Device for cooling batteries of an electronically and/or hybrid powered vehicle

• US 7,892,671 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
• Inventors: Haussmann, Roland, Hamery, Bruno, Krempel, Günter, Aloup, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Cantelmo; Gregg
• Application Number:
  US12/628,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20100075214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 429/99, 429/100, 429/120, 429/157, 429/159, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.5, 903/907
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A device for cooling batteries, particularly of an electric and/or hybrid vehicle, includes a pair of compartments (1, 12) in communication with one another, including a first compartment (1) housing the batteries distributed among adjacent columns and a second compartment (12) housing at least a blower (14). One of these compartments (1, 12) has an air intake aperture (5) while the other compartment (1, 2) has a discharge aperture (5) for discharging the admitted air to the outside. The first compartment (1) modifies the dynamics of the air passing through it, starting from an axial circulation of air along the columns of batteries.

Claims

1. A device for cooling batteries of an electrically or hybrid powered vehicle, these batteries being arranged inside a battery compartment (1) and distributed among a plurality of adjacent columns (28), said device circulating air around the batteries, characterized in that it comprises a pair of compartments in communication with one another, including a first compartment (1) housing the batteries and a second compartment (2) housing at least a blower (54, 14, 16), either one of these compartments (1, 2) having an air intake aperture (53, 5), while the other compartment (1, 2) has a discharge aperture (8) for discharging the admitted air to the outside;

and

wherein the columns (28) of batteries are housed inside cavities which are formed from a plurality of stacked plates (48) having windows (49) through which the columns (28) pass.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first compartment (1) modifies the dynamics of the air passing through it, starting from an axial circulation of air along the columns (28) of batteries.

3. A device according to either one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the first compartment (1) has an air intake (5) located on the columns (28), and a routing feature routing the admitted air toward an upstream ventilation space (31) located in a plane substantially orthogonal to the columns (28) of batteries, so as to cause air to circulate around the columns (28) axially toward a downstream ventilation space (32) substantially orthogonal to the columns (28) of batteries.

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first compartment (1) comprises respective air intake (5) and discharge (4) apertures which are formed on the columns (28) of batteries, and which open respectively onto elbowed lateral air inlet and outlet ducts (29, 30), these ducts (29, 30) being in communication with the upstream (31) and downstream (32) ventilation spaces so that the air is admitted substantially orthogonally to the columns (28) to be routed toward the upstream ventilation space (31) through an upstream elbowed duct (29), then circulated axially along the columns (28) of batteries toward the downstream ventilation space (32), then discharged laterally through a downstream elbowed duct (30).

5. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that an airflow restriction nozzle (33) is located upstream of the upstream ventilation space (31).

6. A device according to claim 3 characterized in that the volume of the upstream ventilation space (31) is greater than the volume of the downstream ventilation space (32).

7. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plates (48) have perforations for causing boundary layer separation of the air flowing through these perforations.

8. A device according to either one of claims 1 and 7, characterized in that the windows (49) have radial slits (51) at their edge so as to ensure close contact between the columns (28) of batteries and the plates (48) and encourage heat exchanges between these.

9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the radial slits (51) are cuts leaving flaps (52) that form a collar that clamps the columns (28) of batteries.

10. A device according to claim 9, characterized in that the flaps (52) constitutes spacer pieces that space one plate (48) from another.

11. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second compartment (2) is located downstream of the first compartment (1) in the direction in which the air circulates.

12. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that the blower (54) is equipped with an electronic control (11) for operating it.

13. A device according to either one of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that said intake aperture (5) and said discharge aperture (8) are each fitted with a nonreturn valve (300).

14. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that the first and second compartments (1, 2) are formed in one casing.

15. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that the first and the second compartment (1, 2) are formed in respective casings communicating with one another.

16. A device according to claim 15, characterized in that the second compartment (2) has said discharge aperture (8) and at least one intake opening (3, 3′

) connected to a discharge opening (4, 4′

) of the first compartment (1), the second compartment (2) being fitted to the first compartment (1).

17. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device comprises an additional blower (16).

18. A device according to claim 17, characterized in that the additional blower (16) is housed inside a duct (13).