Embodiments described herein relate generally to a storage battery device.
Conventionally, storage battery devices have been used in various fields.
The output voltage of battery cells constituting such a storage battery device is several volts. Thus, to generate a voltage of for example 48 V commonly employed in manufacturing or hybrid vehicle, for example, it is conceivable to connect a required number of battery cells in series or to boost the voltage thereof using a DC-DC converter.
In the case of using a DC-DC converter, when an output voltage 24 V of an assembled battery is boosted twice to 48 V for use in industrial machines or a hybrid vehicle for output, for example, a current flowing through the assembled battery is double or more of an output current.
In this case, heat generation due to copper loss is in proportion to the square of a current by Ohm's law, so that the amount of heat from the current path in the assembled battery quadruples.
Furthermore, the storage battery device typically tolerates a flow of a large temporary current in view of a variation in load. However, a current-path member serving as a charge and discharge path, such as a terminal and a bus bar, has a smaller thermal time constant than the battery cells filled with battery materials. Because of this, the current-path member rapidly increases in temperature due to a temporary larger current.
Thus, in a storage battery device incorporating a DC-DC converter, in which a current flowing through the assembled battery is several times as large as an output current, it is desirable to promptly remove temporarily generated heat in the current-path member. Examples of related art include JP-A-2006-185863, JP-A-2004-306726, JP-A-2016-220363, and JP-A-2019-016564.
Embodiments provide a storage battery device capable of efficiently cooling current flow path members, that facilitates miniaturization, and ensures a high voltage output and a high electric power output.
In general, according to one embodiment, a storage battery device includes: a cell unit configured from a plurality of electric cells; current flow path members forming a current flow path of electric power supplied from the plurality of electric cells or of electric power supplied to the plurality of electric cells; and a radiator thermally coupled to the current flow path members.
Preferable embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The following will describe a storage battery device installed in an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) as an example of storage battery devices of embodiments. The disclosure is not limited to this type of storage battery device and the storage battery device can be used in many devices.
The storage battery device 10 generally includes a casing 11, battery cells 12, a battery management unit 13, a radiator 14, a DC-DC converter 15, bus bars 16, a positive-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17P, a negative-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17N, and heat conductive materials 18.
The battery cells 12 are electrically connected to one another and constitute a cell unit 12U as a whole.
The casing 11 is formed of a resin material, for example, and accommodates the battery cells 12, the battery management unit 13, the radiator 14, the DC-DC converter 15, the bus bars 16, the heat conductive materials 18, the positive-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17P, and the negative-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17N. The positive-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17P and the negative-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17N protrude from the casing 11.
Each of the battery cells 12 includes a positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP and a negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN.
The battery management unit 13 is configured to be initiated by a start signal SWU from a controller, not shown, in the vehicle body of the automatic guided vehicle, and to be able to exchange communication data COM with the controller via a communication line.
The battery management unit 13 also serves to detect the voltages and temperatures of the battery cells 12 to perform charge and discharge management, and output a control signal SC to the DC-DC converter 15 to interrupt a current from a main circuit (a circuit in the automatic guided vehicle), if necessary.
In this case, as shown in
The radiator 14 has a tubular shape with a hollow part 14T, and serves to dissipate heat transmitted from the battery cells 12 via the bus bars 16, to dissipate heat from the battery management unit 13, and to dissipate heat from the DC-DC converter 15, to thereby maintain the battery cells 12, the battery management unit 13, and the DC-DC converter 15 to be equal to or lower than predetermined temperatures, respectively.
As described above, the bus bars 16 and the DC-DC converter 15 are disposed to face each other across the radiator 14. Thus, by allowing a sufficient amount of a coolant to flow into the hollow part 14T, the heat generated from both the bus bars 16 and the DC-DC converter 15 is removed, and which can prevent transmission of the heat between them via the radiator 14 to affect each other.
The DC-DC converter 15 serves to supply charging power to the battery cells 12 from a charging device, not shown, which is connected to the automatic guided vehicle body via the positive-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17P and the negative-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17N. The DC-DC converter 15 also boosts the voltage of discharged power from the battery cells 12 and supplies a boosted voltage to the automatic guided vehicle body via the positive-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17P and the negative-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17N. Further, the DC-DC converter 15 can interrupt a current in response to receipt of the control signal SC from the battery management unit 13.
The bus bars 16 generally include bus bars 161 that connect between two battery cells 12 (between the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP of one of the two cells 12 and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN of the other cell 12); a bus bar 16P that connects a positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP of the cell 12 closest to the high potential side and a high potential-side terminal (not shown) of the DC-DC converter 15; and a bus bar 16N that connects the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN of the cell 12 closest to the low potential side and a lower potential-side terminal (not shown) of the DC-DC converter 15.
The storage battery device 10 includes the battery management unit 13, thermally coupled to the radiator 14, on the front side in a plan view. The bus bars 16I, the bus bar 16P, and the bus bar 16N are located in a part in which the battery management unit 13 is not placed and from the through holes 13TH formed in the substrate of the battery management unit 13.
