Cooler for a battery, use of plastic tubes in a cooler, and battery with at least one cooler

Abstract

A cooler for a battery, in particular of a vehicle, comprising several plastic tubes (12) which run substantially parallel to each other and are connected to at least one collector (20), wherein the collector (20) is formed by at least one frame part (16), characterized in that at least two rubber plates (14) are provided in the area of ​​the connection between the collector (20) and the plastic tubes (12), wherein the plastic tubes (12) are layered between the at least two rubber plates (14) and pressure is exerted on the at least two rubber plates (14) by the plastic tubes (12) and the at least one frame part (16).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The invention relates to a cooler for a battery, the use of plastic tubes in a cooler for a battery, and a battery with at least one such cooler.

[0002] Batteries or accumulators, such as those used in electric or hybrid vehicles, heat up under certain conditions, such as during charging. They therefore need to be cooled. STATE OF THE ART

[0003] EP 0 596 778 A1 discloses a battery with lateral chambers through which coolant can be circulated. A cooler for a battery is also known from DE 10 2012 217 876 A1, DE 10 2012 217 870 A1 and US 2013 / 0 171 491 A1. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention is based on the objective of providing measures for improved cooling of batteries.

[0005] This problem is solved, firstly, by the cooler described in claim 1.

[0006] Accordingly, this device comprises several plastic tubes which, as described in more detail below, are comparatively thin and / or have a comparatively thin wall thickness. It should be noted that initial publications from BRNO University of Technology (e.g., Raudenský, M., Astrouski, I., & Bozova, T. (2016). Polymeric Hollow Fiber Heat Exchangers. WIT Transactions on Engineering Sciences, 106, 95. https: / / doi.org / 10.2495 / HT160101, ISBN 978-1-78466-109-0) exist regarding the use of such tubes in engine coolant radiators for vehicles. However, this application differs considerably from that of the present invention, in which thin plastic tubes or hoses are used to cool a battery, in particular individual cells thereof.

[0007] Such tubes are particularly advantageous in the context of the invention because they require comparatively little space and simultaneously have a particularly large contact area, thus enabling particularly good cooling. Furthermore, the elasticity of the plastic tubes can be used to great advantage in connection with the invention, since batteries and their cells change in size when heated, especially during charging, and these dimensional changes can be accommodated by the elasticity of the plastic tubes. In other words, the plastic tubes participate in the dimensional changes, and no impairment of function is to be feared even with repeated dimensional changes.

[0008] Furthermore, the invention offers the advantage that impurities, particularly electrically conductive impurities such as metal particles or particles from other materials, which can occur during the manufacture of conventional metal heat exchangers, can be reliably avoided in the cooling fluid, especially the cooling water circuit. This is particularly advantageous for applications such as those in fuel cell vehicles. High demands are placed on purity and low electrical conductivity in these applications, which cannot be guaranteed by conventional coolers made of soldered aluminum components. In particular, no electrical insulation measures are required. Compared to these known coolers, the invention also offers the advantage of significantly simplifying both the assembly of a cooled battery and, if necessary, its disassembly and / or dismantling.Furthermore, the cooler according to the invention has a comparatively low weight.

[0009] The plastic tubes are arranged essentially parallel to each other to define a specific flow direction. When "the plastic tubes" are mentioned above and below, it should be understood that the measures described preferably apply to all plastic tubes; however, the stated advantages are also achieved if the measures are applied to the majority of the plastic tubes, some of them, or, in extreme cases, at least one plastic tube.

[0010] In particular, applications are also conceivable in which several plastic tubes are arranged in a grid-like pattern, i.e., intersecting each other. Good cooling performance is also expected in this case.

[0011] To supply the numerous plastic tubes with cooling fluid, they are connected to at least one collector, which is preferably formed by at least one frame part.

[0012] For sealing purposes, it has proven advantageous to provide at least one, preferably two, rubber plates at the connection between two frame parts, between which the ends of the tubes are layered. Preferred embodiments of the cooler according to the invention are described in the further claims.

