Electric energy storage device
The integration of temperature control elements and structures within the housing walls of electrical energy storage devices in vehicles addresses temperature control challenges, optimizing space and reducing heat loss, enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-26
AI Technical Summary
Existing electrical energy storage devices in vehicles face challenges in efficiently controlling cell temperature while optimizing installation space and reducing heat loss to the environment.
The device integrates temperature control elements and structures within the housing walls, using a channel structure for a temperature control medium to manage cell temperature, eliminating the need for separate temperature control devices and reducing external components.
This design enhances temperature control efficiency, reduces installation space, and minimizes heat loss to the vehicle environment, while providing cost savings and improved reliability through integrated components.
Smart Images

Figure EP2025076852_26032026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] 1
[0002] Electrical energy storage
[0003] The invention relates to an electrical energy storage device for a vehicle with a housing in which a plurality of electrically interconnected individual cells are arranged.
[0004] From DE 10 2012 109 728 B4, a supporting structure for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle are known. The supporting structure has four longitudinal beams which extend in a straight line between a front and a rear section of the motor vehicle in a central longitudinal beam arrangement and form a receiving space for a battery, on the outer surfaces of which temperature control modules of a battery temperature control system are attached.
[0005] The invention is based on the objective of providing an electrical energy storage device for a vehicle.
[0006] The problem is solved according to the invention by an electrical energy storage device which has the features specified in claim 1.
[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.
[0008] An electrical energy storage device for a vehicle has a housing in which a plurality of electrically interconnected individual cells are arranged. According to the invention, it is provided that
[0009] - on and / or in at least one housing wall and / or
[0010] - on and / or in a case base and / or
[0011] - at least one temperature control element and / or at least one temperature control structure for temperature control of at least a number of individual cells arranged in the housing is arranged and / or formed on and / or in a housing cover.
[0012] By means of such temperature control of the individual cells of the electrical energy storage system, the efficiency of the temperature control can be increased, since the at least one temperature control element 2 and / or the at least one temperature control structure are designed and / or arranged on the housing side, and in particular, heat loss into an environment, especially a vehicle environment, can be largely avoided. A high installed heating power can be achieved by means of comparatively large housing-side surfaces.
[0013] In one embodiment, at least one housing wall and / or the housing base and / or the housing cover has a channel structure as a temperature control structure through which a temperature control medium flows. This eliminates the need for a separate temperature control device, such as a temperature control plate, and thus reduces the required installation space for the electrical energy storage device, particularly in the area of a vehicle floor.
[0014] In one possible embodiment, the channel structure has an inlet opening and an outlet opening, so that the temperature control medium can flow into and out of the channel structure of the housing wall and / or the housing base and / or the housing cover to temperature control the individual cells, in particular to be temperature controlled itself.
[0015] In another embodiment, the channel structure is thermally coupled with at least one temperature control element, so that the temperature control medium flowing in the channel structure is temperature controlled in order to control the temperature of the individual cells by means of the temperature control medium, i.e. to heat or cool them, wherein the at least one temperature control element is arranged on the housing side.
[0016] In one possible embodiment, at least one temperature control element comprises a heating film and / or a heating wire and / or a heating coil and / or a heating rod and / or a heating filament and is thermally coupled to the channel structure in order to temperature-control the temperature control medium flowing within the channel structure. In particular, the respective temperature control element is electrically operated, so that electrical energy is converted into thermal energy, especially heat, by means of a heating resistance.
[0017] In one embodiment, the temperature control medium flowing through the channel structure is a water-glycol mixture, thus ensuring, to a large extent, that the temperature control medium does not freeze even at comparatively low ambient temperatures. 3
[0018] In one possible embodiment, the housing wall is formed by means of a crossbeam of a vehicle's supporting structure. This means that at least one housing wall of the electrical energy storage device is not a separate housing wall, but is formed by means of a vehicle structural component.
[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.
[0020] This shows:
[0021] Fig. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a housing wall of an electrical energy storage device with a temperature control element and temperature control structure.
[0022] Fig. 2 schematically shows a side view of a housing wall,
[0023] Fig. 3 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the housing wall,
[0024] Fig. 4 schematically shows a front view of the housing wall,
[0025] Fig. 5 schematically shows a perspective view of a semi-transparent housing wall with a temperature control structure and a temperature control element,
[0026] Fig. 6 schematically shows a perspective view of a semi-transparent housing wall with an alternative design of the temperature control structure and a temperature control element and
[0027] Fig. 7 schematically shows a perspective view of a semi-transparent housing base with a temperature control structure and a semi-transparent housing wall with a temperature control structure according to Figure 5, as well as a semi-transparent single cell.
