Battery cooling device for vehicle and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery cooling device for a vehicle. The device includes a plurality of frames having battery cells mounted thereon and having holes provided in opposite side surfaces of the lower ends of the frames; a tube inserted into the hole; a coolant inlet mounted to a first side surface of the lower end of each of the plurality of frames and communicating with a first end of the tube, into which a coolant is introduced; and a coolant outlet mounted to a second side surface of the lower end of each of the plurality of frames and communicating with a second end of the tube, from which the coolant is then discharged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a battery cooling device for a vehicle and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the battery cooling device having a simplified structure exhibits improved cooling performance using an indirect water cooling method. Background Art

[0002] In general, the importance of batteries has increased due to the development of electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles. Such research on batteries is expanding to research on factors affecting battery efficiency and battery life as well as battery capacity. High-voltage / high-capacity batteries for electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles are generally configured as a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, and a plurality of battery packs are included to constitute the entire battery.

[0003] Since the battery pack is arranged together in a limited narrow space, high heat is generated in the battery pack, which has an adverse effect on the life of the battery. Therefore, a cooling system is required to control the high heat generated in the high-voltage / high-capacity battery used in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. Generally speaking, the high-voltage / high-capacity battery cooling method used in a vehicle is divided into an air cooling method and a water cooling method, and then each method is divided into an indirect cooling method and a direct cooling method.

[0004] At the same time, referring to the prior art Figure 1 , the conventional high-voltage battery cooling method is an indirect water cooling method, which transfers the heat generated in the battery cell 600 to the cooling plate 800 in contact with the battery cell, and the cooling plate transfers the heat to the thermal interface material (TIM) and the water-cooling block 900 to cool the battery cell. However, in the conventional cooling method, the cooling method varies significantly depending on the contact state between the cooling plate, the TIM, and the water-cooling block. Therefore, when assembling the components, uniform contact is required between the battery cell, the cooling plate, the TIM, and the water-cooling block, but due to assembly tolerances, there are limitations in achieving uniform contact when assembling multiple battery cells. Summary of the invention

[0005] Accordingly, the present invention provides a battery cooling device for a vehicle and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the battery cooling device having a simplified structure exhibits improved cooling performance using an indirect water cooling method.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery cooling device for a vehicle may include: a plurality of frames on which battery cells are mounted and having holes arranged in both side surfaces of the lower end of the frames; a tube inserted into the holes; a coolant inlet assembled or mounted on a first side surface of the lower end of each of the plurality of frames and connected to a first end of the tube, and a coolant is introduced into the coolant inlet; and a coolant outlet assembled or mounted on a second side surface of the lower end of each of the plurality of frames and connected to a second end of the tube, and the coolant is discharged from the coolant outlet.

[0007] The battery cooling device may further include: a thermal interface material inlet, which is arranged on the upper side of the hole and in the two side surfaces of the frame, and the thermal interface material having thermal interface characteristics is introduced into the thermal interface material inlet. The thermal interface material inlet may be inclined downward from the two side surfaces of the frame. In addition, the thermal interface material introduced into the thermal interface material inlet may be coated on a portion of the lower end of each battery cell and on the tube. The frame may include a tube support arranged on its lower surface, and the tube support supports the tube inserted into the hole. The battery cooling device may further include a frame cover, which covers the open surface of the frame after stacking a plurality of frames.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a manufacturing method of a battery cooling device for a vehicle may include: providing a plurality of frames, the frames having holes provided in both side surfaces of the lower end of the frames, and having a thermal interface material inlet provided on the upper side of the holes, wherein a thermal interface material having thermal interface properties is introduced into the thermal interface material inlet; inserting a tube into the hole of each frame; mounting battery cells onto the plurality of frames; stacking the plurality of frames on which the battery cells are mounted; and covering the open surfaces of the stacked frames with a frame cover. The manufacturing method may further include: introducing the thermal interface material into the thermal interface material inlet; and hardening the thermal interface material after covering the open surfaces of the stacked frames with the frame cover.

[0009] According to the present invention, a battery cooling device can integrate a frame with a water-cooling block having a cooling flow path by forming holes in opposite side surfaces of a lower end of the frame and inserting tubes into the holes, which simplifies the structure of the battery cooling device, further reduces manufacturing costs and improves energy density compared to conventional battery cooling devices.

