Battery cell assembly and method for manufacturing a cooling fin for the battery cell assembly

• US 9,461,343 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Merriman, Robert, Nielson, Michael, Isayev, Igor, Ketkar, Satish
• Primary Examiner(s): Crepeau, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/488,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20150000134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/08 of both metal tubes and sheet metal connecting tubes in openings B21D39/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/61 Types of temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• 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 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49364 Tube joined to flat sheet longitudinally, i.e., tube sheet

Abstract

A battery cell assembly is provided. The battery cell assembly includes a cooling fin having a rectangular-shaped aluminum plate, a tube, and a flexible thermally conductive sheet. The plate has a first side and a second side. The tube is coupled to the first side of the plate and extends on at least first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the plate. The flexible thermally conductive sheet is disposed on the first side of the plate. The battery cell assembly further includes a battery cell disposed against the flexible thermally conductive sheet of the cooling fin.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a cooling fin for a battery cell assembly, comprising:

providing a generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate, a tube, and a flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet;

the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate having a first side and a second side, the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet having an adhesive disposed on one side of the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet;

brazing the tube to the first side of the of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate such that the tube extends on at least first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate; and

disposing the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet on the first side of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate such that the adhesive couples the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet to the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming an arcuate-shaped groove on the first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate; and

disposing the tube in the arcuate-shaped groove.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet has a roughness average in a range of 0.8-4.0 micro-inches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet has a heat conductivity greater than 200 Watts/meter —

Kelvin in a direction planar with a surface of the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

6. A method for manufacturing a cooling fin for a battery cell assembly, comprising:

providing an aluminum plate, a tube, and a flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet;

the aluminum plate having a first side and a second side, the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet having an adhesive disposed on one side of the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet;

attaching the tube to the first side of the aluminum plate such that the tube extends on an edge portion of the aluminum plate; and

disposing the adhesive of the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet directly on the first side of the aluminum plate such that the adhesive couples the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet to the first side of the aluminum plate.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

forming an arcuate-shaped groove on the edge portion of the aluminum plate; and

disposing the tube in the arcuate-shaped groove.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet has a roughness average in a range of 0.8-4.0 micro-inches.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the aluminum plate is a generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet has a heat conductivity greater than 200 Watts/meter—

Kelvin in a direction planar with a surface of the flexible thermally conductive graphite sheet.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.