Battery module and method for cooling the battery module

• US 8,399,118 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Gadawski, Thomas J., Payne, Josh
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruddock, Ula C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERNOW, FRANK A
• Application Number:
  US12/511,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20110027640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• 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 10/6567 Liquids
• 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 10/6569 Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module and a method for cooling the battery module are provided. The battery module includes a first battery cell and a cooling fin disposed adjacent to the first battery cell. The cooling fin has first and second headers, an extruded housing, and a flow diverter. The first and second headers are coupled to first and second ends, respectively, of the extruded housing. The extruded housing has a first plurality of flow channels and a second plurality of flow channels extending therethrough that fluidly communicate with the first and second headers. The flow diverter is disposed in the first header to induce a fluid to flow from the first header through the first plurality of flow channels in the extruded housing to the second header to extract heat energy from the first battery cell.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a first battery cell; and

a cooling fin disposed adjacent to the first battery cell, the cooling fin having first and second headers, an extruded housing, and a flow diverter;

the first and second headers coupled to first and second ends, respectively, of the extruded housing;

the first header having a first tubular portion, a first inlet port, and a first outlet port;

the first inlet port and the first outlet port being coupled to opposite ends of the first tubular portion;

the second header having a second tubular portion and first and second end caps disposed on opposite ends of the second tubular portion;

the extruded housing having a generally rectangular-shaped plate with a first plurality of flow channels and a second plurality of flow channels extending therethrough that fluidly communicate with the first and second tubular portions, respectively, of the first and second headers, respectively;

the flow diverter being disposed in the first tubular portion of the first header to induce a fluid to flow from the first tubular portion through the first plurality of flow channels in the extruded housing to the second tubular portion of the second header to extract heat energy from the first battery cell, and then to induce the fluid to flow from the second tubular portion through the second plurality of flow channels in the extruded housing back to the first tubular portion of the first header to further extract heat energy from the first battery cell.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first and second headers are constructed of at least one of copper and aluminum.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the extruded housing is constructed of at least one of copper and aluminum.

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein a number of flow channels in the first plurality of flow channels is greater than a number of flow channels in the second plurality of flow channels.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a coolant.

6. The battery module of claim 5, wherein the coolant comprises at least one of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol.

7. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising a second battery cell disposed adjacent to the cooling fin, such that the cooling fin is disposed between the first and second battery cells.

8. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first header further includes a first extension portion coupled to the first tubular portion such that an interior region of the first extension portion communicates with an interior region of the first tubular portion.

9. The battery module of claim 8, wherein the first end of the extruded housing is configured to be disposed within a portion of the first extension portion such that a first end of the first plurality of flow channels fluidly communicate with the interior region of the first extension portion and the interior region of the first tubular portion.

10. The battery module of claim 9, wherein the second header further includes a second extension portion coupled to the second tubular portion such that an interior region of the second extension portion communicates with an interior region of the second tubular portion.

11. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the second end of the extruded housing is configured to be disposed within a portion of the second extension portion such that a second end of the first plurality of flow channels fluidly communicate with the interior region of the second extension portion and the interior region of the second tubular portion.

12. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a refrigerant.