Cooling plate, battery disconnect unit, and drive system

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling plate (10) for cooling at least one element (12), in particular a plurality of elements (12), of a power electronics device (14) of a battery disconnection unit (16) for disconnecting a battery unit (18) from at least one consumer (20) of a drive system (22), comprising a first plate (24), a second plate (26), the nozzle plate (28) has at least one nozzle opening (30), in particular a plurality of nozzle openings (30), the nozzle plate (28) being arranged between the first plate (24) and the second plate (26), a first flow chamber (32) being arranged between the first plate (24) and the nozzle plate (28), and a second flow chamber (34) being arranged between the second plate (26) and the nozzle plate (28), the first flow chamber (32) and the second flow chamber (34) are fluidly connected via at least one nozzle opening (30) of the nozzle plate (28).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a cooling plate having the features of independent claim 1 , a battery disconnect unit having the features of independent claim 6 , and a drive system having the features of independent claim 10 . Background Art

[0002] According to the prior art, a battery disconnect unit (BDU) is used to connect or disconnect the battery of an electric vehicle according to the operating state. The three aforementioned BDU configurations are generally used:

[0003] 1. Fuses and relays

[0004] 2. High temperature fuses and relays

[0005] 3. Fuses, high temperature fuses and relays

[0006] When relays and circuits using silicon carbide-based semiconductors (AMB components) are combined for use in BDUs, these components must be actively cooled because these semiconductors have a high heat flux density and, therefore, a high temperature due to their compact structure. This cooling is achieved, for example, using a cooling plate through which a coolant flows. Here, according to the prior art, cooling plates made of aluminum sheets in a brazing process can be used. Depending on the requirements with regard to the current to be switched and the power losses in the form of heat, these cooling plates can be equipped with additional water fins (internal plug-ins) to increase the cooling power. In a cooling plate constructed in this way, the AMB components and the chips on the AMB components are cooled sequentially (seriesll) from below.

[0007] The AMB (active metal brazing) assembly itself consists of a lower copper layer, an intermediate layer made of ceramic material for electrical insulation and an upper copper layer to which the individual chips (silicon carbide) are connected by means of a sintering process. The AMB assembly is connected with its lower copper layer in a materially bonded manner to the cooling plate in order to achieve optimal heat transfer from the AMB assembly to the cooling plate via the water fins into the cooling fluid.

[0008] Here, high demands are placed not only on the selection of the internal plug-in, but also on the volume flow of the coolant and its maximum permissible temperature. The goal is to cool the semiconductors efficiently and to ensure that the temperature distribution of the individual chips on the AMB assembly is as uniform as possible relative to each other. A uniform temperature distribution between the individual chips leads to a higher reliability of the AMB assembly and increases the safety of the BDU.

[0009] Since the chips are flowed through sequentially from below due to the structural type in this cooling plate design, the requirement of as uniform a temperature distribution as possible between the individual chips on the AMB assembly can only be achieved within a limited range. Summary of the invention

[0010] The above-mentioned object is achieved by a cooling plate having the features of independent claim 1, a battery disconnect device having the features of independent claim 6 and a drive system having the features of independent claim 10. Further advantages and details of the invention are obtained from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings. The features and details relating to the cooling plate according to the invention naturally also apply to the battery according to the invention and / or the drive system according to the invention and vice versa, so that the disclosure of the various aspects of the invention can be referred to one another.

[0011] A first aspect of the invention is a cooling plate for cooling at least one element, in particular a plurality of elements, of a power electronics system of a battery disconnect unit for disconnecting a battery cell from at least one consumer of a drive system. The cooling plate comprises a first plate, a second plate and a nozzle plate with at least one nozzle opening, in particular a plurality of nozzle openings.

[0012] Here, the nozzle plate is arranged between the first plate and the second plate. In addition, a first flow chamber is arranged between the first plate and the nozzle plate and a second flow chamber is arranged between the second plate and the nozzle plate. Here, the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber are fluidically connected via at least one nozzle opening of the nozzle plate.

[0013] During operation, a coolant flows through the cooling plate. For this purpose, nozzle openings are provided so that the coolant flows from the first flow chamber into the second flow chamber, wherein the flow is deflected in this region so as to flow first toward the second plate. It is therefore particularly advantageous to arrange the components of the power electronics of the battery disconnect unit that need to be cooled in the region of at least one nozzle opening.

