BATTERY COOLING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF COOLING

• US 20080292948A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Butine, John D.
• Application Number:
  US11/752,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20080292948A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A battery includes a plurality of insulated cells electrically interconnected to each other and at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate to cool the battery. Batteries in accordance with the subject matters disclosed may also include a plurality of cooling plates, a plurality of cells disposed between cooling plates, a button sheet to support the cells, a plurality of insulating sheets disposed between the cells, a plurality of bus bars electrically interconnecting the plurality of cells, and means for cooling the battery.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising:

a plurality of insulated cells electrically interconnected to each other; and

at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate to cool the battery.

2. The battery according to claim 1, further comprising:

an inlet distribution manifold; and

an outlet distribution manifold, wherein an inlet and an outlet of the at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate is in flow communication respectively with the inlet distribution manifold and the outlet distribution manifold.

3. The battery according to claim 2, wherein the at least one liquid-cooling plate includes a divider forming an internal flow passage between the inlet and the outlet of the at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate.

4. The battery according to claim 2, wherein the at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate includes a plurality of tubes connecting the inlet to the outlet of the at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate.

5. The battery according to claim 1, wherein energy to lower a temperature of the battery to an operating level is transferred from the at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate to a waste heat source.

6. The battery according to claim 5, wherein the waste heat source is selected from the group consisting of water from a radiator of an engine of a vehicle comprising the battery, oil from the engine, and combinations thereof.

7. The battery according to claim 2, wherein the at least one liquid-circulating cooling plate includes a plurality of liquid-circulating cooling plates, the plurality of insulated cells being disposed between the plurality of liquid-circulating cooling plates.

8. The battery according to claim 7, wherein each of the liquid-circulating cooling plate include an inlet and an outlet respectively connected to the inlet distribution manifold and the outlet distribution manifold.

9. The battery according to claim 7, further comprising:

a heat exchanger to heat the battery disposed above the plurality of cells.

10. The battery according to claim 9, wherein the heat exchanger is a liquid-circulating heat exchanger.

11. The battery according to claim 10, further comprising:

an electric heater configured to heat the battery; and

an inner casing enclosing the plurality of insulated cells and the heat exchanger, wherein the electric heater is disposed between the inner casing and the plurality of cells.

12. The battery according to claim 11, wherein heat is transferred to the battery through the heat exchanger from a waste heat source selected from the group consisting of water from a radiator of an engine of a vehicle comprising the battery, oil from the engine, heat from a block of the engine, exhaust gas from the engine, dynamic braking from the vehicle, and combinations thereof.

13. A battery, comprising:

a plurality of cooling plates;

a plurality of cells disposed between the plurality of cooling plates;

a button sheet having a plurality of buttons to support the plurality of cells;

a plurality of insulating sheets disposed between the plurality of cells;

a plurality of bus bars, the plurality of cells being electrically interconnected by the plurality of bus bars; and

means for cooling the battery.

14. The battery according to claim 13, further comprising:

a heat exchanger to heat the battery disposed above the plurality of cells.

15. The battery according to claim 14, wherein the heat exchanger is a liquid-circulating heat exchanger.

16. The battery according to claim 14, further comprising:

an electric heater configured to heat the battery; and

an inner casing enclosing the plurality of cooling plates, the plurality of cells, the button sheet, the plurality of insulating sheets, the plurality of bus bars, the means for cooling the battery, and the heat exchanger, wherein the electric heater is disposed between the inner casing and the plurality of cells.

17. The battery according to claim 14, wherein heat is transferred to heat the battery through the heat exchanger or to cool the battery through the plurality of liquid-circulating cooling plates from a source selected from the group consisting of water from a radiator of an engine of a vehicle that includes the battery, oil from the engine, heat from a block of the engine, and combinations thereof.

18. The battery according to claim 14, wherein heat is transferred to heat the battery through the heat exchanger from a source selected from the group consisting of exhaust gas from the engine, dynamic braking from the vehicle, and combinations thereof.