Battery pack with variable-conductance heat pipe (VCHP) cooling
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a thermally insulating cover forming an enclosure;
a battery pack comprising a plurality of individual batteries disposed within the enclosure, wherein the plurality of individual batteries are arranged around a battery cavity such that each individual battery is in thermal contact with at least one neighboring individual battery and all of the individual batteries of the battery pack within the enclosure are immediately adjacent to the battery cavity; and
a variable-conductance heat pipe, VCHP, having an evaporator end and a condenser end, at least part of the evaporator end being positioned in the battery cavity and in thermal contact with each of the plurality of individual batteries within the enclosure,wherein the battery pack and the part of the VCHP evaporator end in the battery cavity are positioned inside the enclosure formed by the thermally insulating cover and at least part of the condenser end of the VCHP is external to the thermally insulating cover, and wherein the VCHP is substantially the only thermal path between the battery pack and an outside of the enclosure formed by the thermally insulating cover.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus including a battery pack comprising a plurality of individual batteries arranged around a battery cavity such that each individual battery is in thermal contact with at least one neighboring individual battery. A variable-conductance heat pipe (VCHP) having an evaporator end and a condenser end, is positioned so that at least part of the evaporator end being positioned in the battery cavity and in thermal contact with each of the plurality of individual batteries. The apparatus includes a thermally insulating cover having an inside and an outside, wherein the battery pack and the part of the VCHP evaporator end in the battery cavity are positioned inside the thermally insulating cover and at least part of the condenser end of the VCHP is outside the thermally insulating cover, and wherein the VCHP is substantially the only thermal path between the battery pack and the outside. Other implementations are disclosed and claimed.
12 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a thermally insulating cover forming an enclosure; a battery pack comprising a plurality of individual batteries disposed within the enclosure, wherein the plurality of individual batteries are arranged around a battery cavity such that each individual battery is in thermal contact with at least one neighboring individual battery and all of the individual batteries of the battery pack within the enclosure are immediately adjacent to the battery cavity; and a variable-conductance heat pipe, VCHP, having an evaporator end and a condenser end, at least part of the evaporator end being positioned in the battery cavity and in thermal contact with each of the plurality of individual batteries within the enclosure, wherein the battery pack and the part of the VCHP evaporator end in the battery cavity are positioned inside the enclosure formed by the thermally insulating cover and at least part of the condenser end of the VCHP is external to the thermally insulating cover, and wherein the VCHP is substantially the only thermal path between the battery pack and an outside of the enclosure formed by the thermally insulating cover. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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a battery containment pod comprising; a body formed of a material, the body having an exterior shape and an interior cavity formed in the material, the size and shape of the interior cavity designed to accommodate a battery assembly, an exterior coating covering the exterior shape of the body, and an attachment structure formed in or on the body to allow the body to be coupled to a flight vehicle; and a battery assembly positioned within the battery containment pod, the battery assembly comprising; a thermally insulating cover forming an enclosure; a battery pack comprising a plurality of individual batteries disposed within the enclosure, wherein the plurality of individual batteries are arranged around a battery cavity such that each individual battery is in thermal contact with at least one neighboring individual battery and all of the individual batteries of the battery pack within the enclosure are immediately adjacent to the battery cavity; and a variable-conductance heat pipe, VCHP, having an evaporator end and a condenser end, at least part of the evaporator end positioned within the battery cavity and in thermal contact with each of the plurality of individual batteries within the enclosure and at least part of the condenser end positioned outside the battery containment pod, wherein the battery pack and the part of the VCHP evaporator end in the battery cavity are positioned inside an enclosure formed by the thermally insulating cover and at least part of the condenser end of the VCHP is external to the enclosure formed by the thermally insulating cover, and wherein the VCHP is substantially the only thermal path between the battery pack and an outside of the enclosure formed by the thermally insulating cover. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification