Cooling module for cooling a traction battery

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cooling module for cooling a traction battery of a motor vehicle, comprising an air-cooled heat exchanger and a fan for air cooling of the heat exchanger.

[0002] When charging and operating the traction battery of electric vehicles, waste heat is released in the batteries, which can be dissipated into the environment by a cooling module. Particularly at high operating or charging power levels, as is commonly found in the commercial vehicle sector, this leads to high noise emissions from the rotating fans and the flowing air. In many situations, this noise emissions are disruptive or even unacceptable. If, for example, the traction battery is to be charged within residential areas, the noise emissions emanating from the commercial vehicle must be kept as low as possible, especially during the night. In addition, the commercial vehicle cab partly serves as a sleeping area for the commercial vehicle driver, so the reduction of noise emissions through cooling the traction battery cannot be neglected, even outside of noise-sensitive environments.Since the commercial vehicle cabin is often located in close proximity to the cooling module, the acoustic requirements are particularly high in this case.

[0003] In this regard, DE 10 2019 205 431 A1 describes a cooling device for cooling an electrically driven or drivable motor vehicle, comprising a first and a second heat exchanger, an air duct connecting the first and the second heat exchanger with two diametrically opposed through openings which can be reversibly closed with a first air duct and a second air duct, and a cooling fan arranged fluidically behind the second heat exchanger.

[0004] WO 2021 / 048109 shows a cooling device for a motor vehicle, comprising an outside air duct with at least one inlet on the front of the vehicle and with at least one outlet oriented transversely thereto, as well as with a first air duct formed therebetween with a first heat exchanger and with a radial fan associated therewith.

[0005] DE 10 2019 004 930 A1 relates to a cooling device for a traction battery of a motor vehicle for cooling by means of ambient air, with at least one cooler and at least one fan device, by means of which an air flow flowing through the cooler and having a flow cross-section can be generated, wherein the fan device has at least one fan element which is arranged outside the flow cross-section of the air flow.

[0006] FR 3 113 092 A1 discloses a cooling module for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle. The cooling module is designed to be traversed by an air flow and comprises a set of heat exchangers with multiple exchange surfaces. The exchange surfaces are arranged one behind the other so that they are traversed by the same air flow. The exchange surfaces are connected to each other with a height-to-width ratio of less than 60%.

[0007] The invention is based on the object of creating an improved technology for cooling the traction battery. In particular, the noise emissions caused by cooling should be reduced.

[0008] The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments are specified in the dependent claims and the description.

[0009] According to a general aspect of the invention, a cooling module is provided for cooling a traction battery of a motor vehicle, preferably a commercial vehicle. The cooling module comprises an air-cooled heat exchanger through which a coolant can flow and which can be connected to a coolant circuit. Furthermore, the cooling module comprises a fan for air cooling the heat exchanger, wherein the fan is designed as a radial fan.

[0010] In a radial fan, also known as a radial ventilator or radial blower, the air is sucked in axially, i.e. parallel to the axis of rotation of the impeller. The rotation of the impeller deflects the flowing air and offsets it by 90°, so that the air is blown out radially, i.e. perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the impeller. In another design of radial fan, the air is both sucked in radially and blown out radially. This design is sometimes also referred to as a double radial fan. Whenever a radial fan is mentioned in this document without further specification, both possible designs are explicitly meant. In contrast, with an axial fan, the air is sucked in axially and blown out axially. The advantage of a radial fan over an axial fan is that it produces less noise for the same air throughput.In addition, a radial fan can generate a higher pressure difference.

[0011] By designing the fan as a radial fan, noise emissions can be reduced without having to reduce cooling performance. Preferably, the rotation speed of the radial fan can be adjusted by a controller. This allows the temperature of the traction battery to be regulated.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment, the cooling module can be provided in a single structural unit, e.g., as a pre-assembled component or assembly. This allows for quick and flexible installation of the cooling module anywhere in the motor vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the heat exchanger and the fan can be enclosed in a common housing. Advantageously, a compact design can be realized. The housing offers the possibility of easily attaching the cooling module to its location. For this purpose, the housing can have appropriately designed attachment points, e.g., for accommodating fastening devices. The choice of fastening device, e.g., clamps, screws, or welds, can be flexibly adapted to the respective installation situation. Furthermore, the housing can be used to direct the flow of air. At the same time, the housing offers additional protection against noise emissions.