[0028] Corresponding parts are marked with the same reference symbols in all figures.
[0029] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a housing wall 1 of a housing for an electrical energy storage device (not shown in detail) for a vehicle. The electrical energy storage device is, in particular, a traction battery of an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle. The electrical energy storage device is located in the area of a vehicle floor, and components of the housing may also be formed by means of a supporting structure of the vehicle. For example, 4 a housing wall 1 can form the housing of the electrical energy storage device by means of a
[0030] Vehicle structural component, for example formed by means of a cross member.
[0031] Such an electrical energy storage device comprises a housing and a plurality of individual cells 6 arranged within the housing. A single cell 6 is shown in a highly simplified, exemplary, and partially transparent manner in Figure 7.
[0032] With regard to the individual cells 6, it is relatively important to operate them within a specific temperature range, particularly to ensure the efficiency and safety of the individual cells 6 and to reduce aging effects of the individual cells 6.
[0033] Individual cells 6 of electrical energy storage systems designed as traction batteries are frequently temperature-controlled by components through which a heat exchanger fluid flows. These components are thermally connected to the individual cells 6, for example, by means of a battery-side heat exchanger. The heat exchanger fluid is conditioned by one or more heat exchangers, whereby the heat exchanger fluid is heated by an electric heating element at a comparatively low temperature of the electrical energy storage system. The electric heating element is integrated as an additional assembly into a temperature control circuit outside the housing of the electrical energy storage system.
[0034] In order to optimize both the temperature control and the installation space requirements of an electrical energy storage device in a vehicle, the electrical energy storage device is designed as described below.
[0035] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, a housing wall 1 of a housing of an electrical energy storage device has a flat temperature control element 2 on a flat side facing an interior of the housing. The temperature control element 2 is designed as
[0036] A heating film 2.1 is provided, which is electrically operated. By means of the heating film 2.1, in particular by means of its heating resistor, electrical energy is converted into thermal energy, in particular heat. The temperature control element 2 in the form of the heating film 2.1 constitutes, in particular, a surface heating system. 5
[0037] Figure 2 shows a side view of the housing wall 1, Figure 3 shows a sectional view and Figure 4 shows a front view of the housing wall 1.
[0038] In addition to the temperature control element 2 arranged on the flat side of the housing wall 1, the housing wall 1 has a temperature control structure 3 in the form of a channel structure 3.1, which is integrated into the housing wall 1 and extends along a longitudinal axis of the housing wall 1. The channel structure 3.1, as a temperature control structure 3, comprises an inlet opening E and an outlet opening A, so that a temperature control medium 4, in particular a water-glycol mixture, can flow through the housing wall 1 from one narrow side to the opposite narrow side. In particular, the channel structure 3.1 of the housing wall 1 can be integrated into a temperature control circuit of the vehicle.
[0039] When the temperature control medium 4 flows through the channel structure 3.1 and the temperature control element 2, in particular in the form of the heating film 2.1, is activated, thermal energy, especially heat energy, is transferred from the temperature control element 2 via the housing wall 1 to the temperature control medium 4. The temperature control medium 4 heats up as it flows through the channel structure 3.1, so that the temperature of the temperature control medium 4 at the outlet opening A is higher than at the inlet opening E of the channel structure 3.1. The individual cells can be heated, at least in the area of the housing wall 1, by means of the heated temperature control medium 4 and, if applicable, a heat exchanger on the housing side.
[0040] In an alternative or additional embodiment, a temperature control element 2 or another temperature control element 2, for example in the form of a heating film 2.1 and / or a heating wire and / or a heating coil and / or a heating rod and / or a heating coil, can be fully or partially integrated into the housing wall 1, for example thermally coupled to the temperature control structure 3. The temperature control element 2 can also be designed differently than described.
[0041] The housing wall 1, which can also be a cross member of a vehicle's supporting structure, is made of, for example, metal, such as aluminum and / or steel, and / or plastic or a composite material, such as a fiber-reinforced plastic composite. The housing wall 1 can be manufactured using a casting process and / or a deep-drawing process, and can also be joined differentially, for example, by bolting and / or welding and / or bonding.
