BATTERY MODULE HOUSING AND ARRANGEMENT OF BATTERY MODULES

Abstract

A battery module housing is set out having a housing inner space which is arranged to receive at least one battery cell. The module housing includes a housing inner wall which spatially separates the housing inner space from a housing outer wall of the battery module housing. The housing inner wall includes at least one opening which is arranged to allow a cooling fluid to flow from the cooling fluid distributor into the housing inner space.

Claims

1. A battery module housing comprising: a housing interior configured to receive at least one battery cell, a housing inner wall arranged to spatially separate housing inner space from a housing outer wall of the battery module housing, and a cooling fluid manifold arranged between the housing inner wall and the housing outer wall, and wherein the housing inner wall comprises at least one opening configured to facilitate flow of a cooling fluid from the cooling fluid manifold into the housing inner space.

2. The battery module housing according to claim 1, wherein the housing inner wall further comprises a plurality of openings distributed and disposed in the housing inner wall.

3. The battery module housing according to claim 2, wherein a cross-section of the cooling fluid manifold is at least as large as a sum of all cross-sections of the plurality of openings.

4. The battery module housing according to claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the cooling fluid manifold is greater by √2 than the sum of all cross-sectional areas of the plurality of openings.

5. The battery module housing according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is arranged in the housing inner wall such that when the cooling fluid flows into the housing inner space, the cooling fluid flows around a battery module element.

6. The battery module housing according to any claim 1, wherein: a plurality of the battery cells is arranged in the housing interior, and an opening is associated with at least one battery cell.

7. The battery module housing according to claim 6, wherein the opening is arranged in front of a battery cell that is closest to the opening.

8. The battery module housing according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid manifold comprises a cooling fluid inlet configured to facilitate flow of the cooling fluid into the cooling fluid manifold.

9. The battery module housing according to claim 1, wherein the battery module housing further comprises a still further housing inner wall, and between the further housing inner wall and a further housing outer wall, and wherein the further housing inner wall comprises at least one further opening configured and arranged to enable the cooling fluid to flow out of the housing inner region.

10. The battery module housing according to claim 9, wherein the further cooling fluid manifold further comprises a cooling fluid drain configured to enable the cooling fluid to flow out of the further cooling fluid manifold.

11. A battery module, comprising: a first battery module housing comprising: a housing inner space configured to accommodate at least one battery cell therein, a housing inner wall arranged to spatially separate the housing inner space from a housing outer wall of the battery module housing, a cooling fluid distributor arranged between the housing inner wall and the housing outer wall, and wherein the housing inner wall comprises at least one opening configured and arranged to enable a cooling fluid to flow from the cooling fluid distributor into the housing inner space; a second battery module housing comprising fluid manifold; and wherein the cooling fluid manifold of the first battery module housing is connected to the cooling fluid manifold of the second battery module housing; and wherein a cross-section of the cooling fluid manifold of the first battery module housing is larger than a cross-section of the cooling fluid manifold of the second battery module housing.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, wherein the cooling fluid manifold of the first battery module housing further comprises a cooling fluid inlet configured and arranged to enable the cooling fluid to flow into the cooling fluid manifold of the first battery module housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Further advantages features and details of the various embodiments of this disclosure will become apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and with the aid of the drawings. The features and combinations of features recited below in the description, as well as the features and feature combination shown after that in the drawing description or in the drawings alone, may be used not only in the particular combination recited, but also in other combinations on their own, with departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0026] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic sectional view of a battery module according to an example embodiment of the present invention; and

[0028] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic representation of a plurality of battery modules according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] As used throughout the present disclosure, unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “or” encompasses all possible combinations, except where unfeasible. For example, the expression “A or B” shall mean A alone, B alone, or A and B together. If it is stated that a component includes “A, B, or C”, then, unless specifically stated otherwise or infeasible, the component may include A, or B, or C, or A and B, or A and C, or B and C, or A and B and C. Expressions such as “at least one of” do not necessarily modify an entirety of the following list and do not necessarily modify each member of the list, such that “at least one of “A, B, and C” should be understood as including only one of A, only one of B, only one of C, or any combination of A, B, and C.

[0030] The figures are merely schematic representations and serve only to explain the invention. Identical or similarly acting elements are marked throughout with the same reference signs.

[0031] FIG. 1 depicts a battery module 150 having a battery module housing 100. The battery module housing 100 includes a housing outer wall 101 and a housing inner wall 102. The battery module housing 100 may be integrally formed using injection molding techniques. A plurality of battery cells 103 are disposed in the battery module 150. The battery cells 103 are arranged in rows. The rows are arranged in a staggered manner with respect to each other. The inner wall of the housing 102 includes a plurality of openings 104, each of the openings 104 being associated with a battery cell 103. The openings 104 are spaced a small distance from the battery cells 103. A cooling fluid manifold 105 is formed between the housing inner wall 102 and the housing outer wall 101. A cooling fluid flows into the battery module housing 100 via the cooling fluid manifold 105. Via the openings 104, the cooling fluid enters a housing interior in which the battery cells 103 are arranged. As the cooling fluid flows around the battery cells, the battery cells are directly cooled, and the cooling fluid absorbs heat from the battery cells and is conducted away from the battery cells so that an appropriately required cooling capacity can be achieved.

[0032] FIG. 2 depicts a plurality of battery modules 150, 160 according to another embodiment. The battery module 150 and the further battery module 160 are fluidically connected via a common cooling fluid inlet 140 and a common cooling fluid outlet 130. Battery cells 103 are disposed in the battery modules 150, 160. Each of the battery modules 150, 160 comprises a housing outer wall 151, 161 and two housing inner walls 152, 162. The housing inner walls 152, 162 of the respective battery modules 150, 160 together with the housing outer wall 152, 161 each form a cooling fluid manifold 155a, 155b, 165a, 165b. Cooling fluid enters the cooling fluid manifold 155b, 165b via the cooling fluid inlet 140. The inner walls of the housing 152, 162 include a plurality of openings that allow the cooling fluid to flow into the region of the battery cells 103 and to flow out of the region of the battery cells 103, respectively. In the further embodiment, the cooling fluid flows in a fluid flow direction within the battery module 150, 160 from the bottom to the top.

[0033] In another embodiment, the cooling fluid may flow in a different fluid flow direction. In order to obtain a uniform distribution of the cooling fluid over the battery modules 150, 160 at a constant pressure, the cross-section of the cooling fluid inlet must be larger in a region of the battery module 160 than in a region of the battery module 150.

[0034] Since the devices and processes described in detail above are exemplary embodiments, they can be modified to a large extent in the usual way by a person skilled in the art without leaving the field of the invention. In particular, the mechanical arrangements and the proportions of the individual elements to each other are simply exemplary. Having described some aspects of the present disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that further modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure. All matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.