[0013] With regard to the dimensions of the plastic tubes, an outer diameter of 0.3 to 1.2 mm, especially 0.4 to 1.0 mm, is currently considered advantageous.

[0014] This applies equally to a wall thickness of 0.04 to 0.12 mm, in particular 0.05 to 0.1 mm, which ensures sufficient heat transfer.

[0015] The plastic tubes can be made from a polymer such as polypropylene, polycarbonate or polytetrafluoroethylene and produced by extrusion.

[0016] It should be noted that this type of connection between numerous plastic tubes and a collector, namely mounted between rubber plates, is independent of the use of the cooler or heat exchanger according to the invention for cooling a battery. In other words, such a connection for any heat exchanger is to be considered the subject of the present disclosure.

[0017] As already evident from the foregoing, the invention can also be applied to the use of plastic tubes in a cooler for a battery, particularly in a vehicle. This allows the aforementioned advantages to be achieved. It should be noted here that all the measures described above and below can be advantageously employed in this application, and vice versa. In other words, all features described for the use according to the invention can also be used in the cooler and the battery or cell combined therewith.

[0018] The invention ultimately consists of a battery with at least one cooler in one of the embodiments described above or below.

[0019] As mentioned, it is advantageous for cooling performance if numerous plastic tubes are in contact with the surface of the battery or one of its cells.

[0020] For an efficient and at the same time well cooled design, it is advantageous if the battery cells are stacked horizontally and / or vertically, and for cooling, it is advantageous in this case if cooler tubes are provided between at least two cells.

[0021] For an integral construction, it is currently preferred that the frame parts mentioned above, between which the tube ends are typically located, so that they flow into collectors formed between two frame parts, are screwed together. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0023] They show: Fig. 1 an exploded view of part of a cooled battery according to the invention, Fig. 2 a part of a cooled battery according to the invention, Fig. 3 an exploded view of part of a cooled battery according to the invention, Fig. 4 a top view of a part of a cooled battery according to the invention, Fig. 5 a section through a part of a cooled battery according to the invention, Fig. 6 a plastic tube in cross-section, and Fig. 7 an alternative orientation of numerous plastic tubes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a part of a battery according to the invention with several battery cells 10 arranged side by side, thus forming a layer of battery cells 10. It should already be mentioned at this point, and this is particularly evident from the Fig. Figures 2 to 5 show that several such layers of battery cells 10 can be present in a battery. In the case shown, the illustrated part of a battery according to the invention is essentially rectangular in plan view and cuboid in 3D. The aforementioned shapes apply accordingly to the frame parts and rubber plates described below.

[0025] According to the invention, the cooling of the respective battery cells 10 is effected by numerous plastic tubes 12, which in the illustrated embodiment run parallel to each other (according to Fig. 1 largely from bottom to top) and are provided in contact with the surfaces of the battery cells 10. As explained in more detail below, in the embodiment shown, the plastic tubes 12 are layered between two suitably designed, frame-shaped rubber plates 14, one of which is located in the upper region of the Fig. 1 only one is recognizable. In the assembled state, another such rubber plate and an additional frame part 16 are present above the plastic tubes 12, as is the case in the middle area of ​​the Fig. 1 is recognizable.

[0026] As especially from Fig. As can be seen from Figure 3, the plastic tubes 12 are layered between the two rubber plates 14 and the two frame parts 16, and the two or more frame parts are connected by the in Fig. The two visible screws 18 are screwed together so tightly that, as explained in more detail below, a collector can be formed between two frame parts 16, from which a cooling fluid, for example cooling water, can flow into the numerous parallel plastic tubes 12. On the opposite side, the plastic tubes open into another collector which consequently serves to drain the cooling fluid. The collectors preferably extend along all the existing plastic tubes and, in the case shown, along the long sides of the rectangle that forms the ground plan of the shown part of a battery. At the ends, the collectors 20 have enlargements 24, which are better described in Fig. 5 are recognizable. Outside the collectors 20, the frame parts 16 can be connected in such a way that a seal 26, which is formed by the rubber plates 14 (see also Fig. 4) is formed, is inserted into a step of the respective frame part 16.