[0014] To produce a fluid-tight cooling plate, the first plate can be fluid-tightly connected to the nozzle plate and the nozzle plate can be fluid-tightly connected to the second plate. It is also conceivable that the first plate is fluid-tightly connected to the second plate and the nozzle plate is arranged between the first and second plates.

[0015] Particularly advantageous are cooling plates in which the material of the first plate and the second plate is a thermally conductive material, in particular aluminum.

[0016] Depending on the size of the component to be cooled by the cooling plate, the distance between the first plate and the second plate relative to one another or the distance between the first plate and the nozzle plate or the distance between the nozzle plate and the second plate is selected such that the required flow velocity or turbulence for removing heat occurs on the second plate. At the same time, the nozzle openings are selected such that no cavitation occurs in the region of the nozzle openings or no erosion occurs at stagnation points of the flow in the region of the second plate.

[0017] Due to the flow from the first flow chamber via the nozzle opening into the second flow chamber, impingement jet cooling is produced, with which a particularly high heat transfer from the component to the coolant in the cooling plate can be achieved. In this way, the components of the power electronics that need cooling can be operated at high power or more powerful power electronics can be used.

[0018] By means of the cooling plate, parallel cooling of the individual components of the power electronics of the battery disconnect unit that need to be cooled can be achieved, thereby obtaining a uniform temperature distribution over all components that need to be cooled. The cooling plate can thus extend the service life of the components of the power electronics and thus increase the safety of the battery disconnect unit.

[0019] Such a cooling plate is easy to manufacture, since the first plate and the second plate can be produced by a stamping and forming process. Thus, their shape and depth can be adjusted according to the required flow rate.

[0020] It may be advantageous within the scope of the present invention that the first flow chamber has a coolant distribution area with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet area, wherein the coolant outlet area has at least one flow branch, preferably at least two flow branches, further preferably n flow branches, wherein n is a natural number between 3 and 100.

[0021] The coolant distribution area is designed in this case so that the coolant is evenly distributed over the cross section of the first flow chamber after entering through the coolant inlet. For example, the coolant distribution area can be designed in a V-shape or a U-shape, wherein the coolant inlet is arranged in the narrowest area of ​​the shape, so that the flow in the coolant distributor must be distributed in a fan shape.

[0022] The coolant outlet region corresponds to the region where the coolant flows from the first flow chamber via at least one nozzle opening of the nozzle plate into the second flow chamber and thus out of the first flow chamber. The coolant outlet region can consist of at least one flow branch. It is particularly advantageous if at least two flow branches are provided.

[0023] It is conceivable within the scope of the present invention that the second flow chamber has a coolant collecting area with a coolant outlet and a coolant inlet area, wherein the coolant outlet area has at least one flow branch, preferably at least two flow branches, further preferably n flow branches, wherein n is a natural number between 3 and 100.

[0024] The coolant collecting area is designed so that the coolant from the coolant inlet area is collected in order to be fed to the coolant outlet. Here, the coolant collecting area can be designed, for example, in a V-shaped or U-shaped manner, wherein the coolant outlet is arranged in the narrowest area of ​​the shape, so that the fluid in the coolant distributor must be collected.

[0025] The coolant inlet region corresponds to the region in which the coolant flows from the first flow chamber via at least one nozzle opening of the nozzle plate into the second flow chamber and thus enters the second flow chamber. The coolant inlet region of the second flow region can consist of at least one flow branch. It is particularly advantageous if at least two flow branches are provided.

[0026] If both the first flow region and the second flow region have at least two flow branches, when producing the battery disconnect unit, one component or a certain number of components of the power electronic device or a ceramic substrate with at least one component of the power electronic device can be distributed to each flow branch, so that a uniform inrush current can be generated on the components. And thus a uniform temperature distribution can be produced. In this case, it must be noted that the coolant distribution area distributes the coolant so that it can flow evenly to the flow branches. If exactly two flow branches are provided, the cooling plate can be called a double-channel cooling plate.

[0027] If at least two flow branches or multiple flow branches are provided in the first flow region and / or the second flow region, connecting pieces are provided between the flow branches or flow channels of the first plate, and these connecting pieces are connected to the nozzle plate in a material-locked manner. It is particularly advantageous here that the first flow region and the second flow region have the same number of flow branches. Such connecting piece or these connecting pieces are preferably used to support the internal pressure of the coolant in the nozzle field area and prevent the cooling plate from being deformed due to the internal pressure. In this way, it is possible to reliably prevent the welded components from being damaged due to deformation. In addition, the connecting piece on the upper plate reliably separates the two parallel nozzle fields from each other and prevents the two nozzle fields from influencing each other in terms of flow technology. In addition, the connecting piece on the lower plate reliably separates the two parallel inflow areas from each other and prevents the two inflow areas from influencing each other in terms of flow technology.

