WO2021123526A1

WO2021123526A1 - Compartment for equipment capable of discharging heat

Info

Publication number: WO2021123526A1
Application number: PCT/FR2020/052163
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thibaut PERRIN; Mohamed Ibrahimi; Guillaume GARDERE; Sergio Da Costa Pito
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
Priority date: 2019-12-16
Filing date: 2020-11-24
Publication date: 2021-06-24
Also published as: FR3104831A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a compartment (50) for an item of equipment that is capable of discharging heat during operation, in particular for a device (40) for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle, this compartment comprising at least one circulation duct (3) for a coolant, characterized in that the duct is connected to a fluid connection member (27) which is arranged so as to be connected to a complementary fluidic connection member, the fluidic connection member of the compartment being arranged at a distance from a lowest point of the compartment, this distance being chosen in such a way that, when the complementary connection member is connected to this connection member, these two connected members remain in the space between a central axis of the connected members and said lowest point.

Description

DESCRIPTION

TITLE OF THE INVENTION: COMPARTMENT FOR EQUIPMENT LIKELY TO RELEASE

HEAT

[1] The present invention relates to a compartment for equipment capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for an electrical energy storage device for a motor vehicle.

[2] Patent applications US2017176108 and WO 2013056938 describe heat exchangers for cooling battery cells. Furthermore, patent application US 2011/0206967 A describes an example of such a battery. In this application, the cells are stored in containers having housings for receiving the cells. One wall of the containers, intended to be in contact with a wall of a neighboring container, has recesses forming part of a duct for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid.

[3] The present invention aims in particular to simplify the manufacture of a compartment for receiving battery cells.

[4] The present invention thus relates to a compartment for equipment capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for an electrical energy storage device for a motor vehicle, this compartment comprising at least one circulation channel. a cooling fluid, this channel being obtained by molding a polymer-based material, with assisted injection of a fluid, in particular assisted injection of a gas or a liquid, to form this channel in the material to be polymer base.

[5] The invention makes it possible in particular to have a compartment, for example for receiving battery cells, which also has a function of cooling these cells, the manufacture of which is simplified.

[6] The formation of the coolant channel (s) in the polymer-based material by assisted injection of a liquid or a gas allows for a one-step manufacturing process, instead of a one-step process. in several stages to form the channel (s) that would require soldering. Thus, the invention makes it possible to avoid certain sealing problems linked to fluid leaks from cooling. In the invention, as the channel or channels are formed by hollow shapes directly in the material, these leakage problems are avoided. Manufacturing operations are further simplified.

[7] According to one aspect of the invention, the channel has a seamless inner wall, as a result of the hollowing out of the polymer material by the fluid injected during molding.

[8] According to one aspect of the invention, the channel has a cylindrical shape, at least over part of its length, in particular with a rectangle or oval or round cross section.

[9] According to one aspect of the invention, the polymer-based material in which the channel is formed is bonded to a sheet of polymer-based composite material.

[10] This connection is in particular the result of a molding, in particular overmolding or co-molding, between the material which comprises the channel or channels for the circulation of cooling fluid and this sheet of composite material.

[11] According to one aspect of the invention, the sheet of composite material has an opening and the material which forms the channel passes through this opening so that this channel also passes through this opening of the sheet.

[12] According to one aspect of the invention, the material in which the channel is formed is in the form of a layer which extends over one side of the sheet of composite material.

[13] According to one aspect of the invention, this layer of material and the sheet are flat over at least part of their area.

[14] According to one aspect of the invention, this layer and the sheet has an edge inclined relative to this flat part, and the channel passes through the layer of material on this edge.

[15] According to one aspect of the invention, the channel in the material connects to a fluid connection member, in particular on this inclined edge.

[16] According to one of the aspects of the invention, this fluidic connection member is molded by the material of the layer which comprises the channel. [17] According to one of the aspects of the invention, the layer of material comprises at least two channels resulting from assisted injection, these channels being called parallel over a major part of their length.

[18] According to one aspect of the invention, the compartment has a cooling plate disposed on one side of the sheet of composite material which is opposite to the side of the layer of molded material.