[0027] To Fig. It should also be mentioned that the frame part is essentially rectangular and houses the battery cells 10 arranged side by side. The rubber plates 14 have a corresponding shape, in other words a rectangular shape with recesses for the plastic tubes, the fastening screws and the collectors.

[0028] In Fig. Figure 2 shows the assembly, with the upper first frame part removed, which, like all other frame parts 16, can also be made of metal. While the middle frame parts 16 have a height (from top to bottom in the figures) that essentially corresponds to the height of the individual battery cell 10, the uppermost and lowermost frame parts can have a lower height, as they only serve to press the plastic tubes against the surface of the battery cells 10 and to close the collector.

[0029] In Fig. Figure 3 also shows the structure without the uppermost frame part, and the "placed" arrangement of the plastic tubes 12 on the uppermost rubber plate 14 is visible. In contrast, in the middle area of ​​the Fig. 3 the layering between two rubber plates 14 is shown.

[0030] In Fig. Figure 4 shows the assembled structure of a portion of the battery according to the invention. The frame part 16 with a collector 20 and its extension 24 can be seen on the left and lower sides. A rubber plate 14 is placed on top of this, in which the collector 20 including its extension 24 and fastening openings 28 for the screws 18 are located (see Figure 4). Fig. 2) are recessed. In the state shown, numerous plastic tubes 12 are placed on the rubber plate 14, and the battery cell 10 to be cooled is located beneath these. In the assembled state, another rubber plate 14 is placed on the plastic tubes 12, as shown by Fig. 3 recognizable.

[0031] This is further explained by Fig. 5, in which the collector 20 formed by two frame parts 16 is also visible, from which the cooling fluid can flow into and be received by the plastic tubes 12. From the left area of ​​the Fig. Figure 5 further shows how the battery cells 10 are stacked on top of each other, and the plastic tubes 12 are arranged between them for cooling.

[0032] In Fig. Figure 6 shows a cross-section of a plastic tube used within the scope of the invention. Although the invention is not limited to this, the cross-section is essentially circular and has an outer diameter D between 0.4 and 1.0 mm and a wall thickness A of 0.05 to 0.1 mm.

[0033] Finally, in Fig. 7 an alternative, namely grid-shaped arrangement of numerous plastic tubes 12 shown, which can be combined with suitable lateral collectors, and for which a good cooling effect is also expected.

Claims

[1] A cooler for a battery, in particular of a vehicle, comprising several plastic tubes (12) which are substantially parallel to each other and are connected to at least one collector (20), wherein the collector (20) is formed by at least one frame part (16), characterized by , that in the area of ​​the connection between collector (20) and the plastic tubes (12) at least two rubber plates (14) are provided, wherein the plastic tubes (12) are layered between the at least two rubber plates (14) and pressure is exerted on the at least two rubber plates (14) by the plastic tubes (12) and the at least one frame part (16). [2] Cooler for a battery according to claim 1, characterized by , that the plastic tubes (12) have an outer diameter (D) of 0.3 to 1.2 mm, in particular 0.4 to 1.0 mm. [3] Cooler for a battery according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the plastic tubes (12) have a wall thickness (A) of 0.04 to 0.12 mm, in particular 0.05 to 0.1 mm. [4] Cooler for a battery according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the plastic tubes (12) are made of a polymer such as polypropylene, polycarbonate or polytetrafluoroethylene and / or extruded. [5] Cooler for a battery according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the plastic tubes (12) are integrated with their ends into a frame, preferably made of plastic. [6] Use of plastic tubes (12) in a cooler for a battery, according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, in particular of a vehicle. [7] Battery, in particular of a vehicle, with at least one cooler according to at least one of claims 1 to 5. [8] Battery according to claim 7, characterized bythat the plastic tubes (12) are in contact with a surface of a battery or battery cell (10) thereof. [9] Battery according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by , that battery cells (10) are stacked therein, and that plastic tubes (12) are located between the battery cells (10). [10] Battery according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by , that frame parts (16) of the battery are screwed together and thereby fastened to each other.

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