Thermal regulation device for cooling electrical energy storage members

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal regulation device for cells of an electric battery, comprising: - a distribution box (100) comprising a fluid inlet chamber (410) and a fluid return chamber (420); - a tube (60) having two fluid circulation assemblies (61, 62) secured by a material bridge (64), one communicating with the inlet chamber and the other communicating with the return chamber, the material bridge (64) forming at least one material clearance gap between the two assemblies (61, 62), the distribution box (100) comprising a rib (441) which separates the inlet chamber from the return chamber and is partially housed in the material clearance gap (65), and the material bridge (64) comprising a notch (642) that opens onto an end face of the tube (60), the rib (441) comprising a longitudinal thickened portion (442) partially housed in the notch (642).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Title of the invention: THERMAL REGULATION DEVICE FOR COOLING ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES

[0003] The present invention relates to the fields of thermodynamics and mechanics, and more specifically concerns a thermal regulation device for an electrical energy storage system.

[0004] Such electrical energy storage systems are used in particular in electric or hybrid vehicles which are equipped, in addition to their service batteries intended to supply their on-board networks, with high-voltage batteries, of the order of 200 to 800 volts, intended in particular to supply their electric traction motors and other high-voltage devices. These high-voltage electrical energy storage systems are generally composed of electrical energy storage units, also called electrical energy storage cells, electrically grouped in battery packs, for example arranged under the floors of these vehicles.

[0005] Given the power supplied by these high-voltage energy storage systems, thermal regulation devices are necessary to cool the energy storage components that compose them, as too great an increase in their temperature can damage them to the point of causing their destruction. These thermal regulation devices can also be useful for warming the energy storage components when their temperature is too low, for example when starting vehicles in very cold weather, since at low temperatures their performance is generally too low to allow optimal operation of these vehicles.

[0006] It is particularly known, in battery packs where electrical energy storage cells are arranged vertically next to each other so as to form a plurality of successive rows of cells, to have thermal regulation devices each having a tube arranged between two rows of cells and within which heat transfer fluid is able to circulate. When these cells are cylindrical in shape, the tube has corrugations allowing a maximum contact surface with each cell to which it is adjacent. The contact between the tube and the cells allows an evacuation, or an input, of calories via the heat transfer fluid. To manage the arrival and the evacuation of the heat transfer fluid, a fluid distribution box is arranged at one end of the tube and heat transfer fluid inlet and outlet pipes are connected to this distribution box.The heat transfer fluid arriving through the inlet pipe flows at least partly into the tube via an inlet chamber provided in the distribution box, while the fluid leaving the tube, after having recovered calories for example to lower the temperature of the battery pack, flows into the outlet pipe via a return chamber also provided in the distribution box.

[0007] In order to allow the circulation of the heat transfer fluid within the tube, the latter is pierced with a multitude of circulation channels along which the heat transfer fluid circulates from one longitudinal end of the tube to the other. These channels are grouped into two circulation sets in order to allow circulation of heat transfer fluid in a first direction, away from the distribution box, distinct from circulation of heat transfer fluid in a second opposite direction.It is then appropriate to make the arrival chamber within the distribution box fluidly communicate with the first circulation assembly within the tube and to make the return chamber fluidly communicate within the distribution box with the second circulation assembly within the tube, ensuring that there is no direct communication from the arrival chamber to the return chamber, to prevent, for example, heat transfer fluid heated during its passage through the tube from passing from the second circulation assembly to the arrival chamber and being reinjected hot into the tube.

[0008] The inventors have designed such a regulation device, described in a patent application FR3125636, shown in part in figures 1 and 2, and which comprises a tube 6, a distribution box formed of two shells assembled one on the other in particular by means of hooking tabs 40, only one of the shells 11 being shown in figure i, in order to visualize the interior of the tube 6 and the inlet and return chambers of the distribution box. When the cold heat transfer fluid arrives via an inlet pipe 18b through an inlet orifice 46 in the inlet chamber, delimited by two hollows 42 of the shells 11 assembled one on the other, it enters channels 8 of a first heat transfer fluid circulation assembly 21, open on an end face 12 of the tube 6, and takes calories from the cells of the energy storage system to be cooled.A return box connected to the other end of the tube 6 brings the heated heat transfer fluid into channels 8 of a second circulation assembly 23, adjacent to the first circulation assembly 21 in the tube 6, to the end face 12 of the tube 6. The heated heat transfer fluid enters the return chamber, delimited by two hollows 41 of the shells 11 assembled one on top of the other, then leaves through an outlet orifice 43 in an outlet pipe 18a connected to the return chamber. In order to prevent the heat transfer fluid from passing from the inlet chamber to the return chamber, these chambers are separated by a central wall 44 formed by a rib on each of the shells 11. These ribs are brought into contact with a sealing zone 48 provided on the end face 12 between the first circulation assembly 21 and the second circulation assembly 23.

[0009] As visible in Figure 2, this sealing zone 48 is a strip of material occupying the entire thickness and width of the tube between the first circulation assembly 21 and the second circulation assembly 23. Given that the tube 6 is formed by extrusion, in this thermal regulation device, this strip of material extends longitudinally over the entire length of the tube 6, and is therefore expensive in material compared to its function. In addition, although the sealing zone 48 is thicker than a wall 50 delimiting two channels 8 of the same circulation assembly, it thermally transfers a lot of calories from the second circulation assembly 23 to the first circulation assembly 21, which is not desired. Finally, depending on the tube-distribution box assembly method chosen, it is not always possible to bring the ribs of the shells into contact with the sealing zone 48.Indeed, in a first assembly method, the end of the tube 6 is inserted into a complementary receiving portion of the distribution box, thus ensuring the seal between the tube 6 and the distribution box, this insertion being carried out until contact between the ribs and the sealing zone 48, before brazing the tube 6 to the distribution box. In this first assembly method, it is appropriate to consider the chain of dimensions between a first corrugation of the tube 6, that is to say the corrugation or corrugation closest to the distribution box, and the center of a tube 18a, 18b for example, in order to be able on the one hand to ensure that the tube is properly pressed against the cells and on the other hand to ensure that the distribution box of this tube can be connected via the tubes to a neighboring distribution box for the correct circulation of heat transfer fluid from one tube to the other.The manufacturing tolerance of the tube added to that of the distribution box implies a significant tolerance between the first corrugation of the tube 6 and the elements fixed on the distribution box such as the pipes 18a and 18b. However, this significant tolerance can prove to be inconvenient for assembling the regulation device to another regulation device sharing the same heat transfer fluid inlet pipe and the same heat transfer fluid discharge pipe, because their respective inlet and outlet pipes must be coaxial, while ensuring that the first corrugations of each of the regulation devices are in good contact with a cell of the energy storage system, proximal to the corresponding regulation device. If one or other of these conditions is not respected, the assembly may not be possible, or may not allow proper operation of the regulation devices.

