Device for thermally controlling a vehicle battery pack

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for thermally controlling a vehicle battery pack (1), comprising: - a housing that comprises a circuit for the circulation of heat-transfer fluid and that is suitable for housing the pack, the pack including at least two battery cells each having two large side faces (100), the cells being adjacent at one of the large faces thereof; and - a spacer (3) that is installed between the cells (10) and is configured so as to be in contact with the adjacent large side faces (100) of the cells, the spacer (3) comprising: - an openwork part (30) that is located opposite the adjacent large side faces and that extends over the majority of the large faces; and - one or more ribs (300) extending into the openwork part (30), the rib or ribs (300) being arranged so as to form at least one circuit (C1, C2) for the forced circulation of the heat-transfer fluid between the cells (10).

Description

Description Title: THERMAL REGULATION DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE BATTERY BLOCK technical field [1] The invention relates to a thermal regulation device for a vehicle battery pack and to a cooling system comprising such a device. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with this cooling system. [2] The invention relates in particular to the technical field of thermal regulation of electrical energy storage elements, especially battery elements, which are capable of releasing heat during their operation. The invention applies preferably, but not exclusively, to the automotive field and more particularly to the field of electric and / or hybrid vehicles. State of the art [3] The electrical energy of electric and / or hybrid vehicles is supplied by one or more battery packs, each containing several battery cells. During operation, the cells heat up and swell, which can damage them. In particular, one charging technique, known as fast charging, involves charging the cells at high voltage and high amperage in a short period of time, typically a maximum of about twenty minutes. This fast charging results in significant heating of the cells, which requires treatment. [4] In the field of motor vehicles, it is known to use a thermal regulation device, particularly for cooling battery packs. Such a thermal regulation device makes it possible to modify the temperature of a battery pack, for example when starting the vehicle in cold weather, by increasing its temperature, or during driving or during a charging operation, by decreasing the temperature of the cells, which tend to heat up during their use. [5] According to a known solution, the thermal regulation device comprises a cold plate through which a cooling fluid circulates, arranged in contact with the cells to be cooled. It has been observed that such an arrangement can lead to uneven cooling of the cells within the same battery block, resulting in a decrease in overall performance. Furthermore, such a thermal regulation device exhibits high thermal resistance due to the thickness of the material between the cooling fluid and the cells to be cooled. In addition, this solution generally has a significant footprint. [6] According to another known thermal regulation solution, a dielectric fluid is sprayed, generally in spray form, directly onto the cells by means of a dielectric fluid circuit and orifices or nozzles for spraying the dielectric fluid. Heat exchange can then occur between the cells and the dielectric fluid, which comes into direct contact with a surface of said cells. After spraying the dielectric fluid onto the cells, particularly in its liquid phase, the dielectric fluid can flow along the walls of said cells and accumulate, notably in a lower part of the casing housing the battery pack to be thermally regulated. Such a solution is described, for example, in patent document FR3077683.However, particularly when used in a vehicle, the cells may not be positioned flat, parallel to the horizontal, but may be tilted or inclined relative to the horizontal, so that the dielectric fluid may accumulate on only one side. The accumulated dielectric fluid is then not distributed evenly across the cells. These problems can also occur when the vehicle itself is tilted, for example, on a banked road, or due to vibrations caused by road conditions, driving, or any other factor. Furthermore, this can increase the workload of a pump, for example, to remove the accumulated dielectric fluid from the casing. In addition, the pump could draw in air, which could damage it. [7] Patent document FR3060863 proposes another solution for dissipating the heat generated by battery cells, consisting of installing a spacer between the cells so as to space them apart and blowing air from cooling towards said cells. The solution proposed in this document is, however, relatively complex to implement and does not, in practice, allow for homogeneous and optimal cooling of the cells. Furthermore, it has been observed that the time required to bring the cells to a desired temperature can be relatively long. [8] Regulation devices are also known that include a housing through which a cooling fluid circulates and in which the battery pack is housed. This ensures heat exchange between the cells and the cooling fluid. However, immersing the cells in a fluid does not allow for homogeneous cooling of said cells. [9] The invention aims to remedy all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, one objective of the invention is to provide a thermal regulation device that allows for more homogeneous and efficient cooling of the cells in a battery pack. Another objective of the invention is to provide a thermal regulation device that allows the cells to reach the desired temperature more quickly. A further objective of the invention is to provide a thermal regulation device that is simple in design, inexpensive, and easy to install. Presentation of the invention

[0010] The solution proposed by the invention is a thermal regulation device for a vehicle battery pack, comprising: - a housing comprising a heat transfer fluid circulation circuit, which housing is suitable for housing a battery pack, which pack comprises at least two battery cells of generally parallelepiped shape, each having two large lateral faces, which cells are adjacent at one of their large lateral faces, - a spacer installed between the cells so as to space them apart from each other, which spacer is configured to be in contact with the large adjacent lateral faces of said cells.