[19] According to one aspect of the invention, the plate is arranged to be traversed by a cooling fluid also circulating in the channels of the molded layer. These channels are in particular feeder channels which respectively supply and evacuate the cooling fluid circulating in the plate. For example, there is a single feeder feed channel and a single feeder evacuation channel. As a variant, several feeder supply and / or evacuation channels can be provided.

[20] According to one of the aspects of the invention, the layer which comprises the feeder channels comprises a connection portion made in one piece with the rest of the layer and which is arranged to be connected to the cooling plate. . This connection portion protrudes through the sheet of composite material.

[21] According to one aspect of the invention, the channels are formed only in the layer of molded material, in other words the channels are not formed by the assembly of two separate layers for example.

[22] According to one aspect of the invention, the layer has grooves to form the channels and reinforcing ribs, in particular in the shape of a honeycomb, for the mechanical reinforcement of the compartment. Other types of reinforcing ribs can be provided, for example parallel ribs.

[23] Thus the molded layer only partially occupies the outer face of the composite sheet, and not all of this face. This molded layer occupies for example less than 50% of the outer face of the sheet, or even less than 25% thereof.

[24] The invention also relates to an electrical energy storage module comprising a plurality of battery cells in particular arranged according to a row, and a compartment as described above, the cells being placed in this compartment in thermal interaction with the cooling plate.

[25] The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a compartment for equipment capable of releasing heat during its operation as described above, the method comprising the step of forming a layer of base material. of polymer, with assisted injection of a fluid to form a channel in this layer.

[26] A further subject of the invention is a compartment for equipment capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for an electrical energy storage device for a motor vehicle, this compartment comprising at least one circulation channel. 'a cooling fluid, characterized in that the channel is connected to a fluidic connection member arranged to be connected to a complementary fluidic connection member, the fluidic connection member of the compartment being arranged at a distance from a point on lower of the compartment, distance chosen so that, when the complementary connection member is connected to this connection member, these two connected members remain in the space between a central axis of the connected members and said lowest point.

[27] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to optimize the overall vertical size of the compartment. This prevents the connection members from overflowing below the compartment, and does not increase the overall height.

[28] According to one aspect of the invention, the lowest point is the point in the compartment which is lowest, along the vertical, when the compartment is mounted in the vehicle.

[29] According to one aspect of the invention, the compartment has a bottom cover and the lowest point is located on the outer face of the bottom cover, this face being notably substantially flat.

[30] According to one of the aspects of the invention, the bottom cover comprises a sheet of composite material based on plastic. [31] According to one of the aspects of the invention, the compartment receives at least one cooling plate arranged to be traversed by a cooling fluid to cool the electrical component, and the bottom cover comprises said channel for the circulation of cooling fluid and this channel is in fluid communication with the cooling plate (s) and assembled with the fluid connection member.

[32] According to one aspect of the invention, the organ for connecting fluid to the canal is a male organ. The complementary connection organ is of the female type.

[33] According to one aspect of the invention, the bottom cover may be formed by two half-shells which, when assembled together, form the coolant channel or channels.

[34] As a variant, the channel or channels are formed by injection of fluid during the operation of molding the bottom cover.

[35] According to one aspect of the invention, the connection member has a fluid inlet or outlet axis parallel to the main plane of the bottom cover.

[36] Thanks to the invention, the connection member is thus sufficiently raised relative to the low point of the bottom cover.

[37] According to one aspect of the invention, each channel has an elbow which forms an angle ANG with respect to the PLOW plane, in particular between 10 ° and 90 °.

[38] Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the detailed description given below, and several embodiments given by way of indication and not by way of limitation with reference to the appended schematic drawings d. on the other hand, on which:

[39] [Fig.1] is a schematic view of a compartment according to an example of the invention, from the side,

[40] [Fig.2] shows the compartment of [Fig.1], in sectional view,

[41] [Fig.3] shows a compartment according to another embodiment of the invention,

[42] [Fig.4] shows the compartment of [Fig.3], in section. [43] There is shown in Figures 1 and 2 an electrical energy storage module 1 comprising a plurality of battery cells, visible in Figure 2, and a compartment 2.