[0010] In a second assembly method, the end of the tube 6 is inserted into a complementary receiving portion of the distribution box, thus ensuring sealing between the tube 6 and the distribution box, until a longitudinal end of the shells 11 reaches a stop external to the regulating device, this external stop ensuring that the longitudinal end of the shells 11 is at a predetermined distance from the first corrugation of the tube 6. This second assembly method allows better control of the distance between the pipes 18a, 18b of the distribution box and the first corrugation, by avoiding a link in the chain of dimensions and therefore reducing the necessary tolerance between the center of a pipe 18a, 18b and the first corrugation, which does not depend on a manufacturing tolerance between the first corrugation and the end face 12 of the tube 6, unlike the first assembly method.However, this second assembly method does not guarantee that the ribs 44 of the distribution box are in contact with the sealing zone 48 and therefore a slight internal leak between the channels 8 of the first circulation assembly 21 and the channels 8 of the second circulation assembly 23 is possibly created.

[0011] The problem of thermal conductivity between the two circulation assemblies 21, 23 could be solved by forming these two circulation assemblies in two different tubes which would each be connected to the distribution box, however such a solution would generate even more assembly difficulties in particular to make the tube corrugations and their respective ends coincide longitudinally, resulting in poor operation of such a two-tube regulating device. In addition, the assembly of such a two-tube regulating device would be more expensive than the assembly methods presented previously.

[0012] The inventors have therefore designed another tube 6b of another regulating device shown in Figure 3, and also described in patent application FR3125636. This tube 6b comprises elements common to the tube 6, referenced in the same way, in particular a first circulation assembly 21 and a second circulation assembly 23 connected by a bridge of material forming a sealing zone 48b on an end face 12b of the tube 6b. The distribution box of this other regulating device is identical to that described previously in relation to the tube 6.

[0013] The material bridge connecting the two circulation assemblies 21, 23 is thinner than the central strip of material of the tube 6. As a result, the tube 6b has a much lower thermal conduction between the first circulation assembly 21 and the second circulation assembly 23. However, during the manufacture of the tube 6b, a transverse cutting operation of the tube 6b, which previously leaves an extrusion die in the form of a profile, generates a longitudinal burr at the sealing zone 48b. In fact, in order not to crush the material forming the tube 6b and its channels 8, the cutting operation consists of a first pre-cutting step during which blades C1, C2 cut the profile on either side in a transverse direction T, i.e. along the width of the tube 6b, then in a second drawing step during which the tube 6b is separated longitudinally from the profile.It is this second drawing step which causes the longitudinal burr at the sealing zone 48b, because this zone, centered in the thickness of the tube 6b, has not undergone the pre-cutting step. However, this longitudinal burr prevents, during the assembly process mentioned above, any contact between the ribs 44 of the shells 11 of the distribution box, and the sealing zone 48b at the end face 12b. The tube 6b therefore allows better thermal insulation between the first circulation assembly 21 and the second circulation assembly 23, but requires an additional cutting operation to eliminate the longitudinal burr before assembling the tube 6b with the distribution box to allow contact between the ribs 44 and the sealing zone 48b at the end face 12b.

[0014] This nevertheless requires a significant tolerance between the first corrugation of the tube 6b and the pipes of the distribution box. If the longitudinal burr is not eliminated, then the necessary tolerance between a first corrugation of the tube 6b and the center of the pipes 18a, 18b must be increased, which impairs the assembly of the corresponding regulation device and / or its proper functioning.

[0015] There is therefore a need for a thermal regulation device for an energy storage system, comprising a first heat transfer fluid circulation assembly and a second heat transfer fluid circulation assembly combined in the same tube while limiting the thermal conductivity and the fluid communication between these two circulation assemblies, and having a simple assembly, capable of allowing good alignment with another similar thermal regulation device without requiring restrictive manufacturing tolerances.The present invention aims to remedy at least in part the drawbacks of the prior art, by providing a thermal regulation device for an energy storage system, an energy storage system comprising such a device, a method of assembling such a device and a method of manufacturing a tube of such a device, in which the tube of the device comprises two heat transfer fluid circulation assemblies sufficiently insulated from each other thermally and fluidically, while reducing the manufacturing tolerances required in particular with respect to the tube of the thermal regulation device according to the invention.

[0016] To this end, the invention proposes a thermal regulation device for cooling and / or heating components whose operation is sensitive to temperature, these components being in particular intended for energy storage and possibly being battery cells of electrical energy storage devices, comprising:

[0017] - a distribution box configured to be connected to a fluid inlet pipe and to a fluid outlet pipe, the distribution box comprising a fluid inlet chamber capable of being served by the inlet pipe and a fluid return chamber capable of serving the outlet pipe,

[0018] - a tube with two fluid circulation assemblies secured by a material bridge, each assembly comprising a plurality of circulation channels along which the heat transfer fluid circulates from one longitudinal end of the tube to the other, a first fluid circulation assembly communicating with the inlet chamber and a second fluid circulation assembly communicating with the return chamber, the fluid circulation assemblies having, in cross-section of the tube, long edges inscribed on two parallel straight lines, the material bridge breaking the continuity of material on at least one of the parallel straight lines by forming at least one longitudinal clearance of material on the tube, the thermal regulation device being characterized in that the distribution box comprises at least one rib separating the inlet chamber from the return chamber,a part of the rib being housed in the clearance of material at a junction zone of the tube with the distribution box and in that the bridge of material comprises a notch opening on an end face of the tube, the distribution box comprising a longitudinal excess thickness forming a projection of the rib and housed at least partly in the notch.,

[0019] By "communicating with the inlet or return chamber" is meant of course a fluid communication, the fluid being able to pass from a circulation assembly to one of these chambers. The fluid is in particular a heat transfer fluid such as glycolated water. Furthermore, in this application, the term "longitudinal" relates to a longitudinal direction which is understood as the direction along the main extension dimension of the tube, that is to say in the direction of its length. Similarly, a transverse direction is understood as a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, oriented in the direction of the width of the tube, that is to say parallel to the long edges of the cross-section of the tube which is made in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. Each of these long edges is inscribed on a straight line parallel to a straight line on which the other long edge is inscribed.The term "parallel" is of course understood as "substantially parallel" due to manufacturing tolerances, i.e. within + / - 5 degrees.

