FR3086048A1 - THERMAL REGULATION DEVICE, ESPECIALLY COOLING - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermal regulation device (10), in particular for cooling, for an electrical component capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for an electrical energy storage module, this system comprising: - an upper plate (11), - a lower plate (12) assembled with the upper plate to form together a plurality of circulation channels (13) for a heat transfer fluid, device in which the plates define collecting chambers (40) arranged to supply fluid refrigerant or evacuate the fluid circulating in the channels, each collecting chamber being dedicated to only one of the groups of channels (13).

Description

The present invention relates to a device for thermal regulation, in particular for cooling, in particular for an electrical component capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular a system for cooling at least one battery or battery cells of a motor vehicle.

Vehicle batteries, in particular for electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, should as far as possible be kept at the desired temperature, which is why so-called cooling devices for vehicle batteries are used. These cooling devices may include cooling plates through which a coolant flows. The cooling plates are installed, as much as possible without space, on the external side of the batteries in order to dissipate the heat or to heat the battery.

Cooling devices are known in which the cooling plate is composed of two plate parts which are normally fixed directly to each other. Here, the first plate part is preferably flat, and the second plate part is preferably a stamped or deformed sheet of metal which has meandering depressions. Said depressions are closed by the flat plate part which is fixed to the stamped plate part, so that refrigerant conduits are formed.

Patent EP 2 828 922 B1 describes such a device.

The invention aims to improve this type of device.

The subject of the invention is therefore a device for thermal regulation, in particular for cooling, for an electrical component capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for an electrical energy storage module, this system comprising:

an upper plate, a lower plate assembled with the upper plate to form together a plurality of circulation channels for a heat transfer fluid, in particular a refrigerant fluid, in particular a fluid chosen from the following refrigerants R134a, R1234yf or R744, the channels being grouped together by groups of channels, the channels of the same group being arranged to allow the circulation of refrigerant in the same direction, device in which the plates define collecting chambers arranged to supply fluid or evacuate fluid circulating in the channels, each collecting chamber being dedicated to only one of the groups of channels.

In other words, the collecting chambers, in particular arranged side by side, are separated from each other so that they communicate fluidly with one another only by the groups of channels. In other words, these manifolds are not common to two or more groups of channels. Each group of channels presents its dedicated collecting chamber.

These collecting chambers are either an inlet collecting chamber to supply the canals or an outlet collecting chamber to evacuate fluid from the canals

Thanks to the invention, it is possible to avoid a collecting chamber common to several groups of channels, a common chamber which would then be of large section which needs to be mechanically reinforced. The invention makes it possible to have collecting chambers of smaller dimensions, and therefore more mechanically robust.

According to one aspect of the invention, at least one of the plates, in particular the lower plate, has a stamped area arranged to form one of the collecting chambers. In particular, each collecting chamber has a stamped zone on the lower plate, stamped zone which forms one face of this chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, the collecting chambers have a diverging shape from a fluid inlet or outlet orifice towards the group of channels.

According to one aspect of the invention, the fluid inlet or outlet port is arranged to receive a tubing for a fluid connection.

According to one aspect of the invention, the upper and lower plates form a cylindrical passage defining the inlet or outlet opening.

According to one aspect of the invention, each passage is formed by protuberances on the plates, in particular produced by stamping.

According to one aspect of the invention, each collecting chamber is in fluid communication with a fluid tubing.

According to one aspect of the invention, the inlet and outlet orifices are located outside the heat exchange zone with the component to be cooled.

According to one aspect of the invention, the tubes are fixed, in particular brazed, in the passages defining the inlet or outlet.

According to one aspect of the invention, the device comprises a plurality of pipes, in particular four pipes, in particular two fluid inlet pipes and two fluid outlet pipes, this plurality of pipes being connected to the plates on the same right edge of the plates.

According to one aspect of the invention, these pipes are fluidly connected to connection blocks outside the plates.

Thus each group of refrigerant channels opens into a small collecting chamber, with better mechanical strength, regardless of the circulation chosen for the exchanger in order to meet the criterion of temperature uniformity.

The invention therefore makes it possible, if desired, to standardize the assembly of the two plates and to transfer the circuit stress to the pipes which are usually specific to each vehicle application.

According to one aspect of the invention, the channels are grouped by groups of channels, the channels of a group extending substantially parallel to one another with a predetermined spacing between neighboring channels called intra-group spacing, the intra-group spacing preferably being strictly less than the spacing between two groups of neighboring channels called inter-group spacing.

