US 12,418,062 B2
Immersion cooling systems directing coolant flow between battery cells and cooling components internal and external to battery packs
Peter Paul Andruskiewicz, IV, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Kristopher A. Thor, Novi, MI (US); Chih-hung Yen, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US); David R. Clark, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI (US); and M. Saif Siddiqui, Troy, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/589,358.
Prior Publication US 2023/0246266 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 10/6568 (2014.01); B60L 58/26 (2019.01); H01M 10/613 (2014.01); H01M 10/625 (2014.01); H01M 10/63 (2014.01); H01M 10/643 (2014.01); H01M 10/6556 (2014.01); H01M 10/6557 (2014.01); H01M 10/6567 (2014.01); H01M 50/213 (2021.01)
CPC H01M 10/6568 (2015.04) [B60L 58/26 (2019.02); H01M 10/613 (2015.04); H01M 10/625 (2015.04); H01M 10/63 (2015.04); H01M 10/643 (2015.04); H01M 10/6556 (2015.04); H01M 10/6557 (2015.04); H01M 10/6567 (2015.04); H01M 50/213 (2021.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal control system comprising:
a battery pack comprising
a plurality of battery cells that are cylindrically-shaped and extending vertically,
an outer housing configured to enclose and immerse the plurality of battery cells in a coolant, wherein the outer housing comprises a plurality of walls including side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall,
a support structure for supporting the plurality of battery cells, wherein the support structure includes a plurality of dividing members separating the plurality of battery cells, and
a planar structure disposed above or below the plurality of battery cells,
wherein
a gap exists between a planar surface of the planar structure and a planar surface of one of the top wall and the bottom wall of the outer housing for flowing the coolant between the planar structure and the one of the top wall and the bottom wall,
the planar structure and at least some of the plurality of walls direct the coolant to flow across and between the plurality of battery cells, and
the planar structure and the plurality of walls direct the coolant to flow i) first across tops or bottoms of the plurality of battery cells and then laterally between the plurality of battery cells before exiting the outer housing, or ii) first laterally between the plurality of battery cells and then across the tops or the bottoms of the plurality of battery cells before exiting the outer housing;
a cooling circuit comprising the battery pack and a swirl pot, wherein the swirl pot is configured to perform fluid deaeration;
a sensor coupled to the swirl pot, the battery pack or another component of the cooling circuit and configured to monitoring a state of the thermal control system; and
a control module is configured to detect a thermal runaway event based on an output of the sensor and, perform a countermeasure in response to detecting the thermal runaway event.