ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING AN AIR- AND WATER-COOLED BATTERY AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) comprising a battery tray (1) including a battery (2), characterized in that said battery (2) has an upper part (2a) and a lower part (2b), the battery tray (1) having a first air passage above the upper part (2a), a second air passage between the upper part (2a) and the lower part (2b), and a third air passage below the lower part (2b), said vehicle (100) having a water collector (7), a conduit (4) having a sprayer (8) positioned between a fan (6) and said battery tray (1), said sprayer (8) being supplied with water by said water collector (7). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A COOLED BATTERY BY AIR AND BY WATER AND ASSOCIATED PROCESS

[0001] The invention relates to the cooling of batteries in electric or hybrid motor vehicles.

[0002] Various means of maintaining the temperature of automotive traction batteries are known in the prior art. Plate cooling involves using a plate bonded above or below the battery tray, through which a heat transfer fluid, such as glycol water, flows to regulate the temperature. This method, while cost-effective, requires considerable thickness. Immersion cooling involves immersing the battery in a moving dielectric liquid, cooled or heated outside the battery tray, offering good thermal management at the cost of increased mass and system complexity. Finally, air cooling uses air, conditioned or unconditioned, to cool the battery, either in direct contact with the cells or by circulating around the battery tray.Although this method is less expensive, its performance is limited and may depend on the airflow generated by the vehicle's speed.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks of allowing the maintenance of an optimal battery temperature at a lower cost without increasing the weight, or even by reducing the weight, of the motor vehicle.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a battery tray including a battery, said vehicle comprising a front running gear and a rear running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane defined by a first longitudinal direction corresponding to straight-line driving, by a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first and second directions and oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising a heating-ventilation-air conditioning system and a duct connecting said heating-ventilation-air conditioning system and said battery tray, notable in that said battery comprises an upper part and a lower part,the upper part being positioned above the lower part along the third direction, the upper part being positioned at a predetermined non-zero distance from the lower part, the battery tray having a first air passage above the upper part, , a second air passage between the upper and lower parts and a third air passage below the lower part, said duct having a flap and a fan, said fan being positioned opposite said battery tray, said flap being positioned between the heating-ventilation-air conditioning unit and said fan, said flap being capable of opening to let in outside air or closing, said vehicle having a water collector, said duct having a sprayer positioned between said fan and said battery tray, said sprayer being supplied with water by said water collector.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the battery is cooled by both air and water, which makes the cooling improve its efficiency.

[0006] Advantageously, the heating-ventilation-air conditioning device includes an evaporator, said water collector being configured to collect water from said evaporator.

[0007] Alternatively, said water collector comprising a rainwater collector.

[0008] Alternatively, said vehicle includes an exhaust line, said manifold water including an exhaust gas water recovery system.

[0009] Advantageously, the upper part and the lower part each comprise electrochemical cells, said upper part comprising an upper cover positioned above said electrochemical cells of the upper part, said lower part comprising a lower cover positioned below said electrochemical cells of the lower part.

[0010] This configuration allows air and water to circulate above and below each part of the battery. Thus, each end of the electrochemical cells is exposed to air and water. The cooling of said battery is therefore improved.

[0011] Preferably, the upper cover and the lower cover are made of aluminum.

[0012] Aluminium is a good thermal conductor. In addition, aluminium exhibits high resistance to extreme temperatures.

[0013] Preferably, the first air passage, the second air passage and the third air passage each have a height of 10 mm along the third direction.

[0014] This is a sufficient height to allow air to circulate in the air passages, without significantly increasing the height of said battery.

[0015] Advantageously, said battery comprises fins.

[0016] The presence of fins increases the surface area for heat exchange with the air and water present in the battery tray. The efficiency of battery cooling is therefore enhanced.

[0017] Preferably, said duct comprises a first parallelepiped-shaped part and a second funnel-shaped part, the second part having a first section and a second section, the first section being positioned between said fan and said battery tray, the second section being positioned between the first section and said battery tray, the second section having dimensions greater than the dimensions of the first section.

[0018] This configuration allows for better distribution of air and water in said battery tray, through the air passages.