[0011] The spacer includes: - an openwork section designed to be located opposite the large adjacent lateral faces of the cells and to extend over the greater part of said cells large faces, - one or more ribs extending into the openwork part, the rib(s) being arranged so as to form at least one forced circulation circuit of the heat transfer fluid between said cells, the forced circulation circuit includes an inlet and an outlet.

[0012] The proposed innovation involves using a specific spacer, whose particularly simple configuration forces the circulation of the heat transfer fluid along a predetermined path. This forced circulation of the heat transfer fluid increases the heat transfer coefficient and ensures homogeneous cooling or heating across the entire large surface of the cells. The cells are thus brought to the desired temperature very quickly.

[0013] In addition, the veins being in close contact with the large lateral faces of the cells, they help to contain their swelling, and therefore increase their autonomy and power.

[0014] This spacer ultimately has a triple function: to keep the cells apart, to limit cell swelling, and to create a forced circulation circuit for the heat transfer fluid.

[0015] Other advantageous features of the invention are listed below. Each of these features can be considered alone or in combination with the notable features defined above. Each of these features contributes, where applicable, to solving specific technical problems defined further in the description and in which the other features defined above do not necessarily participate. The following characteristics may therefore be the subject, where appropriate, of one or more divisional patent applications:

[0016] According to one embodiment, an inlet of the forced circulation circuit is located at one edge of a large lateral face and an outlet is located at another edge of said large face.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the housing comprises: - a heat transfer fluid inlet in fluidic communication with the inlet of the circulation circuit forced circulation of the spacer; - a heat transfer fluid outlet in fluidic communication with the outlet of the forced circulation circuit of the spacer.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the rib(s) are arranged in the spacer so that the circulation of the fluid in the forced circulation circuit takes place only between the inlet and outlet of said circuit.

[0019] According to one embodiment, one or more sealing joints are installed in the space between adjacent cells so that the circulation of the fluid in the forced circulation circuit takes place only between the inlet and outlet of said circuit.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the casing is formed by an enclosure closed in a manner sealed to the heat transfer fluid by a lid and by a bottom wall.

[0021] According to one embodiment, at least one inlet and at least one outlet of the heat transfer fluid of the casing are provided in the bottom wall.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the bottom wall is provided with a heat transfer fluid inlet channel or conduit and a heat transfer fluid outlet channel or conduit; the inlet and outlet of the forced circulation circuit open respectively into a first channel or conduit and into a second channel or conduit provided in the cover; a first conduit provided in the housing is configured to bring the fluid circulating in the inlet channel or conduit to the first channel or conduit; a second conduit provided in the housing is configured to bring the fluid circulating in the second channel or conduit to the outlet channel or conduit.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the heat transfer fluid inlet of the casing is provided in the bottom wall and the heat transfer fluid outlet of said casing is provided in the lid.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the heat transfer fluid inlet of the casing is provided in the lid and the heat transfer fluid outlet of said casing is provided in the bottom wall.

[0025] According to one embodiment, at least one inlet and at least one outlet of the heat transfer fluid from the casing are provided in the cover.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the cover is provided with a channel or conduit for the inlet and / or outlet of the heat transfer fluid, which channel or conduit opens at the level of each spacer.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the bottom wall is provided with a channel or conduit for the inlet and / or outlet of the heat transfer fluid, which channel or conduit opens at the level of each spacer.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the bottom wall is provided with a channel or conduit for the inlet of the heat transfer fluid, which channel or conduit opens at the level of each spacer.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the cover is provided with a channel or conduit for the evacuation of the heat transfer fluid, which channel or conduit opens at the level of each spacer.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the spacer comprises several ribs arranged to form at least one first forced circulation circuit and a second forced circulation circuit.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the circulation of the heat transfer fluid in the first circuit and the circulation of said fluid in the second circuit have the same direction.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the circulation of the heat transfer fluid in the first circuit is in the opposite direction to the circulation of said fluid in the second circuit.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the spacer comprises several ribs arranged to form at least one first forced circulation circuit and a second forced circulation circuit, each forced circulation circuit comprising a forced circulation circuit inlet located at one edge of a large lateral face (100) and an outlet located at another edge of said large face, in particular the inlets and outlets being located in the cover and the bottom wall of the housing.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the rib(s) occupy at most 10%, advantageously at most 5%, of the surface of a large lateral face of a cell.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the spacer is made of a material having a thermal conductivity of at most 0.4 W.nr 1 .K~ 1 , preferably a thermal conductivity of at most 0.2 W.nr 1 .K -1 .

