TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR COOLING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal regulation device, particularly a cooling device, for an electrical component capable of generating heat during operation, specifically a cooling device for at least one battery or battery cells of a motor vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a thermal regulation device as defined in the preamble to claim 1, and as illustrated in document WO2018109368.

[0002] Vehicle batteries, particularly those for electric or hybrid vehicles, must be maintained at the desired temperature as much as possible, which is why so-called vehicle battery cooling devices are used. These cooling devices consist of cooling plates through which a coolant flows. Cooling devices are known in which two plates are fixed together to form channels for the coolant. EP patent 2 828 922 B1 describes such a device.

[0003] Patent application WO12126111 describes a battery cell cooling device comprising a pair of complementary plates, the pair of complementary plates together forming a flow passage having an inlet end, an outlet end and grooves or ribs along the length of the flow passage.

[0004] The invention aims to provide improved thermal regulation devices.

[0005] The invention thus proposes a regulation device as defined by claim 1.

[0006] The corners of the trapezoid can be rounded.

[0007] The heat transfer fluid can be a refrigerant, in particular a fluid chosen from the following refrigerants R134a, R1234yf or R744 or a water / ethylene glycol mixture.

[0008] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to choose these disturbing elements, for example of several different types with different spacing distances, to create, in the flow, turbulences suitable to achieve a desired heat exchange coefficient to cool the components to the desired temperature.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, the lateral disruptive element protrudes from the side wall.

[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the lateral disruptive element has a base which extends over the side wall, without extending onto the bottom wall.

[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the background disturbing element protrudes from the bottom wall.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, the background disruptive element has a base that extends over the bottom wall, without extending onto the side wall.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, the disturbing elements each have a free end, namely they have a chosen height so that they do not come into contact with an opposite wall of the channel.

[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the lateral disruptive element has a substantially cylindrical shape or a boss shape.

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the background disruptive element has a chevron shape, comprising two branches joining together at a vertex.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, this background disturbing element is oriented so that the fluid flow first encounters the apex and is directed on either side of the two branches of the chevron.

[0017] Thus, the fluid can be accelerated by this background disturbance.

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the channel is provided with a plurality of lateral disturbing elements and a plurality of background disturbing elements.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the lateral disturbing elements are present on both side walls, in particular by forming pairs of lateral disturbing elements facing each other, on either side of the bottom wall.

[0020] Alternatively, the lateral disruptive elements of one row are arranged alternately with the disruptive elements of the other row.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, each side wall is provided with a row of lateral disruptive elements, in particular spaced from each other by a constant pitch in each row.

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, these lateral disruptive elements are all identical in the row.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the channel has a row of background disturbing elements, in particular spaced apart from each other by a constant pitch.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, the channel has a row of background disturbing elements, in particular spaced from each other by a variable pitch.

[0025] This advantageously allows an evolutionary step enabling the adaptation of the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) along the flow.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, these background disruptive elements are all identical in the row.

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the rows of lateral disturbance elements are offset from the row of background disturbance elements so that, following the direction of the rows, the background disturbance elements are located between two consecutive pairs of lateral disturbance elements, in particular equidistant from the two consecutive pairs of lateral disturbance elements or at different distances from the consecutive pairs.

[0028] In other words, the background disturbing elements are not aligned with the neighboring lateral disturbing elements.

[0029] This allows for a high heat exchange coefficient, without excessively worsening pressure losses, thanks to this alternation of zones of turbulence creation (due to lateral disturbing elements) and zones of fluid acceleration (due to background disturbing elements).

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the distance D, measured along a longitudinal direction, between one of the background disturbing elements and the neighboring lateral disturbing element, respects the following relationship: dp-L / (2 tan(a / 2)) <D<L / (2 tan(a / 2))

[0031] According to one aspect of the invention, the distance D, measured along a longitudinal direction, between one of the background disturbing elements and the neighboring lateral disturbing element, complies with the following more generic formula to also incorporate the possibility of an evolving pitch and / or evolving chevron shape: dp i , i + 1 − L 2 tan a i 2 < D < L 2 tan a i 2 where the index i refers to the channel bottom dimple located upstream of the flow and, the index i+1, to the consecutive dimple located downstream of the flow, dp is the pitch between the bottom disturbance elements, L the width of the channel bottom wall, and a the angle at the apex of the chevron shape.

[0032] This relationship results in the lateral disturbing elements being behind the triangle formed by the chevron-shaped background disturbing element.