[0019] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for actuation of a sprayer of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle previously described, said vehicle comprising an outside temperature measurement sensor, notable in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of measuring the outside temperature by said outside temperature measuring sensor of said vehicle; - a water collection step in said water collector; - a sprayer activation step when the outside temperature is above a predetermined value, the water moving from said water collector to said sprayer to be expelled into said conduit, the water being mixed with the air entering said conduit via the fan, the water and air circulating in the first air passage, in the second air passage and in the third air passage.

[0020] Preferably, said predetermined value is 25 °C.

[0021] The invention will be further detailed by the description of a non-limiting embodiment, and on the basis of the attached figure illustrating the invention, in which [Fig.1] schematically illustrates an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising an air- and water-cooled battery tray according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0022] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a battery tray 1 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 100. The battery tray 1 includes a traction battery 2. The vehicle 100 has a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a basic plane XY defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to straight-line driving, a second transverse direction Y orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction X, and a third vertical direction Z orthogonal to the first direction X and the second direction Y and oriented away from the ground. The battery 2 has an upper part 2a and a lower part 2b. The upper part 2a is positioned above the lower part 2b along the third direction Z.Thus, the battery tray 1 has a first air passage above said upper part 2a, a second air passage between said upper part 2a and said lower part 2b, and a third air passage below said lower part 2b. Preferably, the first air passage, the second air passage, and the third air passage each have a height of 10 mm. Optionally, . The upper part 2a and the lower part 2b each include electrochemical cells for storing electrical energy in chemical form. The upper part 2a optionally includes an upper cover positioned above the electrochemical cells of the upper part 2a. Furthermore, the lower part 2b includes a lower cover positioned below the electrochemical cells of the lower part 2b. Preferably, the upper and lower covers are made of aluminum, as aluminum is a good thermal conductor. The vehicle 100 includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit 3 and a duct 4 connecting said HVAC unit 3 to said battery tray 1. The duct 4 includes a hatch 5 that can be opened and closed. In [Fig. 1], the hatch 5 is closed.Therefore, air enters duct 4 via the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit 3. This may or may not be air-conditioned. The solid arrows shown in [Fig. 1] represent the air path. When the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit 3 is cooling the battery 2, the vehicle 100 may be running or stationary. Furthermore, duct 4 includes a fan 6. Thus, when air enters duct 4, the fan 6 directs the air towards the battery tray 1 to cool the battery 2. After entering the battery tray 1, the air passes through the first air passage, the second air passage, and the third air passage.Thus, the electrochemical cells, positioned vertically along the third direction Z in said battery 2, are cooled from their upper and lower ends, which improves cooling efficiency. Optionally, said battery 2 has fins to increase the exchange surface area between said battery 2 and the air present in said battery tray 1. Thus, the cooling of battery 2 is improved due to the rush of air into said fins. Preferably, the duct 4 comprises a first parallelepiped portion 4a and a second funnel-shaped portion 4b. The second portion 4b comprises a first section and a second section. The first section is positioned opposite the fan 6, while the second section is positioned between the first section and the battery tray 1. The second section, being closer to the battery tray 1 than the first section, has larger dimensions than the first section, which is closer to the first portion 4a of the duct 4. Furthermore, the vehicle 100 includes a water collector 7. Preferably, the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 3 includes an evaporator (not shown in [Fig. 1]), and the water collector 7 is configured to collect water from the evaporator. Indeed, when the HVAC system 3 is activated, water condenses as the warm, humid air passes fromfrom the passenger compartment of said vehicle 100 to the evaporator or from outside the vehicle 100 to the evaporator. In addition, the duct 4 includes a sprayer 8 positioned between said fan 6 and said battery tray 1. In the present invention, the water condensed by the evaporator is collected in the water collector 7 and then directed to the sprayer 8. The sprayer 8 is connected to the water collector 7 such that said sprayer 8 is supplied with water by said water collector 7. In [Fig. 1], the dashed arrows represent the path of the water. Alternatively, in a first embodiment not shown, said water collector 7 is a rainwater harvester. Alternatively, in a second embodiment not shown, the vehicle 100 includes a hybrid powertrain.Vehicle 100 has an exhaust system configured to evacuate the exhaust gases emitted during fuel combustion; said water collector 7 is an exhaust gas water recovery system. Indeed, the exhaust gases contain water vapor which can be condensed in said water collector 7.