In the example of
Each of the bus bars 16I is electrically connected to the battery management unit 13 via an electrical connection 16IT. Similarly, the bus bar 16P is electrically connected to the battery management unit 13 via an electrical connection 16PT while the bus bar 16N is electrically connected to the battery management unit 13 via an electrical connection 16NT.
In such a case, in the example of
Further, the electrical connections 16IT, the electrical connection 16PT, and the electrical connection 16NT are electrically connected to the substrate of the battery management unit 13 by soldering or screwing.
Thus, the battery management unit 13 performs charge and discharge management of each of the battery cells 12.
The heat conductive material 18 is formed as, for example, an insulating sheet having a heat dissipation property (heat conductivity). As shown in
In the case of using the radiator 14 with insulating properties, such as one having an insulating resin film or insulating ceramics (for example, aluminum nitride) formed on the surface or the one formed from an insulating material, the heat conductive material 18 can be a thermally conductive adhesive.
In the first embodiment, as shown in
Similarly, as shown in
The heat dissipation connections 16IC of the bus bars 16I, the heat dissipation connection 16PC of the bus bar 16P, and the heat dissipation connection 16NC of the bus bar 16N can be set larger in width (vertical length in
The forms of the heat dissipation connection 16IC of the bus bars 16I, the heat dissipation connection 16PC of the bus bar 16P, and the heat dissipation connection 16NC of the bus bar 16N are not limited to the examples as above. Other structures can be suitably adopted as long as they can more efficiently dissipate heat toward the radiator 14.
According to the first embodiment, the bus bars 16 (the bus bars 16I, the bus bar 16P, and the bus bar 16N) can be effectively cooled. As a result, the battery cells 12 can be effectively cooled via the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN. Thereby, the battery cells 12 can each provide a higher output without an output limitation.
That is, with the same output, the storage battery device can be made more compact in size. With the same device scale, a higher-output storage battery device can be provided.
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that electrode terminals (the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN) of the battery cells 12 are thermally coupled to the radiator 14, in place of the bus bars 16 being thermally coupled to the radiator 14.
The radiator 14 has a tubular shape with a hollow part 14T and is provided with a plurality of protrusions 14P to be thermally coupled to the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP and negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN of the battery cells 12.
The substrate of the battery management unit 13 is provided with a plurality of through holes 13TH for ensuring a space in which the protrusions 14P are thermally coupled to the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN of the battery cells 12.
Each of the heat conductive materials 18 is disposed between the protrusion 14 and the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP or the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN of the battery cell 12 facing the protrusion 14P, The heat conductive materials 18 tightly contact with the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP or the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN, and the radiator 14 is fixed to the casing 11 by compressive force applied from the radiator 14 side toward the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP or the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN.
As a result, the radiator 14 works to dissipate the heat of the battery cells 12 transmitted from the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP or the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN thermally coupled to the protrusions 14P, to thereby maintain the battery cells 12 to be equal to or lower than the predetermined temperatures.
In parallel with the above, the radiator 14 dissipates the heat from the battery management unit 13 and the heat from the DC-DC converter 15 to thereby maintain the battery management unit 13 and the DC-DC converter 15 to be equal to or lower than the predetermined temperatures, respectively.
According to the second embodiment, the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP or the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN of the battery cells 12 can be effectively cooled. As a result, the battery cells 12 can be effectively cooled via the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN. Thereby, the battery cells 12 can each provide a higher output without an output limitation.
Thus, according to the second embodiment, with the same output, the storage battery device can be made more compact in size. With the same device scale, a higher-output storage battery device can be provided.
Next, a third embodiment will be described.
The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the radiator 14 includes joints 21 at both ends of the hollow part 14T, and the radiator 14 is connected to a coolant supply circulation system (not shown) via the joints 21 to allow a coolant to flow into the hollow part 14T.
Owing to such a configuration, the bus bars 16 (the bus bars 16I, the bus bar 16P, and the bus bar 16N) of the third embodiment can be more effectively cooled than those of the first embodiment. As a result, the battery cells 12 can be effectively cooled via the positive electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TN. Thereby, the battery cells 12 can each provide a higher output without an output limitation.
This leads to further downsizing the storage battery device or further heightening the output of the storage battery device.
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described.
The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the radiator 14 includes an air blower 25 at one end of the hollow part 14T to forcibly supply air having passed through a filter 26 to the hollow part 14T and forcibly discharge the air via an opening at the other end of the hollow part 14T.
Owing to such a configuration, the radiator 14 can collect the heat to more effectively cool the bus bars 16, the battery cells 12, the battery management unit 13, and the DC-DC converter 15. This makes it possible to further downsize the storage battery device or further heighten the output of the storage battery device.
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described.
The fifth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in including a heat pipe 30 in place of the structure of radiator 14, but still functioning as a radiator. The heat pipe 30 is provided with a wick (not shown) inside, and the wick contains an operating fluid.
The heat pipe 30 further includes an evaporator (heat-absorber) 30H thermally connected to the bus bars 16, the battery management unit 13, and the DC-DC converter 15, a heat insulator 30I, and a condenser (heat dissipater) 30C connected to the evaporator 30H via the heat insulator 30I and provided with a radiator 31.