[0036] According to one embodiment, the spacer is made of a polymer material or a polymer-based composite material.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the spacer comprises a material from the silicate family, preferably a fiber-reinforced calcium silicate.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the spacer is configured to be clipped onto the first battery cell or glued onto at least one battery cell.

[0039] According to one embodiment, when the spacer is glued, the spacer is formed of a plurality of independent segments or elements.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the spacer consists of a rigid core and a deformable external coating covering at least a portion of said core so as to ensure the sealing of said portion to a heat transfer fluid when this portion is in contact with one and / or the other of the first or second battery cell.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the heat transfer fluid circulation circuit comprises fluid circulation sections of variable width, preferably these variable width circulation sections being formed by the spacer.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the heat transfer fluid circulation circuit comprises fluid circulation sections of decreasing width, preferably gradual or continuous, from at least one inlet manifold to at least one outlet manifold.

[0043] According to one embodiment, turbulators are present in the forced circulation circuit, so as to create turbulence in the flow of the heat transfer fluid between the inlet and outlet of said forced circulation circuit, which turbulators are raised and extend in the height of the ribs

[0044] According to one embodiment, the turbulators are arranged on one or more supports separate from the spacer and brought into the forced circulation circuit.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the turbulators together with the spacer (3) form a single piece.

[0046] The invention also relates to a cooling system comprising a device according to one of the preceding characteristics, and further comprising: - a battery block comprising N adjacent battery cells, of which two end cells are each arranged at an end wall of the case, N being an integer greater than 3; said device comprises at least N-1 spacers, preferably N+1 spacers.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the system, a spacer is installed between each cell adjacent to another cell; a spacer is installed between each end wall of the housing and the end cell whose large lateral face is adjacent to said wall; the spacers are in accordance with the invention so that all the large lateral faces of the cells are cooled by a forced circulation circuit.

[0048] According to one embodiment of the system, the heat transfer fluid is a dielectric cooling fluid.

[0049] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with a system according to one of the preceding characteristics. Brief description of the figures

[0050] Other advantages and features of the invention will become clearer upon reading the description of the embodiments that follow, with reference to the attached drawings, which are provided as illustrative and non-limiting examples and on which: [Fig. 1] is an exploded view showing different constituent elements of the device and system according to the invention. [Fig. 2] is a perspective view of a case. [Fig. 3] is a perspective view of an example of a spacer according to the invention. [Fig. 4] shows an assembly of two adjacent battery cells on which spacers are installed. [Fig. 5] illustrates a cross-sectional view along AA of the assembly in Figure 4. N n [Fig. 6] illustrates a cross-sectional view along BB of Figure 2 (the beams are not shown). [Fig. 7A], [Fig. 7B], [Fig. 7C], [Fig. 7D], [Fig. 7E] and [Fig. 7F] illustrate different possible configurations of spacer and fluid flow. [Fig. 8A] and [Fig. 8B] illustrate a mode of fluid circulation in the casing, said casing being viewed from above and below respectively. Description of the implementation methods

[0051] As used here, unless otherwise indicated, the possible use of ordinal adjectives such as "first," "second," etc., to describe an object simply indicates that different occurrences of similar objects are being mentioned and does not imply that the objects thus described must be in any particular sequence, whether in time, space, ranking, or any other way. "X and / or Y" means: X alone, Y alone, or X+Y. Generally speaking, it should be noted that in the various attached drawings, the objects are drawn arbitrarily to facilitate their interpretation.

[0052] The thermal regulation device of the invention is designed to regulate the temperature of a battery pack, particularly a battery pack in an electric and / or hybrid vehicle. However, it can also be used in other types of vehicles or to regulate the temperature of other electrical and / or electronic components, such as power electronics elements, for example, but not limited to, semiconductors such as diodes or transistors. It could also be used for computer server components. In a preferred embodiment, the thermal regulation consists of cooling the cells of the battery pack.

[0053] In Figure 1, the battery block 1 comprises at least two battery cells 10 and generally between 2 and 25 cells, which block is housed in a casing 2 (Figure 2). According to one embodiment, the battery block 1 comprises N adjacent cells 10, with N an integer greater than 2 and preferably greater than 3, including two end cells each arranged at an end wall 201 of the casing 2.

