Abstract
A heat sink for accumulator cells of an accumulator, the heat sink may include a closed outer shell and two connections. The closed outer shell may delimit an inner volume of the heat sink. The outer shell may include a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall in a direction of spacing. The first and second walls may be movable relative to one another in the direction of spacing. The two connections may be arranged at a periphery of the outer shell. The connections may be fluidically connected to the inner volume such that a flow path of a cooling fluid extends through the inner volume via the connections.
Claims
1. A heat sink for accumulator cells, of an accumulator, comprising: a closed outer shell which delimits an inner volume of the heat sink, the outer shell includes a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall in a direction of spacing, and the first and second walls are movable relative to one another in the direction of spacing; and two connections arranged at a periphery of the outer shell the connections are fluidically connected to the inner volume such that a flow path of a cooling fluid extends through the inner volume via the connections.
2. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second walls is reversibly deformable in the direction of spacing.
3. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell is designed as a deformable bag.
4. The heat sink according to claim 3, wherein the outer shell is designed as a foil body.
5. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell includes a first half-shell and a second half-shell, each of which being an injection-molded component.
6. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein a spacer assembly is arranged in the inner volume, the spacer assembly is configured to delimit a minimum extension of the inner volume in the direction of spacing such that an interruption of the flow path within the inner volume is prevented by a relative mobility of the walls.
7. The heat sink according to claim 6, wherein: the spacer assembly has a first cover plate which rests flat against an inner surface which faces the inner volume of the first wall, and a second cover plate which rests flat against an inner surface facing the inner volume of the second wall; one of the first and second cover plates is situated on the outside transversely to the direction of spacing and has at least one shoulder protruding in the direction of spacing toward the other one of the first and second cover plates; in a first state of the heat sink, the first and second cover plates are spaced apart; and in a second state of the heat sink, at least one of the shoulders of the first cover plate rests on at least one of the at least one shoulders of the second cover plate such as to limit a minimum distance.
8. The heat sink according to claim 6, wherein the spacer assembly includes at least two ribs protruding in the direction of spacing and are spaced apart transversely to the direction of spacing.
9. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of the connections has at least one connecting piece protruding in the direction of spacing; and the at least one of the connections is shaped, to form a plug-in connection with an identical connection.
10. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein a flow guide structure is arranged in the inner volume, the flow guide structure separates two branches of the flow path within the inner volume from each other.
11. An accumulator, comprising: at least two accumulator cells; and at least one heat sink according to claim 1; wherein the respective accumulator cell has two opposite outer sides in the direction of spacing, and wherein at least one of the at least one heat sink is arranged between two of the at least two accumulator cells such that the respective wall of the heat sink rests flat against one of the outer sides of one of the accumulators.
12. The accumulator according to claim 11, wherein: the accumulator includes at least two heat sinks; an accumulator cell is arranged in the direction of spacing between the heat sinks; and at least one of the connections of one heat sink forms a plug-in connection with an associated connection of the other heat sink.
13. The accumulator according to claim 12, wherein at least two of the connections forming the plug-in connection are fastened to one another by material bonding and in an outwardly fluid-tight manner.
14. The accumulator according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second walls of the at least one heat sink is reversibly deformable.
15. The accumulator according to claim 11, wherein the outer shell of the at least one heat sink is designed as a deformable bag.
16. The accumulator according to claim 11, wherein the outer shell of the at least one heat sink is designed as a foil body.
17. The accumulator according to claim 11, wherein the outer shell of the at least one heat sink includes a first half-shell and a second half-shell.
18. The accumulator according to claim 18, wherein the first half-shell and the second half-shell are injection-molded components.