By the configuration as above, the evaporator 30H collects the heat from the bus bars 16, the battery cells 12, the battery management unit 13, and the DC-DC converter 15 by evaporation of the operating fluid, and the evaporated operating fluid rapidly flows to the condenser 30C. The operating fluid is then condensed by the condenser 30C to emit evaporative latent heat, and discharges the heat collected from the bus bars 16, the battery management unit 13, and the DC-DC converter 15 to outside the storage battery device 10. The operating fluid is then refluxed to the evaporator 30H by the capillary action of the wick.
As described above, the heat pipe 30 can collect the heat to more effectively cool the bus bars 16, the battery cells 12, the battery management unit 13, and the DC-DC converter 15. This makes it possible to further downsize the storage battery device or further heighten the output of the storage battery device.
In addition, the evaporator 30H (heat dissipation surface) can be placed at any location, therefore, the storage battery device is suitable for, for example, vehicles with a limited installation space.
The sixth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that heat dissipation connections (for example, heat dissipation connections 16IC, 16PC, and 16NC) of the bus bars 16 are electrically connected to the substrate of the battery management unit 13 using the conductivity of the heat conductive members 18, and are thermally coupled to the radiator 14 via the substrate of the battery management unit 13.
In this case, the bus bars 16 and the substrate of the battery management unit 13 are electrically and thermally connected together with a conductive adhesive, blade springs, or screws, for example.
Owing to such a configuration, the radiator 14 can collect the heat of the bus bars 16 and the battery cells 12 via the substrate of the battery management unit 13.
Thus, according to the sixth embodiment, the bus bars 16, the battery cells 12, the battery management unit 13, and the DC-DC converter 15 can be more effectively cooled. This makes it possible to further downsize the storage battery device or further increase the output of the storage battery device.
Next, a seventh embodiment will be described.
The seventh embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the battery management unit 13 and the DC-DC converter 15 are disposed on the surface of the radiator 14 facing the cells 12, and the positive-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17P and the charge and discharge terminal 17N are disposed on the same lateral face of the casing 11.
A storage battery device 10A generally includes a casing 11, battery cells (hereinafter simply referred to as cells) 12, a battery management unit 13, a radiator 14, a DC-DC converter 15, bus bars 16, charge and discharge terminals 17N and 17p, and heat conductive members 18.
The casing 11 is formed of a resin material, for example, and accommodates the battery cells 12, the battery management unit 13, the radiator 14, the DC-DC converter 15, the bus bars 16, and the heat conductive members 18. A positive-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17P and a negative-electrode-side charge and discharge terminal 17N protrude from the same lateral face (the left lateral face in
Each of the battery cells 12 includes a positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP and a negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN.
The storage battery device 10A includes the battery management unit 13 thermally coupled to the radiator 14 on the front right side and the DC-DC converter 15 thermally coupled to the radiator 14 on the front left side in a plan view.
The bus bars 16I, the bus bar 16P, and the bus bar 16N are located in a part in which the battery management unit 13 is not placed, in the through holes 13TH formed in the substrate of the battery management unit 13, and in portions 15TH in which the DC-DC converter 15 is not placed.
In the example of
Thus, the battery management unit 13 performs charge and discharge management of each of the battery cells 12.
In the seventh embodiment, as shown in
Similarly, as shown in
In this case, as indicated by the arrow in
According to the seventh embodiment as described above, the storage battery device of a more compact structure can effectively cool the battery management unit 13, the DC-DC converter 15, and the bus bars 16 (the bus bars 16I, the bus bar 16P, and the bus bar 16N). As a result, the battery cells 12 can be effectively cooled via the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TP and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminals 12TH, Thereby, the battery cells 12 can each provide a higher output without an output limitation.
That is, with the same output, the storage battery device can be made more compact in size. With the same device scale, a higher-output storage battery device can be provided.
The above has described the example that the substrate of the battery management unit 13 and the substrate of the DC-DC converter 15 are independent from each other. However, the battery management unit 13 and the DC-DC converter 15 can be disposed on the same substrate and be thermally coupled to the radiator 14.
The above has not specifically described the bus bars 16 in terms of shape. The bus bars 16 can be increased in surface area to be able to dissipate more heat, or can have a larger contact area with the positive-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TP and the negative-electrode-side cell charge and discharge terminal 12TN so as to reduce heat generation.
The above has described the example that the plurality of battery cells 12 is connected in series to constitute the cell unit 12U, however, this is not limiting. It is possible to connect the plurality of battery cells 12 in series-parallel to constitute the cell unit 12U.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in different other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and varies in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2019-091488 | May 2019 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2019/034861 filed Sep. 4, 2019, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-091488, filed May 14, 2019, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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102009035458 | Feb 2011 | DE |
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2004-306726 | Apr 2003 | JP |
2006-185863 | Dec 2004 | JP |
2006-318704 | May 2005 | JP |
2006-216303 | Aug 2006 | JP |
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Entry |
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Machine translation of DE-102009035458-A1 (Year: 2011). |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20220059883 A1 | Feb 2022 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2019/034861 | Sep 2019 | WO |
Child | 17518681 | US |