[0013] The heat exchanger can be arranged upstream of an air inlet opening of the radial fan. Alternatively, the heat exchanger can be arranged downstream of an air outlet opening of the radial fan. Upstream and downstream refer to a position, in this case the position of the heat exchanger, relative to another component from the perspective of the flowing air. If the heat exchanger is located upstream of an air inlet opening of the radial fan, an air particle first flows through the heat exchanger and then through the air inlet opening of the radial fan. Conversely, if the heat exchanger is located downstream, an air particle first flows through the air outlet opening of the radial fan and then through the heat exchanger.

[0014] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the heat exchanger can comprise a first and a second heat exchanger section. The first heat exchanger section is arranged upstream of an air supply opening of the radial fan, and the second heat exchanger section is arranged downstream of an air outlet opening of the radial fan.

[0015] By using a radial fan, a higher pressure difference can be generated than with a comparably sized axial fan. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger section upstream and downstream of the radial fan without significantly impeding the airflow. This provides the flowing air with two heat exchanger sections to dissipate heat to the ambient air, increasing the efficiency of the cooling module.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment, the second heat exchanger section can be arranged in a jacket-like manner around the radial fan. Particularly preferably, the second heat exchanger section can be arranged in a cylindrical shape or in sections cuboid-shaped around the radial fan, or can be arranged only on one side of the radial fan. With a radial fan, the outflowing air is blown out offset by 90° relative to the axis of rotation of the impeller. By arranging the second heat exchanger section around the radial fan, the outflowing air can be introduced into the second heat exchanger section particularly efficiently, with the effective surface area of ​​the heat exchanger being as large as possible thanks to the jacket-shaped design. The various geometric shapes of the second heat exchanger section allow the cooling module to be ideally adapted to the available installation space.

[0017] In a further embodiment, the cooling module can further comprise sound insulation, preferably an acoustic absorber or a sound-absorbing material with which the cooling module is at least partially lined. The rated sound insulation index of the sound insulation is preferably greater than the rated sound insulation index of a simple housing made of simple plastic walls or metal sheets, e.g., preferably greater than 30 dB and particularly preferably greater than 40 dB. A sound-absorbing material can be, for example, a foam, foam glass, or fiber insulation boards. The additional sound insulation can further reduce the noise emissions from the radial fan.

[0018] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the sound insulation can be arranged at an air inlet area of ​​the cooling module and / or at an air outlet area of ​​the cooling module. Since increased sound emissions to the environment occur at these locations, installing sound insulation at these locations is particularly effective.

[0019] In a particularly preferred embodiment, a housing of the cooling module can be soundproofed. Preferably, essentially an entire outer wall of the housing can be soundproofed, for example, lined with a sound-absorbing material. In this way, the noise emissions that would otherwise be caused by oscillations or vibrations of the housing wall can be prevented or at least reduced. "Essential" here means that soundproofing is provided wherever there are no structural requirements that stand in the way. For example, a recess can be provided in the soundproofing for fastening screws or in the area of ​​corners or edges.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the cooling module can further comprise a sound labyrinth arranged at an air inlet area and / or an air outlet area of ​​the cooling module. A sound labyrinth is understood to be an air guiding structure that changes the flow direction of the flowing air, preferably multiple times, by means of obstacles in the flow channel, so that some of the noise emissions are absorbed. For example, the sound labyrinth can create a meandering flow path for the air. The sound labyrinth is particularly effective if the obstacles are also made of sound-absorbing material. The obstruction of the air flow by the additional obstacles in the flow channel is unproblematic due to the improved pressure difference that can be generated by a radial fan.

[0021] In one embodiment, a rotational axis of the radial fan can be parallel to the air inlet direction, or the radial fan can be designed as a double radial blower whose rotational axis is perpendicular to an air inlet direction. In this embodiment, the direction of the air flowing into the cooling module corresponds to the direction in which the air flows into the radial fan. This ensures a particularly efficient airflow into the radial fan.

[0022] According to the invention, a motor vehicle, preferably a commercial vehicle, is provided that is at least partially electrically powered. The motor vehicle has a traction battery and a cooling module for cooling the traction battery according to the above description.

[0023] The motor vehicle is designed to use the cooling module to cool the traction battery during charging at an external charging station. As already described, the requirement for reducing noise emissions generated during charging of the traction battery can be particularly high. The described embodiments of the invention can ensure this reduction in noise emissions.