[44] This compartment 2 has two channels 3 for circulating a cooling fluid, visible in Figure 1, which are parallel. This figure 1 shows the lower and outer face of the compartment 2. This compartment 2 defines, with a cover not shown, a housing 5 which contains the battery cells 9. The bottom of this housing 5 is on this compartment 2.

[45] Each channel 3 is obtained by molding a polymer-based material 8, with assisted injection of a fluid, in particular assisted injection of a gas or a liquid, to form this channel 3 in the material to be polymer base.

[46] Each channel 3 has an internal wall 10 without a joint, as the result of the hollowing out of the polymer-based material by the fluid injected during the molding.

[47] Each channel 3 has a cylindrical shape, at least over part of its length, in particular with a rectangle or oval or round cross section.

[48] The polymer-based material 8 in which the channels 3 are formed is bonded to a sheet 11 of polymer-based composite material.

[49] This bond is the result of an overmolding or co-molding between the material which comprises the channels 3 for the circulation of cooling fluid and this sheet 11 of composite material.

[50] The sheet 11 of composite material has openings 13 and the material 8 which forms the channels 3 passes through these openings 13 so that each channel 3 also passes through this associated opening 13 of the sheet 11.

[51] The material 8 in which and formed the channel 3 is in the form of a layer which extends over one side of the sheet of composite material.

[52] The sheet 11 is planar over at least part of its area in a planar region 17.

[53] This layer 8 and the sheet 11 has an inclined edge 15 relative to this flat region 17, and the channel 3 passes through the material layer 8 on this edge 15. [54] Each channel 3 in the material is connected to a fluidic connection member 27, on this inclined edge 15.

[55] Each fluidic connection member 27 is overmolded by the material of layer 8.

[56] Compartment 2 has a cooling plate 20 disposed on one side 21 of the sheet of composite material which is opposite to side 22 of layer 8.

[57] The plate 20 is arranged to be traversed by a cooling fluid also circulating in the channels 3 of the layer 8. These channels 3 are feeder channels which respectively feed and evacuate the cooling fluid circulating in the plate 20. It For example, a single feeder feed channel and a single feeder discharge channel are provided.

[58] The plate 20 is formed of two sub-plates 24 which, once assembled, form a cooling fluid circulation circuit.

[59] Layer 8 comprises connection portions 29 made in one piece with the rest of the layer and which are arranged to be connected to cooling plate 20. This connection portion 29 protrudes through the sheet. composite material and is traversed by the associated channel 3 to bring this channel 3 to the plate 20. This plate 20 is opposite the sheet 11.

[60] Layer 8 comprises grooves 33 to form the channels and reinforcing ribs 34, in particular in the shape of a honeycomb, for the mechanical reinforcement of compartment 2.

[61] The fluid for assisted injection may be water.

[62] Thus, layer 8 only partially occupies the outer face of the composite sheet, and not all of this face. This layer occupies for example less than 50% of the outer face of the sheet 11, or even less than 25% thereof.

[63] The cells 9 are placed in this compartment 2 in thermal interaction with the cooling plate 20.

[64] Each channel 3 has a length of at least 5 cm, in particular at least 10 cm. [65] The composite material of sheet 11 comprises glass fibers, optionally optionally carbon fibers or of another nature, pre-impregnated with a thermoplastic resin.

[66] Compartment 2 has a raised edge 36 around its periphery.

[67] The honeycomb structure 34 is outwardly of the housing 5.

[68] The coolant used in this case can in particular be a liquid coolant based on carbon dioxide, such as R744, for example, 2, 3, 3, 3-tetrafluoropropene (or HFO-1234yf) or 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane (or R-134a). The coolant can also be a nanofluid. The coolant can still be water, possibly including additives.

[69] 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.

[70] The cooling plate 20 forms a heat exchanger included in a cooling circuit, not shown, of the type comprising a compressor and other heat exchangers.