[0020] The tube of the thermal regulation device according to the invention therefore has a transversely oblong section allowing a cutting operation as described in the prior art. In particular, preferably, the circulation assemblies of the tube each have an alignment of channels between their long edges, the thickness of the tube at each circulation assembly, therefore orthogonal to the longitudinal and transverse directions, accommodating only one channel. The tube therefore has a thin section extending over the width of the tube, allowing good thermal conduction with cells of a storage system in which the thermal regulation device is used. As explained in relation to the prior art, the tube may include corrugations (or undulations) allowing good contact with these cells when they are cylindrical.Furthermore, the tube width is generally imposed by the size of the cells to be cooled, for example the height of their cylindrical shape if the thermal regulation device is housed between two rows of cells. If each row of cells has n superimposed cylindrical cells, the height to be considered can of course be multiplied by the same factor n. Each tube width thus defined for a storage system imposes a dimensioning and a number of channels in the fluid circulation assemblies, this number being able to be identical or different in each of these fluid circulation assemblies.In particular, this dimensioning takes into account the mechanical strength of the tube, faced with a maximum pressure of the fluid circulating in the channels, of several bars, and takes into account the thermal performance of the tube, in order to efficiently cool or heat the cells, and this with very good thermal homogeneity between the different channels of the same fluid circulation assembly.

[0021] Finally, the tube of the thermal regulation device according to the invention is preferably formed by extrusion and its cross-section is therefore preferably identical over the entire length of the tube, except at its end comprising the notch, produced for example during a step of cutting an extruded profile of the tube. Alternatively, the tube is machined, and the material bridge is not present over the entire longitudinal length of the tube, but over certain portions of this length and in particular at the end of the tube. The material bridge is thinner than the strip of material of the prior art shown in Figure 2. The material bridge is in one piece and has only two ends transversely to the tube, being for example of a cross-section similar to that of Figure 3.

[0022] Thanks to the invention, the assembly of the thermal regulation device according to the invention does not require great precision in the dimensioning of the end of the tube relative to a first corrugation of the tube or more generally to a first contact surface provided with an element to be cooled, the first corrugation or contact surface being that closest to the distribution box. Indeed, the production of the notch at the end of the material bridge makes it possible to eliminate the longitudinal burr created during the cutting of the tube, which allows better control of the relative positions of the distribution box and the tube.In addition, the longitudinal excess thickness inserted in the notch makes it possible to greatly limit the circulation of fluid between the first circulation assembly and the second circulation assembly regardless of the longitudinal position of the longitudinal excess thickness in the notch, since this circulation will be controlled by the transverse position of the longitudinal excess thickness relative to the side walls of the circulation assemblies which frame it.

[0023] When the notch extends from one of the side walls to the other, and the longitudinal excess thickness matches the shapes of the side walls, the seal between the circulation assemblies of the tube is complete. It should be noted that the longitudinal excess thickness extending orthogonally to the transverse and longitudinal directions can therefore merge with the rib if the latter stops longitudinally at the level of a bottom wall of the notch.

[0024] Preferably, however, the clearance of material forming on the tube a groove extending longitudinally on the tube, the rib fills the groove on a longitudinal portion of the bridge of material, and the longitudinal excess thickness forms a longitudinal stop capable of coming against the bottom wall of the notch, the excess thickness starting on the rib in the notch and ending at a longitudinal end of the distribution box on the side opposite the tube.

[0025] Finally, thanks to the thinness of the material bridge compared to the thickness of the tube, the thermal conduction between the first circulation set and the second circulation set is very limited.

[0026] Preferably in the invention, a distance between a lateral edge of the longitudinal excess thickness and a lateral edge of the notch is between 0.02 and 0.2 times a width of the notch. This distance is the most controllable in terms of dimension chain and guarantees low fluid circulation between the circulation assemblies even when the longitudinal excess thickness is quite far from a bottom wall of the notch, orthogonal to the lateral edges of the notch. The width of the notch is of course the transverse distance between the lateral edges of the notch. This dimensioning makes it possible to limit an internal leak between the first circulation assembly and the second circulation assembly, so as to maintain an acceptable thermal efficiency of the thermal regulation device according to the invention.In one embodiment of the invention, the distance between an end edge of the longitudinal excess thickness and the bottom wall of the notch is not zero but is smaller than the distance between the end face of the tube and the end edge of the longitudinal excess thickness, these distances being measured longitudinally, therefore in the direction of the length of the tube. This further limits the passage of fluid from one circulation assembly to the other, in particular when the contours of the longitudinal excess thickness are rounded, which is the case when the distribution box is formed partly by stamping. Preferably therefore, the distance between the end face of the tube and the end edge of the longitudinal excess thickness, when the tube is inserted into the distribution box, is greater than or equal to a radius of curvature characterizing a rounded edge between a lateral edge of the longitudinal excess thickness and the end edge of the longitudinal excess thickness.

[0027] Alternatively, the longitudinal excess thickness is in contact with the material bridge on the bottom wall of the notch, preventing any circulation of fluid between the circulation assemblies or limiting it to the maximum when the end edge of the longitudinal excess thickness is rounded. The longitudinal excess thickness in fact makes it possible to cover the entire thickness of the tube, possibly in cooperation with another longitudinal excess thickness or another rib as explained later.

[0028] According to an optional feature of the invention, the distribution box comprises a receiving portion of a shape complementary to a longitudinal end portion of the tube in the junction zone, the longitudinal end of the tube being fitted into the receiving portion. This complementary shape, achieved in particular thanks to the ribs mentioned above, makes it possible to ensure sealing between the distribution box and the tube. The tube is for example brazed with the distribution box once the tube is inserted into it.

[0029] The recesses forming the chambers on the one hand, and the ribs on the other hand, are easily formed by stamping metal plates each forming one of the two shells, which are then brazed or welded to each other to form the distribution box. Similarly, the excess thickness(es) of the ribs are preferably formed by stamping and therefore do not necessarily correspond to an excess of material on the ribs, but to an extension of this in the direction of the thickness of the distribution box. The shells are preferably single-piece. The ribs are alternatively formed by deformation of the sheet metal, or by an excess of material.