This arrangement of the channels can better distribute the pressure forces and facilitate the manufacture of the device and / or improve the mechanical strength.

According to one aspect of the invention, the channels of the groups are all parallel to each other, at least locally, in particular over their entire length, namely all the channels formed by the plates are parallel to each other.

According to one aspect of the invention, the channels all have the same cross section.

According to one aspect of the invention, the channels are rectilinear. The cooling device can thus be produced more simply.

According to one aspect of the invention, the channels extend substantially over the entire length of the plates.

According to one aspect of the invention, the groups of channels are arranged side by side and have the same length.

According to one aspect of the invention, the intra-group spacing between the different channels of the same group of channels is constant.

According to one aspect of the invention, the intra-group spacing between the different channels of the same group of channels is variable.

According to one aspect of the invention, the intergroup spacing between the different groups of channels is constant.

According to one aspect of the invention, the intergroup spacing between the different groups of channels is variable.

According to one aspect of the invention, the cooling device comprises a bend chamber arranged to conduct the fluid leaving one of the channel groups towards one of the other channel groups.

According to one aspect of the invention, all the channels of the group lead to this bend chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, the turning chamber is formed by the upper and lower plates.

According to one aspect of the invention, one of the upper and lower plates, in particular the lower plate, has a stamped area arranged to participate in the formation of the turning chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, the stamped area is closed with the other of the plates to form the turning chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, the turning chamber extends on one side of the plates.

According to one aspect of the invention, the device has three or four or more groups of channels.

As a variant, the device comprises two groups of channels.

According to one aspect of the invention, the number of groups of channels dedicated to the circulation of refrigerant in one direction is equal to the number of groups of channels dedicated to the circulation of fluid in the opposite direction.

According to one aspect of the invention, two groups of channels with the same direction of fluid circulation open out onto the turning chamber. These two groups of channels are neighboring.

According to one aspect of the invention, the bend chamber is fluidly connected to two other groups of channels which are arranged to receive the coolant which leaves the bend chamber. These two groups of channels are neighboring.

According to one aspect of the invention, thus four or more groups of channels are connected to the common turning chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, in one example, the two groups of inlet channels on the turning chamber are arranged on a branch of the turning chamber and the two groups of outlet channels of the turning chamber bend are arranged on another branch of the bend chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, these branches of the turning chamber are substantially rectilinear, and perpendicular to the channels.

According to one aspect of the invention, a bend in the bend chamber is arranged to connect the two arms of the bend chamber.

The elbow can have an arc shape, for example with an opening of 180 degrees.

According to one aspect of the invention, the cooling device comprises an inlet zone for the coolant of the channels, this inlet zone being formed between the two plates.

According to one aspect of the invention, this fluid inlet zone is arranged to supply all the fluid circulation channels which open onto the turning chamber, namely the channels in which the fluid flows to the bend chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, this entry area is common to at least two groups of channels.

According to one aspect of the invention, the cooling device comprises an outlet zone for refrigerant fluid from the channels, this outlet zone being formed between the two plates.

According to one aspect of the invention, this fluid outlet zone is arranged to conduct the fluid leaving all the fluid circulation channels which come from the bend chamber.

According to one aspect of the invention, this exit zone is common to at least two groups of channels.

According to one aspect of the invention, the entry and exit zones are adjacent to an entry or exit port, respectively.

According to one aspect of the invention, the inlet and outlet ports are connected to a tubing connector block.

According to one aspect of the invention, the top plate is flat.

According to one aspect of the invention, the lower plate has areas of rounded cross section, in particular stamped areas, to form the channels with the upper plate.

As can be seen, the turning chamber allows the creation of the circuit within the plates themselves in order to meet the criterion of temperature uniformity within the device itself, and this, in a cost optimization approach.

The invention also allows, thanks to the plates, to have a reduced size in the direction of the height and to require only a reduced number of parts.

The thermal regulation device in particular positioned under the element to be cooled, for example a battery pack, and maintained under it either by a mechanical system, screwing for example, or chemical, bonding for example.

According to one aspect of the invention, the upper plate is arranged in the region which is in direct contact with the element to be cooled, in order to maximize the contact surface with the element to be cooled.