[0023] The invention also relates to a method for actuating the sprayer 8 of the previously described electric or hybrid vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 includes an outside temperature sensor, i.e., the ambient temperature of said vehicle 100. During an outside temperature measurement step, the outside temperature is measured by said outside temperature sensor. Furthermore, the method includes a water collection step in said water collector 7. The sprayer 8 is activated when the outside temperature exceeds a predetermined value, preferably when the outside temperature exceeds 25°C, during an actuation step of the sprayer 8. Thus, the water flows from the water collector 7 to said sprayer 8 to be expelled into said conduit 4.In this way, the water mixes with the air introduced into duct 4, via the fan 6, the air coming from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit 3 or from outside the vehicle 100 through the vent 5 when it is open. Thus, the water and air mix and circulate through the first air passage, the second air passage, and the third air passage to cool the battery 2.

Claims

Demands

1. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) comprising a battery tray (1) comprising a battery (2), said vehicle (100) comprising a front running gear and a rear running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to straight-line driving, by a second transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction (X) and a third vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to the first direction (X) and to the second direction (Y) and is oriented away from the ground, said vehicle (100) comprising a heating-ventilation-air conditioning device (3) and a duct (4) connecting said heating-ventilation-air conditioning device (3) and said battery tray (1), characterized in that said battery (2) comprises an upper part (2a) and a lower part (2b),the upper part (2a) being positioned above the lower part (2b) along the third direction (Z), the upper part (2a) being positioned at a predetermined non-zero distance from the lower part (2b), the battery tray (1) having a first air passage above the upper part (2a), a second air passage between the upper part (2a) and the lower part (2b) and a third air passage below the lower part (2b), said duct (4) having a hatch (5) and a fan (6), said fan (6) being positioned opposite said battery tray (1), said hatch (5) being positioned between the heating-ventilation-air conditioning unit (3) and said fan (6), said hatch (5) being capable of opening to allow outside air in or closing, said vehicle (100) having a water collector (7),said conduit (4) comprising a sprayer (8) positioned between said fan (6) and said battery tray (1), said sprayer (8) being supplied with water by said water collector (7).

2. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that the heating-ventilation-air conditioning device (3) comprises an evaporator, said water collector (7) being configured to collect water from said evaporator.

3. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that said water collector (7) includes a rainwater collector.

4. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that said vehicle comprises an exhaust line, said water collector (7) comprising an exhaust gas water recovery system.

5. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the upper part (2a) and the lower part (2b) each comprise electrochemical cells, said upper part (2a) comprising an upper cover positioned above said electrochemical cells of the upper part (2a), said lower part (2b) comprising a lower cover positioned below said electrochemical cells of the lower part (2b).

6. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the first air passage, the second air passage and the third air passage each have a height of 10 mm along the third direction (Z).

7. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that said battery (2) comprises fins.

8. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that said conduit (4) comprises a first parallelepiped part (4a) and a second funnel-shaped part (4b), the second part (4b) having a first section and a second section, the first section being positioned between said fan (6) and said battery tray (1), the second section being positioned between the first section and said battery tray (1), the second section having dimensions greater than the dimensions of the first section.

9. A method for actuating a sprayer (8) of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said vehicle (100) comprising an outside temperature sensor, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of measuring the outside temperature by said outside temperature sensor of said vehicle (100); - a step of collecting water in said water collector (7); - a step of actuating the sprayer (8) when the outside temperature is above a predetermined value, the water flowing from said water collector (7) to said sprayer (8) to be expelled into said conduit (4), the water being mixed with 8 air entering said conduit (4) by means of the fan (6), water and air circulating in the first air passage, in the second air passage and in the third air passage.

10. Method according to claim 9 characterized in that said predetermined value is 25 °C.

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