Device for controlling the temperature of a battery of electrochemical cells

• US 6,087,038 A
• Filed: 03/23/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saft Finance Sarl (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Fradin, Jean, Flament, Pascal, Rigobert, Gerard, Souliac, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Nuzzolillo, Maria
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ruthkosky, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/045,533
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 429/50, 429/62, 429/120
• 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 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• 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 10/656 characterised by the type of heat-exchange fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• 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 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In this device for controlling the temperature of a battery of cylindrically-shaped electrochemical cells placed side by side, heat is conveyed by the flow of a heat-conveying fluid, which flow takes place inside a double wall whose section is in the form of circular arcs interconnected at their ends so that the junction points between the arcs are substantially in alignment. Relief is disposed in a baffle configuration inside the double wall to constrain the fluid to flow parallel to said section, alternately in one direction and then in the opposite direction. The wall is disposed against the battery in such a manner that each of the circular arcs is disposed coaxially against one of the cells.

Claims

1. A device for controlling the temperature of a battery of cylindrical electrochemical cells disposed side by side, with heat being conveyed by the flow of a heat-conveying fluid, said device comprising:

a double wall jacket whose section is in the form of circular arcs interconnected at their ends so that the junction points between said arcs are substantially in alignment; and

a plurality of baffles within said double wall jacket and configured to constrain said fluid to flow parallel to said section, alternately in one direction and then in the opposite direction, wherein

said double wall jacket is disposed against said battery in such a manner that each of said circular arcs is disposed coaxially against one of said cylindrical electrochemical cells.

2. A device according to claim 1, including inlet and outlet endpieces, for heat-conveying fluid, that extend parallel to the cells.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which the endpieces are inside the envelope volume of the battery.

4. A battery of electrochemical cells including the device according to claim 1, in which the container for said cells is made of an electrically conductive material and the portion of the surface of said device which comes into contact with said container is made of an electrically insulating material, an electrically insulating material covering only that portion of the surface of said container that is not in contact with said device.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said baffles constrain said fluid to flow along said circular arcs, lengthwise, from one circular arc to another.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein each of said circular arcs is disposed coaxially against a cylindrical surface of one of said cylindrical electrochemical cells.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said double wall jacket includes an inner wall and an outer wall such that said plurality of baffles is contained between said inner wall and said outer wall.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each electrochemical cell includes a container having a first length and an active portion within the container, said active portion having a second length which is shorter than said first length, and wherein said double wall jacket has a third length which is greater than or equal to said second length.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said third length is less than said first length.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said double wall jacket includes two separate cooling circuits, wherein the heat-conveying fluid flows in parallel through the two cooling circuits.

11. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said inlet and outlet endpieces are coaxial with one another.