Battery module having a rubber cooling manifold

• US 9,140,501 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Niedzwiecki, Mark, Koetting, William, Payne, Josh, Isayev, Igor, Natarajan, Venkatachala Moorthi
• Primary Examiner(s): Laios, Maria J
• Application Number:
  US12/164,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20090325051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,640 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/067 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0275 with multiple branch pipes
• 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 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• 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 10/6567 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module is provided. The battery module includes a plurality of battery cell assemblies having a plurality of heat exchangers therein. The battery module includes a first rubber cooling manifold configured to route a fluid into the plurality of heat exchangers. The first rubber cooling manifold has a first tubular member, a first inlet port, a first plurality of outlet ports, and first and second end caps. The first end cap is coupled to a first end of the first tubular member. The second end cap is coupled to a second end of the first tubular member. The first inlet port is disposed on a top portion of the first tubular member for routing the fluid into the first tubular member. The first plurality of outlet ports is disposed collinearly and longitudinally along an outer surface of the first tubular member and spaced apart from one another. The first plurality of outlet ports extend outwardly from the outer surface of the first tubular member. The first plurality of outlet ports route the fluid from the first tubular member into the plurality of heat exchangers for cooling the plurality of battery cell assemblies.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a plurality of battery cell assemblies having a plurality of heat exchangers therein; and

a first rubber cooling manifold configured to route a fluid into the plurality of heat exchangers, the first rubber cooling manifold having a first tubular member, a first inlet port, a first plurality of outlet ports, and first and second end caps;

the first tubular member extending parallel to a bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, the first tubular member having a first end and a second end;

the first end cap having a tubular portion and a wall, the wall of the first end cap being coupled to and enclosing an end of the tubular portion of the first end cap, the first end cap being coupled to the first end of the first tubular member such that the wall of the first end cap is disposed across an aperture of the first end to prevent the fluid from exiting the first end;

the second end cap having a tubular portion and a wall, the wall of the second end cap being coupled to and enclosing an end of the tubular portion of the second end cap, the second end cap being coupled to the second end of the first tubular member such that the wall of the second end cap is disposed across an aperture of the second end to prevent the fluid from exiting the second end;

the first inlet port being disposed on a top portion of the first tubular member and being further disposed substantially equidistant from the first end and the second end of the first tubular member, the first inlet port configured to induce the fluid to flow through a top of the first inlet port in a direction toward the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies as the fluid flows through the first inlet port, the first fluid port routing the fluid into an interior region of the first tubular member; and

the first plurality of outlet ports being disposed collinearly and longitudinally along an outer surface of the first tubular member and spaced apart from one another, each of the first plurality of outlet ports further disposed below the first inlet port in a direction extending from a top side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies toward the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, the first plurality of outlet ports extending outwardly from the outer surface of the first tubular member and in a direction parallel to the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, a size of an aperture in the first inlet port being larger than a size of each aperture in each respective outlet port of the first plurality of outlet ports, the first plurality of outlet ports routing the fluid from the first tubular member into the plurality of heat exchangers for cooling the plurality of battery cell assemblies, each respective outlet port of the first plurality of outlet ports being sized to shaped to receive a respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers therein, each respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers extending completely through each respective outlet port of the first plurality of outlet ports and into the interior region of the first tubular member.

2. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising:

a second rubber cooling manifold configured to receive the fluid from the plurality of heat exchangers, the second rubber cooling manifold having a second tubular member, a first outlet port, a second plurality of inlet ports, and third and fourth end caps;

the second tubular member extending parallel to the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies;

the third end cap being coupled to a first end of the second tubular member, the fourth end cap being coupled to a second end of the second tubular member;

the second plurality of inlet ports being disposed collinearly and longitudinally along an outer surface of the second tubular member and spaced apart from one another, each of the second plurality of inlet ports further disposed below the first outlet port in the direction extending from the top side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies toward the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, the second plurality of inlet ports extending outwardly from the outer surface of the second tubular member and in a direction parallel to the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies;

the second plurality of inlet ports receiving the fluid from the plurality of heat exchangers and routing the fluid into the second tubular member; and

the first outlet port being disposed on a top portion of the second tubular member and routing the fluid out of the second tubular member.

