HEAT DISSIPATION FOR LARGE BATTERY PACKS

• US 20100104935A1
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Cutler, Grant Dufresne, Kohn, Scott Ira, Zhou, Peng, Paryani, Anil, Hermann, Weston Arthur, Kelty, Kurt Russell, Kishiyama, Clay Hajime, Jacobs, Alexander Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,153,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6553 Terminals or leads
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• 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 10/663 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

One embodiment includes an electrical cell that includes a flat housing, at least one electrode and an electrically and heat conductive tab coupled to the electrode and extending through the housing for electrically and thermally coupling to a collector panel, the tab being capable of conducting both current and a substantial amount of heat out of the housing to a temperature control system. The cells may be stacked to form a battery having a temperature panel interfaced to the temperature control system by a thermal interface. The battery may propel an electrically-powered vehicle or the like.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a battery pack comprising a plurality of similarly-shaped electrical cells aligned in a stack, each cell including

a flat housing including an edge,

at least one electrode, and

an electrically and thermally conductive tab coupled to the at least one electrode, the tab extending through the edge on a first side of the housing to conduct both current and a substantial amount of heat out of the housing;

an electrically and heat conductive collector panel including

a first surface electrically and thermally coupled to each of the tabs, and

a second surface opposite the first surface; and

a thermal interface material that is electrically insulative and thermally conductive, the thermal interface material including

a first surface in thermal contact with the second surface of the collector panel, and

a second surface for thermal contact with an external temperature control system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each cell includes a further electrode and a further electrically and thermally conductive tab extending through the edge, and further comprising a further electrically and heat conductive collector panel including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, with the first surface of the further collector panel electrically and thermally coupled to each of the further tabs.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a further thermal interface material including a first surface in thermal contact with the second surface of the collector panel, and a second surface for thermal contact with the external temperature control system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the thermal interface material is to confront a temperature control panel of the external temperature control system, the external temperature control system to cycle a fluid through the temperature control panel to transfer heat from the temperature control panel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the temperature control panel defines at least one temperature control path to communicate a liquid.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the temperature control panel defines a path bisected by a plane of each of the tabs.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flat housings are spaced apart from one another with respective air gaps.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each cell includes a plurality of substantially planar anodes and a plurality of substantially planar cathodes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface material includes a thermal grease.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface material includes a ceramic-filled silicone rubber

11. An electrical cell, comprising:

a flat housing having an edge;

at least one electrode; and

an electrically and heat conductive tab coupled to the electrode and extending through the edge of the housing for electrical and thermally coupling to a collector panel, the tab being capable of conducting both current and a substantial amount of heat out of the housing.

12. The electrical cell of claim 11, wherein the tab has a mass that is substantially larger than a predetermined mass required to conduct current at a predetermined maximum cell discharge rate.

13. The electrical cell of claim 12, wherein the tab has a ratio between a cross sectional area perpendicular to a length of the tab and the length that is significantly larger than a further ratio of cross sectional area perpendicular length to length sized to conduct energy at a rate required by a maximum discharge rate of the electrical cell.

14. The electrical cell of claim 11, wherein the electrical cell has a width extending along one of the sides of the edge, with the first tab approximately 85% as wide as the respective width.

15. The electrical cell of claim 11, wherein the at least one electrode includes lithium.

16. The electrical cell of claim 11, wherein the electrical cell housing comprises a pouch with a first and second sheet sandwiching the at least one electrode, with the sheets sealed along a seam along the edge.

17. An electric vehicle, comprising:

an electric motor coupled to propel the electric vehicle;

a battery pack coupled to power the electric motor, the battery pack comprising a stack of similarly-shaped electrical cells, each cell including

a flat housing including an edge,

at least one electrode, and

an electrically and thermally conductive tab coupled to the at least one electrode, the tab extending through the edge on a first side of the housing to conduct both current and a substantial amount of heat out of the housing,

an electrically and heat conductive collector panel including

a first surface electrically and thermally coupled to each of the tabs, and

a second surface opposite the first surface, and

a thermal interface material that is electrically insulative and thermally conductive, the thermal interface material including

a first surface in thermal contact with the second surface of the collector panel, and

a second surface opposite the first surface,

a temperature control panel that is part of a temperature control system, the temperature control panel coupled to the second surface of the thermal interface material, with the temperature control system to circulate fluid to cool the temperature control panel.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the temperature control system includes a liquid temperature control system coupled to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (“

HVAC”

) heat exchanger.

19. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein each cell includes a further electrode and a further electrically and thermally conductive tab extending through an edge on a second side of the housing opposite the first side of the housing, and further comprising a further electrically and heat conductive collector panel including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, with the first surface of the further collector panel electrically and thermally coupled to each of the further tabs, the further collector panel coupled to a further temperature control panel that is coupled to the temperature control system to transfer heat to the temperature control system.

20. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the temperature control system is coupled to a heat exchanger.