A structural thermal battery mounting and cooling system for commercial electric vehicles

Abstract

A structural thermal battery support and cooling system (100) for electric commercial vehicles, comprising: a. a load-bearing structural base body made of a thermally conductive material, configured so that it can be mounted directly onto a vehicle chassis; b. at least one internal fluid conduit formed within the structural body and configured to circulate a temperature control medium; c. a load-bearing top surface provided on the structural body to support one or more battery modules; and d. integrated chassis interface elements designed as part of the structural body to enable direct mechanical coupling with the vehicle's longitudinal frame members, wherein the walls defining the at least one internal fluid conduit are configured to act as structural stiffening ribs that support the mass of one or more battery modules while simultaneously allowing heat transfer between the battery modules and the temperature control medium, so that the system (100) handles both the structural load transfer and the active thermal management of the battery modules within a single integrated assembly.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to technologies for integrating batteries into electric vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to a structural and thermal battery support and cooling system for commercial electric vehicles, such as electric trucks, buses, and heavy-duty transport platforms.

[0002] The transition of heavy commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses to electrification has led to the introduction of large, high-capacity traction battery packs, often weighing between 500 kg and 4,000 kg. Integrating such heavy battery systems into commercial vehicle chassis presents significant mechanical, thermal, and packaging challenges, particularly under long-haul operating conditions with continuous vibration, high loads, and extreme temperature cycling. Conventional battery integration architectures typically follow a stacked design approach, where a steel or composite mounting frame is first attached to the vehicle chassis, then a separate liquid cooling plate is installed within the frame, and finally the battery modules are mounted on the cooling plate. While this approach is widely used, it has several inherent limitations.First, the use of separate structural frames and cooling plates significantly increases non-functional weight, commonly referred to as tare weight. In heavy-duty vehicles, this directly reduces payload capacity and overall vehicle efficiency. Second, the presence of multiple bolted interfaces increases susceptibility to vibration-induced loosening, fatigue, and mechanical failure, which, over extended service life, can lead to loss of structural integrity or coolant leakage. From a thermal perspective, conventional stacked systems create a thermal bottleneck due to multiple layers of material between the battery cells and the coolant. Under high-performance conditions, particularly during megawatt-scale fast charging, these thermal resistances result in delayed heat dissipation, uneven temperature distribution, and accelerated battery aging.Furthermore, the spatial separation between structural and thermal components increases the overall installation height, exacerbating space constraints along the vehicle chassis where space is shared with air tanks, drive components, and auxiliary systems. In addition, existing systems often rely on externally routed cooling lines and exposed interfaces, which are vulnerable in side impacts or underbody collisions, increasing the risk of coolant leakage and battery safety risks. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved solution that eliminates redundancies between structural mounting and thermal management, reduces system weight, increases thermal efficiency, improves vibration resistance, and optimizes chassis packaging.

[0003] To solve this problem, the present invention offers a structural thermal battery mounting and cooling system for commercial electric vehicles.

[0004] The system overcomes the limitations of conventional battery mounting and cooling architectures.

[0005] The system simultaneously provides structural support and active thermal management for high-mass battery packs, eliminating the need for separate mounting frames and cooling plates.

[0006] The system reduces the overall weight of battery integration assemblies in heavy commercial vehicles by eliminating redundant structural components, thereby improving the vehicle's payload capacity and energy efficiency.

[0007] The system improves thermal performance by providing a direct heat path between the battery modules and a coolant circuit network, thereby reducing thermal resistance, minimizing temperature gradients, and enabling efficient heat dissipation during high-power operation and megawatt-scale fast charging.

[0008] The system improves mechanical reliability and vibration resistance by reducing the number of bolted interfaces and fasteners, thereby minimizing the risk of loosening, material fatigue, and coolant leakage under long-distance operating conditions.

[0009] The system optimizes the space requirement along the vehicle chassis by reducing the vertical stacking height and the space required for battery installation, thus enabling better integration with other vehicle subsystems.

[0010] The system improves crash safety through integrated reinforced structural zones that protect internal coolant channels and battery modules in side impacts or underbody collisions.

[0011] The system can be manufactured using extrusion, additive manufacturing or hybrid processes, enabling scalability, cost efficiency and adaptability for different commercial vehicle platforms.