[0033] Thus the fluid is accelerated by the bottom chevron-shaped disturbance element, then turbulence is generated in the flow by means of the lateral disturbance elements, at a sufficient distance from the top of the chevron.

[0034] The invention allows for an optimized heat exchange coefficient.

[0035] According to one aspect of the invention, the disruptive elements are made on a straight section of the channel.

[0036] According to one aspect of the invention, the canal comprises a succession of straight sections connected to each other by bends.

[0037] According to one aspect of the invention, the thermal regulation device comprises a plurality of channels, in particular arranged parallel to each other, and the channels are provided with disturbing elements arranged as described above.

[0038] According to one aspect of the invention, the thermal regulation device comprises an upper plate and a lower plate assembled, in particular by brazing, with the upper plate to together form the plurality of circulation channels for the heat transfer fluid.

[0039] According to one aspect of the invention, the upper plate is substantially flat so as to be in thermal contact with the components to be cooled.

[0040] According to one aspect of the invention, the disruptive elements are produced on the lower plate, in particular by stamping, pressing or metal additive manufacturing.

[0041] According to one aspect of the invention, the trapezoids of the channel contours are isosceles trapezoids.

[0042] According to one aspect of the invention, the modules to be cooled have a rectangular base.

[0043] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising at least two electrical components capable of releasing heat during its operation, in particular at least one electrical energy storage module, and a thermal regulation device as described above arranged to cool these components placed respectively on the thermal regulation device.

[0044] The module is, for example, a battery pack for an automobile.

[0045] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, and the accompanying drawings, among which: there [ Figure 1 ] illustrates, schematically and partially, a thermal regulation device according to an example of an embodiment of the invention; the [ Figure 2 ] illustrates, schematically and partially, a cross-section of the lower plate of the device of the [ Figure 1 ], there [ Figure 3 ] illustrates, schematically and partially, the arrangement of the disturbing elements of a channel of the device of the [ Figure 1 ].

[0046] We have represented on the figure 1 assembly 1 comprising a module 2 of battery cells to be cooled, of a motor vehicle.

[0047] The battery cells include, for example, a plurality of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for use in a hybrid vehicle. In another embodiment, the plurality of battery cells are Li-ion batteries for use in a battery electric vehicle.

[0048] The assembly 1 further includes a thermal regulation device 10 arranged to cool the cells of module 2, which are in thermal contact with a top plate of the cooling device 10, as explained below.

[0049] The thermal regulation device 10 comprises an upper plate 11, a lower plate 12 assembled with the upper plate 11 to together form a plurality of circulation channels 14 for a heat transfer fluid, here a refrigerant chosen from the following refrigerants R134a, R1234yf or R744.

[0050] Plates 11 and 12 are made of aluminum.

[0051] As can be seen on the figure 2 , the circulation channels 14 for the heat transfer fluid each have, in cross-section, a contour 15 substantially in trapezoid with two lateral walls 16 and a bottom wall 17, this bottom wall 17 corresponding to a small base of the trapezoid.

[0052] The channel 14 is provided, on its lateral walls 16, with a plurality of lateral disturbance elements 18 of the flow of the heat transfer fluid in this channel 14, and, on the bottom wall 17, with a plurality of bottom disturbance elements 19.

[0053] These disruptive elements 18 and 19 are distant from each other.

[0054] The 20 corners of the trapezoid can be angular or rounded.

[0055] Each lateral disturbing element 18 protrudes from the lateral wall 16, and has a base 21 which extends over the lateral wall 16, without overflowing onto the bottom wall 17.

[0056] Each background disturbing element 19 protrudes from the background wall 17, and has a base 22 which extends over the background wall 17, without overflowing onto the side walls 16.

[0057] The disturbing elements 18 and 19 respectively each have a free end 23 and 24 respectively, namely they have a chosen height so that they do not come into contact with an opposite wall of the channel.

[0058] Each lateral disturbing element 18 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a circular base 21, to generate turbulence in the fluid flow.

[0059] Each background disturbance element19 has a chevron shape, comprising two branches 25 joining together at a vertex 26, oriented so that the fluid flow first encounters the vertex 26 and is directed on either side of the two branches 25 of the chevron, to locally cause an acceleration of the heat transfer fluid flow.

[0060] The lateral disturbing elements 18 are present on both lateral walls 16, forming pairs of lateral disturbing elements 18 facing each other, on either side of the bottom wall 17.