[71] Compartment 2 and battery cells 9 together with other components form an electrical energy storage device 40 for a motor vehicle.

[72] Is described with reference to Figure 3 a compartment 50, substantially similar to the compartment described above, for battery cells, this compartment 50 comprising circulation channels 3 of a cooling fluid identical to those described above.

[73] Each channel 3 is connected to a fluidic connection member 27 of male type arranged to be connected to a complementary fluidic connection member 51 of female type.

[74] The connection member 27 is of the “Quick Connect” type, allowing assembly by simple engagement, faster than screwing for example. [75] The fluidic connection member 27 of the compartment is arranged at a distance X from a lowest point of the compartment, this point being on a PLOW plane.

[76] This distance X is chosen so that, when the complementary connection member 51 is connected to this connection member 27, these two connected members remain in the space between a central axis XCENT of the connected members 27 and 51 and said lowest point on the PLOW plane.

[77] The lowest point is the point in the compartment which is the lowest, along the vertical V, when the compartment is fitted in the vehicle.

[78] The compartment 50 has a bottom cover 52 and the PLOW plane is located on the outer face 55 of the bottom cover 52, this face being substantially plane.

[79] The bottom cover 52 comprises a sheet of plastic-based composite material.

[80] The compartment 50 receives cooling plates 20 arranged to be traversed by a cooling fluid to cool the electrical component, and the channels 3 are in fluid communication with the cooling plates 20 described above and are assembled with the fluid connection member 27 or 51.

[81] The bottom cover 52 can be formed by two half-shells which, when assembled together, form the coolant channel or channels.

[82] Here the channels are formed by injection of fluid during the operation of molding the bottom cover 52, as in the previous example.

[83] The connection member has an XCENT fluid inlet or outlet axis parallel to the main plane of the bottom cover.

[84] Each channel 3 has an elbow 59 which forms an angle ANG with respect to the PLOW plane of between 10 ° and 90 °.

[85] The connection members 51 and 27 are thus raised relative to the PLOW plane of the bottom cover 52. [86] The bottom cover 52 comprises an outer sheet 62 of composite material based on polymer j

Claims

[Claim 1] Compartment (50) for equipment capable of giving off heat during its operation, in particular for a device (40) for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle, this compartment comprising at least one circulation channel (3 ) of a cooling fluid, characterized in that the channel is connected to a fluidic connection member (27) arranged to be connected to a complementary fluidic connection member, the fluidic connection member of the compartment being arranged at a distance from the lowest point of the compartment, distance chosen so that, when the complementary connection member is connected to this connection member, these two connected members remain in the space between a central axis (XCENT) of the connected members and said lowest point.

[Claim 2] A compartment according to the preceding claim, in which the lowest point (PLOW) is the point of the compartment which is the lowest, along the vertical, when the compartment is mounted in the vehicle.

[Claim 3] Compartment according to one of the preceding claims, in which the compartment comprises a bottom cover (52) and the lowest point is located on the outer face (55) of the bottom cover, this face being in particular substantially plan.

[Claim 4] A compartment according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom cover comprises at least one sheet of plastic-based composite material.

[Claim 5] Compartment according to one of the preceding claims, in which the compartment receives at least one cooling plate (20) arranged to be traversed by a cooling fluid to cool the electrical component, and the bottom cover comprises said channel. for the circulation of cooling fluid and this channel is in fluid communication with the cooling plate (s) and assembled with the fluid connection member.

[Claim 6] A compartment according to one of the preceding claims, in which the member for connecting fluid to the channel is a male member (27).

[Claim 7] A compartment according to one of the preceding claims, in which the connection member has a fluid inlet or outlet axis (XCENT) parallel to the main plane of the bottom cover.

[Claim 8] Compartment according to one of the preceding claims, in which each channel (3) has an elbow (59) which forms an angle ANG with respect to the PLOW plane, in particular between 10 ° and 90 °.

[Claim 9] An electrical energy storage device comprising a plurality of battery cells (9) in particular arranged in a row, and a compartment according to one of the preceding claims, the cells being placed in this compartment in thermal interaction with the cooling plate.!