 4 of a lower energy storage module and the lower connection board 4 of an upper Energy storage module, an insulator 10 can be inserted, but it can also be dispensed with.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic structure of a cooling system 15 of a

Energy storage block 9. The energy storage block 9, which may consist of two or more batteries 3 according to the embodiments of FIG. 4, is enclosed in a housing 16, wherein the housing 16 at the lower end of a first air baffle 17 and at the upper end of a second Air baffle 18 is made and the

Electronics board 5 and the connectors 7 between the

Connection boards 4 are outside of the housing.

The first air guide plate 17 defines the first current-carrying section 19 and the second air guide plate 18 defines the second current-carrying section 20. The angle α of the first air guide plate 16 to the horizontal is greater than the angle β of the second air guide plate 18 to the horizontal. The first current-carrying section 19 leads the first exhaust-air flow / air-flow 21 through the batteries 3 and merges into the second current-carrying section 20. The first exhaust-air flow / air flow 21 is passed through

Fan module 22, which is mounted between the first air guide plate 17 and the lower battery 3 at the distal end of the battery 3, the electronic board 5 opposite and may alternatively consist of one or more fans. The first

Exhaust air flow / air flow 21 uses the existing spaces of the

Energy storage cells 2 and the corresponding through holes and slots (not shown) in the connection boards 4 and in the insulator 10, to cool the individual energy storage cells 2 alike.

The second exhaust air stream / air stream 23 serves to cool the electronic components 8 on the electronic board 5 and leads starting from the lower end to the upper end of the electronic board 5. The first and the second exhaust air stream 21, 23 are combined after cooling the corresponding sections / elements and components and discharged. LIST OF REFERENCES

1 energy storage module

2 energy storage cell

2a radius of the energy storage cell

3 battery

4 connection board

5 electronic board

6 conductor piece

7 plug connection

8 electronic components

9 energy storage block

10 insulator

11 wire and / or ribbon

12 energy storage cell pole

13 passage opening

13a radius passage opening

14 springs

14a spring direction

15 cooling system

16 housing

17 first air baffle

18 second air baffle

19 first power supply section

20 second current carrying section first exhaust air flow fan module second exhaust air flow

Claims

claims

1. Energy storage module (1) for a vehicle drive system for supplying energy to an electric motor for a vehicle or for powering an aggregate on the other hand, wherein a plurality of individual energy storage cells (2) to a battery (3) are combined, wherein at least some of the energy storage cells (2) a plurality of interconnection boards (4) are electrically connected, wherein the

Connection boards (4) for contacting at least one electronic board (5) are prepared, characterized in that an electrical connection of an energy storage cell (2) with at least one of the connection boards (4) via at least one uninsulated conductor piece (6) is realized and the conductor piece (6 ) is designed as a wire or ribbon (11).

Second energy storage module (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the conductor piece (6) has resilient or restoring properties.

3. Energy storage module (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conductor piece (6) from one of the energy storage cell (2) side facing through the interconnect board (4) or past the interconnect board (4) on one of the energy storage cell (2) side facing away from the connecting plate (4) or extends the conductor piece (6) of the energy storage cell (2) away only to the energy storage cell (2) facing side of the connection board (4).

4. Energy storage module (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized

in that the electronic circuit board (5) is arranged at a distal end of the battery (3).

5. Energy storage module (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized

in that the electronic components (8) are arranged with a battery management system on the electronic board (5).

6. Energy storage module (1) for a vehicle drive system for supplying power to an electric motor in a vehicle on the one hand, or for supplying energy Aggregates on the other hand, wherein a plurality of individual energy storage cells (2) to a battery (3) are combined, wherein at least some of the energy storage cells (2) with a plurality of interconnection boards (4) are electrically connected, wherein the interconnection boards (4) for contacting at least one electronic circuit board (5) are prepared according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that Kühlfluidleitmittel are present, the fluid used for cooling and heat dissipation targeted in the longitudinal direction of the

Energy storage cells (2) passes this past, but a heat transfer from the energy storage cells (2) is ensured to the fluid.

7. energy storage module (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the energy storage modules (1) are arranged in a common housing (16).

8. energy storage module (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the energy storage modules (1) are designed so that the connection boards (4) are slotted at appropriate locations or provided with through holes that a through the battery (3 ) guided air flow (21) causes a forced cooling.

9. Energy storage block (9), in which a plurality of energy storage modules (1) are used according to one of the preceding claims.

Method for cooling an energy storage module (1) according to one of

Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that Kühlfluidleitmittel be used, which selectively fluid in the longitudinal direction of the energy storage cells (2) passed to this over to realize cooling and heat dissipation, but ensures a heat transfer from the energy storage cells (2) to the fluid becomes.