[0024] The motor vehicle further comprises a further cooling module for cooling a traction battery while the motor vehicle is in operation, which is referred to below as the driving cooling module for ease of differentiation. The driving cooling module comprises an air-cooled second heat exchanger through which a coolant can flow and which can be connected to a coolant circuit, and a second fan for air cooling the heat exchanger, wherein the second fan is designed as an axial fan.

[0025] The driving cooling module can be mounted on the vehicle in such a way that the fan of the driving cooling module is well exposed to the airflow while driving. Especially during faster driving, a large part of the vehicle's noise emissions are caused by the engine and the rolling of the tires on the ground. The noise emissions from cooling the traction battery therefore play a less significant role than is the case when charging at a standstill. An axial fan can be particularly well exposed to the airflow while driving, thus ensuring particularly efficient cooling of the driving cooling module by the airflow. If the rotation speed of the axial fan is designed to be controllable, the temperature of the traction battery can be regulated in this way.

[0026] A cooling circuit or cooling module of the traction battery and the heat exchanger are fluidly connected. The coolant absorbs the heat generated during operation of the traction battery and transfers it to the heat exchanger. The flowing movement of the coolant molecules enables more efficient heat transfer than exclusive heat convection through heat-conducting materials. In addition to typical coolants such as water-glycol mixtures, the coolant can also be designed as a dielectric fluid. These include, for example, oils, refrigerants, or esters, which can cool the battery cells of the traction battery directly, i.e., without cooling plates or similar structures, as part of an immersion cooling system.

[0027] The motor vehicle is designed to cool the traction battery primarily by means of the traction cooling module when the vehicle is in operation, such that the cooling module is not operated or only operates in a supporting manner. When the vehicle is not in operation, the traction battery is cooled primarily by means of the cooling module during the charging process, such that the traction cooling module only operates in a supporting manner.

[0028] In this way, the design of the driving cooling module for ideal cooling of the traction battery while driving and the particularly quiet operation of the cooling module during the charging process are ideally combined. Whether, and if so to what extent, the non-primary module is operated in a supporting capacity can be optimized according to the respective situation. For example, during the charging process the traction battery could be operated exclusively via the quiet cooling module. However, if the radial fan of the cooling module has to be operated at a high speed to achieve the necessary cooling performance, the invention allows the speed of the radial fan to be reduced slightly and, to compensate, the driving cooling module can be switched on to support the cooling module with a low fan speed, so that the overall noise emission is minimized.

[0029] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the motor vehicle can further comprise a cooling circuit for the traction battery, which comprises a circulation pump and a coolant line that partially flows through the traction battery and / or is partially routed through the traction battery and / or is connected to it to provide a coolant supply and removal system. In this case, the heat exchanger of the cooling module is connected to the cooling circuit or to a refrigeration circuit or high-temperature cooling circuit thermally coupled to the cooling circuit.

[0030] A cooling circuit or cooling module of the traction battery and the heat exchanger are fluidly connected via the coolant line. The coolant absorbs the heat from the traction battery and transfers it to the heat exchanger. This eliminates the need for direct contact between the traction battery and the heat exchanger. Instead, the traction battery and the heat exchanger can be located at different locations in or on the vehicle, depending on the specific application. The circulation pump pumps the coolant through the coolant line in the desired flow direction, ensuring efficient heat transfer.

[0031] The circulation pump can preferably be designed to be controllable so that the coolant flow through the coolant line can be regulated, thus providing a further possibility for controlling the temperature of the traction battery.

[0032] A refrigeration circuit typically comprises a compressor pump and an expansion valve, which compress and then expand a refrigerant. The heat exchanger can optionally be coupled to a refrigeration circuit. Coupling the heat exchanger with such a refrigeration circuit makes it possible to cool the temperature of the traction battery below the ambient temperature. For many of the battery types used today, this is particularly advantageous during warm seasons or in generally hot regions, as otherwise the power consumption or power output of the traction battery would have to be reduced. Operating the traction battery within the ideal temperature range can counteract premature aging of the traction battery cells.

[0033] Alternatively or additionally, the heat exchanger can optionally be coupled to a high-temperature cooling circuit. When the heat exchanger is coupled to a high-temperature cooling circuit, there is at least one additional cooling circuit in addition to the coolant circuit or the refrigerant circuit connected to the traction battery. The coupling is typically achieved through additional heat exchangers. This multi-stage design makes it possible to cool other vehicle components, such as a drive motor, in addition to the traction battery, even if these additional components are to be operated at different, for example, higher, temperatures than the traction battery.