[0030] The ribs contribute to the sealing between the distribution chambers by longitudinally separating the two recesses on each of the shells. When the tube is inserted into the distribution chamber, the ribs with the longitudinal excess thickness(es) form a central wall separating the two chambers over a longitudinal portion of the distribution box over the entire thickness thereof, and fill the material gaps formed by the material bridge on another longitudinal portion of the distribution box covering the junction zone, so as to ensure the sealing between the tube and the distribution box. The ribs extend longitudinally in fact from an edge of each shell corresponding to a longitudinal end of the receiving portion, in contact with the material bridge, to an undrawn area of ​​the shell extending to the opposite edge of the shell.The unstamped areas of the shells are pressed against each other during shell assembly and then brazed, thus extending the seal between the two chambers longitudinally to the opposite edge of each shell. In this arrangement, the ribs therefore extend longitudinally beyond the walls of the material bridge from the tube towards the distribution box.

[0031] According to an optional feature of the invention, the material bridge connects the two circulation assemblies by forming two material clearances on the tube, each corresponding to a longitudinal groove on the tube. The tube is preferably made of metallic material, such as aluminum, and formed by extrusion then cutting.

[0032] According to an optional feature of the invention, the distribution box is formed by two shells fixed to one another, each shell comprising a first recess forming one half of the inlet chamber and a second recess forming one half of the return chamber. The distribution box is preferably also made of a metallic material, for example aluminum. The distribution box, unlike the tube, is preferably made by stamping. Alternatively, the distribution box is machined. Materials other than aluminum are of course conceivable for the tube and the distribution box, provided that they are thermally conductive and have sufficient mechanical strength to not deform under the pressure of the heat transfer fluid.

[0033] According to an optional characteristic of the invention, the distribution box comprises a rib on each shell, the rib separating the arrival chamber from the return chamber and filling at least on the junction zone, one of the longitudinal grooves, the rib being surmounted by a longitudinal excess thickness housed at least partly in the notch, the longitudinal excess thicknesses being in contact with each other.

[0034] According to an optional characteristic of the invention, the distribution box comprises a rib on each shell, the rib separating the arrival chamber from the return chamber and filling at least on the junction zone, one of the longitudinal grooves, the rib of one of the shells being surmounted by a longitudinal excess thickness housed at least partly in the notch, said longitudinal excess thickness being in contact with the rib of the other of the shells.

[0035] The invention also relates to a system comprising several components whose operation is sensitive to temperature, in particular sets of electrical energy storage members, and at least one thermal regulation device according to the invention, the tube of the thermal regulation device being closed, on the side opposite the distribution box of the thermal regulation device, by a return box of the thermal regulation device, the return box communicating the first fluid circulation assembly with the second fluid circulation assembly. The thermal regulation devices are preferably arranged between each row of electrical energy storage members of the system. Alternatively or additionally, thermal regulation devices are each arranged on one of the main faces of the system according to the invention, the main faces being the faces of larger dimensions, on either side of the system.

[0036] According to an optional characteristic of the invention, a first and a second thermal regulation device of the system are configured to be connected in a sealed manner by direct cooperation of a service pipe connected to the inlet chamber of the first thermal regulation device, with the inlet pipe connected to the inlet chamber of the second thermal regulation device, and of the outlet pipe connected to the return chamber of the second thermal regulation device, with an evacuation pipe connected to the return chamber of the first thermal regulation device.

[0037] The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a thermal regulation device according to the invention, comprising:

[0038] - a manufacturing step by extrusion of a profile of the tube of the thermal regulation device, forming the circulation assemblies and the material bridge of the tube, the latter not yet being provided with a notch,

[0039] - a step of pre-cutting a portion of the tube profile along the parallel lines at a location spaced longitudinally by a length of the tube from a longitudinal end of the tube profile,

[0040] - a step of separating the pre-cut part by longitudinally separating the pre-cut part from a non-pre-cut part of the tube profile, delivering the tube without a notch, and

[0041] - a step of cutting the notch on one end of the material bridge of the tube from the previous step.

[0042] The invention finally relates to a method of assembling a thermal regulation device according to the invention, during which:

[0043] - the distribution box is formed by assembling the two shells against each other,

[0044] - the longitudinal end of the tube provided with the junction zone is inserted inside the distribution box until the longitudinal excess thickness of one of the ribs is at least partly housed in the notch, and

[0045] - we braze the assembly formed by the distribution box and the tube.

[0046] In the assembly method according to the invention, the tube is obtained for example according to the manufacturing method according to the invention.

[0047] In a first variant of the assembly method according to the invention, the box or the tube are moved against each other until the longitudinal excess thickness is in contact with the bottom wall of the notch.

[0048] In a second variant of the assembly method according to the invention, the longitudinal end of the tube provided with the junction zone is inserted inside the distribution box by movement of the latter until it stops against a stop external to the thermal regulation device and placed at a predetermined distance from a first corrugation of the tube, between this first corrugation and the longitudinal end face of the tube. Thus the distance between the first corrugation and the pipes of the distribution box is controlled. Of course, if the tube does not have corrugations but other forms of thermal contact zones, the external stop will be placed between an indexed position of this thermal contact zone and the longitudinal end face of the tube.In this second variant, the length of the longitudinal end inserted into the distribution box does not generally correspond to contact of the longitudinal excess thickness with the bottom wall of the notch, but the distance between the lateral edges of the longitudinal excess thickness and the lateral edges of the notch is controlled so as to acceptably dimension the slight internal leak resulting from this second variant of the assembly method according to the invention, between the first fluid circulation assembly and the second circulation assembly. This second variant makes it possible to dispense with a chain link of dimensions, in particular between an element of the distribution box and the longitudinal end face of the tube.

[0049] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several exemplary embodiments given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the appended schematic drawings on the other hand, in which: [fig i] already commented on in relation to the prior art, represents in perspective a part of a tube and a distribution box of a thermal regulation device of an energy storage system,

[0050] [fig 2] represents in perspective an end face of the tube of figure 2,

[0051] [fig 3] also already commented in relation to the prior art, represents a view of an end face of a tube of another thermal regulation device of an energy storage system,

[0052] [fig 4] represents in perspective a thermal regulation device according to the invention, in one embodiment of the invention,

[0053] [fig 5] represents in perspective an electrical energy storage system according to the invention, in this embodiment of the invention,

[0054] [fig 6] represents in perspective a close-up view of the fluid connections between several thermal regulation devices of the electrical energy storage system of figure 5,

[0055] [fig 7] represents in cross section an end face of a tube of the thermal regulation device of figure 4, the cross section being made at the level of a solid part of a material bridge connecting two fluid circulation assemblies of the tube.

