System for controlling temperature of a secondary battery module

• US 8,492,642 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Kim, Tae-Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Hendricks, Keith
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, BACH T
• Application Number:
  US11/231,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20060060236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,863 Days
• Field of Search: 136200-242, 429/62, 429/71, 429/120
• US Class Current: 136/205
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0029 Heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 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 10/6554 Rods or plates
• 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: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system which can efficiently control the temperature of the battery module, and also can easily control the temperature in the intense environment by actively adapting the exterior environment. The system for controlling temperature of a secondary battery module includes a housing receiving a plurality of unit batteries. The housing has an inlet and an outlet. A heat transfer member is in contact with the unit batteries. The heat transfer member has a portion exposed to a heat transfer medium duct formed inside the housing, and a temperature controller is mounted in the heat transfer member to control temperature of the unit batteries.

Claims

1. A system for controlling temperature of a secondary battery module comprising a plurality of unit batteries, the system comprising:

a housing containing the plurality of unit batteries to be spaced from each other in a first direction, the housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a heat transfer medium duct extending in the first direction from the inlet to the outlet;

a heat transfer member in contact with the plurality of unit batteries, the heat transfer member comprising a first portion having a first surface exposed to the heat transfer medium duct and a second surface opposite the first surface and contacting outer surfaces of the unit batteries, and a plurality of second portions each protruding from the second surface of the first portion and extending between a respective pair of adjacent unit batteries of the plurality of unit batteries and substantially surrounding surfaces of the adjacent unit batteries facing each other; and

a temperature controller adapted to control temperature of the unit batteries,

wherein the temperature controller comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements each comprising a first surface in contact with the heat transfer member and a second surface exposed in the heat transfer medium duct, the first surfaces of the thermoelectric elements being spaced apart from one another in the first direction, and the second surfaces of the thermoelectric elements being spaced apart from one another in the first direction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer member comprises a heat sink.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the heat sink surrounds the unit batteries.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a cooling fan is mounted at the another surface of at least one thermoelectric element of the plurality of thermoelectric elements.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising temperature sensors inside the housing for detecting temperature of the unit batteries.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising individual temperature sensors mounted on respective ones of the unit batteries to detect temperatures of the respective ones of the unit batteries.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one thermoelectric element of the plurality of thermoelectric elements is connected to at least one temperature sensor detecting temperature of at least one respective one of the unit batteries and adapted to apply an output signal to the at least one thermoelectric element in response to the temperature detected by the at least one temperature sensor for selectively performing at least one of an endothermic reaction or an exothermic reaction.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer medium duct is a flow channel for air.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one fan is provided in the heat transfer medium duct to ventilate the air.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery module is a motor drive battery module.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a unit battery of the plurality of unit batteries is a lithium type battery.

12. A system for controlling temperature of a secondary battery module comprising a plurality of unit batteries, the system comprising:

a housing containing the plurality of unit batteries to be spaced from each other in a first direction, the housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a heat transfer medium duct extending in the first direction from the inlet to the outlet;

a heat transfer member in contact with the plurality of unit batteries, the heat transfer member comprising a first portion having a first surface exposed to the heat transfer medium duct and a second surface opposite the first surface and contacting outer surfaces of the unit batteries, and a plurality of second portions each protruding from the second surface of the first portion and extending between a respective pair of adjacent unit batteries of the plurality of unit batteries and substantially surrounding surfaces of the adjacent unit batteries facing each other; and

a plurality of thermoelectric elements on the heat transfer member for controlling temperature of the plurality of unit batteries and each comprising a first surface in contact with the heat transfer member and a second surface exposed in the heat transfer medium duct, the first surfaces of the thermoelectric elements being spaced apart from one another in the first direction, and the second surfaces of the thermoelectric elements being spaced apart from one another in the first direction, the thermoelectric elements comprising at least one of a thermoelectric cooling element or a thermoelectric heating element.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the heat transfer member comprises a heat sink.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the heat sink surrounds the unit batteries.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the thermoelectric elements comprise both a thermoelectric cooling element and a thermoelectric heating element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the thermoelectric cooling element and the thermoelectric heating element are alternately arranged and spaced apart.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising at least one cooling fan in the heat transfer medium duct at the thermoelectric cooling element.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising temperature sensors inside the housing for detecting temperatures of respective unit batteries of the plurality of unit batteries.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a controller connected to each of the temperature sensors and adapted to apply output signals to the thermoelectric elements in response to the temperatures detected by each of the temperature sensors for performing at least one of an endothermic reaction or an exothermic reaction.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising individual temperature sensors mounted on respective ones of the unit batteries to detect temperatures of the respective ones of the unit batteries.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the heat transfer medium duct channels a flow of air along the portion of the heat transfer member exposed to the heat transfer medium duct.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising at least one fan in the heat transfer medium duct for moving the air.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the battery module is a motor drive battery module.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein a unit battery of the plurality of unit batteries is a lithium type battery.