[0034] The above-described preferred embodiments and features of the invention can be combined with one another as desired. Further details and advantages of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a cooling module for cooling a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a coolant circuit for cooling a traction battery according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a cooling module for cooling a traction battery 2 of a motor vehicle according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a heat exchanger section of the heat exchanger is located in the air outlet region; Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a cooling module for cooling a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the radial fan is designed as a double radial fan;Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of a cooling module for cooling a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the radial fan is designed as a double radial fan and a heat exchanger section of the heat exchanger is located in the air outlet area; Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of a cooling module for cooling a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the heat exchanger and the radial fan are enclosed by a common housing;and Figure 7 shows a schematic representation of a cooling module for cooling a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the radial fan is designed as a double radial fan, a heat exchanger section of the heat exchanger is located in the air outlet region, and a sound labyrinth is arranged in the air inlet region. ;

[0035] The embodiments shown in the figures correspond at least partially, so that similar or identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals and for their explanation reference is also made to the description of the other embodiments or figures in order to avoid repetition.

[0036] The Figure 1shows a cooling module 1 designed to cool a traction battery 2 of a motor vehicle. The traction battery 2 of a motor vehicle produces heat loss during power consumption or power output. As soon as the temperature exceeds a permissible maximum temperature, this excess heat must be dissipated. For this purpose, the traction battery 2 is coupled to the cooling module 1, for example, via a coolant circuit 4. The heat is absorbed by the heat exchanger 3 of the cooling module 1 and can then be dissipated to the environment.

[0037] For this purpose, cool ambient air flows through the air inlet area 7 into the cooling module 1. The air then hits the heat exchanger 3, which has been heated by the heat loss from the traction battery 2. As it flows through the heat exchanger 3, the air absorbs heat from the heat exchanger 3 and heats up. In the example shown in the figure, the heat exchanger 3 is located upstream of the air inlet opening of the radial fan 5. The heat exchanger 3 can, for example, be a finned radiator made of aluminum or another material with good thermal conductivity. The radial fan 5 conveys the heated air into the air outlet area 10, so that the heat loss is dissipated into the environment. The dashed line shows the axis of rotation of the radial fan 5. The arrows indicate possible direction vectors of the flowing air.

[0038] The use of a radial fan 5 offers the advantage over the typically used axial fan that the radial fan 5 is quieter with the same power, thus reducing noise emissions during operation of the cooling module 1. Furthermore, the radial fan 5 can generate a larger pressure difference between the air inlet area 7 and the air outlet area 10.

[0039] The Figure 2shows a further embodiment of the invention. A traction battery 2 is coupled to the heat exchanger 3 of the cooling module 4 by means of coolant lines 12. A coolant is located in the coolant line 12, which is pumped essentially counterclockwise through the coolant circuit 4 by the circulation pump 12. The coolant absorbs waste heat from the traction battery 2 and then transfers it to the heat exchanger 3. A radial fan 5 conveys ambient air past the heat exchanger 3 or through the heat exchanger 3 in such a way that the ambient air can absorb the waste heat and dissipate it to the environment.

[0040] The rotation speed of the radial fan 5 and the output of the circulation pump 11 can be adjusted by a controller depending on the situation. In this way, the temperature of the traction battery 2 can be regulated to a desired temperature, thus counteracting premature aging of the traction battery 2. The control can be performed by a central vehicle control system, such as an on-board computer, or by a dedicated control unit.

[0041] The Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention. The difference to the Figure 1 The embodiment shown is that the heat exchanger 3 consists of several heat exchanger sections. As shown in the Figure 1The cool ambient air flows through the air inlet area 7 into the first section of the heat exchanger 3 and absorbs the waste heat there. The radial fan in this case is a single-flow radial blower. The air flows along the dashed axis of rotation into the radial fan 5 and is rotated there by approximately 90° by the rotating blades of the radial fan 5. The air then flows into another section of the heat exchanger 3, where it can absorb further waste heat. The possible paths of the flowing air are again indicated by arrows. In contrast to the Figure 1In the variant shown in the figure, the flow direction downstream of the radial fan 5 is blocked along the axis of rotation, so that all of the outflowing air is directed through the second section of the heat exchanger 3. The second section of the heat exchanger 3 can be continuous and completely or partially enclose the radial fan 5 (not shown for reasons of clarity). Alternatively, the second section can consist of several non-connected components, for example several smaller finned radiators. The crucial point is that the first section of the heat exchanger 3 is located upstream of the air inlet opening of the radial fan 5 and the second section is arranged downstream of the air outlet opening of the radial fan 5.