[0010] In addition, in the battery cooling device according to the present invention, when a plurality of frames are stacked to form a battery module, the tubes, the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet can form a cooling flow path in the battery module, so that the battery cooling device of the present invention has a simpler configuration and reduced manufacturing cost compared to a conventional battery cooling device which requires an additional cooling block including a cooling flow path in addition to the battery module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional high-voltage battery cooling method according to the prior art;

[0013] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery cooling device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 3 is a detailed view of a battery cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a frame of a battery cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a battery unit mounted to a frame in a battery cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a thermal interface material introduced into an inlet of the thermal interface material after a battery cell is mounted to a frame in a battery cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing heat transfer performed when a battery cell in a battery cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention generates heat; and

[0019] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a battery cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] It is understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicle-related" or other similar terms used herein generally include motor vehicles, such as passenger cars including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles; watercraft including various boats and ships, and aircraft, etc., and include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuels from non-petroleum resources). As mentioned herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle with two or more power sources, such as a vehicle that has both gasoline power and electric power.

[0021] The terms used herein are only used to illustrate specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates. It is further understood that when "including" and / or "comprising" are used in this specification, it refers to the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or combinations thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0022] Hereinafter, a battery cooling apparatus for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery cooling device for a vehicle; Figure 3 is a detailed view of the battery cooling arrangement; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a frame of a battery cooling device; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a battery unit mounted on a frame; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a thermal interface material (TIM) introduced into a TIM inlet after mounting a battery cell to a frame. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing heat transfer performed when heat is generated in a battery cell.

[0024] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the battery cooling device 10 for a vehicle according to the present invention may include a plurality of frames 100, tubes 200, coolant inlets 300, and coolant outlets 400, and may further include a TIM inlet 500. In particular, the frame 100 may include a battery cell 600 mounted thereon. Figure 4 As shown, the frame 100 may include holes 130 provided in opposite side surfaces of the lower end thereof. Each tube 200 may be inserted into the hole 130 provided in the opposite side surfaces of the lower end of the frame 100.

[0025] The pipe 200 as a heat pipe can be used as a cooling flow path that enables the coolant to flow. Therefore, the battery cooling device can integrate the frame 100 and the water-cooling block having the cooling flow path by forming the hole 130 in the opposite side surface of the lower end of the frame 100 and inserting the pipe 200 into the hole 130, which simplifies the structure of the battery cooling device, thereby further reducing the manufacturing cost compared with the conventional battery cooling device.

[0026] In addition, the frame 100 may include a tube support 110 provided on the lower surface of the frame 100. As described above, the tube 200 may be inserted into each hole 130 provided in the opposite side surfaces of the lower end of the frame 100, and the tube support 110 may be provided at the middle position of the lower surface of the frame, and thus the tube 200 inserted into the frame 100 may be more reliably supported. In addition, since the tube support 110 may be provided at the middle position of the lower surface of the frame 100 while the tube 200 is inserted into the hole 130 provided in the first side surface of the frame 100, the tube support 110 may guide the tube 200 to be more effectively inserted into the hole 130 provided in the second side surface of the frame 100.

[0027] In addition, the frame cover 140 may cover the opposite side surfaces of the frame 100 after stacking a plurality of frames 100, thereby preventing foreign matter from being introduced into each battery cell 600 from the outside. When heat is generated in the battery cell 600, a coolant may be introduced into each coolant inlet 300 to cool the battery cell 600, and each coolant inlet 300 may be mounted to the first side surface of the lower end of the frame 100. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the coolant inlet 300 may be mounted to and combined with the first side surface of the frame 100 by bolting. However, this is merely an exemplary embodiment implemented according to the present invention, and the coolant inlet 300 may be assembled or mounted to the first side surface of the frame 100 in various ways.

[0028] In addition, the coolant inlet 300 may be communicated with the first end of the tube 200 inserted into the hole. Figure 6 As shown, when the coolant is introduced into the coolant inlet 300, the coolant may be introduced into the first end of the tube 200 connected to the coolant inlet 300, and when the coolant introduced into the first end of the tube 200 flows through the tube 200, the coolant may absorb heat transferred from the battery cell 600 to the TIM 700, and thus may indirectly cool the battery cell 600.

[0029] Each coolant outlet 400 may be assembled or mounted to the second side surface of the lower end of the frame 100. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the coolant outlet 400 may be assembled or mounted to the second side surface of the frame 100 by bolting. However, this is merely an exemplary embodiment implemented according to the present invention, and the coolant outlet 400 may be mounted to the second side surface of the frame 100 in various ways. In addition, as Figure 3 As shown, after the coolant is introduced into the coolant inlet 300 , the coolant may be introduced into the first end of the tube 200 communicating with the coolant inlet 300 , and the coolant introduced into the first end of the tube 200 may flow through the tube 200 , and then may be discharged from the coolant outlet 400 communicating with the second end of the tube 200 .

[0030] Therefore, if Figure 3 As shown, when a plurality of frames 100 are stacked to form a battery module, the tube 200, the coolant inlet 300 and the coolant outlet 400 can form a cooling flow path in the battery module. Thus, compared with a conventional battery cooling device that requires an additional cooling block including a cooling flow path in addition to the battery module, the battery cooling device of the present invention has a simpler configuration and reduced manufacturing costs.