[0012] The present invention relates to a structural thermal battery support and cooling system for commercial electric vehicles, in particular heavy-duty trucks and buses, in which structural load-bearing and thermal management functions are integrated into a single, unified system. The invention eliminates the conventional stacked architecture, which includes separate mounting frames and cooling plates, thereby reducing system weight, mechanical complexity, and thermal resistance. The system comprises a load-bearing structural base body made of a thermally conductive alloy, preferably aluminum, configured to be mounted directly to the longitudinal frame member of a commercial vehicle.The base body comprises one or more internal fluid channels arranged within the structure, with the channel walls simultaneously acting as structural stiffening ribs capable of supporting battery packs weighing between approximately 500 kg and 4,000 kg. The battery modules are mounted directly onto a precision-machined top surface of the base body, separated only by a thin thermal interface material, thus establishing a direct thermal connection between the battery cells and the coolant circulating within the internal channels. This configuration significantly reduces the thermal path length, improves temperature uniformity, and enables efficient heat dissipation during high-power operation and megawatt-scale fast charging.The system also includes integrated chassis interface features such as flanges or eyelets, which are formed as part of the base body to enable direct mechanical coupling to the vehicle frame without secondary supports. Reinforced deformation zones enhance crash safety by protecting the coolant circuit during impact events. By combining structural support, thermal management, and chassis integration in a single multifunctional system, the invention achieves weight reduction, improved thermal efficiency, increased vibration resistance, optimized packaging space, and enhanced operational reliability, making it particularly suitable for the installation of high-performance batteries in commercial electric vehicles.

[0013] The present invention relates to a structural and thermal battery support and cooling system for commercial electric vehicles, in particular heavy-duty trucks and buses, in which the traditionally separate functions of battery mounting, structural load transfer, and thermal management are integrated into a single, unified system. The system comprises a load-bearing structural base body formed from a high-strength, thermally conductive alloy, preferably aluminum, and configured to be mounted directly to the longitudinal chassis rails of a commercial electric vehicle, thereby serving as the primary mechanical interface between the vehicle frame and one or more traction battery modules. The base body is designed to support battery pack masses typically ranging from about 500 kg to 4.The structure can withstand 000 kg of static and dynamic loads encountered during long-distance operation, braking, cornering, and road vibrations. The structural core incorporates numerous internal fluid channels extending throughout the core. These channels are configured to circulate a temperature control medium, such as a water-glycol coolant, to regulate the operating temperature of the battery modules. The inner walls of the fluid channels are dimensioned and geometrically arranged to act as structural stiffening ribs or I-beam-like elements, resulting in a high area moment of inertia and enabling the core to withstand bending, shear, and torsional loads without significant deformation.By configuring the fluid lines as load-bearing elements, the system eliminates the need for a separate steel mounting frame and an independent cooling plate, resulting in a significant reduction in non-functional weight and mechanical complexity. A precision-machined top surface of the base body forms a load-bearing and thermally conductive interface for the direct mounting of the battery modules. The battery modules are positioned over a thin layer of highly conductive thermal interface material on the top surface, establishing a direct thermal connection between the battery cells and the coolant circulating in the internal lines.This configuration significantly reduces the thermal path length compared to conventional stacked assemblies, improves temperature uniformity throughout the battery pack, and enables efficient heat dissipation during high-performance operation, including megawatt-range fast charging. The increased surface area provided by the internal fins further enhances heat transfer while also contributing to mechanical rigidity. The system also incorporates integrated chassis interface features such as machined flanges or eyelets, which are designed as an integral part of the structural body and configured for direct bolting to the vehicle chassis's longitudinal members.This direct coupling reduces the number of fasteners and interfaces, thereby improving vibration resistance, minimizing fatigue-related failures, and increasing long-term mechanical reliability under the demanding operating conditions of commercial vehicles. Furthermore, the base body can incorporate reinforced deformation zones positioned between chassis interfaces and internal fluid lines. These deformation zones are configured to absorb impact energy in side impacts or underbody collisions, while simultaneously protecting the coolant circuits from rupture.

Claims

[1] A structural thermal battery support and cooling system (100) for electric commercial vehicles, comprising: a. a load-bearing structural base body made of a thermally conductive material, configured so that it can be mounted directly onto a vehicle chassis; b. at least one internal fluid conduit formed within the structural body and configured to circulate a temperature control medium; c. a load-bearing top surface provided on the structural base to support one or more battery modules; and d. integrated chassis interface elements designed as part of the structural body to enable direct mechanical coupling with the vehicle's longitudinal frame members, wherein the walls defining the at least one internal fluid conduit are configured to act as structural stiffening ribs that support the mass of one or more battery modules while simultaneously allowing heat transfer between the battery modules and the temperature control medium, so that the system (100) handles both the structural load transfer and the active thermal management of the battery modules within a single integrated assembly. [2] System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the structural base body is formed from an aluminium alloy of the 6000 or 7000 series. [3] System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the structural base body is produced using an extrusion process, an additive manufacturing process or a combination thereof. [4] System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the internal fluid line is configured to circulate a liquid coolant comprising a water-glycol mixture. [5] System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the walls defining the internal fluid channel have a thickness in the range of about 3 mm to 8 mm and are arranged to provide a high area moment of inertia. [6] System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the internal fluid conduit is arranged in a meandering, serpentine or counterflow pattern to maintain a temperature gradient of less than 5 K across the supporting top surface. [7] System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the supporting top surface is precision manufactured to ensure direct contact with the battery modules through a thin thermal interface material. [8] System (100) according to claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material is a highly conductive pad, a paste or a phase change material. [9] System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to support battery pack masses in the range of about 500 kg to 4,000 kg.

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