[0056] [fig 8] is a perspective view of an end portion of the tube of figure 7, fitted into a distribution box of the thermal regulation device of figure 4, formed of two shells assembled one on top of the other, but one of the shells is not shown, in order to allow the end face of the tube to be viewed in the distribution box,

[0057] [fig 9] is an enlargement of figure 8 at the level of an end face of the tube, allowing a better visualization of a notch in the material bridge opening onto this end face, as well as a longitudinal excess thickness of the shell shown in figure 8 and housed partly in the notch,

[0058] [fig 10] is a perspective view from a point of view opposite to that of figure 8, showing the external face of the shell and a part of the tube extending outside the shell, [fig il] represents steps of a method of manufacturing a tube of a thermal regulation device according to the invention, in one embodiment of the invention, and

[0059] [fig 12] represents steps of a method of assembling a thermal regulation device according to the invention in one embodiment of the invention.

[0060] Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of a thermal regulation device 4 according to the invention, comprising an aluminum tube 60 of which one longitudinal end is fitted into a distribution box 100 and the other longitudinal end is fitted into a return box 20. Indeed, in this thermal regulation device 4, the circulation of the fluid is said to be U-shaped, that is to say with the same portion of heat transfer fluid which circulates in two opposite directions S1, S2 of circulation within the tube 60. The thermal regulation device 4 comprises corrugations to optimize its exchange surface with cylindrical battery cells. In particular, a first corrugation 63 of the tube is positioned so that the tubes of the distribution box 100 are coaxial with other tubes of another distribution box 100 as explained below.

[0061] More precisely, the heat transfer fluid arrives in the thermal regulation device 4 via an inlet pipe 18b connected in a sealed manner to an inlet chamber 410 (referenced in FIG. 8) of the distribution box 100, enters a first circulation assembly 61 of the tube 60, circulates in the first direction S1 to the return box 20 which diverts it to a second circulation assembly 62 of the tube 60. Once in the second circulation assembly 62, the heat transfer fluid circulates in the second direction S2 to a return chamber 420 (referenced in FIG. 8) of the distribution box 100, then leaves via an outlet pipe 18a connected in a sealed manner to the return chamber 420.As detailed further in relation to Figure 6, other pipes coaxial with the inlet pipes 18b and outlet pipes 18a are provided on the distribution box 100, to communicate fluidically with other distribution boxes of other thermal regulation devices according to the invention. The thermal regulation device 4 is in fact used to cool an electrical energy storage system 1 shown in Figure 5, intended in particular to equip an electric or hybrid vehicle. This electrical energy storage system 1 comprises several electrical energy storage members 2, here cylindrical cells 2, energy accumulators and electrically connected to each other in series.

[0062] The cylindrical cells 2 are arranged vertically, that is to say perpendicular to the plane in which the electrical energy storage system is mainly located.

[0063] The electrical energy storage system 1 comprises several thermal regulation devices 4 each comprising a tube 60, arranged between two rows 3 of cylindrical cells 2, or flanking such a row 3 at the edge of the energy storage system 1, so as to allow a thermal exchange between the thermal regulation devices 4 and the cylindrical cells 2. The tubes 60 are corrugated in order to allow an optimal exchange surface with the cylindrical cells 2. They are made for example of aluminum.

[0064] The arrangement of the thermal regulation devices 4 is such that the return boxes 20 of the thermal regulation devices 4 are located on the same side of the energy storage system 1, outside the rows 3 of cylindrical cells 2. Similarly, the distribution boxes 100 of the thermal regulation devices 4 are all located on the opposite side of the energy storage system 1, outside the rows 3 of cylindrical cells 2. As a result, a connection system 18, detailed below, makes it possible to connect all the distribution boxes 100 together, so that they can receive a heat transfer fluid from the same heat transfer fluid inlet 14 for the entire energy storage system 1, and so that this heat transfer fluid can be evacuated by the same heat transfer fluid evacuation 16 for the entire energy storage system 1.

[0065] As can be seen in Figure 6, the connection system 18 provides for each thermal regulation device 4 between two rows 3 of cylindrical cells 2: - an inlet pipe 18b serving the arrival chamber 410 of the distribution box 100 of the thermal regulation device 4,

[0066] - an outlet pipe 18a, referenced figure 4 and not visible in figure 6 because it is housed in another pipe of the adjacent tube, said outlet pipe being served by the return chamber 420 of the distribution box 100 of the thermal regulation device 4,

[0067] - a service pipe 18c capable of being fitted into an inlet pipe 18b of a distribution box 100 of a thermal regulation device 4 adjacent to the thermal regulation device 4 comprising this service pipe 18c, and

[0068] - an evacuation pipe 18e capable of receiving an outlet pipe 18a from a distribution box 100 of a thermal regulation device 4 adjacent to the thermal regulation device 4 comprising this evacuation pipe 18e.

[0069] Each service pipe 18c comprises in particular a toroidal seal 36 making it possible to ensure the sealing of its fitting in an inlet pipe 18b, and each outlet pipe 18a comprises a toroidal seal making it possible to ensure the sealing of its fitting in an evacuation pipe 18e. The seals 36 are held radially tight by the fitting of the corresponding pipes, which are held one inside the other by the presence of a ring 52 preventing their relative axial displacement.

[0070] Of course, other connection options exist and can be used as an alternative.

[0071] The tube 60 of this embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 7, seen in cross-section, that is to say in a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal direction oriented along the length of the tube 60, at the level of a solid part of a material bridge 64 connecting the first fluid circulation assembly 61 of the tube 60, and the second fluid circulation assembly 62 of the tube 60. This cross-section shows the tube 60 on the one hand according to its width, corresponding to the largest dimension of the tube 60 on this cross-section, and in the direction of alignment of the channels 8 relative to each other in each fluid circulation assembly 61, 62, and on the other hand according to its thickness, in a direction orthogonal to that of the width of the tube.

[0072] The width of the tube 60 is oriented in a transverse direction T and the thickness of the tube 60 in a direction E.

