Patent Application
20180131053
The invention is based on a method or a device for regulating the temperature of battery cells which each comprise a first electrode in the form of a first housing shell and a second electrode in the form of a second housing shell and are electrically connected to one another via their electrodes. The invention also relates to a vehicle.
DE 10 2014 204 245 which was not yet published on the filing date of the invention relates to an energy storage unit having a plurality of galvanic cells, the galvanic cells each having a first outer side comprising a first electrode and a second outer side comprising a second electrode, and the galvanic cells being electrically connected to one another via the electrodes by stringing together the galvanic cells by way of the outer sides. The energy storage unit also comprises a first frame element and a second frame element which are directly or indirectly connected to one another, the first frame element being arranged at one end of the string of the galvanic cells and the second frame element being arranged at the other end of the string of the galvanic cells.
US 2014/038010 A1 discloses a battery pack having a multiplicity of battery cell units which are generally stacked parallel to one another. The battery cell units are configured to define converging air flow spaces between them. An air inlet head provides a converging air inlet chamber which is arranged adjacent to one side of the battery cell units, and an air outlet head provides a diverging air exit chamber which is arranged adjacent to an opposite side of the battery cell units. A blower or fan drives air into the air inlet chamber. The air flows through the air flow spaces between the battery cell units in order to cool the battery cell units. The speed of the air increases while it moves through the air inlet chamber and the plurality of air flow spaces.
US 2006/0115720 A1 discloses a battery module comprising battery units which are spatially spaced apart from one another and have defined a coolant flow path in the space. The battery module comprises a dividing rib which is arranged between the battery units, the dividing rib having a multiplicity of projections which are connected to one another.
US 2013/115489 A1 discloses a battery comprising a housing and a multiplicity of galvanic cells which are arranged in the housing. A fan is additionally arranged in the housing in order to produce a fluid flow which circulates inside the housing. According to the invention, a heat exchanger having a feed flow and a return flow for a heat carrier medium, which lead out of the housing, is arranged in the flow path of the fluid flow.
DE 10 2014 204 245 which was not yet published on the filing date of the invention discloses an energy storage unit having a plurality of galvanic cells, the cells each comprising outer contacts integrated in a cell housing (nutshell cells) and the end plates comprising integrated contact plates or printed circuit boards.
The method and the device of the invention have the advantage that the temperature of the battery cells, for example flat battery cells and nutshell cells, can be regulated, that is to say cooled or heated, via their electrodes. The structure of a battery pack, battery module or battery system can therefore be simplified. This makes it possible to reduce weight and/or costs.
If the temperature regulation medium turbulently flows around the electrodes, this has the advantage that the heat exchange between the temperature regulation medium and the electrodes can be improved. The temperature regulation, that is to say cooling or heating, of the battery cells can therefore be improved.
If the temperature regulation medium comprises a gas, gas mixture or air, this has the advantage that the structure of the battery pack, battery module or battery system can be simplified further. Furthermore, corrosion of the battery pack, battery module or battery system can be reduced. In addition, leakage of the battery pack, battery module or battery system can be prevented. In this case, an open temperature regulation medium circuit can be achieved. The open temperature regulation medium circuit may comprise a filter such as an air filter. Alternatively, a closed temperature regulation medium circuit can be achieved. The closed temperature regulation medium circuit may comprise a heat exchanger.
If the temperature regulation medium respectively flows around a contact region of the electrodes, this has the advantage that the heat exchange between the temperature regulation medium and the electrodes can be improved further. In this case, a gap between the electrodes of two battery cells arranged adjacent to one another may comprise a distance of 1 mm to 3 mm, such as 2 mm, for example.
If a cell connector for electrically connecting the first electrode and the second electrode, comprising elevations for spacing apart the contact region of the first electrode and the contact region of the second electrode, is respectively arranged between the contact regions of the first electrodes and the contact regions of the second electrodes, this has the advantage that the temperature regulation medium can flow around the contact regions of the electrodes in an improved manner. Furthermore, the structure of the battery pack, battery module or battery system can be varied as required by selecting the cell connector from a multiplicity of different cell connectors.
If the contact regions of the first electrodes each comprise elevations for spacing apart the contact regions of the first electrodes from the contact regions of the second electrodes, this has the advantage that the temperature regulation medium can flow around the contact regions of the electrodes in an improved manner. Furthermore, the number of components and/or the number of electrical connections or contacts can be reduced. The reliability or operational safety of the battery pack, battery module or battery system can therefore be increased.
If the elevations are punctiform, burled, rod-shaped, ribbed, wave-like or sinusoidal, this has the advantage that a flow resistance of the temperature regulation medium can be reduced.
If the elevations are elastic or resilient, this has the advantage that the electrical connection can be improved. The reliability or operational safety of the battery pack, battery module or battery system can therefore be increased further. Furthermore, mechanical bracing of the battery cells can be provided. The ageing of the battery cells can therefore be reduced and the service life of the battery cells can be increased.
