BATTERY CELL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A COOLING FIN FOR THE BATTERY CELL ASSEMBLY

• US 20130309542A1
• Filed: 05/19/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Merriman, Robert, Nielson, Michael, Isayev, Igor, Ketkar, Satish
• Granted Patent: US 8,852,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/08 of both metal tubes and sheet metal connecting tubes in openings B21D39/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/61 Types of temperature control
• 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 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49364 Tube joined to flat sheet longitudinally, i.e., tube sheet

Abstract

A battery cell assembly is provided. The battery cell assembly includes a cooling fin having a rectangular-shaped aluminum plate, a tube, and a flexible thermally conductive sheet. The plate has a first side and a second side. The tube is coupled to the first side of the plate and extends on at least first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the plate. The flexible thermally conductive sheet is disposed on the first side of the plate. The battery cell assembly further includes a battery cell disposed against the flexible thermally conductive sheet of the cooling fin.

Claims

1. A battery cell assembly, comprising:

a cooling fin having a generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate, a tube, and a flexible thermally conductive sheet;

the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate having a first side and a second side;

the tube coupled to the first side of the of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate and extending on at least first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate;

the flexible thermally conductive sheet being disposed on the first side of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate; and

a battery cell disposed against the flexible thermally conductive sheet of the cooling fin.

2. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet is configured to transfer heat energy from the battery cell to the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate, the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate is configured to transfer at least a portion of the heat energy to the tube.

3. The battery cell assembly of claim 2, wherein the tube is configured to transfer at least a portion of the heat energy to a liquid or a refrigerant flowing through the tube.

4. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the tube is an aluminum tube.

5. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the tube is further coupled to and extends on at least a portion of a fourth peripheral edge portion of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate.

6. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein at least the first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate define an arcuate-shaped groove configured to receive the tube thereon.

7. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet is generally rectangular-shaped and is sized to cover substantially all of a generally rectangular-shaped side surface of the battery cell.

8. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet has a roughness average in a range of 0.8-4.0 micro-inches.

9. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, further comprising first and second rectangular-shaped frame members, the cooling fin and the battery cell being disposed between the first and second rectangular-shaped frame members.

12. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet has a roughness average in a range of 0.8-4.0 micro-inches.

10. A method for manufacturing a cooling fin for a battery cell assembly, comprising:

providing a generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate, a tube, and a flexible thermally conductive sheet;

the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate having a first side and a second side;

brazing the tube to the first side of the of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate such that the tube extends on at least first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate; and

attaching the flexible thermally conductive sheet on the first side of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

forming an arcuate-shaped groove on the first, second, and third peripheral edge portions of the generally rectangular-shaped aluminum plate; and

disposing the tube in the arcuate-shaped groove.