[0028] It is particularly advantageous here if the fluid outlet region and the fluid inlet region are arranged overlapping.

[0029] Within the scope of the invention, it can be provided that the first flow chambers of the first plate and the second flow chambers of the second plate have the same volume and / or the same shape and / or the first flow chambers of the first plate are symmetrically designed and / or the second flow chambers of the second plate are each symmetrically designed.

[0030] The same volume and / or the same shape of the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber result in a continuous flow through the cooling plate due to the same flow ratios.

[0031] Additionally or alternatively, it is conceivable that the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber are each symmetrically configured. This not only facilitates the production of the first plate or the second plate, but also facilitates the formation of flows in the first flow chamber of the first plate and the second flow chamber of the second plate. The first plate and the second plate can also be arranged more easily relative to each other.

[0032] It is also conceivable to provide at least one guide plate in the first flow chamber of the first plate in order to produce an identical flow or flow in at least two flow branches or to produce a uniform flow through the nozzle openings of the nozzle plate.

[0033] It is also conceivable that the first plate and the second plate are arranged in a rotationally mirror-symmetrical manner relative to one another.

[0034] It is particularly advantageous for a rotationally mirror-symmetrical arrangement if the corresponding flow branches of the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber are arranged so as to overlap. In this case, the overlap does not only mean that the fluid outlet region of the first flow chamber overlaps the fluid inlet region of the second flow chamber, but also that the corresponding flow branches are arranged one above the other. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber have the same volume and the same shape, since this allows the flow ratios in the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber, but in particular in the fluid outlet region and the fluid inlet region, to be optimally balanced.

[0035] A second aspect of the present invention is a battery disconnect unit for disconnecting a battery cell from at least one consumer, the battery disconnect unit having a cooling plate according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least one ceramic substrate and at least one element of a power electronic device. In this case, the at least one ceramic substrate is arranged on the outer side of at least one flow branch of the second plate, wherein the at least one element of the power electronic device is arranged on the at least one ceramic substrate, and wherein the at least one nozzle opening of the nozzle plate is arranged below the at least one element of the power electronic device.

[0036] Such a battery disconnect unit can provide optimal cooling for at least one component of a power electronic device arranged on a ceramic substrate. In this case, the nozzle opening is arranged so that the fluid flowing from the first flow chamber into the second flow chamber has its stagnation point on the inside of the second plate but below the at least one component of the power electronic device, so that the heat can be optimally discharged at this point. This can also be referred to as impingement beam cooling and allows parallel cooling of at least one power electronic component, in particular at least two power electronic components, on the ceramic substrate. This results in a uniform temperature distribution.

[0037] It is also conceivable that the number of nozzle openings of the nozzle plate corresponds to the number of components of the power electronics that need to be cooled.

[0038] It is particularly advantageous here if the corresponding nozzle openings are arranged on the ceramic substrate below the corresponding components of the power electronics that need to be cooled. The longitudinal spacing of the nozzle field thus corresponds to the longitudinal spacing of the components on the ceramic substrate, that is, the distance between the nozzle openings of the nozzle plate corresponds to the distance between the components on the power electronics.

[0039] An impinging beam is thus formed beneath each component of the power electronics arranged on the cooling plate, so that their heat can be discharged individually.

[0040] Optionally within the scope of the invention, the cooling plate can also be connected via a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet to a cooling unit or a cooling unit of a consumer or a cooling unit of a battery cell.

[0041] The cooling plate of the battery disconnect device can be arranged in a closed cooling circuit. The cooling circuit can be consistent with an existing cooling unit of the consumer or drive system battery unit, so that the cooling plate can be connected to the cooling unit by means of a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet.

[0042] It is particularly cost-effective since no additional structural elements are required.

[0043] In this regard, additional and additional cooling units are also conceivable, which are provided for cooling the power electronics, so that certain temperatures can be preset or generally generated and can be operated independently of other devices.

[0044] Within the scope of the invention, a battery interface for electrical connection to a battery cell and a consumer interface for electrical connection to a consumer may also be provided.