19. The accumulator according to claim 11, wherein the at least one heat sink includes a spacer assembly.
20. The accumulator according to claim 19, wherein the spacer assembly includes a first cover plate and a second cover plate.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0058] Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and will be explained in more detail in the description below, where identical reference numerals denote identical or similar or functionally identical components
[0059] In the schematic drawings:
[0060] FIG. 1 is an isometric, exploded view of a heat sink of an accumulator,
[0061] FIG. 2 is a section through the heat sink,
[0062] FIG. 3 is an isometric, exploded view of the heat sink in another embodiment,
[0063] FIG. 4 is an isometric internal view of an accumulator with the heat sink of FIG. 3,
[0064] FIG. 5 is the view from FIG. 4 in another embodiment,
[0065] FIG. 6 is a section through the accumulator in a further embodiment,
[0066] FIG. 7 is a section through a heat sink in another embodiment,
[0067] FIG. 8 is a highly simplified, schematic representation of a motor vehicle having the accumulator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0068] A heat sink 1, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-7, is used in an accumulator 2, as shown, e.g., in FIGS. 4-7. In the accumulator 2, the heat sink 1 is used for temperature control, in particular for cooling of accumulator cells 3, which may be designed as pouch cells 4 (see FIGS. 4-7). The heat sink 1 has a closed outer shell 5, with a first wall 6 and a second wall 7. The outer shell 5 is advantageously made of a plastic. The outer shell 5 is closed and delimits an inner volume 8 of the heat sink 1. Here, the first wall 6 and the second wall 7 are arranged opposite one another in a direction of spacing 9 of the heat sink 1. The heat sink 1 thus has a thickness 10 in the direction of spacing 9. The heat sink 1, furthermore, extends in a direction of height 11 extending transversely to the direction of spacing 9 and a direction of width 12 extending transversely to the direction of spacing 9 and transversely to the direction of height 11. The depicted heat sinks 1 are flat, i.e., they have a height 13 extending in the direction of height 11 and a width 14 extending in the direction of width 12, each of which is at least five times the thickness 10. In the exemplary embodiments shown, the heat sink 1 also has a height 13 that is greater than the width 14. In particular, the height 13 is at least twice the width 14. The outer shell 5 is designed, such that the walls 6, 7 are movable relative to one another in the direction of spacing 9. Moreover, the heat sink has two connections 15, 16, each of which is each fluidically connected to the inner volume 8, such that a flow path 17 of the cooling fluid passes through the inner volume 8 via the connections 15, 16. Here, one of the connections 15 serves as an inlet 18 for admitting the cooling fluid into the inner volume 8 and the other connection 16 serves as an outlet 19 for discharging the cooling fluid from the inner volume 8. Here, the respective connection 15, 16 is arranged on the outer shell 5 at a periphery thereof
[0069] The respective wall 6, 7 has an outer surface 20 facing away from the inner volume 8, and which in the exemplary embodiments shown is flat and planar.
[0070] In the associated accumulator 2, the heat sink 1 is arranged between two accumulator cells 3 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The respective accumulator cell 3 has two outer sides 21 opposite one another in the direction of spacing 9, wherein the outer sides 21 are flat and planar in the exemplary embodiments shown. The outer sides 21 are part of an outer shell 22 of the accumulator cell 3, wherein this outer shell 22 is referred to below as the cell housing 22 to allow for better differentiation. Within the cell housing 22, the composition of the respective accumulator cell 3 is non-visible and electrochemically active. The respective accumulator cell 3 also has two electrodes 23, which in the exemplary embodiments shown are designed as so-called cell outgoing conductors 24. The electrodes 23 protrude from the cell housing 22 in the direction of the height 11 in the exemplary embodiments shown. The heat sink 1 rests flat against the outer surface 20 of one of the walls 6, 7 on one of the outer sides 21 of one of the accumulator cells 3. The outer surface 20 of the other wall 6, 7 rests flat against an outer side 21 of the other accumulator cell 3. As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 4 and 5, it is preferred if the outer sides 21 associated with the walls 6, 7 are shorter in the direction of height 11 than the associated wall 6, 7. Moreover, it is preferred if the outer sides 21 in the direction of width 12 are slightly smaller than the associated wall 6, 7.