[0054] The cells 10 are of a type known to those skilled in the art, generally prismatic, that is to say, generally parallelepiped in shape, each having two large lateral faces 100, two small lateral faces 103, a top face 101, and a bottom face 102. These various faces are generally flat, but some may be curved or concave. The cells 10 are positioned adjacently at their large lateral faces 100.

[0055] The battery pack 1 is housed in a casing 2 formed by an enclosure 20 sealed by a lid 21 and a bottom panel 22. The enclosure 20 has an internal space suitable for receiving one or more battery packs. Structural beams 24 can be attached to the enclosure 20 to further stiffen the casing 2.

[0056] In figure 2, the housing 2 is generally parallelepiped in shape, but other suitable shapes can be considered, particularly depending on the general shape of the battery block 2. According to one embodiment, the various elements 20, 21, 22 are made by molding a plastic material, but other materials suitable to those skilled in the art can be used.

[0057] In the example of Figure 1, the enclosure 20 is delimited by two side walls 200 extending in a longitudinal direction and two end walls 201 perpendicular to said side walls.

[0058] In one embodiment, the cover 21 is provided with one or more heat transfer fluid circulation channels 210i, 2102 in fluidic communication with the enclosure 20. Preferably, these channels 210i, 2102 extend the entire length of the enclosure 20 so as to be in fluidic communication with all the cells 10 of the block 1. These channels 210i, 2102 can serve as inlets (i.e., the fluid enters the housing 2) or outlets (i.e., the fluid exits the housing 2). In one embodiment, one channel 210i can serve as an inlet and another channel 2102 can serve as an outlet. In another embodiment, both channels 210i and 2102 serve as inlets. According to yet another embodiment, channels 210i, 2102 serve as outlets. In another embodiment, the cover 21 is devoid of a circulation channel. of heat transfer fluid, the fluid inlet / outlet being exclusively at the bottom wall 22.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the bottom wall 22 is made of two parts 220, 221 assembled together, for example by screwing, welding, gluing, etc. A first part 22 is in the form of a plate intended to be fixed to the bottom of the enclosure 20. A second part 221 has channel-shaped profiles 2210i, 22102, opening into openings 2200i, 22002 provided in the plate 222, which openings are in fluidic communication with the enclosure 20. In Figure 1, these openings extend along the entire length of the enclosure 20 so as to be in fluidic communication with all the cells 10 of block 1. The channels 2210i, 22102 thus open into each spacer 3 (in each inter-cell space). The bottom wall 22 can however be made in one piece, with the channels 2210 then being directly integrated into the plate 220, for example by molding.The bottom wall 22 can form the bottom of the enclosure 20 or be an additional wall added, independent of the bottom of said enclosure.

[0060] The channels 2210i and 22102 in the bottom wall 22 serve for the circulation of the heat transfer fluid 210. They can serve as inlets (i.e., the fluid enters the housing 2) or outlets (i.e., the fluid exits the housing 2). In one embodiment, one channel 2210i can serve as an inlet and another channel 22102 can serve as an outlet. In another embodiment, the channels 2210i, 22102 serve as inlets. According to yet another embodiment, channels 2210i, 22102 serve as outlets. In another embodiment, the bottom wall 22 is devoid of a heat transfer fluid circulation channel, the fluid inlet / outlet occurring exclusively at the level of the cover 21.

[0061] Referring to Figure 2, the inlet / outlet of housing 2 is connected to a heat transfer fluid circulation circuit 23, which may include a pumping circuit. This circuit allows the heat transfer fluid to circulate within the housing to regulate the temperature of the cells 10 housed therein. The fluid circulation within housing 2 is described in detail later. Temperature regulation preferably consists of a cooling system set to maintain the cells 10 at a specific temperature. less than or equal to a threshold temperature, for example between 20°C and 40°C. When the cells 10 exceed this threshold temperature, they are cooled by the heat transfer fluid, the latter then being a cooling fluid.

[0062] In some cases, for example when starting the vehicle, the regulation may also consist of heating the cells 10, particularly when they are at a temperature below or equal to a threshold temperature, for example below 0°C. Below this threshold temperature, the cells 10 are heated by the heat transfer fluid, which is then a heating fluid.

[0063] The heat transfer fluid used is preferably a dielectric liquid, for example, a mineral oil or a fluorinated liquid. However, the heat transfer fluid can be in another form, for example, blown air. The fluid can be pre-cooled or pre-heated depending on the desired temperature control.

