Quick charge battery with thermal management

• US 6,653,002 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald J. Parise
• Original Assignee: Ronald J. Parise
• Inventors: Parise, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEJANDRO, RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US09/556,576
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 429/62, 429/61, 429/63, 429/93, 429/92, 429/91, 429/26, 429/7, 429/24, 429/12, 429/120, 429/122, 136/200, 136/205, 136/230
• US Class Current: 429/7
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/2305 Mixers of the two-component package type, i.e. where at least two components are separately stored, and are mixed in the moment of application
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4314 with helical baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2006 Periodically heating or cooling catalytic reactors, e.g. at cold starting or overheating by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• 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 10/654 located inside the innermost case of the cells, e.g. mandrels, electrodes or electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6552 Closed pipes transferring heat by thermal conductivity or phase transition, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/00 : Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A quick charge battery with thermal management is described which includes a cooler preferably disposed at least partially within the battery to transfer thermal energy. The cooler may comprise a thermoelectric generator, a microcooler, a heat pipe or combinations of the above. The cooler is capable of cooling the battery and in some embodiments selectively heating the battery to a minimum temperature level. The cooler functions to cool the battery and thereby minimizes thermal build-up produced by rapid charging of the battery.

Claims

1. A thermal energy management system comprising:

energy conversion means for converting chemical energy to electrical energy;

a heat pipe device substantially disposed in said energy conversion means;

thermoelectric cooler means for generating temperature differential disposed in heat exchange relationship with the heat pipe; and

means for heat transfer in heat exchange relationship with said thermoelectric cooler means.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy conversion means comprises a case and said heat pipe device is enclosed completely within said case.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy conversion means comprises a case, said heat pipe device is enclosed completely within said case, said means for heat transfer is a thermoelectric cooler having a first and a second junction surface and said first junction surface is in heat exchange relationship with said case.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said heat pipe device is an array of heat pipes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said heat pipe device comprises a first surface disposed in heat exchange relationship with at least one of the group consisting of a thermoelectric cooler, an electrolyte, an energy conversion means case, a grid pair and a cell partition.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for heat transfer is heat transfer augmentation means for increasing dissipation of thermal energy.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for heat transfer comprises a spaced pair of microcoolers and said heat pipe device is disposed between said spaced pair of microcoolers.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising heat transfer augmentation means for increasing dissipation of thermal energy, said heat transfer augmentation means in heat exchange relationship with said heat pipe device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising heat transfer augmentation means external to a case for said energy conversion means for increasing dissipation of thermal energy, said heat transfer augmentation means in heat exchange relationship with said heat pipe device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said heat transfer means comprises a power source in electrical contact with said thermoelectric cooler means, wherein when said power source supplies electrical current to said thermoelectric cooler means in a first direction, heat is transferred from said heat pipe device to said thermoelectric cooler means and when said power source supplies electrical current to said thermoelectric cooler means in a second direction, heat is transferred from said thermoelectric cooler means to said heat pipe device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy conversion means comprises a case;

said heat pipe device comprises a heat pipe device connection projecting from said case and said thermoelectric cooler means has an electrical contact projecting from said case.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy conversion means comprises a case;

said heat pipe device comprises a heat pipe device edge projecting from said case and said means for heat transfer comprises heat transfer augmentation means in heat exchange relationship with said heat pipe device edge.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy conversion means is one of a battery or a fuel cell.