[0031] like Figure 4 As shown, the TIM inlet 500 can be disposed on the upper side of the hole 130 (e.g., at a position in the frame at a higher height than both the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet; above the position of the hole relative to the end of the frame), and disposed on the opposite side surface of the frame 100, and the TIM 700 having thermal interface characteristics is introduced into the TIM inlet. In other words, the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet are disposed closer to the end of the frame than the TIM inlet. In particular, the TIM 700 can be a thermal adhesive having the characteristics of a thermal interface and an adhesive. Figure 4 As shown, the TIM inlet 500 may be inclined downward from opposite side surfaces of the frame 100. Figure 5 and Figure 6 , after the battery cell 600 is mounted on each of the plurality of frames 100 and each of the plurality of frames 100 is stacked, the TIM 700 may be introduced into the TIM inlet 500, and then the TIM 700 may be applied to a portion of the lower end of the battery cell 600 and the tube 200, and by tilting the TIM inlet 500 downward from the opposite side surface of the frame 100, the TIM 700 may be more uniformly applied to the battery cell 600 and the tube 200.

[0032] At the same time, refer to Figure 7 , a process of cooling a battery cell by a battery cooling device for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described. First, when heat is generated in a battery cell 600, the heat may be transferred from the battery cell 600 to the TIM 700 coated on the lower end of the battery cell 600, and then the heat may be transferred to the tube 200 coated with the TIM 700. In addition, the battery cooling device may cool the battery cell 600 using an indirect water cooling method through a coolant circulation process in which the coolant is introduced into the coolant inlet 300, flows through the tube 200, and is discharged from the coolant outlet 400.

[0033] Figure 8 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing a battery cooling device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8As shown, the manufacturing method may include: providing a plurality of frames, the frames having holes provided in opposite side surfaces of the lower ends of the frames, and having a TIM inlet provided on the upper side of the holes to introduce a TIM having thermal interface characteristics into the TIM inlet; inserting a tube into the holes of each frame; mounting battery cells onto the plurality of frames; stacking the plurality of frames on which the battery cells are mounted; and covering the open surfaces of the stacked frames with frame covers, and may further include introducing the TIM into the TIM inlet and hardening the TIM after covering the open surfaces of the stacked frames with the frame covers.

[0034] At the same time, the technical features in each step of the manufacturing method of the battery cooling device for a vehicle according to the present invention and the technical features of cooling the battery cells by the battery cooling device for a vehicle manufactured according to the steps of the above-mentioned manufacturing method are the same as the technical features of the battery cooling device for a vehicle as described above, so their detailed description will be omitted.

Claims

1. A battery cooling device for a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of frames, wherein each of the plurality of frames has a battery cell mounted thereon, and each frame has holes disposed in left and right side surfaces of a lower end thereof; a plurality of tubes, each of the plurality of tubes being inserted into the holes provided in the left side surface and the right side surface of the lower end of each frame, respectively; a coolant inlet mounted to a first side surface of a lower end of each of the plurality of frames and communicating with a first end of each tube, a coolant being introduced into the coolant inlet; and a coolant outlet mounted on a second side surface of a lower end of each of the plurality of frames and communicating with a second end of each tube, the coolant being discharged from the coolant outlet, and further comprising: a thermal interface material inlet disposed on an upper side of the hole and disposed in the left and right side surfaces of the frame, Wherein, a thermal interface material having thermal interface characteristics is introduced into the thermal interface material inlet.

2. The battery cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal interface material inlet is inclined downward from the left side surface and the right side surface of the frame.

3. The battery cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal interface material introduced into the thermal interface material inlet is coated on a portion of the lower end of each of the battery cells and the tube.

4. The battery cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame includes a tube support provided on a lower surface thereof, the tube support supporting the tube inserted into the hole.

5. The battery cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame cover covers the open surfaces of the frames after the plurality of frames are stacked.

6. The battery cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tube, the coolant inlet, and the coolant outlet form a cooling flow path in the battery module.

7. A method for manufacturing a battery cooling device for a vehicle, comprising: providing a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames having holes provided in the left side surface and the right side surface of the lower end thereof, and having a thermal interface material inlet provided at the upper side of the hole, wherein a thermal interface material having thermal interface properties is introduced into the thermal interface material inlet; inserting a tube into the hole of each frame; mounting a battery cell to each of the plurality of frames; stacking the plurality of frames on which the battery cells are mounted; as well as The open surfaces of the laminated frames are covered with frame covers.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, further comprising: introducing the thermal interface material into the thermal interface material inlet; as well as The thermal interface material is hardened after covering the open surface of the laminated frame with the frame cover.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The thermal interface material inlet is formed to be inclined downward from the left and right side surfaces of the frame.

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