According to one aspect of the invention, the channels are dimensioned so as to respond to a compromise between:

- the mechanical strength in order to withstand the mechanical stresses associated with the use of the refrigerant, in particular for a seal 15 bars, burst pressure 54 bars and limited deformation under use pressure,

- thermal performance, by the presence of a maximum passage section to limit the refrigerant pressure losses along the circuit but also maximum wetted surface to promote heat exchange with the element to be cooled.

This compromise makes it possible to define a maximum section not to be exceeded, a height and a number of channels and this for each material thickness used to make the bottom plate.

This lower plate can be obtained by stamping.

The subject of the invention is also a system comprising an electrical component capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for an electrical energy storage module, and a cooling device described above, arranged to cool the component. , this component or battery being in thermal contact with the upper plate of the cooling device.

The invention also relates to a cooling system as described above, comprising battery cells.

The invention will be better understood and other details, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description given by way of nonlimiting examples with reference to the appended drawing in which:

- Figures 1 to 2 illustrate, schematically and partially, according to different views, a device according to an example of the invention;

- Figures 3 and 4 illustrate, schematically and partially, according to different views, a device according to another example of the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a system 1 comprising a set of battery cells 2 to be cooled, for example rows in two or more rows, and a cooling device 10 arranged to cool the cells 2, which are in thermal contact with an upper plate of the cooling device 10, as explained below.

The thermal regulation device 10 comprises:

an upper plate 11, a lower plate 12 assembled with the upper plate 11 to together form a plurality of circulation channels 13 for a heat transfer fluid, in particular a refrigerant fluid, in particular a fluid chosen from the following refrigerants R134a, R1234yf or R744.

The channels 13 are grouped by groups 14 of channels, the channels of a group extending substantially parallel to one another with a predetermined spacing between neighboring channels called intra-group spacing 15, the intra-group spacing being strictly less than the spacing between two groups of neighboring channels called intergroup spacing 16.

The channels 13 each have a cross section between 1 mm2 and 9 mm2.

The channels 13 all have the same cross section and are straight.

The channels 13 extend substantially over the entire length of the plates.

The groups 14 of channels are arranged side by side and have the same length.

The intra-group spacing 15 between the different channels 13 of the same group of channels is constant, in the example considered.

The intergroup spacing 16 between the different groups of channels is constant, in the example considered.

The cooling device includes a bend chamber 20 arranged to conduct the fluid leaving one of the groups 14 of channels to one of the other groups of channels.

All the channels 13 of the group lead to this bend chamber.

The turning chamber 20 is formed by the upper 11 and lower 12 plates, for example made of aluminum.

The lower plate 12 has a deep-drawn zone 21 arranged to participate in the formation of the turning chamber 20.

The stamped area 21 is closed with the other of the plates 11 which is flat to form the turning chamber 20.

The turning chamber 20 extends on one side 23 of the plates.

The device comprises four groups 14 of channels.

The number of group of channels dedicated to the circulation of refrigerant in one direction is equal to the number of group of channels dedicated to the circulation of fluid in the opposite direction.

Two groups 14 of channels with the same direction of fluid circulation open out onto the turning chamber. These two groups of channels are adjacent, on one half of the plates.

The turning chamber 20 is fluidly connected to two other groups 14 of channels which are arranged to receive the coolant which leaves the turning chamber. These two groups of channels are neighboring on the other half of the plates.

Thus four groups of channels are connected to the common turning chamber 20.

The two groups 14 of inlet channels on the bend chamber 20 are arranged on a branch 25 of the bend chamber and the two groups of outlet channels of the bend chamber are arranged on another branch 26 of the bend chamber turn.

The direction of flow of fluids is shown by arrows in Figure 2.

These branches 25 and 26 of the turning chamber 20 have substantially rectilinear, and perpendicular to the channels.

An elbow 28 is arranged to connect the two branches 25 and 26 of the turning chamber.

The cooling device comprises an inlet zone 30 for the coolant of the channels, this inlet zone being formed between the two plates 11 and 12.

This fluid inlet zone 30 is arranged to supply all of the fluid circulation channels 13 which open onto the bending chamber 20, namely the channels in which the fluid flows to the bending chamber.

This entry area 30 is common to groups 14 of channels.

The cooling device comprises an outlet zone 31 for refrigerant fluid from the channels, this outlet zone being formed between the two plates 11 and 12.

This fluid outlet zone 31 is arranged to conduct the fluid leaving all the fluid circulation channels 13 which come from the turning chamber.