[0045] The battery interface and the consumer interface are particularly advantageous for simple connection to the battery unit or the consumers of the drive system. In this case, the consumer interface or the battery interface can be provided for controlling and regulating the battery disconnect unit or the battery unit and the consumers by means of the battery disconnect unit. Of course, a consumer interface or a battery interface for data communication is also conceivable, which forwards certain data (such as temperature or coolant flow) to the control unit.

[0046] A third aspect of the invention is a drive system having a battery cell, a consumer and a battery disconnect unit according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the battery cell and the battery disconnect unit are electronically connected to one another via a battery interface, and wherein the consumer and the battery disconnect unit are connected to one another via a consumer interface.

[0047] Advantages described in detail with respect to one aspect of the invention also apply to other aspects of the invention.

[0048] The drive system includes the above-mentioned battery disconnect device and its advantages. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are obtained from the following description, in which several embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the features mentioned in the claims and the description may be essential elements of the invention or essential elements in any combination. Here, the invention is shown in the following figure:

[0050] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a cooling plate according to the invention is shown in cross section.

[0051] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a battery disconnect unit according to the invention is shown in cross section. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a drive system according to the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Figure 1 1 shows a cooling plate 10 for cooling at least one element 12, in particular a plurality of elements 12, of a power electronics 14 of a battery disconnect unit 16 for disconnecting a battery cell 18 from at least one consumer 20 of a drive system 22. The cooling plate 10 comprises a first plate 24, a second plate 26 and a nozzle plate 28 with at least one nozzle opening 30, in particular a plurality of nozzle openings 30. The nozzle plate 28 is arranged between the first plate 24 and the second plate 26, wherein a first flow chamber 32 is arranged between the first plate 24 and the nozzle plate 28, and a second flow chamber 34 is arranged between the second plate 26 and the nozzle plate 28. As indicated by means of arrows, the first flow chamber 32 and the second flow chamber 34 are fluidically connected via the at least one nozzle opening 30 of the nozzle plate 28.

[0053] The first flow chamber 32 has a coolant distribution region 36 with a coolant inlet 38 and a cooler outlet region 40. The coolant outlet region 40 is arranged in the region of the nozzle opening 30 of the nozzle plate 28 and has at least one flow branch 42, here two flow branches 42.

[0054] The second flow chamber 34 has a coolant collecting region 44 with a coolant outlet 46 and a cooler inlet region 48. The coolant outlet region 40 is arranged in the region of the nozzle opening 30 of the nozzle plate 28 and has at least one flow branch 42, here two flow branches 42.

[0055] In operation, coolant may flow from coolant inlet 38 to coolant distribution area 36. The fluid may flow in a Figure 1 The coolant is expanded in the V-shaped coolant distribution area 36 shown in the figure and flows into two flow branches of the cooler outlet area 40, so as to flow into the flow branch of the coolant inlet area 48 of the second plate 26 through the nozzle openings 30 of the nozzle plate 28. Based on this, the coolant is collected in the V-shaped coolant collecting area 44 and flows out of the cooling plate 10 through the coolant outlet 46.

[0056] Here, in Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, the first flow chamber 32 of the first plate 24 and the second flow chamber 34 of the second plate 26 have the same volume and the same shape and are each symmetrically configured. Therefore, the first plate 24 and the second plate 26 also have the same shape and are each symmetrically configured and can therefore be manufactured simply and cost-effectively.

[0057] In order to produce an optimal throughflow, the first plate 24 and the second plate 26 are arranged in a rotationally mirror-symmetrical manner relative to each other. Here, the corresponding flow branches are arranged overlapping, that is, the coolant inlet area 48 of the second flow chamber and the coolant outlet area 40 of the first flow chamber are arranged directly above each other.

[0058] Figure 2 The battery disconnect unit 16 is shown in FIG. 1 for disconnecting the battery cell 18 from at least one consumer 20, which has a battery disconnect unit according to Figure 1 The cooling plate 10 , at least one ceramic substrate 50 and at least one component 12 of the power electronic device 14 are described.

[0059] Here, at least one ceramic substrate 50 is arranged on the outer side 58 of at least one flow branch 42 of the second plate 26. At least one component 12 of the power electronic device 14 is arranged on the at least one ceramic substrate 50. In the current embodiment, a plurality of components 12 of the power electronic device 14 are arranged on the ceramic substrate 50. Here, the number of nozzle openings 30 of the nozzle plate 28 corresponds to the number of components 12 of the power electronic device 14 that need to be cooled. The nozzle openings 30 of the nozzle plate 28 are arranged below the components 12 of the power electronic device 14, so that during operation, the components 12 are flowed from below in order to quickly and efficiently remove heat.

