BATTERY SYSTEMS, BATTERY MODULES, AND METHOD FOR COOLING A BATTERY MODULE

• US 20100279152A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Payne, Josh
• Granted Patent: US 8,852,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/50
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/00 Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus control arrangements in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• 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 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• 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 10/656 characterised by the type of heat-exchange fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• 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 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Battery systems, battery modules, and a method for cooling a battery module are provided. The battery module includes a battery cell having a first side and a second side, and a first graphite sheet disposed on the first side of the battery cell that conducts heat energy from the battery cell into the first graphite sheet to cool the battery cell. The battery module further includes a first cooling manifold coupled to the first graphite sheet that conducts heat energy from the first graphite sheet into the first cooling manifold. The first cooling manifold is further configured to receive a fluid that flows therethrough to conduct heat energy from the first cooling manifold into the fluid.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a battery cell having a first side and a second side;

a first graphite sheet disposed on the first side of the battery cell that conducts heat energy from the battery cell into the first graphite sheet to cool the battery cell; and

a first cooling manifold coupled to the first graphite sheet that conducts heat energy from the first graphite sheet into the first cooling manifold, the first cooling manifold further configured to receive a fluid that flows therethrough to conduct heat energy from the first cooling manifold into the fluid.

2. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising a second graphite sheet disposed on the second side of the battery cell that conducts heat energy from the battery cell into the second graphite sheet to cool the battery cell.

3. The battery module of claim 2, further comprising a second cooling manifold coupled to the second graphite sheet that conducts heat energy from the second graphite sheet into the second cooling manifold, the second cooling manifold further configured to receive the fluid that flows therethrough to conduct heat energy from the second cooling manifold into the fluid.

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first graphite sheet has a polyethylene coating thereon.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first graphite sheet has a thickness in range of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm.

6. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first graphite sheet has a flat panel portion and a first extension portion extending from a first end of the flat panel portion, the first cooling manifold having a first groove configured to receive the first extension portion of the first graphite sheet therein.

7. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first cooling manifold has a housing defining an interior region and first and second fluid ports coupled to the housing.

8. The battery module of claim 7, wherein the first cooling manifold is constructed from at least one of aluminum, copper, silver, and gold.

9. A battery system, comprising:

a battery module having a battery cell, a first graphite sheet, and a first cooling manifold, the battery cell having a first side and a second side, the first graphite sheet disposed on the first side of the battery cell and conducts heat energy from the battery cell into the first graphite sheet to cool the battery cell, the first cooling manifold coupled to the first graphite sheet and conducts heat energy from the first graphite sheet into the first cooling manifold, the first cooling manifold further configured to receive a refrigerant that flows therethrough to conduct heat energy from the first cooling manifold into the refrigerant;

a condenser fluidly coupled to the battery module, the condenser configured to receive the refrigerant from the battery module and to extract heat energy from the refrigerant, the condenser further fluidly coupled to a compressor and configured to route the refrigerant to the compressor; and

the compressor further fluidly coupled to the first cooling manifold of the battery module, the compressor configured to pump the refrigerant into the first cooling manifold.

10. The battery system of claim 9, further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a temperature of the battery module; and

a microprocessor operably coupled to the temperature sensor, the microprocessor configured to generate a second signal to induce the compressor to pump the refrigerant into the first cooling manifold when the first signal indicates the temperature of the battery module is greater than a threshold temperature level.

11. A battery system, comprising:

a battery module having a battery cell, a first graphite sheet, and a first cooling manifold, the battery cell having a first side and a second side, the first graphite sheet disposed on the first side of the battery cell and conducts heat energy from the battery cell into the first graphite sheet to cool the battery cell, the first cooling manifold coupled to the first graphite sheet and conducts heat energy from the first graphite sheet into the first cooling manifold, the first cooling manifold further configured to receive a coolant therethrough to conduct heat energy from the first cooling manifold into the coolant;

a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the battery module, the heat exchanger configured to receive the coolant from the battery module therein and to extract heat energy from the coolant flowing therethrough;

a cold plate fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger, the cold plate configured to extract heat energy from the coolant flowing therethrough;

a reservoir fluidly coupled between the cold plate and a pump, the reservoir configured to receive the coolant from the cold plate and to route the coolant to the pump; and

the pump further fluidly coupled to the first cooling manifold of the battery module, the pump configured to pump the coolant from the reservoir into the first cooling manifold.

12. A method for cooling a battery module, the battery module having a battery cell, a first graphite sheet, and a first cooling manifold, the method comprising:

conducting heat energy from the battery cell into the first graphite sheet disposed on a first side of the battery cell to cool the battery cell;

conducting heat energy from the first graphite sheet into the first cooling manifold coupled to the first graphite sheet; and

receiving a fluid in the first cooling manifold and conducting heat energy from the first cooling manifold into the fluid in the first cooling manifold.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the fluid is a refrigerant.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating a first signal indicative of a temperature of the battery module utilizing a temperature sensor; and

generating a second signal to induce a compressor to pump the refrigerant through the first cooling manifold when the first signal indicates the temperature of the battery module is greater than a threshold temperature level utilizing a microprocessor.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the fluid is a coolant.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating a first signal indicative of a temperature of the battery module utilizing a temperature sensor; and

generating a second signal to induce a pump to pump the coolant through the first cooling manifold when the first signal indicates the temperature of the battery module is greater than a threshold temperature level utilizing a microprocessor.