If the temperature regulation medium respectively flows around an edge region of the electrodes, this has the advantage that the battery cells can be arranged electrode on electrode. As a result, the dimensions of the battery pack, battery module or battery system can be reduced or minimized.
If the temperature regulation medium is respectively supplied to the edge regions of the electrodes through an outlet, this has the advantage that the temperature regulation medium can flow away in an improved manner after heat exchange.
The vehicle may be, for example, in the form of a motor vehicle such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, an electric motorcycle (electro-bike, e-bike) or an electric bicycle (pedal electric cycle, Pedelec), a sea-going vessel such as an electric boat or submarine (U-boat), an aircraft or a spacecraft.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description.
The battery module 10 comprises a multiplicity of battery cells 1001, . . . 1003, a multiplicity of spacing devices 2001, . . . 2003 and a housing 300.
The battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 are in the form of nutshell cells. The nutshell cells 1001, . . . 1003 can each be, for example, in the form of a prism, a cuboid or a square plate, that is to say a special cuboid with exactly two identical edge lengths (a=b>c). The nutshell cells 1001, . . . 1003 each comprise a first electrode 1101, . . . 1103 which is in the form of a first housing shell or housing half-shell, a second electrode 1201, . . . 1203 which is in the form of a second housing shell or housing half-shell, and an insulator element 1301, . . . 1303 which mechanically connects the first electrode 1101, . . . 1103 and the second electrode 1201, . . . 1203 to one another and electrically insulates them from one another. The first electrode 1101, . . . 1103 and the second electrode 1201, . . . 1203 may be, for example, in the form of a metal sheet, a metal film or a metallized film and/or may be formed by means of a deep-drawing method. The insulator element 1301, . . . 1303 may be in the form of a seal or sealing ring, for example, and/or may be fully connected, for example adhesively bonded, to the first electrode 1101, . . . 1103 and the second electrode 1201, . . . 1203 or their edge regions or lugs. The battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 are arranged beside one another in a manner oriented parallel to one another.
The spacing devices 2002, 2003 comprise an electrically conductive element or material for electrically connecting contact surfaces, for example rectangular or square contact surfaces, of the electrodes 1101, . . . 1103, 1201, . . . 1203 and respectively form a channel or a multiplicity of channels for receiving a temperature regulation medium between the first electrodes 1101, . . . 1103 and the second electrodes 1201, . . . 1203. The spacing devices 2002, 2003 are arranged between the electrodes 1102, 1103, 1201, 1202 of the battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 and respectively electrically interconnect the first electrodes 1102, 1103 and the second electrodes 1201, 1202 or their contact regions of the battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 arranged adjacent to one another. As shown by way of example in
The housing encloses the battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 and spacing devices 2001, . . . 2003. As shown by way of example in
The battery pack 20 comprises a multiplicity of battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 and a multiplicity of cell connectors 200′1, . . . 200′3.
The cell connectors 200′1, . . . 200′3 implement the spacing devices 2001, . . . 2003 described with reference to
The battery pack 30 comprises a multiplicity of battery cells 100″1, . . . 100″3.
The battery cells 100″1, . . . 100″3 correspond substantially to the battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 described with reference to
A multiplicity of elevations 200″1, . . . 200″2 on the first electrodes 1101, . . . 1103 of the battery cells 100″1, . . . 100″3 implement the spacing devices 2001, . . . 2003 described with reference to
The battery module 40 comprises a multiplicity of battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 and a multiplicity of temperature regulation devices 4001, . . . 4003.
The battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 correspond to the battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 described with reference to
The temperature regulation devices 4001, . . . 4003 each comprise an inlet opening 4101, . . . 4103 and a multiplicity of outlet openings 42011, . . . 42032. The temperature regulation devices 4001, . . . 4003 are arranged axially around the multiplicity of battery cells 1001, . . . 1003, that is to say one temperature regulation device 4001, . . . 4003 at the top, at the rear, at the bottom and at the front in each case (temperature regulation device at the front not shown). In this case, the outlet openings 42011, . . . 42032 are each arranged centrally, that is to say above the contact surfaces.
As illustrated in
The battery module 50 comprises a multiplicity of battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 and a multiplicity of temperature regulation devices 5001, 5002.
The battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 correspond to the battery cells 1001, . . . 1003 described with reference to
The temperature regulation devices 5001, 5002 comprise a multiplicity of inlet openings 5101, . . . 5102 and each comprise a multiplicity of outlet openings 52011, . . . 52023. The temperature regulation devices 5001, 5002 are arranged radially around the multiplicity of battery cells 1001, . . . 1003, that is to say one temperature regulation device 5001, 4002 on the left and on the right in each case. In this case, the outlet openings 52011, . . . 52023 are each arranged centrally, that is to say above the contact surfaces.
As illustrated in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2015 206 392.5 | Apr 2015 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2016/055600 | 3/15/2016 | WO | 00 |
