Device for cooling a heat source of a motor vehicle

• US 9,283,826 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mahle International GmbH (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Mahle International GmbH (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Pfender, Conrad, Neumeister, Dirk, Wehowski, Manuel, Burk, Roland, Isermeyer, Tobias, Moldovan, Florian, Steinbach, Martin, Heckenberger, Thomas, Feuerecker, Guenther, Herrmann, Hans-Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): VAZQUEZ, ANA M
• Application Number:
  US12/741,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20100307723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 625/13, 624/98, 622/39, 622/43, 622/44, 625/05, 625/02, 624/36, 621/20, 622/592, 165/42, 165/202, 165/10, 165/104.33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/143 the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• 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 10/647 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 10/6555 arranged between the 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 10/6557 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 10/6568 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 10/663 : the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A device for cooling a heat source of a motor vehicle, including a cooling body (7) which is in thermal contact with the heat source, a first fluid stream for the discharge of heat being capable of flowing to the cooling body (7), wherein at least one second fluid stream for the discharge of heat can flow selectably to the cooling body (7).

Claims

1. A device for cooling a heat source of a motor vehicle, comprising a cooling body (7) which is in thermal contact with the heat source, a first fluid stream for the discharge of heat being capable of flowing to the cooling body (7), wherein at least one second fluid stream for the discharge of heat can flow selectably to the cooling body (7), wherein the heat source is an electrical energy accumulator, the first fluid stream being driven by a compressor (1) of a refrigerating circuit and the second fluid stream being driven by a circulating pump (6), wherein the device is operable in a first mode wherein the compressor (1) is off and the at least one second fluid stream flows along a flow path defined by the circulating pump (6), a condenser (2) and the cooling body (7) so that the at least one second fluid stream receives heat from the heat source, and a second mode wherein the compressor (1) is on and the first fluid stream flows along a flow path defined by the compressor (1), an evaporator (5), the cooling body (7), and the condenser (2) so that the first fluid stream receives heat from the heat source.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid of the first fluid stream is identical to the fluid of the second fluid stream.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid is a refrigerant, the first fluid stream being driven by the compressor (1) of a refrigerating circuit and the second fluid stream being driven by the circulating pump (6).

4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second fluid stream flows through a valve (9) following the cooling body (7).

5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a first duct for the first fluid stream and a second duct for the second fluid stream are formed in the cooling body (7).

6. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the two fluid streams flow through the same duct in the cooling body.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the selection of the fluid stream takes place via at least one switchable valve (11, 12).

8. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the fluid streams can flow to an electrical heating element (10) for the selectable heating of the heat source.

9. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the refrigerating circuit is a refrigerating circuit of an air conditioning system.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fluid of the first fluid stream is a refrigerant of the refrigerating circuit, and wherein the fluid of the second fluid stream is a coolant, separate from the first fluid, of a coolant circuit.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coolant circuit comprises the circulating pump (13) and a cooler (14) for the discharge of heat from the fluid.

12. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coolant circuit has a heat exchanger (15, 22) for the selectable heating of the coolant.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the heat exchanger (22) transmits heat from a braking action of the vehicle to the fluid.

14. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a further heat source (19) can be cooled by means of the refrigerant circuit or the coolant circuit.

15. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cooling body (7) can be separated selectably from the coolant circuit by means of a valve (17, 18).

16. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electrical heating element (16) for the selectable heating of the heat source is arranged in the cooling body.

17. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fluid of the first fluid stream is a refrigerant of a refrigerating circuit, and wherein a throttle element is provided, downstream of the cooling body (7), in the refrigerating circuit.

18. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fluid of the first fluid stream is a refrigerant of a refrigerating circuit wherein a clock valve, is provided, upstream of the cooling body (7), in the refrigerating circuit, so that a clocked supply of refrigerant into the cooling body (7) becomes possible.

19. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical energy accumulator is a lithium ion battery (23).