Patent Application
20240234868
This disclosure relates generally to battery packs for electrified vehicles, and in particular relates to a battery pack including a busbar frame configured as a coolant manifold.
The need to reduce automotive fuel consumption and emissions is well known. Therefore, vehicles are being developed that reduce or completely eliminate reliance on internal combustion engines. Electrified vehicles are one type of vehicle being developed for this purpose. In general, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles because they are selectively driven by battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on an internal combustion engine to propel the vehicle.
A high voltage battery pack typically powers the electric machines and other electrical loads of the electrified vehicle. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells and various other battery internal components that support electric propulsion of electrified vehicles.
The battery cells generate heat during charging and discharging operations. This heat must be dissipated in order to achieve a desired level of battery performance. Heat exchanger plates, sometimes referred to as “cold plates,” are often employed to dissipate the heat generated by the battery cells.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, including: a battery array, wherein the battery array includes a plurality of battery cells and at least one busbar; and a busbar frame configured to support the at least one busbar, wherein the busbar frame includes an internal channel configured to communicate a fluid to thermally condition the battery array.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein: the busbar frame is a first busbar frame arranged on a first side of the battery array, the battery pack includes a second busbar frame arranged on a second side of the battery array, and the second busbar frame includes an internal channel configured to communicate the fluid.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein the battery array is configured to permit fluid expelled from the first busbar frame to flow toward the second busbar frame.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein: the battery pack further includes an enclosure assembly including an inlet and an outlet, a first conduit assembly is configured to communicate fluid from the inlet to the internal channel of the first busbar frame, and a second conduit assembly is configured to communicate fluid from the internal channel of the second busbar frame to the outlet.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein: the battery array is a first battery array, a second battery array is within the enclosure assembly, the first battery array is vertically above the second battery array, a third busbar frame is arranged on a first side of the second battery array, a fourth busbar frame is arranged on a second side of the second battery array, and the third and fourth busbar frames include internal channels configured to communicate fluid.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein: the first conduit assembly is configured to communicate fluid from the inlet to the internal channels of the first and third busbar frames, and the second conduit assembly is configured to communicate fluid from the internal channels of the second and fourth busbar frames to the outlet.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein: the battery pack includes a plurality of thermal exchange plates arranged between some of the battery cells within the battery array, and the thermal exchange plates include channels configured to permit fluid to flow from the first busbar frame to the second busbar frame.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein: the internal channel of the first busbar frame includes a plurality of vertical sections aligned with the thermal exchange plates, and the vertical sections are configured to communicate fluid into the channels of the thermal exchange plates.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein the internal channel of the first busbar frame includes a plurality of connector sections configured to communicate fluid from an inlet of the first busbar frame to the plurality of vertical sections.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein: the internal channel of the second busbar frame includes a plurality of vertical sections aligned with the thermal exchange plates, and the vertical sections are configured to collect fluid expelled from the channels of the thermal exchange plates.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein the internal channel of the second busbar frame includes a plurality of connector sections configured to communicate fluid from the plurality of vertical sections to an outlet of the second busbar frame.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a battery pack, wherein the battery array is configured such that fluid expelled from the first busbar frame flows toward the second busbar frame through a void above or below one of the battery cells.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, including: communicating fluid through a busbar frame of a battery pack to thermally condition a battery array.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the busbar frame is a first busbar frame, and further including: communicating fluid through a second busbar frame on an opposite side of the battery array as the first busbar frame.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: communicating fluid expelled from the first busbar frame through a thermal exchange plate.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the thermal exchange plate includes channels configured to permit fluid to flow from the first busbar frame to the second busbar frame.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein: an internal channel of the first busbar frame includes a plurality of vertical sections aligned with the thermal exchange plate, and the vertical sections are configured to communicate fluid into the channels of the thermal exchange plate.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the internal channel of the first busbar frame includes a plurality of connector sections configured to communicate fluid from an inlet of the first busbar frame to the plurality of vertical sections.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein: an internal channel of the second busbar frame includes a plurality of vertical sections aligned with the thermal exchange plates, and the vertical sections are configured to collect fluid expelled from the channels of the thermal exchange plates.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the internal channel of the second busbar frame includes a plurality of connector sections configured to communicate fluid from the plurality of vertical sections to an outlet of the second busbar frame.
This disclosure relates generally to battery packs for electrified vehicles, and in particular relates to a battery pack including a busbar frame configured as a coolant manifold. Among other benefits, which will be appreciated from the below description, this disclosure evenly distributes coolant relative to the cells of a battery array, which provides uniform heat transfer amongst the cells and leads to efficient heat transfer within the battery array.
In a non-limiting embodiment, the electrified vehicle 12 is a full electric vehicle propelled solely through electric power, such as by an electric machine 14, without any assistance from an internal combustion engine. The electric machine 14 may operate as an electric motor, an electric generator, or both. The electric machine 14 receives electrical power and provides a rotational output power. The electric machine 14 may be connected to a gearbox 16 for adjusting the output torque and speed of the electric machine 14 by a predetermined gear ratio. The gearbox 16 is connected to a set of drive wheels 18 by an output shaft 20. A high voltage bus 22 electrically connects the electric machine 14 to a battery pack 24 through an inverter 26. The electric machine 14, the gearbox 16, and the inverter 26 may collectively be referred to as a transmission 28.
