BATTERY SYSTEM WITH INTERNAL COOLING PASSAGES

• US 20140272494A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Inventors: Silk, Bruce James, Ferguson, Wendell G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,020,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/04 Construction or manufacture in general H01M10/058, H01M10/12, H01M10/28, H01M10/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/289 characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A multi-cell battery system is disclosed including a plurality of battery sub-assemblies and a plurality of heat exchange members stacked together along a longitudinal axis. Each of the plurality of heat exchange members defines a heat exchange passageway through the battery system.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a plurality of prismatic battery cells including;

a first cell having a first terminal extending from the first cell; and

a second cell having a second terminal extending from the second cell; and

a heat exchange member located between the first and second cells, the heat exchange member including;

a first planar surface in direct contact with the first cell;

a second surface opposite the first surface; and

a heat exchange passageway formed between the first and second surfaces.

2. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the heat exchange member is a continuous surface that makes continuous contact with the first cell.

3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the heat exchange member is a planar surface that is in direct contact with the second cell.

4. The battery system of claim 3, wherein the second surface of the heat exchange member is a continuous surface that makes continuous contact with the second cell.

5. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the second cell is arranged longitudinally of the heat exchange member along a longitudinal axis, and the heat exchange member is arranged longitudinally of the first cell along the longitudinal axis.

6. The battery system of claim 5, wherein the heat exchange passageway of the heat exchange member is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

7. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange passageway of the heat exchange member is oriented parallel to the first and second cells.

8. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange member includes a plurality of spaced-apart struts between the first and second surfaces.

9. The battery system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of struts are arranged in parallel to one another.

10. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the first terminal of the first cell is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the second cell.

11. The battery system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third cell having a third terminal extending from the third cell, the first and third cells arranged together in a first framed sub-assembly with the first terminal of the first cell contacting the third terminal of the third cell; and

a fourth cell having a fourth terminal extending from the fourth cell, the second and fourth cells arranged together in a second framed sub-assembly with the second terminal of the second cell contacting the fourth terminal of the fourth cell.

12. A battery system comprising:

a plurality of prismatic battery cells including;

a first cell having a first terminal extending from the first cell; and

a second cell having a second terminal extending from the second cell; and

a heat exchange member located between the first and second cells, the heat exchange member including;

a first planar surface compressed against the first cell;

a second surface opposite the first surface; and

a heat exchange passageway formed between the first and second surfaces.

13. The battery system of claim 12, wherein the second surface of the heat exchange member is a planar surface that is compressed against the second cell.

14. The battery system of claim 12, wherein the second cell is arranged longitudinally of the heat exchange member along a longitudinal axis, and the heat exchange member is arranged longitudinally of the first cell along the longitudinal axis.

15. The battery system of claim 14, further comprising a first end support and a second support that compress the heat exchange member between the first and second cells along the longitudinal axis.

16. The battery system of claim 12, further comprising a first ring-shaped frame around an outer sealed portion of the first cell, wherein an inner body portion of the first cell is exposed through the first ring-shaped frame to contact the heat exchange member.

17. The battery system of claim 12, wherein the heat exchange member comprises a corrugated plastic sheet.

18. A method of assembling a battery system, the battery system including a longitudinal axis and a plurality of prismatic battery cells including a first cell and a second cell, the method comprising the steps of:

arranging a heat exchange member between the first and second cells, the heat exchange member including;

a first planar surface;

a second planar surface opposite the first surface; and

a heat exchange passageway formed between the first and second surfaces; and

compressing the heat exchange member between the first and second cells.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of passing a heat exchange medium through the heat exchange passageway to cool the first and second cells.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of arranging a second heat exchange member parallel to the heat exchange member.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of compressing the second heat exchange member between a third cell and a fourth cell.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of arranging the second and third cells between the heat exchange member and the second heat exchange member.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

electrically coupling the first and second cells together in series;

electrically coupling the second and third cells together in parallel; and

electrically coupling the third and fourth cells together in series.