Coolant Discharger for a Coolant-Carrying Pipeline Network, Electrical Energy Storage Device and Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A coolant discharger for a coolant-carrying pipeline network of an electrical energy storage device has at least one drainage ramp configured to be arranged on a pipeline portion of the pipeline network that is susceptible to a coolant leakage, the drainage ramp is configured to discharge a coolant leaking out from the pipeline portion in the event of a coolant leakage and to divert it away from voltage-carrying components of the electrical energy storage device.

Claims

1. A coolant discharger for a coolant-carrying pipeline network of an electrical energy storage device, comprising: at least one drainage ramp configured to be arranged on a pipeline portion of the pipeline network that is susceptible to a coolant leakage, wherein the at least one drainage ramp is configured to discharge a coolant leaking out from the pipeline portion in the event of a coolant leakage and to divert the coolant away from voltage-carrying components of the electrical energy storage device.

2. The coolant discharger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drainage ramp comprises: a discharge portion sloping obliquely downward and configured to be arranged beneath the pipeline portion susceptible to coolant leakage; and a wall portion projecting upward from the discharge portion and configured to at least partially encase the pipeline portion.

3. The coolant discharger according to claim 2, wherein the wall portion comprises at least one convex portion configured to receive a sub-region of the pipeline portion.

4. The coolant discharger according to claim 3, wherein the wall portion comprises two convex portions configured to receive two adjacent sub-regions of the pipeline portion.

5. The coolant discharger according to claim 1, wherein the coolant discharger comprises a connection portion configured to mechanically connect the at least one drainage ramp to a storage housing of the electrical energy storage device.

6. The coolant discharger according to claim 5, wherein the connection portion comprises tabs that project laterally from the discharge portion and that each have at least one hole.

7. The coolant discharger according to claim 1, wherein the coolant discharger comprises a holding element configured to hold the at least one drainage ramp on the pipeline portion.

8. The coolant discharger according to claim 7, wherein the holding element comprises a bracket attached in a non-destructively detachable manner to the at least one drainage ramp.

9. The coolant discharger according to claim 1, wherein at least one pipeline element of the pipeline portion susceptible to coolant leakage is attached to the at least one drainage ramp, forming a preassembled assembly.

10. The coolant discharger according to claim 9, wherein the at least one pipeline element comprises a pipe connection element of a pipeline portion susceptible to coolant leakage further comprising a pipeline connection configured to connect two pipelines of the pipeline network, wherein the at least one drainage ramp is attached to the pipe connection element.

11. An electrical energy storage device for a motor vehicle, having at least one voltage-carrying component, a coolant-carrying pipeline network for cooling the voltage-carrying component and comprising at least one pipeline portion susceptible to a coolant leakage, and at least one coolant discharger according to claim 1.

12. A motor vehicle having at least one electrical energy storage device according to claim 11.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a section of an electrical energy storage device with an assembly;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the assembly according to FIG. 1; and

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the assembly according to FIG. 2, in an exploded representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In the figures, elements that are the same, and elements that have the same function, are denoted by the same references.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a section of an electrical energy storage device 1 that is realized, in particular, as a high-voltage energy storage device. The high-voltage energy storage device may be used, for example, as a traction battery for an electrically drivable motor vehicle. The electrical energy storage device 1 has a plurality of energy storage modules 2 that are arranged in at least two planes in a storage housing 3 of the electrical energy storage device 1, and of which two energy storage modules 2 of a first, lower plane are shown here. The energy storage modules 2 have a plurality of energy storage cells that are interconnected via a cell contact system 4 in each case to form a cell array. The cell array is arranged in a cell module frame 5. In this case, voltage-carrying, in particular high-voltage-carrying, components 6 in the form of high-voltage leads 7 and high-voltage terminals 8 are arranged in a second, upper level.

[0027] The electrical energy storage device 1 additionally has a cooling system, of which part of a pipeline network 9 is shown here. Via the pipeline network 9, coolant is transported to the heat sinks of the energy storage modules 2, or away from the heat sinks of the energy storage modules 2. The pipeline network 9 has pipelines 10a, 10b, and pipeline connections 11, via which the pipelines 10a, 10b are fluidically coupled to one another. These pipeline connections 11 couple pipelines 10a for energy storage modules 2 of the lower level to pipelines 10b for energy storage modules 2 of the upper level. These pipeline connections 11 form a pipeline portion 12 that is susceptible to coolant leakage. In the event of a leakage, coolant can leak out in the region of this pipeline portion 12. In order to prevent the leaking coolant from reaching the high-voltage-carrying components 6 arranged in the upper level, the electrical energy storage device 1 additionally has a coolant discharger 13 that is designed to divert the leaking coolant away from the upper level and thus away from the high voltage carrying components 6. The coolant discharger 13 is shown, with the pipeline portion 12, in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

[0028] The coolant discharger 13 has a drainage ramp 14 that in this case is realized as a separate constructional element, for example made of plastic. The drainage ramp 14 has an obliquely sloping discharge portion 15 that is arranged beneath the pipeline portion 12 and that can discharge the leaking coolant downward, for example to a housing base, not shown here, of the storage housing 3. Arranged so as to project upward from the discharge portion 15 there is wall portion 16 that encases the pipeline portion 12 in certain regions. In particular, the wall portion 16 is arranged between the pipeline portion 12 and the voltage-carrying components 6, in order to prevent the coolant from reaching the voltage-carrying components 6. To enable the drainage ramp 14 to be attached to the storage housing 3, the coolant discharger 13 has a connection portion 17, in this case realized as tabs 18 that project laterally from the discharge section 15 and that each have a screw hole. A screw 19 can be inserted through each of the screw holes, such that the drainage ramp can be screw-fastened, for example to a holding strut 20 of the storage housing 3.

[0029] The drainage ramp 14 in this case is arranged at two adjacent pipeline connections 11 of the pipeline network 9 that form the pipeline portion 12 susceptible to coolant leakage. The wall portion 16 in this case has two outwardly projecting convexities 21. Each convexity 21 partially encases a pipeline connection 11. Each pipeline connection 11 has two pipe connection elements 22a, 22b. A first, lower pipe connection element 22a is connected to a lower pipeline 10a, and a second, upper pipe connection element 22b is connected to an upper pipeline 10b. The pipe connection elements 22a, 22b can be connected to each other, for example plugged and/or screwed together, to form the pipeline connection 11 and thus to fluidically couple the pipelines 10a, 10b.

[0030] In FIG. 3, the pipe connection elements 22a, 22b of the pipeline connection 11 are shown in the unconnected state. The lower pipe connection element 22a in this case is realized as a pipe stub 23 that can be inserted into the upper pipe connection element 22b in the form of a pipe sleeve 24. The lower pipe connection elements 22a and the drainage ramp 14 in this case form a preassembled assembly 25 in that the pipe connection elements 22a are attached to the drainage ramp 14. For this purpose, the coolant discharger 13 has a holding element 26 in the form of a bracket 27 that is likewise attached to the tabs 18, and thus to the drainage ramp 14, for example by means of the screws 19, and to which the pipe connection elements 22a are attached. The pipe connection elements 22a and the drainage ramp 14 are preassembled by means of the holding element 26 and can be arranged in the storage housing 3 in one assembly step.

[0031] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely as illustrative and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the disclosure may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.