[0060] For this purpose, the nozzle opening distance AD ​​between the individual nozzle openings 30 of the nozzle plate 28 also corresponds to the component distance AB between the individual components 12 of the power electronic device 14 on the ceramic substrate 50 .

[0061] The cooling plate 10 is connected to a cooling unit 52 via a coolant inlet 38 and a coolant outlet 46. Of course, the cooling plate can also be connected to a cooling unit 52 of a consumer 20 or a cooling unit 52 of a battery cell 18.

[0062] Furthermore, the battery disconnect unit 16 has a battery interface 54 for an electrical connection to the battery cell 18 and a consumer interface 56 for an electrical connection to the consumer 20 .

[0063] Figure 3 The drive system 22 is shown in FIG. 1 , which has a battery unit 18 , a consumer 20 and a Figure 2 The battery disconnect unit 16 of FIG. 1 is provided. In this case, the battery cell 18 and the battery disconnect unit 16 are electronically connected to one another via a battery interface 54 , and the consumer 20 and the battery disconnect unit 16 are connected to one another via a consumer interface 56 .

Claims

1. A cooling plate (10) for cooling at least one element (12), in particular a plurality of elements (12), of a power electronics (14) of a battery disconnect unit (16), the battery disconnect unit being used to disconnect a battery cell (18) from at least one consumer (20) of a drive system (22), the cooling plate comprising: The first plate (24), a second plate (26), and a nozzle plate (28) having at least one nozzle opening (30), in particular a plurality of nozzle openings (30), in, The nozzle plate (28) is arranged between the first plate (24) and the second plate (26), wherein a first flow chamber (32) is arranged between the first plate (24) and the nozzle plate (28), and a second flow chamber (34) is arranged between the second plate (26) and the nozzle plate (28), wherein the first flow chamber (32) and the second flow chamber (34) are fluidically connected via at least one nozzle opening (30) of the nozzle plate (28).

2. The cooling plate (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The first flow chamber (32) has a coolant distribution area (36) with a coolant inlet (38) and a coolant outlet area (40), wherein the cooler outlet area (40) has at least one flow branch (42), preferably at least two flow branches (42), and further preferably n flow branches (42), wherein n is a natural number between 3 and 100.

3. The cooling plate (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The second flow chamber (34) has a coolant collecting area (44) with a coolant outlet (46) and a coolant inlet area (48), wherein the cooler outlet area (40) has at least one flow branch (42), preferably at least two flow branches (42), and further preferably n flow branches (42), wherein n is a natural number between 3 and 100.

4. The cooling plate (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The first flow chamber (32) of the first plate (24) and the second flow chamber (34) of the second plate (26) have the same volume and the same shape, and / or The first flow chamber (32) of the first plate (24) is designed symmetrically and / or the second flow chamber (34) of the second plate (26) is designed symmetrically.

5. The cooling plate (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The first plate (24) and the second plate (26) are arranged in a rotationally mirror-symmetrical manner relative to one another.

6. A battery disconnect unit (16) for disconnecting a battery unit from at least one consumer (20), the battery disconnect unit comprising: The cooling plate (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, at least one ceramic substrate (50), At least one component (12) of a power electronic device (14), wherein: The at least one ceramic substrate (50) is arranged on the outer side (58) of at least one flow branch (42) of the second plate (26), and at least one element (12) of the power electronic device (14) is arranged on the at least one ceramic substrate (50), and at least one nozzle opening (30) of the nozzle plate (28) is arranged below the at least one element (12) of the power electronic device (14).

7. The battery disconnect unit (16) according to claim 6, characterized in that The number of nozzle openings (30) of the nozzle plate (28) corresponds to the number of components (12) of the power electronics (14) that need to be cooled.

8. The battery disconnect unit (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The cooling plate (10) can be connected via the coolant inlet (38) and the coolant outlet (46) to a cooling unit (52) or a cooling unit (52) of the consumer (20) or a cooling unit (52) of the battery cell (18).

9. The battery disconnect unit (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A battery interface (54) for electrical connection to the battery unit (18) and a consumer interface (56) for electrical connection to the consumer (20) are provided.

10. A drive system (22) comprising a battery unit (18), a consumer (20) and a battery disconnect unit (16) according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein: The battery unit (18) and the battery disconnect unit (16) are electronically connected to one another via the battery interface (54), and the consumer (20) and the battery disconnect unit (16) are connected to one another via the consumer interface (56).

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