[0042] The Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the radial fan 5 is designed as a double radial fan. As in the Figure 1Ambient air flows along the arrow directions into the air inlet area 7 of the cooling module 1 and absorbs waste heat from the heat exchanger 3. The rotation axis of the double radial fan 5 is again represented by a dashed line. The air heated by the heat exchanger 3 flows perpendicular to the rotation axis into the radial fan 5 and flows out again through the air outlet area 10, also perpendicular to the rotation axis.

[0043] The advantage of a dual radial fan can primarily arise from the optimal utilization of the available installation space in the vehicle. A dual radial fan offers the same advantages over an axial fan as a single radial blower, but is longer along the rotation axis and narrower perpendicular to the rotation axis. Heat exchanger 3 can also be designed accordingly longer and narrower in this design variant, while maintaining the same power rating.

[0044] The Figure 5 shows a variant which essentially combines the Figures 3 and 4 The radial fan 5 is as in Figure 4 designed as a double radial fan. The rotation axis is shown by the dashed line. The difference to Figure 4 is that the heat exchanger 3 is arranged according to the example of Figure 3 a second section of the heat exchanger 3 in the air outlet area 10. Due to the extended design of the double radial fan compared to the single radial blower, the sections of the heat exchanger 3 can also be designed to be long and narrow without reducing the performance of the heat exchanger 3. The second section of the heat exchanger 3 enables improved heat dissipation of heat loss from the traction battery 2 to the ambient air.

[0045] The Figure 6shows an embodiment in which the heat exchanger 3 and the radial fan 5 are enclosed in a common housing 6. The walls of the housing 6 are lined with sound insulation 8. The sound insulation 8 can, for example, be insulating mats made of rubber, Styrofoam, or foam material, which are attached to the housing walls made of metal sheets or plastic walls. Alternatively, the housing itself can be made of a particularly sound-insulating material, such as rigid foam panels. In this case, the rated sound insulation index of the housing material is greater than the rated sound insulation index of a simple housing made of plastic walls or metal sheets, for example, greater than 30 dB and particularly preferably greater than 40 dB.

[0046] The housing 6 allows the cooling module 1 to be attached to the vehicle as a unit, reducing installation effort. Furthermore, the heat exchanger 3 and the radial fan 5 are protected from environmental influences such as moisture or dirt, which could otherwise reduce the effectiveness of the components over time. Furthermore, the flowing air can be easily directed through the housing 6. For this purpose, in the example shown in the figure, a funnel is located at the air outlet 10 of the housing 6. This prevents the warm, escaping air from hitting vehicle components that should be protected from additional heating.

[0047] The sound insulation 8 ensures that sound generated by the flowing air is absorbed. Noise emissions from the flowing air and the rotation of the radial fan 5 thus do not penetrate to the outside, or at least only at a reduced intensity. Furthermore, the sound insulation 8 ensures that oscillations and vibrations of the walls of the housing 6 are avoided, as the housing 6 itself could otherwise become a source of noise. The funnel at the air outlet 10 of the housing 6 can also prevent the escaping air from hitting vehicle components that would be set into oscillation or vibration, thus causing unwanted noise emissions.

[0048] The Figure 7 shows an embodiment that is largely the same as the embodiment of the Figure 5 , wherein the heat exchanger 3 and the radial fan 5 designed as a double radial fan are enclosed by a housing 6. Analogous to the embodiment of the Figure 6 the housing 6 is lined with sound insulation 8 and there is a funnel at the air outlet opening 10 of the cooling module 1.

[0049] Additionally, in the figure shown, a sound labyrinth 9 is arranged at the air inlet opening 7 of the cooling module 1. The arrows indicate that the incoming ambient air is redirected several times by the sound labyrinth 9 before it encounters the first section of the heat exchanger 3. In this way, air can be guided through the cooling module 1 without any significant loss of performance. The sound that is generated, for example, by the flowing air hitting the heat exchanger 3 and that would escape to the outside against the flow direction without the sound labyrinth 9 is kept inside the housing 6 by the wall elements of the sound labyrinth 9. This further reduces the noise emission of the cooling module 1.

[0050] For the sake of clarity, a simple acoustic labyrinth 9 was shown, in which the flowing air is deflected at least twice. However, more complex acoustic labyrinths 9 are also possible, in which the flowing air is deflected more frequently. Furthermore, the use of an acoustic labyrinth in conjunction with the design variant of a double radial fan and a heat exchanger 3 consisting of two sections is intended only as an example. A acoustic labyrinth 9 adapted accordingly to the available installation space can also be used with other design variants of the presented invention.