[0042] Figures 5 and 6 each show a perspective, semi-transparent view of a housing wall 1 of the housing, each showing an embodiment of the temperature control structure 3, which is designed in particular as a channel structure 3.1. The temperature control structure 3 is shown with dashed lines. In addition, the temperature control element 2, arranged on the flat side of the housing wall 1 and in the form of the heating film 2.1, is shown semi-transparently.
[0043] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the temperature control structure 3, designed as a channel structure 3.1, is formed in an almost symmetrical meander shape, wherein an inlet opening E and an outlet opening A of the channel structure 3.1 are arranged and / or formed on one and the same side, in particular narrow side, of the housing wall 1.
[0044] In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the temperature control structure 3, i.e. the channel structure 3.1, has a shape of a mirrored S, so that the inlet opening E is arranged and / or formed on one of the narrow sides of the housing wall 1 opposite the outlet opening A.
[0045] Furthermore, the inlet opening E and the outlet opening A of the temperature control structure 3 can each also be arranged and / or formed on another suitable housing wall side, for example, a top and / or a bottom. In addition, the temperature control structure 3 can also have a shape other than meandering.
[0046] Figure 7 shows a perspective semi-transparent view of a housing base 5 of a housing of an electrical energy storage device with a semi-transparent housing wall 1, which is provided on its flat side with a temperature control element 2, in particular a heating film 2.1.
[0047] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the housing wall 1 is shown as semi-transparent and has a temperature control structure 3, in particular a channel structure 3.1 with inlet opening E and outlet opening A for a temperature control medium 4 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4.
[0048] Furthermore, the housing base 5 has a temperature control structure 3 in the form of a channel structure 3.1, which is, for example, symmetrically designed and meandering. An inlet opening E and an outlet opening A of the channel structure 3.1 on the housing base side of the housing base 5 are arranged such that a hydraulic connection is established.
[0049] In one possible embodiment, the temperature control structure 3 of the housing wall 1 may be fluidically coupled or fluidically coupled to the temperature control structure 3 of the housing base 5.
[0050] For example, the base of the housing 5 is connected to the respective housing wall 1 by means of force and / or form and / or material connection.
[0051] With such a design of the housing of an electrical energy storage device, the required installation space for arranging the electrical energy storage device can be reduced, in particular by eliminating heating units, hoses, lines, valves, etc. located outside the housing.
[0052] By eliminating heating units located outside the housing, cost savings can be achieved, while at the same time an increase in efficiency with regard to temperature control of the electrical energy storage device can be achieved, since temperature control elements 2 and temperature control structures 3 are arranged or designed on the housing side and, in particular, heat loss into an environment, especially a vehicle environment, can be largely avoided.
[0053] The comparatively large surface area of the housing, which can also be formed at least partially by means of a supporting structure of the vehicle, enables a relatively high heating output, whereby a so-called gelation of the temperature control medium 4 can be reduced due to a reduced temperature load caused by the large surface area.
[0054] Furthermore, replacement and repair options are possible compared to heating elements that are thermally coupled directly to the individual cells. 8
[0055] Reference symbol list
[0056] 1 Housing wall
[0057] 2 temperature control elements
[0058] 2.1 Heating film
[0059] 3 Temperature control structure
[0060] 3.1 Channel structure
[0061] 4. Temperature control medium
[0062] 5 Case bottom
[0063] 6 single cells
[0064] A Outlet opening
[0065] E Inlet opening
Claims
9 Patent claims 1. Electrical energy storage device for a vehicle with a housing in which a plurality of electrically interconnected individual cells are arranged, characterized in that - on and / or in at least one housing wall (1) and / or - on and / or in a housing base (5) and / or - at least one temperature control element (2) and / or at least one temperature control structure (3) for temperature control of at least a number of individual cells arranged in the housing is arranged and / or formed on and / or in a housing cover.
2. Electrical energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one housing wall (1) and / or the housing base (5) and / or the housing cover have a channel structure (3.1) as a temperature control structure (3) which is through which a temperature control medium (4) flows.
3. Electrical energy storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that the channel structure (3.1) has an inlet opening (E) and an outlet opening (A).
4. Electrical energy storage device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the channel structure (3.1) is thermally coupled to at least one temperature control element (2).
5. Electrical energy storage device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one temperature control element (2) comprises a heating film (2.1) and / or a heating wire and / or a heating coil and / or a heating rod and / or a heating coil.
6. Electrical energy storage device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the temperature control medium (4) flowing through the channel structure (3.1) is a water-glycol mixture.
7. Electrical energy storage device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing wall (1) is formed by means of a cross member of a supporting structure of a vehicle.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
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