[0064] A spacer 3 (or interlayer, the two terms being synonymous within the meaning of the invention) is installed between each cell 10 adjacent to another cell so as to space them apart. A spacer 3 is also advantageously installed between each end wall 201 of the housing 2 and the end cell 10 whose large lateral face 100 is adjacent to said wall. According to one embodiment, if the battery block 1 comprises N cells 10, the device comprises at least N-1 spacers 3, preferably N+1 spacers.

[0065] Advantageously, the spacers 3 have a relatively low thermal conductivity so as to act as thermal insulation between the cells. In one embodiment, the spacers 3 are made of a material having a thermal conductivity of at most 0.4 W / m·K. 1 .K- 1 preferably a thermal conductivity of at most 0.2 Wm -1 .K“ 1The material used can be a polymer or a polymer-based composite material, or a material from the silicate family, preferably a fiber-reinforced calcium silicate.

[0066] Each spacer 3 has a structure configured for removable installation on a cell 10. According to one embodiment, the the structure of the spacer 3 is adjusted (for example by an elastic deformation of said structure) to the shape of the cell 10 to be mounted tightly on said cell so that the contacts between said structure and said cell are fluid-tight contacts.

[0067] In Figures 3, 4, and 5, the structure of spacer 3 has a general U-shaped channel. Spacer 3 has a first bearing zone 30 configured to bear against a large lateral face 100 of cell 10, a second bearing zone 31 configured to bear against the upper face 101 of said cell, and a third bearing zone 32 configured to bear against the lower face 102 of said cell. However, the structure of spacer 3 can have a different configuration, for example, having only the first bearing zone 30, or only the first zone 30 and the second zone 31, or only the first zone 30 and the third zone 32.

[0068] As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, when the cells 10 are installed in their operating configuration within the housing 2, the first zone 30 rests not only against the large lateral face 100 of the cell 10 against which the spacer 3 is installed (hereinafter referred to as the "front" large lateral face) but also against the large lateral face 100 of the adjacent cell 10 (hereinafter referred to as the "rear" large lateral face). The first zone 30 is thus sandwiched between the adjacent large lateral faces of the cells. In a preferred embodiment, the contacts between the first zone 30 and the front and rear large lateral faces of the adjacent cells are fluid-tight. Alternatively or additionally, one or more seals are installed in the space between the adjacent cells 10 to create fluid-tight contacts.

[0069] The first zone 30 has the same, or nearly the same, dimensions in length and width as those of a large side face 100. It has a perforated section located opposite the large side face 100 of the cell 10 against which the spacer 3 is installed, and which extends over most of said large side face. Symmetrically, this perforated section is also located opposite the rear large side face of the adjacent cell.

[0070] In one embodiment, the perforated portion leaves at least 51%, advantageously at least 90%, and preferably at least 95% of the adjacent large lateral faces 100 free. The majority of these large lateral faces 100 can thus be in contact with the heat transfer fluid as explained further in the description.

[0071] One or more ribs 300 extend into the perforated part of the first zone 30 and are arranged to form one or more forced circulation circuits of the heat transfer fluid between adjacent cells. By "Forced circulation" means that the fluid is constrained to follow one or more specific paths dictated by the arrangement of the rib(s) 300. This circuit or these circuits are thus delimited on one side by the large adjacent lateral faces 100 of the cells and on the other by the ribs 300. All the large lateral faces 100 of the cells 10 are therefore cooled by a forced circulation circuit. The number of passes (i.e., changes of direction in a forced circulation circuit) is adjusted according to the desired heat exchange and / or the permissible pressure drop.

[0072] Each forced circulation circuit comprises a fluid inlet and outlet, which inlet / outlet are defined by the arrangement of the rib(s) 300. In the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 6, several ribs 300 are arranged to form two distinct circuits, C1 and C2 respectively, each circuit comprising an inlet, E1 and E2 respectively, and an outlet, S1 and S2 respectively. In other embodiments, the ribs 300 are arranged to form M forced circulation circuits, where M is an integer greater than 2.

[0073] In the example shown in Figure 4, the inputs E1 and E2 are located at one edge of a large side face 100 (at the junction of said large side face and the bottom face 102), and the outputs S1 and S2 are located at another edge of said large face (at the junction of said large face and the top face 101). Other input / output configurations are possible, however, including a configuration inverse to that of Figure 4. Similarly, the inputs and outputs of the circuit are not necessarily located at the same edge of the large side face 100. An input E1 of a first circuit C1 can be located at a first edge (for example, an upper edge) and the output S1 at a second edge (for example, a lower edge), while the input E2 of a second circuit C2 is located at said second edge and the output S2 at said first edge. Or vice versa. According to another example of the configuration, the input E1 and output E2 of a first circuit C1 are located at the same edge, for example, a lower edge, while the input E2 and output E2 of a second circuit C2 are located at a different edge, for example, an upper edge. In other embodiments, all or part of the inputs / outputs are located at one or more lateral edges of a large lateral face 100 (at the junction of said large lateral face and a small lateral face 103).