[0061] Each side wall 16 is provided with a row 27 of lateral disturbing elements 18, spaced from each other by a constant step in each row.

[0062] These lateral disruptive elements 18 are all identical in each row 27.

[0063] Channel 14 has a row 28 of background disturbing elements 19, spaced from each other by a constant step.

[0064] These background disruptive elements 19 are all identical in each row 28.

[0065] The rows 27 of lateral disturbing elements 18 are offset from the row 28 of background disturbing elements 19 so that, along the X direction of the rows, the background disturbing elements 19 are located between two consecutive pairs of lateral disturbing elements 18.

[0066] The background disturbing elements 19 are not aligned with the neighboring lateral disturbing elements 19, but offset along the X direction.

[0067] This allows for a high heat exchange coefficient, without excessively worsening pressure losses, thanks to this alternation of zones of turbulence creation (due to lateral disturbance elements 18) and zones of fluid acceleration (due to background disturbance elements 19).

[0068] As illustrated on the figure 3 , the distance D, measured along the longitudinal direction X, between one of the background disturbing elements 19 and the neighboring lateral disturbing element 18, respects the following relationship: dp-L / (2 tan(a / 2)) <D<L / (2 tan(a / 2)) où dp est le pas entre les éléments perturbateurs de fond 19, L la largeur de la paroi de fond 17 du canal, a l'angle au sommet 26 de la forme en chevron.

[0069] This relationship results in the lateral disturbing elements 18 being behind the triangle formed by the chevron-shaped background disturbing element 19.

[0070] Disruptive elements 18 and 19 are carried out on a straight section 29 of channel 14.

[0071] Disruptive elements 18 and 19 are produced on the lower plate, notably by stamping, pressing or metal additive manufacturing.

[0072] For example, canal 14 consists of a succession of straight sections 29 connected to each other by bends.

[0073] The thermal regulation device 10 comprises a plurality of channels 14, arranged parallel to each other, and the channels 14 are provided with disturbance elements 18 and 19 arranged as described above.

[0074] The upper plate 11 is substantially flat to be in thermal contact with the components 2 to be cooled.

[0075] The trapezoids of the contours of canals 14 are isosceles trapezoids.

[0076] The bottom wall 17 is opposite the top plate 11.

Claims

1. Thermal regulation device (10), particularly for cooling, for an electrical component (2) likely to release heat during its operation, particularly for an electrical energy storage module, the device comprising at least one circulation channel (14) for a heat transfer fluid and having, in cross-section, a substantially trapezoidal contour with two lateral walls (16) and a bottom wall (17), this bottom wall corresponding to a small base of the trapezoid, this channel being provided, on at least one of its lateral walls, with a lateral disturbing element (18) of the heat transfer fluid flow in this channel, the lateral disturbing element (18) having a shape chosen to generate turbulence in the fluid flow, the device being characterized in that it is provided, on the bottom wall, with a bottom disturbing element (19) having a shape chosen to locally cause an acceleration of the heat transfer fluid flow, these disturbing elements (18, 19) being distant from each other.

2. Device according to the preceding claim, in which the lateral disturbing element (18) protrudes on the lateral wall.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the bottom disturbing element (19) protrudes on the bottom wall (17).

4. Device according to the preceding claim, in which the bottom disturbing element (19) has a chevron shape, comprising two branches (25) joining each other at a vertex (26).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the rows (27) of lateral disturbing elements (18) are offset from the row (28) of bottom disturbing elements (19) so that, along the direction (X) of the rows, the bottom disturbing elements are located between two consecutive pairs of lateral disturbing elements.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the distance D, measured along the longitudinal direction (X), between one of the bottom disturbing elements (19) and the neighboring lateral disturbing element (18), respects the following relation: dp-L / (2 tan(a / 2)) <D<L / (2 tan(a / 2)) where dp is the pitch between the bottom disturbing elements, L the width of the bottom wall of the channel, and a the vertex angle of the chevron shape.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the distance D, measured along a longitudinal direction, between one of the bottom disturbing elements and the neighboring lateral disturbing element, respects the following relation: dp i , i + 1 − L 2 tan α i 2 < D < L 2 tan α i 2 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the thermal regulation device comprises an upper plate (11) and a lower plate (12) assembled with the upper plate to form together the plurality of circulation channels for the heat transfer fluid.

9. Assembly (1) comprising at least two electrical components likely to release heat during its operation, and a thermal regulation device according to one of the preceding claims, arranged to cool these components (2) placed respectively on the thermal regulation device.