CN108028333B

CN108028333B - Method for producing a cooling device for cooling a battery

Info

Publication number: CN108028333B
Application number: CN201680054154.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: T.科勒; 闫小峰; L.洛伦茨; A.德尔; C.勒夫
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2015-09-17
Filing date: 2016-09-05
Publication date: 2021-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2036-09-05
Also published as: DE102015217780A1; CN108028333A; WO2017045951A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a cooling device for cooling a battery (1), in particular a battery (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein two plates (2, 3) made of an elastic material are joined to one another for the purpose of forming a device for connecting cooling channels (4) to one another.

Description

Method for producing a cooling device for cooling a battery

Background

High-voltage batteries, for example lithium batteries, are used as energy stores in electric or hybrid vehicles. Such lithium batteries (Li-ion batteries) are cooled or tempered by means of a coolant. For this purpose, the battery or the battery cell is in contact at its bottom and/or at the side with a cooling plate, which enables heat to be removed for cooling or supplied for heating. Such cooling plates are usually made of metal, for example aluminum, and are configured with internal flow channels and inlet or outlet nipples.

It has proven to be disadvantageous in the prior art that cooling plates composed of different components are joined. This results in an energetically unfavorable manufacturing process and in a relatively long process time. This is associated with high manufacturing costs.

DE 202012102969U 1 discloses a battery cooling device in which a plurality of cooling tubes are prestressed against the battery for thermal contact.

Known from DE 202012101076U 1: the battery, in particular for a motor vehicle, is brought into contact with a cold plate, into which the coolant tube is inserted and mechanically pretensioned.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the invention, a method is provided for producing a cooling device for cooling a battery, in particular a battery for a motor vehicle, wherein two plates made of an elastic material are joined to one another for the purpose of forming a device for the cooling channel which is connected to one another.

The dependent claims show preferred embodiments of the invention.

The method according to the invention thus provides cooling channels which are connected to one another and which may for example form a grid or mesh structure. The cooling channel forms a flexible cooling hose. With the method according to the invention, it is therefore possible in a very simple manner to produce cooling channels of complex construction which have a high functionality and can be adapted to various geometric requirements in a simple and cost-effective manner. In this way, it is possible, for example, to realize a meandering or branched arrangement of the cooling channel. The flow guidance of the coolant through the cooling channel can therefore be designed structurally such that the cooling channel extends in a preferred direction over the individual cells of the battery. According to the invention, it is also possible to design the arrangement of cooling channels connected to one another in three dimensions, so that not only a bottom cooling of the individual cells and/or the entire battery but also a lateral cooling of the individual cells and/or the entire battery can be achieved. The flow guidance resulting from the device of the cooling channel produced according to the invention can therefore be realized very easily and cost-effectively. Since the entire device is made of an elastic material, it can be replaced easily and cost-effectively, for example during service work. The production method according to the invention also enables a quick and flexible adaptation and calibration to different battery arrangements, battery sizes and/or individual cell arrangements.

According to the invention, it is particularly advantageous if the cooling channel is produced by introducing a separating device between the plates before the joining process. In this way, it is particularly simple to implement various and also complex geometries of the device of the cooling channel. The spacer means prevents engagement along the cooling channel to be produced when the plates of elastic material are engaged, and is a very simple and operationally reliable measure. Furthermore, the method steps can also be automated in a simple manner.

According to the invention, it is possible to remove regions of the plates before or after joining, in which regions cooling channels should not be formed. The invention can thus be adapted to a wide range of requirements, depending on the geometry and material of the plate.

According to the invention, the device for cooling the channels is designed with at least one inlet region and with at least one outlet region in order to be able to connect the cooling channels to the coolant circuit. The inlet and outlet regions can comprise connecting elements or the like, for example.

According to the invention, the cooling channel is made of a plastic material, of a rubber material or of a metal foil. It is important that the material is soft so that after the plates are joined and the device of cooling channels is manufactured, these cooling channels can be filled with or flowed through by a coolant. In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the material is thin and conducts heat well. The cooling channel or the arrangement of cooling channels produced according to the invention therefore expands when a coolant flows through it and is flexibly adapted to the surface of the battery or battery cell to be cooled. This also eases the installation work for the device according to the invention, since the device of the cooling channel can be inserted in the undeployed state (einlegen). By filling, the cooling channel reaches its final shape and can cause heat conduction through contact with the battery or battery cell. According to the invention, both the lateral surfaces of the battery or battery cell and the bottom surface of the battery or battery cell can be contacted by means of the cooling channel. The elastic cooling channels produced according to the invention are also adapted to the respective contact surfaces, so that the overall design of the thermal management system can be reduced to a small number of parameters and can thereby be simplified. In this case, it is also possible according to the invention to use standardized dimensions for the hose-like arrangement of the cooling channels.

A further important advantage of the invention, which is obtained from the method according to the invention for producing a device for cooling channels connected to one another, is obtained by: the device of the cooling channel is not subjected to a force, so that decoupling between force transmission and cooling is possible. For this purpose, it is particularly advantageous if the cells are arranged in a grid box into which the devices of the cooling channels are introduced. Such a grid box can preferably be manufactured from plastic, for example by means of injection molding or by means of die casting. The grid box structure here carries the battery cells or batteries or at the same time the device for supporting the cooling channels produced according to the invention.