[0071] The flat contact of the outer surfaces 20 of the walls 6, 7 on the respective associated outer side 21 of the respective associated accumulator cell 3 results in improved, homogeneous heat transfer between the respective accumulator cell 3 and the heat sink 1, and thus the cooling fluid flowing through the heat sink 1. The temperature control of the accumulator cells 3, in particular cooling of the accumulator cells 3, is thus improved. The design of the walls 6, 7, which is movable relative to one another in the direction of spacing 9, furthermore, allows for limited expansion of the accumulators 3 in the direction of spacing 9, i.e., limited swelling of the accumulators 3, while the accumulators 3 continue to rest flat on the heat sink 1. The heat sink 1 therefore has a variable thickness 10. In particular, the distance between the walls 6, 7 in the direction of spacing 9 and thus the thickness 10 decreases, when the walls 6, 7 are exposed to mechanical impact, as occurs with swelling of the accumulator cells 3. In this case, the mobility is reversible, such that the walls 6, 7 return to their original relative position, when the mechanical impact is reduced, i.e., the thickness 10 is increased. A maximum extension of the thickness 10 is determined by the design of the outer shell 5.
[0072] A minimum spacing of the walls 6, 7 in the direction of spacing 9, i.e., the limitation of a minimum extension of the inner volume 8 in the direction of spacing 9, is realized by a spacer assembly 25 of the heat sink 1, which is arranged in the inner volume 8. The swelling of the accumulator cells 3 is thus being limited. In addition, interruption of the flow of the cooling fluid through the inner volume 8 is prevented by the mechanical impact of the walls 6, 7, i.e., for example, when the accumulator cells 3 swell. Consequently, the spacer assembly 25 prevents the flow path 17 from being interrupted within the inner volume 8.
[0073] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the heat sink 1, wherein FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the heat sink 1, which is shown in two halves. FIG. 2 shows a section through the heat sink 1 in the direction of spacing 9. In this exemplary embodiment, the outer shell 5 is designed as a bag 26, which in particular is made of foil. The outer shell 5, in particular, the bag 26, is therefore a foil body 27. As can be seen, in particular from FIG. 1, in this exemplary embodiment, the connections 15, 16 are arranged at opposite ends of the outer shell 5 in the direction of height 11. The connections 15, 16 are realized on extensions 46 protruding in the direction of height 11. The respective connection 15, 16 has at least one connecting piece 28. The heat sink 1 is designed to be single-symmetrical overall with respect to rotations about the direction of spacing 9. This means that 180° rotations of the heat sink 1 about the direction of spacing 9 result in the same design, such that the relevant arrangement of the heat sink 1 in the associated accumulator 2 may be simplified. In this exemplary embodiment, the spacer assembly 25 has a first cover plate 29 associated with the first wall 6, and a second cover plate 30 associated with the second wall 7. The respective cover plate 29, 30 is smooth and rests flat against an inner surface 31 of the associated wall 6, 7 facing the inner volume 8. The respective cover plate 29, 30 has two shoulders 32 which are situated opposite in the direction of height 11 and arranged on the outside, with the respective shoulder 32 protruding in the direction of the opposite cover plate 29, 30. The shoulders 32 are only shown in FIG. 2, where only one shoulder 32 of the respective cover plate 29, 30 is visible in FIG. 2 due to the representation. Thus, for the respective shoulder 32 of the respective cover plate 29, 30, a shoulder 32 of the other cover plate 29, 30, which is associated and opposite in the direction of spacing 9, is provided. In a first state 33 of the heat sink 1 shown in FIG. 2, the shoulders 32 are spaced apart. If the walls 6, 7 are mechanically impacted in the direction of spacing 9, i.e., the accumulator cells 3 are swelling, then the walls 6, 7 move in the direction of spacing 9, i.e., the thickness 10 is reduced. The heat sink 1 is thus moved toward a second state, not shown, in which the associated shoulders 32 abut against each other, thus preventing further relative movement of the walls 6, 7 with respect to one another and thus a further reduction of the thickness 10. Said swelling of the accumulator cells 3 is thus limited and still allows a flow of the cooling fluid through the inner volume 8. As can be seen, in particular from FIG. 1, the respective cover plate 29, 30 extends over a substantial area of the associated wall 6, 7. The elastic property of the cover plates 29, 30 further causes the walls 6, 7 to move toward the associated outer side 21, when the swelling decreases. Thus, the heat sink 1 moves back toward the first state 33, as the swelling decreases. Hence, the outer sides 21 continue to rest flat against the associated outer surface 20.
[0074] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer shell 5 designed as a bag 26 or foil body 27 may consist of the halves shown in FIG. 1, wherein these halves are joined to one another by material bonding, preferably by welding.