[0073] In a similar manner to Figure 3, the channels 8 are each separated by a wall 50 in the width direction of the tube 60. It can be seen that the tube 60 is very thin, of the order of a few millimeters, a single channel 8 being able to be housed in the thickness direction of the tube 60, which allows the tube 60 to be cut at the outlet of an extrusion die by a first pre-cutting step then a second drawing step.

[0074] The first fluid circulation assembly 61 therefore has, in the width of the tube 60 on this cross-section, a first long edge 612 which is inscribed on a first straight line di, and a second opposite long edge 611 which is inscribed on a second straight line d2 substantially parallel to the first straight line di.

[0075] Likewise, the second fluid circulation assembly 62 has in the width of the tube 60 on this cross-section, a first long edge 622 which is inscribed on the first straight line di, and a second long edge 621 which is inscribed on the second straight line d2.

[0076] The material bridge 64 breaks the continuity of material on the parallel lines di, d2 by forming a first clearance of material 66 between the two edges 612, 622 on a first longitudinal face of the tube 60, and a second clearance of material 65 between the two edges 611, 621 on a second longitudinal face of the tube 60 opposite the first longitudinal face of the tube 60.

[0077] The tube 60 being formed by extrusion, in this embodiment of the invention, these material clearances 65, 66 extend over the entire length of the tube, forming longitudinal grooves opening towards the outside of the tube 60, between the circulation assemblies 61, 62. Unlike the embodiment presented in relation to FIG. 3, the tube 60 comprises a notch 642, visible in FIG. 8, formed in these longitudinal grooves and opening onto an end face 602 (referenced FIG. 9) of the tube 60. The end face 602 is a flat surface comprising the opening of the channels 8 of the circulation assemblies 61, 62. It is parallel, at the level of the notch 642, to a bottom wall 644 of the notch 642. The notch 642 cooperates with sealing means 440 of the box distribution box 100 when the tube 60 is inserted into the distribution box 100, now described in relation to FIG. 8.

[0078] In Figure 8, a longitudinal direction L to which the term “longitudinal” refers is oriented along the length of the tube 60, orthogonal to the transverse direction T oriented along the width of the tube 60 and to the direction E oriented along the thickness of the tube 60. These directions are also used to position the distribution box 100 in Figures 8 to 10. In particular, the largest dimension of the distribution box 100 is oriented along the transverse direction T, this largest dimension being oriented along the width of the tube 60 when the latter is fitted into the distribution box 100. Similarly, an intermediate dimension of the distribution box 100, oriented in the direction of insertion of the tube 60, is oriented along the longitudinal direction L, and the smallest dimension or thickness of the distribution box 100 is oriented along the direction E.

[0079] The distribution box 100 is formed of two shells 111 assembled against each other and then brazed. Lateral hooking tabs on one of the shells allow the shells 111 to be held against each other during brazing. The distribution box 100 is made of aluminum, in this embodiment of the invention. Alternatively, it can of course be made of another material, metallic or polymer for example.

[0080] Each shell 111 comprises a first recess forming one half of the inlet chamber 410 and a second recess forming one half of the return chamber 420. These recesses are for example formed by stamping. Each first recess is pierced with an orifice bordered by a cylindrical base 181 intended to receive either an inlet pipe 18b or a service pipe 18c.

[0081] Likewise, each second recess is pierced with an orifice bordered by a cylindrical base 183 intended to receive either an outlet pipe 18a or an evacuation pipe 18e.

[0082] The distribution box 100 extends longitudinally from a joining edge 1112 of each shell 111 with the tube 60, therefore proximal to the tube 60, to a free edge 1114 of each shell, opposite the joining edge 1112, therefore distal to the tube 60. The distribution box 100 comprises a receiving portion of a shape complementary to at least one longitudinal portion of a joining zone 600 on the end of the tube 60, this joining zone being fitted into this receiving portion, when the tube 60 is inserted into the distribution box 100. The receiving portion is complementary to the joining zone 600 at least on the longitudinal portion of this joining zone 600 extending longitudinally from the joining edge 1112 of each shell 111 to the bottom wall 644 of the notch.

[0083] It is visible in particular in Figure 8 that the arrival chambers 410 and return chambers 420 match the contours of the first circulation assembly 61 and respectively of the second circulation assembly 62 over the entire junction zone, by the shape of the first recesses of the arrival chamber 410 on the one hand and the shape of the second recesses of the return chamber 420 on the other hand.

[0084] Each shell 111 further comprises a rib 441 separating the two chambers and matching the shape of one of the material clearances 65, 66 longitudinally over the entire junction zone 600. In other words, each rib 441 of a shell 111 fills an end portion of a longitudinal groove formed by a material clearance 65, 66, so that the shells 111 grip the material bridge 64 in the junction zone 600. Due to the contact planes between each rib 441 and the material bridge 64, parallel to the transverse T and longitudinal L directions, the ribs 441 do not fill the notch 642 on the junction zone 600, in this embodiment of the invention. According to the invention, and as will be detailed below, the notch 642 is partially occupied by a longitudinal excess thickness 442 forming on each rib 441 a projection in the direction E.

[0085] As can be seen in Figures 9 and 10 in particular, each longitudinal excess thickness 442 begins on the corresponding rib 441, by an end edge 4422 located at a distance from the junction edge 1112 of the shell 111, from where the rib 441 begins, and extends longitudinally to the non-stamped zone of the shell 111 located between the two chambers 410, 420. The longitudinal distance between the start of the rib 441 and the start of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 makes it possible, thanks to the complementarity of shapes of the ribs 441 and the bridge of material 64 over this distance, to ensure sealing between the tube 60 and the distribution box 100. The longitudinal excess thicknesses 442 and the ribs 441 also form the sealing means 440 between the two chambers.

[0086] The ribs 441, formed for example by stamping, participate in separating the arrival chamber 410 from the return chamber 420, by forming a central wall between these two chambers, and therefore participate in the sealing between the arrival chamber 410 and the return chamber 420.

[0087] The ribs 441 extend longitudinally between the two chambers from the joining edge 1112 of each shell 111, to an unstamped zone of the shell 111 extending in the vicinity of the free edge 1114 of the shell 111. The unstamped zones of the shells 111 are pressed against each other during the assembly of the shells 111 and then brazed, and thus extend the seal between the two chambers longitudinally to the free edge 1114 of each shell 111.