3. The battery module of claim 2, wherein the first rubber cooling manifold is disposed adjacent to a first side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, and the second rubber cooling manifold is disposed adjacent to a second side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies.

4. The battery module of claim 3, wherein the first side is disposed opposite to the second side.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein each respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers extends outwardly from the plurality of battery cell assemblies.

6. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the wall of the first end cap completely encloses the aperture of the first end of the first tubular member.

7. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the wall of the first end cap completely encloses the end of the tubular portion of the first end cap.

8. The battery module of claim 1, wherein each respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers has a flanged end portion that abuts against an inner surface of the first tubular member.

9. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first tubular member having a cross-section profile with a substantially C-shaped wall portion and a substantially flat wall portion coupled to the substantially C-shaped wall portion, the first plurality of outlet ports being coupled to and extending outwardly from the substantially flat wall portion, the first inlet port being coupled to and extending outwardly from the substantially C-shaped wall portion.

10. A battery module, comprising:

a plurality of battery cell assemblies having a plurality of heat exchangers therein;

a first rubber cooling manifold configured to route a fluid into the plurality of heat exchangers, the first rubber cooling manifold having a first tubular member, a first inlet port, a first plurality of outlet ports, and first and second end caps;

the first tubular member extending parallel to a bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, the first tubular member having a first end and a second end;

the first end cap having a tubular portion and a wall, the wall of the first end cap being coupled to and enclosing an end of the tubular portion of the first end cap, the first end cap being coupled to the first end of the first tubular member such that the wall of the first end cap is disposed across an aperture of the first end to prevent the fluid from exiting the first end;

the second end cap having a tubular portion and a wall, the wall of the second end cap being coupled to and enclosing an end of the tubular portion of the second end cap, the second end cap being coupled to the second end of the first tubular member such that the wall of the second end cap is disposed across an aperture of the second end to prevent the fluid from exiting the second end;

the first inlet port being disposed on a top of the first tubular member, the first inlet port configured to induce the fluid to flow through a top of the first inlet port in a direction toward the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies as the fluid flows through the first inlet port, the first fluid port routing the fluid into an interior region of the first tubular member;

the first plurality of outlet ports being disposed collinearly and longitudinally along an outer surface of the first tubular member and spaced apart from one another, the first plurality of outlet ports further disposed below the first inlet port in a direction extending from a top side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies toward the bottom side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, a size of an aperture in the first inlet port being larger than a size of each aperture in each respective outlet port of the first plurality of outlet ports, the first plurality of outlet ports extending outwardly from the outer surface of the first tubular member, the first plurality of outlet ports routing the fluid from the first tubular member into the plurality of heat exchangers for cooling the plurality of battery cell assemblies, each respective outlet port of the first plurality of outlet ports being sized and shaped to receive a respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers therein, each respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers extending through each respective outlet port of the first plurality of outlet ports and into the interior region of the first tubular member; and

a second rubber cooling manifold configured to receive the fluid from the plurality of heat exchangers, the first rubber cooling manifold being disposed adjacent to a first side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies, and the second rubber cooling manifold being disposed adjacent to a second side of the plurality of battery cell assemblies.

11. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the first side is disposed opposite to the second side.

12. The battery module of claim 10, wherein each respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers extends outwardly from the plurality of battery cell assemblies.

13. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the wall of the first end cap completely encloses the aperture of the first end of the first tubular member.

14. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the wall of the first end cap completely encloses the end of the tubular portion of the first end cap.

15. The battery module of claim 10, wherein each respective port of the plurality of heat exchangers has a flanged end portion that abuts against an inner surface of the first tubular member.

16. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the first tubular member having a cross-section profile with a substantially C-shaped wall portion and a substantially flat wall portion coupled to the substantially C-shaped wall portion, the first plurality of outlet ports being coupled to and extending outwardly from the substantially flat wall portion, the first inlet port being coupled to and extending outwardly from the substantially C-shaped wall portion.

17. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the first inlet port is disposed substantially equidistant from the first end and the second end of the first tubular member.