This output zone 31 is common to the two groups of channels.

The inlet 30 and 31 and outlet areas are adjacent to an inlet 32, respectively an outlet 33.

The inlet 32 and outlet 33 ports are connected to a connector block 6 of pipes.

The lower plate 2 comprises zones 37 of rounded cross section, in particular stamped zones, to form the channels 13 with the upper plate.

The inlet 30 and outlet 31 areas include stamped areas of the bottom plate 12.

Preferably, the heat transfer fluid can be chosen from refrigerants with the designation R134a, R1234yf or R744.

The heat transfer fluid used is alternatively glycol water, without limitation of the glycol titer (0% to 100%).

The battery cells include, for example, a plurality of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for use in a hybrid vehicle. In another embodiment, the plurality of battery cells are Li-ion batteries for use in a battery electric vehicle.

The turning chamber 20 and / or the entry zone 30 and / or the exit zone 31 comprise, where appropriate, reinforcing elements to reinforce the mechanical strength in these zones which are potentially of larger section.

These reinforcing elements are for example ribs.

Another embodiment of the invention has been described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The connection via the orifices 32 and 33 and the block 6 is modified in this embodiment.

In this embodiment, the plates 11 and 12 define collecting chambers 40 arranged to supply fluid or discharge fluid flowing in the channels 13, each collecting chamber 40 being dedicated to only one of the groups of channels.

These collecting chambers 40 are either an inlet collecting chamber for supplying the channels or an outlet collecting chamber for discharging fluid from the channels 13.

The lower plate ^ has stamped zones 41 arranged to each form one of the collecting chambers 40.

In particular each collecting chamber 40 has a stamped zone 41 on the lower plate, stamped zone which forms a face 42 of this chamber.

The collecting chambers 40 have a diverging shape from a fluid inlet or outlet port 44 towards the group of channels 13.

Each fluid inlet or outlet port 44 is arranged to receive a pipe 45 for a fluid connection.

The lower 12 and upper 11 plates form a passage 47 of preferably cylindrical shape defining the inlet or outlet 44.

Each passage 47 is formed by protrusions 48 on the plates, in particular produced by stamping.

Each collecting chamber 40 is in fluid communication with a fluid tubing 45.

The inlet and outlet orifices 44 are located outside of the heat exchange zone with the component 2 to be cooled.

The pipes 45 are fixed, in particular brazed, in the passages 47 defining the inlet or outlet.

The device 1 comprises a plurality of pipes 45, in particular four pipes, in particular two fluid inlet pipes and two fluid outlet pipes, this plurality of pipes being connected to the plates on the same straight edge 49 of the plates.

These pipes 45 are fluidly connected to connection blocks 6 outside the plates.

Claims (10)

1. A thermal regulation device (1), in particular for cooling, for an electrical component capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for an electrical energy storage module, this system comprising: an upper plate (11), a lower plate (12) assembled with the upper plate to together form a plurality of circulation channels for a heat transfer fluid, in particular a refrigerant fluid, in particular a fluid chosen from the following refrigerants R134a, R1234yf or R744, the channels (13) being grouped by groups of channels, the channels of the same group being arranged to allow the circulation of coolant in the same direction, device in which the plates define collecting chambers (40) arranged to supply as coolant or evacuate fluid circulating in the channels, each collecting chamber being dedicated to only one of the groups of channels (13). 2. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plates, in particular the lower plate, has a stamped area (41) arranged to form one of the collecting chambers. 3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the collecting chambers (40) have a divergent shape from a fluid inlet or outlet orifice towards the group of channels. 4. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the orifice (44) of fluid inlet or outlet is arranged to receive a tube (45) for a fluid connection. 5. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the lower and upper plates form a passage (47) of cylindrical shape defining the inlet or outlet. 6. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein each passage is formed by protrusions (48) on the plates, in particular produced by stamping. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which each collecting chamber is in fluid communication with a tubing (45) of fluid. 8. Device according to one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the tubes (45) are fixed, in particular brazed, in the passages defining the inlet or outlet. 9. Device according to one of claims 3 to 8, in which the device comprises a plurality of pipes, in particular four pipes, in particular two fluid inlet pipes and two fluid outlet pipes, this plurality of pipes being connected to plates on the same straight edge (49) of the plates. 10. Device according to one of claims 3 to 9, in which these tubes are fluidly connected to connection blocks external to the plates.