[0075] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connecting pieces 28 of the connections 15, 16 protrude in the direction of spacing 9.
[0076] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5, the heat sink 1 has two half-shells 34, 35, which form the outer shell 5. The respective half-shell 34, 35 is produced by an injection molding process. The respective half-shell 34, 35 is therefore an injection-molded component 36. The half-shells 34, 35 are connected to one another by material bonding, preferably by welding. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the first half-shell 34 comprises the first wall 6, whereas the second half-shell 35 comprises the second wall 7. In this exemplary embodiment, the relatively movable design of the walls 6, 7 in the direction of spacing 9 is realized by the design of the half-shells 34, 35, in particular a wall thickness of the half-shells 34, 35. In this embodiment, the walls 6, 7 are elastic in the direction of spacing 9 and thus allow for limited swelling of the accumulator cells 3 and, at the same time, causing the walls 6, 7 to move apart, when the swelling decreases, thereby further providing a flat contact of the outer sides 21 on the outer surfaces 20.
[0077] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the spacer assembly 25 comprises ribs 37 protruding from the inner surface 31 of the respective wall 6, 7 in the direction of spacing 9, extending in the direction of height 11 and spaced apart in the direction of width 12. Preferably, for the respective rib 37 of the respective wall 6, 7, a rib 37 of the other wall 6, 7 oppositely situated in the direction of spacing 9, is provided. Thus, in the second state not shown, the ribs 37 may abut one another and thus define a lower limit of the thickness 10 or limit the minimum extension of the inner volume 8 in the direction of spacing 9. In this case, the ribs 37 are thus components of the spacer assembly 25. At the same time, the fins 37 guide the cooling fluid inside the inner volume 8. In particular, the ribs 37 cause branches 38 of the flow path 17 to be created or separated from one another in the inner volume 8. The ribs 37 are thus, at the same time, components of a flow guide structure 45, which creates or separates branches 38 of the flow path 17 in the inner volume 8. The spacer assembly 25 therefore corresponds to the flow guide structure 45.
[0078] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5, the respective half-shell 34, 35 comprises one of the connections 15, 16. The respective connection 15, 16 protrudes from the associated wall 6, 7 of the associated half-shell 34, 35 in the direction of spacing 9, wherein a connecting piece 28 of the connection 15, 16 protrudes in the direction of height 11.
[0079] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the accumulator 2 is shown along with an internal view of the accumulator 1, such that a housing of the accumulator 2, in which the accumulator cells 3 and the heat sink 1 are accommodated, is invisible. Thus, the accumulator 2 may have a heat sink 1 and two accumulator cells 3.
[0080] As can be seen from FIG. 5, it is preferred that the accumulator 2 has at least two accumulator cells 3 and at least two heat sinks 1, wherein the heat sinks 1 and the accumulator cells 3 are arranged alternately in the direction of spacing 9.
[0081] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the accumulator 2 or heat sinks 1. A section through the accumulator 2 in the area of associated connections 15, 16, e.g., in the area of inlets 18, for two successive heat sinks 1 in the direction of spacing 9 are visible here. As can be seen from FIG. 6, these connections 15, 16 are identical and designed, such that they can be plugged into one another. In other words, the connections 15, 16 form a plug-in connection 39. Thus, by plugging the connections 15, 16 into one another, in the present case, the nozzles 28 of the connections 15, 16, it is possible to supply the cooling elements 1 of the accumulator 2 with the cooling fluid in a simple and reliable manner. The connections 15, 16, which together form a plug-in connection 39, are advantageously connected to one another by material bonding, preferably by welding.
[0082] FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the heat sink 1 in the area of one of the connections 15, 16. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the connection 15, 16 within the heat sink 1 has an aperture 40, which allows a restricted and controlled flow of cooling fluid into and out of the inner volume 8.
[0083] According to FIG. 8, the accumulator 2 is included in a cooling circuit 41, through which the cooling fluid circulates, such that the cooling fluid flows along the flow path 17 through the accumulator 2 and the at least one heat sink 1. According to FIG. 8, the accumulator 2 and the cooling circuit 41 may be components of a motor vehicle 42, in which the accumulator 2 can be used for the electrical supply of a drive 43, e.g., an electric motor 44, of the motor vehicle 42.