The battery pack 24 is an exemplary electrified vehicle battery. The battery pack 24 may be a high voltage traction battery pack that includes a plurality of battery assemblies 25 (i.e., battery arrays or groupings of battery cells) capable of outputting electrical power to operate the electric machine 14 and/or other electrical loads of the electrified vehicle 12. Other types of energy storage devices and/or output devices can also be used to electrically power the electrified vehicle 12.
The powertrain 10 shown in
In this example, the first portion 32 includes a substantially planar main section 36, an angled section 38 projecting toward the second portion 34 from an edge 40 of the main section 36 at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the main section 36, and a rim 42 projecting outward from an edge 44 of the angled section 38. The rim 42 is substantially parallel to the main section 36. The first portion 32 exhibits this arrangement about an entire perimeter of the first portion 32, in this example. The second portion 34 is sized and shaped substantially similar to the first portion 32. The first and second portions 32, 34 may be formed of a metallic material using a stamping process, for example.
The first and second portions 32, 34 are welded to one another by welding the respective rims 42 to one another. While welding is mentioned, the first and second portions 32, 34 could be connected using other fluid-tight connection techniques, such as using adhesive. Further, while an exemplary enclosure assembly 30 is shown in the drawings, the enclosure assembly 30 may vary in size, shape, and configuration within the scope of this disclosure.
The enclosure assembly 30 exhibits a length L, width W, and height H. The length L may extend parallel to a centerline of the electrified vehicle 12. The width W may extend substantially across an entire width of the electrified vehicle 12.
With joint reference to
The battery pack 24 is configured to direct non-conductive coolant C relative to the first and second battery arrays 48, 50 to thermally condition the first and second battery arrays 48, 50, such as by absorbing heat from the first and second battery arrays 48, 50. The enclosure assembly 30 includes an inlet 52 on a first side of the first and second battery arrays 48, 50, and an outlet 54 on a second side of the first and second battery arrays 48, 50. Various fluid couplings may be provided relative to the inlet 52 and outlet 54. The coolant C may be referred to as thermal exchange fluid.
In this disclosure, the first and second battery arrays 48, 50 of battery cells 25 are generally stacked face-to-face, as shown in
With reference to
In an embodiment, the battery cells 25 are prismatic, lithium-ion cells. However, battery cells having other geometries (cylindrical, pouch, etc.), other chemistries (nickel-metal hydride, lead-acid, etc.), or both could alternatively be utilized within the scope of this disclosure.
With reference to
While
With reference to
With continued reference to
The internal channels can be formed using known techniques. In an example, each busbar frame 72, 74, 76, 78 is formed of multiple metallic plates, with the internal channels formed by machining grooves in one of the plates and another plate covering the grooves to establish the internal channels. The busbar frames 72, 74, 76, 78 can be formed using molding, casting, or additive manufacturing techniques, as examples.
Coolant C entering the inlet port 80 flows through the connector sections 84 to the vertical sections 82. The vertical sections 82 are aligned with the channels 62 relative to a length L of the enclosure assembly 30, in this example. Further, as shown in
In this example, the busbar frames directly contact the thermal exchange plate 60. Alternatively, one or more seals or gaskets may be provided between the thermal exchange plate 60 and the busbar frames, such that the busbar frames indirectly contact the thermal exchange plate 60 via the seal/gasket.
While the first busbar frame 72 is shown and described as communicating coolant C into the channels 62, this disclosure encompasses busbar frames that direct coolant into voids 64, 66 in addition to or as an alternative to directing fluid though channels of a thermal exchange plate.
The battery pack 24, in an example of this disclosure, includes a first conduit assembly 88 configured to direct coolant C from the inlet 52 to the inlet ports of the first and third busbar frames 72, 76, as shown in
The coolant C may be a non-conductive coolant C, such as a dielectric fluid designed for immersion cooling the battery cells 25. One suitable non-conductive fluid is a Novek™ engineered fluid sold by 3M™. However, other non-conductive fluids may also be suitable, and the actual chemical make-up and design characteristics (e.g., dielectric constant, maximum breakdown strength, boiling point, etc.) may vary depending on the environment the array 48 is to be employed within. Unlike the conductive glycol utilized within known cold plate systems, the non-conductive fluid received inside the immersion cooled battery arrays of this disclosure allows for direct contact with the battery cells and other electrified components without causing electrical shorts, thereby improving cooling and performance. The exemplary immersion cooling strategies further enable high rate charging and discharging and allow for high load demands without increasing the hardware size of the battery arrays.
It should be understood that terms such as “about,” “substantially,” and “generally” are not intended to be boundaryless terms, and should be interpreted consistent with the way one skilled in the art would interpret those terms. It should also be understood that directional terms such as “upper,” “top,” “vertical,” “forward,” “rear,” “side,” “above,” “below,” etc., are used herein relative to the normal operational attitude of a vehicle for purposes of explanation only, and should not be deemed limiting.
Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples. In addition, the various figures accompanying this disclosure are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show certain details of a particular component or arrangement.
One of ordinary skill in this art would understand that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and non-limiting. That is, modifications of this disclosure would come within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the following claims should be studied to determine their true scope and content.