[0088] The ribs 441 have a thickness extending over the shell 111 in the direction E up to the material bridge 64 only, when the tube 60 is inserted into the distribution box 100. Therefore, when the tube 60 is inserted into the distribution box 100, they do not by themselves close the circulation of heat transfer fluid because they are, between the inlet chamber 410 and the return chamber 420, separated by the thickness e (referenced figure 9) of the material bridge 64. The heat transfer fluid can therefore pass from the channels 8 of the second circulation assembly 62 on the end face 602 of the tube 60 to the bottom wall 644 of the notch 642, and circulate on this bottom wall 644 to the circulation channels 8 of the first circulation assembly 61 by going up on the end face 602 of tube 60.To prevent this free circulation of fluid through the notch, the longitudinal thickenings 442 extend into the notch, forming a projection on their respective rib 441 along the direction E, until they join each other and obstruct, at least partially, the notch.

[0089] However, as can be seen in Figure 9, this sealing cannot be complete if the end edge 4422 does not touch the bottom wall 644 of the notch, or if none of the lateral edges 4426, 4424 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 touches one of the lateral edges 646, 648 of the notch 642, the lateral edges of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 and of the notch 642 extending in the longitudinal direction L. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the end edge 4422 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 touches the bottom wall 644 of the notch, or one of the lateral edges 4426, 4424 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 touches one of the lateral edges 646, 648 of the notch 642, the corresponding edge(s) of the excess thickness 442 having a flat surface parallel to the bottom wall 644 or to one of the lateral edges 646, 648 of the notch 642. In this variant, complete sealing is achieved between the circulation assemblies 61, 62.

[0090] However, in the embodiment of the invention presented in relation to figures 8, 9 and 10, the excess thickness 442 being produced by stamping, its edges are rounded, and as a result the sealing between the circulation assemblies 61, 62 is not complete but is sufficient thanks in particular to the control of the relative distances between the lateral edges 4426, 4424 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 and the lateral edges 614, 616, 624, 626 of the circulation assemblies 61, 62.

[0091] In other words, even if a complete seal is not achieved here, a sufficient seal is generated as soon as a baffle is created to slow down the circulation of the fluid, by inserting the excess thickness sufficiently into the notch. For this, it is necessary that at least the end edge 4422 and the lateral ends of this end edge, ends rounded due to the stamping, are housed in the notch.

[0092] In this embodiment of the invention, the width of the notch is smaller than the transverse distance between the two circulation assemblies 61, 62. As a result, the longitudinal excess thickness 442 is itself, at least over a longitudinal end portion, of a width less than the width of the rib 441 whose thickness it extends, so as to be able to be housed in the notch 642. The manufacturing tolerances of the shells 111 and the tube 60 allow a distance d between one of the lateral edges 4426, 4424 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 and one of the lateral edges 646, 648 of the notch 642 to be between 0.02 and 0.2 times the width of the notch 642. As an indication, this distance d is approximately half a millimeter, and the width of the notch approximately 4 millimeters. The largest dimension of the internal leak section between the two chambers is therefore of the order of half a millimeter, or four times less than in the prior art.

[0093] In a variant, the notch 642 extends transversely from the lateral edges 614, 616 of the first circulation assembly 61 to the lateral edges 624, 626 of the second circulation assembly 62. In this case the distance d between one of the lateral edges 4426, 4424 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 and one of the lateral edges 614, 616, 624, 626 of the circulation assemblies 61, 62 is between 0.02 and 0.2 times a distance between the lateral edges 614, 616 of the first circulation assembly 61 and the lateral edges 624, 626 of the second circulation assembly 62.

[0094] Furthermore, in this variant or in the embodiment of the invention, a distance h between the end edge 4422 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 and the bottom wall 644 of the notch is smaller than the distance between the end face 602 of the tube 60 and the end edge 4422 of the excess thickness 442, these distances being measured in the longitudinal direction L. The distance h can be half a millimeter or several millimeters without the internal leakage being greater in both cases, provided that the distance d is controlled and remains identical, for example approximately half a millimeter. The longitudinal depth of the notch 642 is of course always greater than the distance h.It is of the order of one to a few millimeters, and preferably at least half a millimeter greater than the distance h, so that the rounded shape of the contour of the excess thickness 442 does not promote the circulation of fluid between the space between the lateral edges 646, 648 of the notch 642 and the lateral edges 4426, 4424 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 on the one hand, and the space between the end edge 4422 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 and the bottom wall 644 on the other hand.

[0095] In other words, the distance between the end face 602 of the tube 60 and the end edge 4422 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442, when the tube 60 is inserted into the distribution box 100, is greater than or equal to a radius of curvature R characterizing a rounded edge between a lateral edge 4424, 4426 of the longitudinal excess thickness and the end edge 4422 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442.

[0096] A method 300 for manufacturing the tube 60 of the thermal regulation device 4 according to the invention is now described in relation to FIG. 11. The manufacturing method 300 comprises:

[0097] - a manufacturing step 302 by extrusion of a profile of the tube 60 of the thermal regulation device 4, forming the circulation assemblies 61, 62 and the material bridge 64 of the tube 60 not yet provided with the notch 642,

[0098] - a pre-cutting step 304 of a part of the profile of the tube 60 thus manufactured, this pre-cutting being carried out transversely to the tube 60 along the parallel lines di, d2, at a location spaced longitudinally from one end of the profile of the tube 60, from the length of the tube 60, and

[0099] - a step 306 of separating the part thus pre-cut by longitudinally separating the pre-cut part from the rest of the profile of the tube 60; the pre-cut and separated part forms a tube 60 of the thermal regulation device 4 without a notch.

[0100] Finally, a last step is a cutting step 308 of the notch 642 on one end of the material bridge 64 of the tube 60 without a notch resulting from the separation step 306. It should be noted that in this embodiment, each pre-cutting and separation step forms one end of the remainder of the profile of the tube 60, not yet pre-cut, which will be used to manufacture another tube.

[0101] Once the tube 60 has been manufactured, an assembly method 200 of the thermal regulation device 4 according to the invention, shown in FIG. 12, is implemented.

[0102] In a first step 202 of the assembly method 200, the distribution box 100 is formed by superimposing the two shells 111 against each other.

[0103] Then in a second step 204 of the assembly method 200, a longitudinal end of the tube 60 is inserted inside the distribution box 100 until the longitudinal excess thicknesses 442 on the ribs 441 of the shells 411 are housed at least partly in the notch 642 of the material bridge 64.