[0074] The ribs 300 are preferentially straight, but may be curved or have curved and straight portions, be in broken lines, or be of any other shape suitable to the person skilled in the art.

[0075] The ribs 300 are in close contact with the large adjacent lateral faces 100. This close contact creates a fluid seal so that fluid circulation in a forced circulation circuit C1, C2 occurs only between the inlet E1, E2 and the outlet S1, S2 of said circuit. When several circuits are defined by the spacer 3, there is no fluid communication between these circuits, which ensures homogeneous circulation in each circuit. Alternatively or additionally, one or more seals are installed in the space between the adjacent cells 10 so that fluid circulation in a forced circulation circuit occurs only between the inlet and outlet of said circuit.

[0076] The thickness of the spacer structure 3 and / or the thickness of the ribs 300 depend on the desired spacing between the cells 10 and / or the desired flow rate of the fluid circulating in the circuit(s). The best results, particularly in terms of regulation, are obtained when this thickness is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, advantageously between 1 mm and 4 mm, and preferably between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm.

[0077] In addition to allowing spacing between adjacent cells 10 for the flow of the heat transfer fluid, the spacers 3 play a mechanical role against the swelling of the cells 10 induced by their temperature increase. They effectively allow the cells to remain in compression under the effect of this swelling, which ensures maximum capacity of said cells.

[0078] To ensure that the ribs 300 minimally cover the surface area of ​​the large lateral faces 100 in contact with the heat transfer fluid, said ribs occupy at most 10%, advantageously at most 5%, of the surface area of ​​a large lateral face 100. Optimum results in terms of swelling limitation and heat exchange efficiency are obtained when the ribs 300 have a width between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, advantageously between 1 mm and 4 mm, and preferably between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm. The ribs 300 may have the same width or different widths. In particular, the ribs 300, or portions of ribs located in the central area of ​​the large lateral faces 100, may be wider, since the mechanical stresses due to swelling are greatest in this area.

[0079] In the accompanying figures, the second zone 31 and the third zone 32 have the same, or substantially the same, dimensions in length and width as the upper 101 and lower 102 faces of a cell 10. However, they may have different dimensions in length and / or width. The second zone 31 advantageously has openwork sections 310 arranged to leave the connection terminals 104 of the cell 10 free. The third zone 32 may also have openwork sections. In these openwork sections, the fluid is in contact with the upper 101 and lower 102 faces, contributing to heat exchange and temperature regulation of the cell 10 at the level of said faces.

[0080] When the cells 10 and the spacers 3 are installed in their operating configuration in the housing 2, the input(s) / output(s) of the circuit(s) C1, C2 are in fluidic communication with the input(s) / output(s) of the circuit 23 of the housing 2. In Figure 6, the openings 2210i, 22102 of the bottom wall 22 open at the inlets E1, E2 and the channels 210i, 2112 of the cover 21 open at the outlets S1, S2. Thus, the channels 210i, 2102 and 2210i, 22102 open at each spacer 3, that is to say in each inter-cell space.

[0081] Figures 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, and 7F illustrate different configurations of the device. Figure 7A corresponds to the aforementioned configuration. The spacer 3 comprises several ribs 300 arranged to form a first forced circulation circuit C1 and a second forced circulation circuit C2. The first circuit C1 includes an inlet E1 and an outlet S1, and the second circuit C2 includes an inlet E2 and an outlet S2. The inlets E1 and E2 are located at the lower edge of the large lateral face 100, and the outlets S1 and S2 at the upper edge of said large face. The inlets E1 and E2 are in fluidic communication with the inlet channels 2210i and 22102 provided in the bottom wall 2. The outlets S1 and S2 are in fluidic communication with the outlet channels 210i and 2102 provided in the cover 21.The fluid enters through the inlet channel 2210i, flows under pressure in the first circuit C1 from the inlet E1 to the outlet S1, and is discharged through the outlet channel 210i. Simultaneously, the fluid also enters through the other inlet channel 22102, flows under pressure in the second circuit C2 from the inlet E2 to the outlet S2, and is discharged through the outlet channel 2102. The fluid flow in the first circuit C1 and the fluid flow in the second circuit C2 are in the same direction.

