A heat transfer device includes a bag and a working fluid. The bag includes a first sheet and a second sheet with edges that are sealed together. The working fluid is enclosed in the bag. The working fluid changes a phase thereof between gas and liquid. The bag includes a vaporizing portion in which the liquid-phase working fluid is vaporized and a condensing portion in which the gas-phase working fluid is condensed. The bag includes a two-phase flow channel in which liquid-gas two-phase slug flow including the liquid-phase working fluid and the gas-phase working fluid occurs from the vaporizing portion to the condensing portion. The two-phase flow channel is provided in an internal space of the bag.

A thermal ground plane comprises top and bottom layers that are substantially impervious to fluid and together defining an inner space, a vapour transport mesh layer having a relatively coarse mesh structure and located within said space, and at least one liquid transport mesh layer having a relatively fine mesh structure and located between said vapour transport mesh layer and one of said top and bottom layers, the two said mesh layers being in contact with one another across substantially their entire planar extents. The top and bottom layers are sealed with a substantially fluid tight seal, and said inner space contains a liquid and is partially evacuated.

A traction battery assembly includes a thermal exchange device of a battery pack, and battery arrays disposed adjacent the thermal exchange device. A phase change material is secured to an area of the thermal exchange device. A method of managing thermal energy within a battery pack includes, among other things, positioning battery arrays against a thermal exchange device, and securing a phase change material to the thermal exchange device. The phase change material is configured to take on thermal energy from at least one of the battery arrays.

A traction battery assembly includes a thermal exchange device of a battery pack, and battery arrays disposed adjacent the thermal exchange device. A phase change material is secured to an area of the thermal exchange device. A method of managing thermal energy within a battery pack includes, among other things, positioning battery arrays against a thermal exchange device, and securing a phase change material to the thermal exchange device. The phase change material is configured to take on thermal energy from at least one of the battery arrays.

The secondary battery disclosed herein includes: a battery case; an electrode body accommodated in the battery case; a resin-cured product with which a space between the electrode body and a bottom of the battery case is filled and which is cured; an electrolyte accommodated in the battery case. A thermal conductivity of the resin-cured product is 0.2 W/(m.Math.K) or more.

The secondary battery disclosed herein includes: a battery case; an electrode body accommodated in the battery case; a resin-cured product with which a space between the electrode body and a bottom of the battery case is filled and which is cured; an electrolyte accommodated in the battery case. A thermal conductivity of the resin-cured product is 0.2 W/(m.Math.K) or more.

Provided is a battery charging system comprising (a) at least one charging circuit to charge at least one rechargeable battery cell; (b) a heat source to provide heat that is transported through a heat spreader element, implemented fully or partially inside said at least one battery cell, to heat up the battery cell to a desired temperature Tc before or during battery charging; and (c) cooling means in thermal contact with the heat spreader element configured to enable transporting internal heat of the battery cell through the heat spreader element to the cooling means when the battery cell is discharged. Charging the battery at Tc enables completion of the battery in less than 15 minutes, typically less than 10 minutes, and more typically less than 5 minutes without adversely impacting the battery structure and performance.

The invention relates to a casing for protecting at least one electric battery module (M), comprising at least one element (9) for thermal regulation of said at least one module (M) in which a heat-transfer fluid flows. According to the invention, the protective housing comprises at least one duct (10), for conveying heat-transfer fluid, that extends in at least one wall of the protective casing (B, 1, 2, 3, 4) and is in fluid connection with said at least one thermal regulation element (9).

The invention relates to a casing for protecting at least one electric battery module (M), comprising at least one element (9) for thermal regulation of said at least one module (M) in which a heat-transfer fluid flows. According to the invention, the protective housing comprises at least one duct (10), for conveying heat-transfer fluid, that extends in at least one wall of the protective casing (B, 1, 2, 3, 4) and is in fluid connection with said at least one thermal regulation element (9).

An embodiment is directed to a contact plate configured to establish electrical bonds between battery cells in a battery module, including at least one primary conductive layer, and a set of bonding connectors that are configured to provide direct electrical bonds between the contact plate and terminals of a group of battery cells, the set of bonding connectors being configured to connect the group of battery cells in parallel with each other, wherein at least one bonding connector in the set of bonding connectors is configured with a higher fuse rating than each other bonding connector in the set of bonding connectors so as to contain arcs among the set of bonding connectors to the at least one bonding connector.