Battery pack having a cooling plate assembly

• US 9,627,724 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Todd R., Yum, Juil, Merriman, Robert, Arena, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRIS, GARY D
• Application Number:
  US14/559,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20160164148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 429120
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0341 with U-flow or serpentine-flow inside the conduits
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack having a cooling plate assembly and a battery module is provided. The cooling plate assembly has a pan member, first and second corrugated support members, a cover plate, and a thermally conductive layer. The pan member has first and second depressed plate portions. The first and second corrugated support members are disposed on the first and second depressed plate portions, respectively. The cover plate is coupled to the pan member such that the first and second corrugated support members are held between the cover plate and the pan member in first and second internal regions, respectively, defined by the cover plate and the pan member. The thermally conductive layer is disposed on the cover plate. The battery module is disposed on the thermally conductive layer.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising:

a cooling plate assembly having a pan member, first and second corrugated support members, a cover plate, and a thermally conductive layer;

the pan member having first and second depressed plate portions, a central rib portion, and a peripheral rim portion;

the central rib portion being coupled to and disposed between at least a portion of the first and second depressed plate portions;

the peripheral rim portion extending around at least a portion of the first and second depressed plate portions;

the central rib portion and the peripheral rim portion being substantially co-planar with one another;

the first corrugated support member being entirely disposed in a first internal region defined by the first depressed plate portion of the pan member and the cover plate, the first corrugated support member being further disposed between and directly contacting both the first depressed plate portion and the cover plate;

the first corrugated support member having a first plurality of flow channels extending longitudinally therethrough from a first end of the first corrugated support member to a second end of the first corrugate support member;

the second corrugated support member being entirely disposed in a second internal region defined by the second depressed plate portion of the pan member and the cover plate, the second corrugated support member being further disposed a predetermined distance away from the first corrugated support member, the second corrugated support member being further disposed between and directly contacting both the second depressed plate portion and the cover plate;

the second corrugated support member having a second plurality of flow channels extending longitudinally therethrough from a first end of the second corrugated support member to a second end of the second corrugate support member;

the cover plate being disposed on and coupled to the pan member, the cover plate having first and second surfaces being disposed opposite to one another, the first surface directly contacting the first and second corrugated support members and the peripheral rim portion of the pan member, the second surface being disposed on and directly contacting the thermally conductive layer, first and second corrugated support members being held between the cover plate and the pan member in the first and second internal regions, respectively; and

a battery module being disposed on and contacting the thermally conductive layer.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first and second corrugated support members each have a longitudinal length that is at least 90 percent of a longitudinal length of the pan member.

3. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first and second corrugated support members are each constructed of extruded aluminum.

4. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the central rib portion has a longitudinal length that is at least 90 percent of a longitudinal length of the pan member.

5. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein the central rib portion includes first and second ends;

the first end of the central rib portion extending from a first end of the peripheral rim portion, and the second end of the central rib portion being disposed a first distance from a second end of the peripheral rim portion such that the first internal region fluidly communicates with the second internal region.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive layer is a thermoplastic foam layer.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising first and second tubular ports, the cover plate having first and second apertures extending therethrough, the first and second tubular ports extending at least partially through the first and second apertures, respectively, and being coupled to the cover plate.

8. The battery pack of claim 7, wherein the first and second tubular ports fluidly communicate with the first and second internal regions, respectively.

9. The battery pack of claim 8, wherein the first tubular port is adapted to receive a coolant therethrough that flows through the first internal region and the first plurality of flow channels in the first corrugated support member to the second internal region and the second plurality of flow channels in the second corrugated support member;

the coolant further flowing from the second internal region to the second tubular port and then exiting the second tubular port.

10. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the battery module includes a housing, first and second battery cells, and a cooling fin;

the first and second battery cells being disposed in the housing;

the cooling fin being disposed between and contacting the first and second battery cells within the housing, the cooling fin further extending through the housing and contacting the thermally conductive layer.

11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the cooling fin includes first and second sheet portions, the second sheet portion being coupled to an end of the first sheet portion and extending substantially perpendicular to the first sheet portion.

12. The battery pack of claim 11, wherein the first sheet portion is disposed between and against the first and second battery cells and further extends through the housing, and the second sheet portion being disposed on and against the thermally conductive layer of the cooling plate assembly.

13. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the pan member is integrally formed with the first and second depressed plate portions, the central rib portion, and the peripheral rim portion therein.

14. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the first corrugated support member has at least first, second, and third wall top wall portions disposed apart from one another and first, second, and third bottom wall portions disposed apart from one another, the first, second, and third wall top wall portions directly contacting the cover plate, the first, second, and third wall bottom wall portions directly contacting the first depressed plate portion of the pan member.

15. A battery pack, comprising:

a cooling plate assembly having a pan member, first and second corrugated support members, a cover plate, and a thermally conductive layer;

the pan member having first and second depressed plate portions, a central rib portion, and a peripheral rim portion thereof;

the central rib portion being coupled to and disposed between at least a portion of the first and second depressed plate portions;

the peripheral rim portion extending around at least a portion of the first and second depressed plate portions;

the central rib portion and the peripheral rim portion being substantially co-planar with one another;

the first corrugated support member being disposed in a first internal region defined by the first depressed plate portion of the pan member and the cover plate, the first corrugated support member being further disposed between and directly contacting both the first depressed plate portion and the cover plate;

the first corrugated support member having a first plurality of flow channels extending therethrough;

the second corrugated support member being disposed in a second internal region defined by the second depressed plate portion of the pan member and the cover plate, the second corrugated support member being further disposed a predetermined distance away from the first corrugated support member, the second corrugated support member being further disposed between and directly contacting both the second depressed plate portion and the cover plate;

the second corrugated support member having a second plurality of flow channels extending therethrough;

the cover plate being disposed on and coupled to the pan member, the cover plate having first and second surfaces, the first surface directly contacting the first and second corrugated support members and the peripheral rim portion of the pan member, the second surface being disposed on and directly contacting the thermally conductive layer, the first and second corrugated support members being held between the cover plate and the pan member in the first and second internal regions, respectively;

a battery module being disposed on and contacting the thermally conductive layer;

a first tubular port being coupled to the cover plate, the first tubular port extending at least partially through a first aperture in the cover plate into the first internal region and further outwardly from the second surface of the cover plate; and

a second tubular port being coupled to the cover plate, the second tubular port extending at least partially through a second aperture in the cover plate into the second internal region and further outwardly from the second surface of the cover plate;

such that a coolant flows through the first tubular port into the first internal region and through the first plurality of flow channels of the first corrugated support member, the coolant further flows into the second internal region and through the second plurality of flow channels of the second corrugated support member and exits the second tubular port.

16. The battery pack of claim 15, wherein the pan member is integrally formed with the first and second depressed plate portions, the central rib portion, and the peripheral rim portion therein.

17. The battery pack of claim 15, wherein the first corrugated support member has at least first, second, and third wall top wall portions disposed apart from one another and first, second, and third bottom wall portions disposed apart from one another, the first, second, and third wall top wall portions directly contacting the cover plate, the first, second, and third wall bottom wall portions directly contacting the first depressed plate portion of the pan member.