[0082] The configuration in Figure 7B is similar to that in Figure 7A. The main difference is that the inlets E1 and E2 are not located at the same edge of the large lateral face 100, nor are the outlets S1 and S2. The inlet E1 of circuit C1 and the outlet S2 of circuit C2 are located at the upper edge of the large face 100, while the inlet E2 of circuit C2 and the outlet S1 of circuit C1 are located at the lower edge of said large face. For the first circuit C1, the fluid enters through the inlet channel 210i, flows under pressure from the inlet E1 to the outlet S1, and is discharged through the outlet channel 2210i. For the second circuit C2, the fluid enters through the inlet channel 22102, circulates in a forced manner from the inlet E2 to the outlet S2 and is discharged through the discharge channel 2102.In this configuration, the circulation of the fluid in the first circuit C1 is in the opposite direction to the circulation of said fluid in the second circuit C2, which can help to improve the heat exchange between said fluid and the large lateral faces 100.

[0083] In the configuration of Figure 7C, the ribs 300 are arranged to form a single forced circulation circuit C comprising an inlet E and an outlet S, both located at the lower edge of the large lateral face 100. The fluid enters and exits from the bottom wall 22, the fluid not circulating through the cover 21. The fluid enters through the inlet channel 2210i formed in the bottom wall 22, circulates under force in the circuit C from the inlet E to the outlet S, and is exited through the outlet channel 22102 formed in said bottom wall.

[0084] The configuration in Figure 7D is similar to that in Figure 7C. The main difference is that the inlet E is located at the lower edge of the large face 100, while the outlet S is located at the upper edge of said large face. The fluid enters through the inlet channel 2210i formed in the bottom wall 22, flows under force through the circuit C from the inlet E to the outlet S, and is discharged through the discharge channel 2102 formed in the cover 21.

[0085] An inverse configuration to that of Figure 7D can be considered, as illustrated in Figure 7E. In this case, the inlet E is located at the upper edge of the large face 100 and the outlet S is located at the lower edge of said large face. The fluid enters through the inlet channel 2102 formed in the cover 21, flows under force through the circuit C from the inlet E to the outlet S, and is discharged through the discharge channel 2210i formed in the bottom wall 22.

[0086] In the configuration of Figure 7F, the inlet E and outlet S of circuit C are located at the upper edge of the large lateral face 100. The fluid enters and exits here from the cover 21, the fluid not flowing through the bottom wall 22. The fluid enters through the inlet channel. 210i fitted in the cover 21, circulates in a forced manner in the circuit C from the inlet E to the outlet S and is evacuated by the evacuation channel 2102 fitted in said cover.

[0087] Figures 8A and 8B illustrate yet another configuration of the device, making the assembly particularly compact and easy to install. The configuration of spacer 3 is similar to that of Figure 7F, in that The ribs 300 are arranged so that the inlet E and outlet S of circuit C are located at the upper edge of the large lateral face 100. However, the fluid supply and discharge occur through the bottom wall 22. This wall is equipped with an inlet channel 2210i and an outlet channel 22102, each opening at a spacer 3 (in each intercell space). The fluid connection from the housing 2 to the circuit 23 is therefore made solely at the bottom wall 22, simplifying the installation. Furthermore, since the cover 21 has no connections to circuit 23, it can be easily and quickly removed if work is required on the battery pack 1.

[0088] A first conduit 2100i carries the fluid circulating in the inlet channel 2210i to a first channel 210i provided in the cover 21. In one embodiment, the ends of the first conduit 2100i open respectively into the inlet channel 2210i and into the first channel 210i. The first conduit 2100i thus allows the fluid to "rise" from the bottom wall 22 to the cover 21. The first channel 210i provided in the cover 21 supplies the inlets E of the various circuits C in parallel. In Figure 8A, the first conduit 2100i is located at an end wall 201 of the housing 2.

[0089] A second conduit 21 OO2 carries the fluid circulating in the second channel 2102, formed in the cover 21, to the discharge channel 22102. In one embodiment, the ends of the second conduit 21002 open respectively into the second channel 2102 and the discharge channel 22102. The second conduit 21002 thus allows for "down" the fluid from the cover 21 to the bottom wall 22. The second channel 2102 arranged in the cover 21 is in fluidic communication with the outlets S of the different circuits C. In figure 8A, the second conduit 21002 is arranged at the level of another end wall 201 of the housing 2.

[0090] In this configuration, the fluid enters through the inlet channel 2210i and passes through the first conduit 2100i to reach the first channel 210i of the cover 21. The fluid then flows under force through the circuit C from the inlet E to the outlet S. The fluid then flows through the second channel 2102 and passes through the second conduit 21002 to reach the discharge channel 22102 through which it is discharged.