[0104] Finally, in a third step 206, the assembly formed by the distribution box 100 and the tube 60 thus inserted into the distribution box 100 is brazed.

[0105] During the second step 204, for example, the tube 60 is inserted into the distribution box 100 until the end edge 4422 of the longitudinal excess thickness 442 reaches the bottom wall 644 of the notch. This limits the circulation of fluid between the two chambers 410, 420 of the distribution box 100 as much as possible.

[0106] Alternatively, in particular if it is desired to dispense with a chain link of dimensions between the longitudinal end of the tube 60 and a first corrugation 63 of the tube 60 proximal to this longitudinal end, during the second step 204, the longitudinal end of the tube 60 is inserted inside the distribution box 100 by bringing the latter against a stop external to the thermal regulation device 4 and placed at a predetermined distance between the first corrugation 63 of the tube 60 and its longitudinal end. This variant does not generally ensure contact between the end edges 4422 of the longitudinal overthicknesses 442 with the bottom wall 644 of the notch 642. Nevertheless, any internal leakage that may be created is controlled. Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.In particular, the characteristics of the different embodiments or variants may be combined to achieve the invention, to the extent that these embodiments or variants are not incompatible with each other.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Thermal regulation device (4) for cooling and / or heating components (2) whose operation is sensitive to temperature, these components being in particular intended for energy storage and possibly being battery cells of electrical energy storage devices, comprising: - a distribution box (100) configured to be connected to a fluid inlet pipe (18b), and to a fluid outlet pipe (18a), the distribution box comprising a fluid inlet chamber capable of being served by the inlet pipe (18b) and a fluid return chamber capable of serving the outlet pipe (18a), - a tube (60) with two fluid circulation assemblies (61, 62) secured by a material bridge (64), each assembly comprising a plurality of circulation channels along which the heat transfer fluid circulates from one longitudinal end of the tube to the other, a first fluid circulation assembly (61) communicating with the inlet chamber and a second fluid circulation assembly (62) communicating with the return chamber, the fluid circulation assemblies (61, 62) having, in cross-section of the tube (60), long edges (621, 622, 611, 612) inscribed on two parallel lines (di, d2), the material bridge (64) breaking the continuity of material on at least one of the parallel lines (di, d2) by forming at least one longitudinal clearance of material (65, 66) on the tube (60),the thermal regulation device (4) being characterized in that the distribution box (100) comprises at least one rib (441) separating the arrival chamber from the return chamber, a part of the rib being housed in the clearance of material (65) at a junction zone (600) of the tube (60) with the distribution box (100) and in that the bridge of material (64) comprises a notch (642) opening on an end face of the tube (60), the distribution box comprising a longitudinal excess thickness (442) projecting from the rib (441) and housed at least partly in the notch (642)., 2. Thermal regulation device (4) according to claim 1, in which a distance (d) between a lateral edge (4426) of the excess thickness longitudinal (442) and a lateral edge (646) of the notch (642) is between 0.02 and 0.2 times a width of the notch (642).

3. Thermal regulation device (4) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distribution box (100) comprises a receiving portion of complementary shape to a longitudinal end portion of the tube (60) in the junction zone (600), the longitudinal end of the tube (60) being fitted into the receiving portion.

4. Thermal regulation device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the material bridge (64) connects the two circulation assemblies (61, 62) by forming two material clearances (65, 66) on the tube (60), each corresponding to a longitudinal groove on the tube (60).

5. Thermal regulation device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which, the distribution box (100) being formed by two shells (111) fixed to one another, each shell (111) comprises a first recess (410) forming one half of the arrival chamber and a second recess (420) forming one half of the return chamber.

6. Thermal regulation device (4) according to claim 5, in which the distribution box (100) comprises a rib (441) on each shell (111), the rib (441) separating the arrival chamber from the return chamber and filling at least on the junction zone, one of the longitudinal grooves, the rib being surmounted by a longitudinal excess thickness (442) housed at least partly in the notch (642), the longitudinal excess thicknesses (442) being in contact with each other.

7. Thermal regulation device (4) according to claim 5, in which the distribution box (100) comprises a rib (441) on each shell (111), the rib (441) separating the arrival chamber from the return chamber and filling at least on the junction zone, one of the longitudinal grooves, the rib (441) of one of the shells (111) being surmounted by a longitudinal excess thickness housed at least partly in the notch, said longitudinal excess thickness being in contact with the rib of the other of the shells.

8. System (1) comprising several components (2) whose operation is sensitive to temperature, in particular assemblies (3) of electrical energy storage members (2), and at least one thermal regulation device (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, the tube (60) of the thermal regulation device (4) being closed, on the side opposite the distribution box (100) of the thermal regulation device (4), by a return box (20) of the thermal regulation device (4), the return box (20) communicating the first fluid circulation assembly (61) with the second fluid circulation assembly (62).

9. System (1) according to the preceding claim, of which a first and a second thermal regulation device (4) are configured to be connected in a sealed manner by direct cooperation of a service pipe (18c) connected to the inlet chamber of the first thermal regulation device, with the inlet pipe (18b) connected to the inlet chamber of the second thermal regulation device, and of the outlet pipe (18a) connected to the return chamber of the second thermal regulation device, with an evacuation pipe (18e) connected to the return chamber of the first thermal regulation device.

10. Method of assembling (200) a thermal regulation device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, during which: - the distribution box (100) is formed (202) by assembling the two shells (111) against each other, - the longitudinal end of the tube (60) provided with the junction zone (600) is inserted (204) inside the distribution box (100) until the longitudinal excess thickness (442) of one of the ribs (441) is at least partly housed in the notch (642), and - the assembly formed by the distribution box (100) and the tube (60) is brazed (206).

11. Method of manufacturing (300) a thermal regulation device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: - a manufacturing step (302) by extrusion, of a profile of the tube (60) of the thermal regulation device (4), forming the circulation assemblies (61, 62) and the material bridge (64) of the tube (60), the latter not yet being provided with a notch (642), - a step of pre-cutting (304) a part of the profile of the tube (60) along the parallel lines (di, d2) at a location spaced longitudinally by a length of the tube (60) relative to a longitudinal end of the profile of the tube (60), - a step of separating (306) the pre-cut part by longitudinally separating the pre-cut part from a non-pre-cut part of the profile of the tube (60), delivering the tube (60) without a notch (642), and - a step of cutting the notch (642) on one end of the material bridge (64) of the tube (60) from the previous step.

Images