[0051] The material of the sound labyrinth 9 can also be made entirely or partially of a sound-insulating material. For example, a plastic or metal sheet can be used for shape and stability, which is then covered with a foam for sound absorption. This ensures that sound generated by the flowing air hitting the heat exchanger 3 is absorbed by the sound labyrinth and cannot escape to the outside due to multiple reflections off the walls of the housing 6 and the elements of the sound labyrinth 9.

[0052] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, numerous variants and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the patent claims. List of reference symbols

[0053] 1 Cooling module 2 Traction battery 3 Heat exchanger 4 Coolant circuit 5 Radial fan 6 Housing 7 Air supply opening / air inlet area 8 Sound insulation 9 Sound labyrinth 10 Air outlet opening / air outlet area 11 Circulation pump 12 Coolant line

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, preferably a utility vehicle, which is at least partially electrically powered, comprising: a traction battery (2); a cooling module (1) for cooling the traction battery (2) of the motor vehicle, preferably a utility vehicle, comprising an air-cooled heat exchanger (3) through which a coolant can flow and which can be connected to a coolant circuit (4), and a fan (5) for air cooling of the heat exchanger (3), the fan (5) being configured as a radial fan, the motor vehicle being configured to use the cooling module (1) for cooling the traction battery (2) during charging at an external charging station; and a cooling module for cooling the traction battery (2) when the motor vehicle is in motion, the cooling module comprising: an air-cooled second heat exchanger through which a coolant can flow and which can be connected to a coolant circuit (4), and a second fan for air cooling of the heat exchanger, the second fan being configured as an axial fan, the motor vehicle being configured to cool the traction battery (2) primarily by means of the driving cooling module when the motor vehicle is in the driving mode, in such a way that the cooling module (1) is not operated or is only operated in a supporting manner with respect to the driving cooling module; and when the motor vehicle is not in motion, to cool the traction battery (2) during the charging process primarily by means of the cooling module (1), in such a way that the driving cooling module is only operated in a supporting manner to the cooling module (1), so that the total noise emission is minimised.

2. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cooling module (1) is provided in a structural unit; and / or the heat exchanger (3) and the fan (5) are enclosed by a common housing (6).

3. A motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, the heat exchanger (3) being arranged upstream of an air supply opening of the radial fan (5), or the heat exchanger (3) being arranged downstream of an air outlet opening of the radial fan (5).

4. Aa motor vehicle according to one of the previous claims, wherein the heat exchanger (3) comprises a first heat exchanger section, which is arranged upstream of an air supply opening (7) of the radial fan (5), and a second heat exchanger section, which is arranged downstream of an air outlet opening (10) of the radial fan (5).

5. A motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the second heat exchanger section is arranged around the radial fan (5) in the form of a jacket, is preferably arranged around the radial fan (5) in the form of a cylinder or in sections in the form of a cuboid, or is arranged on only one side of a radial fan (5).

6. A motor vehicle according to one of the previous claims, further comprising a sound insulation (8), preferably an acoustic absorber or a sound-absorbing material, with which the cooling module (1) is at least partially lined.

7. A motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the sound insulation (8) is arranged at an air inlet region (7) of the cooling module and / or is arranged at an air outlet region (10) of the cooling module.

8. A motor vehicle according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a housing (6) of the cooling module is sound-insulated, preferably substantially a complete outer wall of the housing (6) is sound-insulated, for example is lined with a sound-absorbing material.

9. A motor vehicle according to one of the previous claims, further comprising a sound labyrinth (9) arranged at an air inlet area (7) and / or an air outlet area (10) of the cooling module (1).

10. A motor vehicle according to one of the previous claims, wherein an axis of rotation of the radial fan (5) is parallel to the air inlet direction; or the radial fan (5) is configured as a double radial blower, the axis of rotation of which is perpendicular to an air inlet direction.

11. A motor vehicle according to one of the previous claims, further comprising: a cooling circuit (4) for the traction battery (2), which comprises a circulation pump (11), and a coolant line (12) which flows through sections of the traction battery (2) and / or is routed through sections of the traction battery (2) and / or is connected to the latter in order to provide a coolant supply and coolant discharge, the heat exchanger (3) of the cooling module (1) being connected to the cooling circuit (4) or being connected to a refrigeration circuit or a high-temperature cooling circuit that is thermally coupled to the cooling circuit (4).