BATTERY THERMAL MANAGEMENT FOR HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES USING A PHASE-CHANGE MATERIAL COLD PLATE

• US 20160006088A1
• Filed: 07/01/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Incorporated
• Inventors: Boetcher, Sandra, Compere, Marc, Barsotti, Domenic, Hyatt, William Townsend, Harries, Brian Neal
• Application Number:
  US14/789,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20160006088A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/02 using latent heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0031 Radiators for recooling a coolant of cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/659 by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A thermal management system for an energy storage device that includes a liquid-cooled cold plate made of phase-change material changeable from a substantially solid form to a substantially liquid form upon absorbing heat generated by the energy storage device. The system may be useful as a thermal management solution for energy storage systems (ESS) in hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV).

Claims

1. A thermal management system for an energy storage device, comprising:

a cold plate having a body with a conduit defined therein, wherein the body comprises a phase-change material changeable from a substantially solid form to a substantially liquid form upon absorbing heat generated by the energy storage device;

a cooling liquid; and

a pump,

wherein the pump selectively pumps the cooling liquid through the conduit of the cold plate for a duration sufficient to cool the phase-change material from its substantially liquid form to its substantially solid form for dissipation of heat absorbed thereby.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a graphite matrix.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the phase-change material comprises a wax material.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the cooling liquid comprises a solution of ethylene glycol and water.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein the cooling liquid further comprises a 50/50 mixture of ethylene glycol and water.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises a copper pipe.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to engage the pump for pumping the cooling fluid through the cooling plate upon detection of a temperature indicative of the phase-change material becoming substantially thermally saturated.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein pumping of the cooling liquid is substantially discontinued when the temperature sensor detects a solidification temperature of the phase-change material.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor is substantially centered with respect to the cold plate.

10. The thermal management system according to claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger to cool the cooling liquid outside of the cold plate.

11. The thermal management system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cold plates serially coupled in fluid communication.

12. An energy storage system having a thermal management system according to claim 1.

13. The energy storage system according to claim 12, comprising batteries for hybrid electric vehicles, and wherein the thermal management system is external to the batteries.

14. A method of controlling thermal management in a battery system for hybrid electric vehicles, comprising:

thermally coupling a cold plate to the battery system, the cold plate comprising a phase-change material;

absorbing heat generated by the battery system, whereupon the phase-change material changes from a solid to a liquid;

pumping a cooling liquid through the cold plate when the phase-change material becomes substantially saturated;

dissipating heat from the phase-change material to the cooling liquid as the phase-change material changes from the liquid to the solid.

15. The method of claim 14, where the phase-change material comprises a wax material and the cold plate further comprises a graphite material.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the cooling liquid comprises a solution of ethylene glycol and water.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring temperature the phase-change material, and upon detection of a setpoint temperature indicative of the phase-change material becoming substantially thermally saturated, initiating pumping of the cooling fluid through the cold plate.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising substantially stopping pumping of the cooling fluid through the cooling plate upon detecting a temperature of the phase-change material indicative of the phase-change material becoming substantially fully solidified.

19. A thermal management system, comprising:

passive cooling means; and

active cooling means.

20. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein:

the passive cooling means comprises a cold plate comprising a graphite matrix impregnated with wax; and

the active cooling means comprises intermittent pumping of a 50/50 solution of ethylene glycol and water through the cold plate.