Preferably, the grid box is provided with at least one guide slot for accommodating means of the cooling channel. Thereby ensuring that: the arrangement of the cooling channels is performed accurately during installation. Thus, an inflection point or other failure causing the closing of the cooling passage can be excluded.

Due to the provision of cooling channels which bulge when a coolant flows through, good contact to the battery and a good thermal transition are obtained. Thereby, it is also possible according to the invention to dimension the contact area smaller and/or to use a smaller dimensioned cooling channel.

A multiplicity of modification and modification possibilities are obtained with regard to the material of the spring plate from which the cooling channel arrangement is formed according to the invention. Thus, for example, it is also possible to use filler materials in order to increase the thermal conductivity or in order to increase the mechanical strength. Thus, for example, metal particles or plastic fibers can be added. It is also possible to coat the metal surface on the spring plate in order to increase the mechanical surface strength.

Another important advantage of the method according to the invention is that: the arrangement of cooling channels connected to each other provides the possibility of realizing cooling channels of different cross-sections. In this way, it is possible, for example, to design the inflow region and the outflow region with a larger cross section than the central connecting region.

Furthermore, it is possible in the production method according to the invention to use different coolants, for example in liquid or gaseous form.

Drawings

Subsequently, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment having two plates constructed of an elastomeric material;

FIG. 2 is a manufacturing step of the joined panels;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an apparatus for the fabrication of cooling channels;

FIG. 4 is a diagram similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a device of the cooling channel stamped prior to joining;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a device fabricated similar to that of FIG. 3 for cooling channels;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a battery having a grid box and cooling channels for bottom cooling;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 for side cooling; and

fig. 9-13 are schematic illustrations of battery devices having differently configured devices with cooling channels made in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description

In the embodiment of fig. 1 to 3, two

sheets

2, 3 are extruded from a thin butyl rubber. Means of a separating medium 5 are applied to the first plate 2. Also, in detail, an inlet zone 6 and an outlet zone 7 (see fig. 3), not shown, may be coated. Subsequently, as shown in fig. 2, the devices of the two

plates

2, 3 are joined, for example by vulcanization at high pressure and temperature. Subsequently, as shown in fig. 3, the respective intermediate regions, which are present between the devices of the cooling channel 4, are removed, for example by stamping.

In this exemplary embodiment, it is possible in a development of the invention to introduce additional structures or the like which improve the shape and the mechanical strength of the device of the cooling channel shown in fig. 3.

During the joining process for producing the device shown in fig. 2, it is possible for the device of the cooling channel to be filled, for example with gas, so that the joining process and the subsequent punching process can be carried out without error.

Fig. 4 to 6 show a further exemplary embodiment, in which starting from the arrangement of two

plates

2, 3 according to fig. 4, the plates are each cut or stamped individually in order to realize an arrangement of cooling ducts according to fig. 5. Subsequently, as shown in fig. 6, the device according to fig. 5 for cooling the channel 4 is joined, for example by vulcanization at high pressure and high temperature.

Fig. 7 and 8 show the arrangement according to the invention of the cooling channels 4 with different distribution under the battery 1. In this case, a part of a grid box 8, which is manufactured, for example, from plastic and is provided with guide grooves 9 in which the cooling channels 4 run, is schematically illustrated in each case.

Fig. 9 to 13 each show different design possibilities of the device according to the invention for the cooling channel 4. According to fig. 9, a U-shaped device can be provided, which flows from the inlet region 6 to the outlet region 7. In the arrangement shown in fig. 10, the arrangement of cooling channels 4 extends in varying directions from the inlet region 6 in order to ensure good contact with the individual cells 1 or cells before the coolant is discharged through the outlet region 7.

In the embodiment variant of fig. 11, the means of cooling channels 4 extend on the outer side of the respective battery cell or battery 1, while fig. 12 shows an example in which the means of cooling channels 4 are arranged between adjacent means of battery 1 or battery cells.

Fig. 13 shows a design variant in which the device of the cooling channels 4 is branched and/or merged a plurality of times in order to ensure optimum heat transfer.

Within the scope of the invention, it is possible to cool the battery 1 or the battery cells by means of a cooling channel. Similarly, it is also possible to heat the battery or battery cell by means of a suitable medium.

Claims

1. Method for producing a cooling device for cooling a battery (1), wherein two plates (2, 3) made of an elastic material are joined to one another for the purpose of forming a device of cooling channels (4) which are connected to one another, wherein the cooling channels (4) are produced by introducing a separating means (5) between the plates (2, 3) before the joining process, and wherein regions of the plates (2, 3) in which no cooling channels are formed are removed before or after the joining process.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling channel (4) is configured with at least one inlet zone (6) and at least one outlet zone (7).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cooling channels (4) form a grid-like or net-like structure.

4. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cooling channel (4) is made of a plastic material, of a rubber material or of a metal foil.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the battery (1) is arranged in a grid box (8).

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the grid box (8) is manufactured from plastic by means of injection molding or die casting.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the grid box (8) is provided with at least one guide groove (9) for accommodating the cooling channel (4).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the guide groove (9) is configured to be open as a side face of the battery (1) or as a bottom face of the battery.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the battery (1) is a battery (1) for a motor vehicle.