US 12,237,484 B2
Thermal management structure with fluid channels
Fabrice Chopard, Saint Martin d'Heres (FR); and Clément Blanchard, Amilly (FR)
Assigned to HUTCHINSON, Paris (FR)
Appl. No. 17/272,501
Filed by HUTCHINSON, Paris (FR)
PCT Filed Sep. 2, 2019, PCT No. PCT/FR2019/052012
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/044001, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 5, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1857878 (FR), filed on Aug. 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0320344 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. H01M 10/61 (2014.01); B60L 50/64 (2019.01); B60L 58/26 (2019.01); F28D 20/02 (2006.01); F28F 3/08 (2006.01); H01M 10/0525 (2010.01); H01M 10/613 (2014.01); H01M 10/625 (2014.01); H01M 10/6556 (2014.01); H01M 10/6557 (2014.01); H01M 10/658 (2014.01); H01M 10/659 (2014.01); H01M 50/204 (2021.01); H01M 50/213 (2021.01); H01M 50/227 (2021.01); H01M 50/24 (2021.01); H01M 50/249 (2021.01); H01M 50/289 (2021.01); B60K 6/28 (2007.10)
CPC H01M 10/613 (2015.04) [B60L 50/64 (2019.02); B60L 58/26 (2019.02); F28D 20/02 (2013.01); F28F 3/086 (2013.01); H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); H01M 10/625 (2015.04); H01M 10/6556 (2015.04); H01M 10/6557 (2015.04); H01M 10/658 (2015.04); H01M 10/659 (2015.04); H01M 50/204 (2021.01); H01M 50/213 (2021.01); H01M 50/227 (2021.01); H01M 50/24 (2021.01); H01M 50/249 (2021.01); H01M 50/289 (2021.01); B60K 6/28 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/91 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/92 (2013.01); B60Y 2306/05 (2013.01); F28F 2255/06 (2013.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly comprising:
a vehicle battery including battery cells,
a housing surrounding the vehicle battery, and
several structures for thermally managing the battery, individually comprising a phase change material surrounding a conduit suitable for circulating a fluid, the conduits of the several structures being connected to a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet,
wherein:
said several structures define or line side walls of the housing, on respective first sides of the battery cells, and
the assembly further comprises:
thermal exchange elements through which a thermal exchange fluid adapted to thermal exchange with the battery cells can circulate, the thermal exchange elements being interposed between said first sides of the battery cells and said structures,
in which each phase change material is included in a rigid structuring matrix, so that a first composite body is formed which is self-supporting whatever the phase of the phase change material contained, the first composite body being shaped so as locally to present a depression which defines by itself a first channel wall forming said conduit, and,
in which the structures individually comprise a cover comprising:
a second composite body containing at least one phase change material included in a rigid structuring matrix, such that said second composite body is self-supporting regardless of the phase of the phase change material contained, and/or
a plastic or metal bag which is gas-tight and under partial internal vacuum, having a shape maintained by the internal vacuum, the cover being fixed with the second composite body in a fluid-tight manner,
wherein the first composite body is shaped so as locally to present a series of said depressions, the assembly further comprising a sheath for circulating said fluid, which sheath:
is connected to said fluid inlet and fluid outlet,
integrates several elongated protrusions wedged in said several depressions,
is fixed between the cover and the first composite body,
transverse to a general direction of elongation of the several elongated protrusions, occupies a closed section between 30% and 100% of a cumulative section of said:
cover and
first composite body, and,
transverse to the general direction of elongation, the several elongated protrusions occupy a minor section of the sheath.