[0091] The arrangement of the various elements and / or means and / or steps of the invention, in the embodiments described above, should not be understood as requiring such an arrangement in all implementations. In any case, it will be understood that various modifications can be made to these elements and / or means and / or steps without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, the channels 2101, 2102, 22101, 22102 can be in the form of conduits having openings at each spacer 3 (in each intercell space).

[0092] Furthermore, one or more features described only in one embodiment can be combined with one or more other features described only in another embodiment. Similarly, one or more features described only in one embodiment can be generalized to other embodiments, even if that feature or those features are described only in combination with other features.

Claims

Demands

1. Thermal regulation device for a vehicle battery pack (1), comprising: - a housing (2) comprising a heat transfer fluid circulation circuit, which housing is suitable for housing a battery pack (1), which pack comprises at least two battery cells (10) of generally parallelepiped shape, each having two large lateral faces (100), which cells are adjacent at one of their large lateral faces, - a spacer (3) installed between the cells (10) so as to space them apart from each other, which spacer is configured to be in contact with the adjacent large lateral faces (100) of said cells, characterized in that the spacer (3) comprises: - an openwork section (30) designed to be located opposite the large adjacent lateral faces of the cells (10) and to extend over most of said large faces, - one or more ribs (300) extending into the openwork part (30), the rib(s) (300) being arranged so as to form at least one forced circulation circuit (C, C1, C2) of the heat transfer fluid between said cells (10), the forced circulation circuit (C, C1, C2) includes an inlet (E, E1, E2) and an outlet (S, S1, S2).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein an inlet (E, E1, E2) of the forced circulation circuit (C, C1, C2) is located at one edge of a large lateral face (100) and an outlet (S, S1, S2) is located at another edge of said large face.

3. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (2) comprises: - a heat transfer fluid inlet (210i, 2102) in fluidic communication with the inlet (E, E1, E3) of the forced circulation circuit (C, C1, C2) of the spacer (3), - a heat transfer fluid outlet (2210i, 22102) in fluidic communication with the outlet (S, S1, S2) of the forced circulation circuit (C, C1, C2) of the spacer (3).

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rib(s) (300) are arranged in the spacer (3) so that the circulation of the fluid in the forced circulation circuit (C, C1, C2) takes place only between the inlet (E, E1, E2) and the outlet (S, S1, S2) of said circuit.

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (2) is formed by an enclosure (20) closed in a way that is hermetically sealed against the heat transfer fluid by a cover (21) and by a bottom wall (22).

6. Device according to claims 3 and 5, wherein at least one inlet and at least one outlet of heat transfer fluid from the housing (2) are provided in the bottom wall (22).

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein: - the bottom wall (22) is provided with a channel or conduit for the inlet of the heat transfer fluid (2210-i) and a channel or conduit for the outlet of the heat transfer fluid (22102), - the inlet (E) and outlet (S) of the forced circulation circuit (C) open respectively into a first channel or conduit (2101) and into a second channel or conduit (2102) fitted in the cover (21 ), - a first conduit (21 OO1) fitted in the casing (2) is configured to bring the fluid flowing in the inlet channel or conduit (22101) to the first channel or conduit (2101), - a second conduit (21 OO2) fitted in the casing (2) is configured to bring the fluid flowing in the second channel or conduit (2102) to the discharge channel or conduit (22102).

8. Device according to claims 3 and 5, wherein at least one inlet (2101) and at least one outlet (2102) of heat transfer fluid from the housing (2) are provided in the cover (21).

9. Device according to claims 3 and 5 and / or according to claim 8, wherein the cover (21) is provided with an inlet and / or outlet channel or conduit for the heat transfer fluid (2101), which channel or conduit opens at the level of each spacer (3).

10. A device according to claims 3 and 5 and / or according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the bottom wall (22) is provided with a channel or conduit for the inlet and / or outlet of the heat transfer fluid (22102), which channel or conduit opens at the level of each spacer (3).

11. Cooling system comprising a device according to any one of the preceding claims, and further comprising: - a battery pack (1) comprising N adjacent battery cells (10), including two end cells each arranged at an end wall (201) of the housing (2), N being an integer greater than 3, - the device includes at least N-1 spacers (3), preferably N+1 spacers (3).

12. System according to claim 11, wherein: - a spacer (3) is installed between each cell (10) adjacent to another cell, - a spacer (3) is installed between each end wall (201) of the case (2) and the end cell (10) of which a large lateral face is adjacent to said wall, - the spacers (3) conform to claim 1 so that all the large lateral faces (100) of the cells (10) are cooled by a forced circulation circuit.

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