Heat pipe for vehicle energy-storage systems

• US 9,995,535 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Original Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Inventors: Harris, W. Porter
• Primary Examiner(s): Jonaitis, Justin
• Application Number:
  US14/866,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20170003082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 990 Days
• Field of Search: 16510421
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• 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 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6552 Closed pipes transferring heat by thermal conductivity or phase transition, e.g. heat pipes
• 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 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Provided are cooling subsystems for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising a heat pipe disposed between two battery modules, the heat pipe being thermally coupled to each of a plurality of cells of the two battery modules at an end of each cell. The heat pipe comprises an envelope and a working fluid, the heat pipe transferring heat from the plurality of cells. Optionally, the cooling subsystem further includes a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heat pipe, the heat exchanger receiving heat from the heat pipe.

Claims

1. A cooling subsystem for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising:

a heat pipe disposed between two battery modules, the heat pipe being thermally coupled to each of a plurality of cells of the two battery modules at an end of each cell, the heat pipe comprising an envelope and a working fluid, the heat pipe transferring heat from the plurality of cells;

a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heat pipe, the heat exchanger receiving heat from the heat pipe; and

a coolant system for circulating a coolant pumped into a battery tray such that a plurality of battery modules disposed in the battery tray are at approximately the same predetermined temperature, the heat exchanger being thermally coupled to the coolant system using a coolant input port and a coolant output port.

2. The cooling subsystem of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one of:

aluminum, copper, and an aluminum-copper alloy.

3. The cooling subsystem of claim 1, wherein the coolant comprises at least one of:

synthetic oil, water and ethylene glycol (WEG), poly-alpha-olefin oil, and liquid dielectric cooling based on phase change.

4. The cooling subsystem of claim 1 wherein, the envelope comprises at least one of:

aluminum, copper, steel, stainless steel, and a high-performance alloy.

5. The cooling subsystem of claim 4, wherein an exterior surface of the envelope comprises at least one of:

aluminum oxide, diamond powder based materials, and boron nitride.

6. The cooling subsystem of claim 5, wherein the working fluid comprises at least one of:

ammonia, ethanol, methanol, water, refrigerant, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, hydrogen, helium, and alkali metal.

7. The cooling subsystem of claim 1, wherein the envelope comprises aluminum, an exterior surface of the envelope comprises aluminum oxide, and the working fluid comprises ammonia.

8. The cooling subsystem of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe comprises two sides that are substantially planar.

9. A cooling system for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising:

a heat pipe comprising a planar surface thermally coupled to a plurality of cells of a battery module of the vehicle energy-storage system, an envelope being configured to transfer heat from the plurality of cells; and

a heat exchanger coupled to the envelope and configured to transfer the heat from the envelope, the heat exchanger comprising a channel configured to direct a working fluid through the heat exchanger to transfer the heat from the heat exchanger,

wherein the heat exchanger is thermally coupled to a coolant system for circulating a coolant pumped into a battery tray such that a plurality of battery modules disposed in the battery tray are at approximately the same predetermined temperature, the heat exchanger being thermally coupled to the coolant system through a coolant input port and a coolant output port.

10. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the envelope has a width of about 2 to 4 mm.

11. The cooling system heat pipe of claim 10, wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one of:

aluminum, copper, and an aluminum-copper alloy.

12. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the coolant comprises at least one of:

synthetic oil, water and ethylene glycol (WEG), poly-alpha-olefin oil, and liquid dielectric cooling based on phase change.

13. The cooling system of claim 9 wherein, the envelope comprises at least one of:

aluminum, copper, steel, stainless steel, and a high-performance alloy.

14. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein an exterior surface of the envelope comprises at least one of:

aluminum oxide, diamond powder based materials, and boron nitride.

15. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the working fluid comprises at least one of:

ammonia, ethanol, methanol, water, refrigerant, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, hydrogen, helium, and alkali metal.

16. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the envelope comprises aluminum, an exterior surface of the envelope comprises aluminum oxide, and the working fluid comprises ammonia.

17. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the planar surface of the heat pipe is coupled to the plurality of cells through end sections of the plurality of cells.