THERMAL SYSTEMS FOR BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Abstract

The invention relates to a supporting housing for a battery compartment of electric drive vehicles by using flat metallic sheets as deep-drawn shells which are fitted into each other whereby at least one double-floor is created into which a passive and partly integrated thermal management system for cooling and heating is integrated. The invention also relates to the integration of further functionality-elements like sensors for status measurement are integrated into the “double-floor” and connected with the battery management system.

Claims

1. Thermal management supporting housing for a battery compartment of electric drive vehicles wherein at least two deep-drawn shells (1, 2) are fitted into each other whereby at least one double-floor (3) is created into which a passive and partly integrated thermal management system (4) for cooling and heating is integrated to indirectly enable a constant temperature range between 15° C. and 35° C. for battery modules (5) which are separated from the thermal management system (4) by the double-floor design.

2. Thermal management supporting housing for a battery compartment according to the claim 1, wherein at least two different flat metallic sheets are used for the different shells (1, 2), different in their microstructure, to work like a thermal conductor to the battery modules (5) and at the same time like an isolator to an area surrounding the thermal management support housing by having a ratio in thermal conductivity of r.sub.λ<0.6.

3. The supporting housing according to the claim 1, wherein a thickness ratio of an outer shell (1) thickness having contact with the surrounding area and an innermost shell (2) thickness having contact with the battery modules (5) is r.sub.t>2.0, more preferably 2.5<r.sub.t<3.5.

4. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein ferritic stainless steels are used for the innermost shell (2) having contact with the battery modules (5) and austenitic stainless steels are used for an outer shell (1).

5. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell (1) is manufactured by a non-magnetic material having a yield strength R.sub.P0.2≥400 MPa, more preferably R.sub.P0.2≥800 MPa as a resistor against impact.

6. The supporting housing according to the claim 1, wherein the heating inside the innermost double-floor is realized by closing two isolating valves (13, 14, 19, 20) to stop fluid flow and by electric resistance heating (4) having a physical effect, using technical knitwear manufactured out of copper alloy wires which are isolated from the stainless steel shells by an isolating foil manufactured out of polyamide or plastic, more preferably Teflon.

7. The supporting housing according to the claim 1, wherein the cooling inside the innermost double-floor is realized by opened isolating valves (13, 14, 19, 20) and a flowing liquid like water, a coolant or a refrigerant, more preferably a liquid added with frost protection.

8. The supporting housing according to claim 1, having a ratio of height (R.sub.h) of free flow area to height of electric resistance heating element wherein the ratio is r.sub.h≥1.0, more preferably 1.0≤r.sub.h≤2.0.

9. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein contact surfaces (8) of one shell with the innermost shell (2) are surrounding the floor space where the battery modules (5) are located and having a width identical with to the radius of the innermost shell, preferably between 5.0 mm≤r≤9.0 mm.

10. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein indentations are deep-drawn into a flange of at least one shell to create a defined position for a sealing layer.

11. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein further functionalities are integrated into the battery housing by implementing measuring elements into double-floor like sensors for measuring surround conditions like temperature, deformation or system status.

12. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein further profiled sheets which are hollow structured are connected with the outer shell as further resistors against underbody impact.

13. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein mechanical joining processes like screwing or a combination of mechanical joining with thermal energy like flow-drilling is used to join the different shells (1, 2) with each other and a locking plate (6) with mechanical joining elements (7).

14. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein a two-half-shell-system as a battery compartment for the battery modules (5) is used whereby at least one half-shell-side is fitted into another deep-drawn shell to create at least one thermal system area inside a double-floor system (3) surrounding the battery compartment.

15. The supporting housing according to claim 1, wherein a first bar with inlet nozzles (13, 14, 19, 20) and a second bar as a discharge bar are integrated into the outermost shell (1), preferably over the total width of the shell less both radii, to realize an effective cooling concept with a flowing fluid.

Description

[0051] The present invention is illustrated in more details referring to the following drawings where

[0052] FIG. 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention schematically seen from the side view.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention schematically seen from the side view as a sectional view of the double-floor.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention schematically seen from the side view.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention schematically seen from the side view.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention schematically seen from the side view as a sectional view of the fluid flow.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention schematically seen from the side view as a sectional view of the sealing layer.

[0058] FIG. 7 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention schematically seen from the side view.

[0059] FIG. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of a valve system schematically seen from the top view (left) and a sectional side view (right).

[0060] FIG. 9 shows one typical circuit as a schematically circuit diagram.

[0061] FIG. 1 illustrates a first deep-drawn shell (1) into which a second deep-drawn shell (2) is fitted to create an area inside a double-floor system (3) in which a resistance heating element (4) is putted before closing. The battery modules (5) are separated from the thermal management system by their location outside the double-floor system in the innermost shell, here (2). A locking plate (6) closed the shell (2) with the battery modules (5) inside. The connection between the shells (1) and (2) and between the innermost shell (2) with the locking plate (6) is realized with mechanical joining elements (7).

[0062] FIG. 2 illustrates one preferred embodiment of the shell arrangement whereby a first shell (1), into which an inner shell (2) is fitted, is designed by having supporting contact surfaces (8) so that a defined positioning to one another and a defined area inside the double-flor system are given.

[0063] FIG. 3 illustrates the connection of the battery housing with the underbody (9) by using spacer elements (10) connected with the battery housing by mechanical joining elements (7). In this figure, the arrangement is changed creating another preferred embodiment of the invention so that double-floor system (3) with the resistance heating element (4) is connected in a first step with the underbody. During a second assembling step, the locking plate (6) with applied battery modules (5) is connected from below with the innermost shell (2) with mechanical joining elements (7).

[0064] FIG. 4 illustrates further sheets in profiled form (11) which create a hollow structured area (12) and are connected with the outermost shell (1) as further resistors against underbody impact.

[0065] FIG. 5 illustrates in a sectional view the thermal management system. During cooling, the both isolating valves called inlet valve (13) and outlet valve (14) are opened and enable a cooling with a continuous fluid flow. If heating is necessary, the both isolating valves are closed and the resistance heating element (4) is started and heats therefore the stagnant fluid inside the double-floor system (3).

[0066] FIG. 6 illustrates in a sectional view the sealing layer (15) of a first deep-drawn shell (1) with a second deep-drawn shell (2) which is fitted into (1). To seal the inner double-floor system (3) from the outdoor environment and to avoid any kind of contamination like dirt, dust, other particles or moisture from outside, but also to avoid a discharge of liquid from the double-floor system, the sealing layer is covered into deep-drawn indentations (16) located at the flange of the shells. The mechanical joining elements (7) must be arrangement outside the indentations (16) and sealing layer (15).

[0067] FIG. 7 illustrates another preferred embodiment of present invention to use instead of a locking plate (6) another deep-drawn shell (17) to create a two-half-shell-system for the battery modules. In a favorable way, the additional deep-drawn shell (17) is identically with the innermost shell (2) to need just one deep-drawing tool for booth shells. At least one half-shell-side is fitted into a first deep-drawn shell (1) to create a thermal system area inside a double-floor system (3). Also here, mechanical joining elements (7) could be used to connect the shells.

[0068] FIG. 8 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a valve system whereby a bar (18) with inlet nozzles (19) is integrated as an inlet valve (13 from FIG. 4) to enable an entering of the fluid. On the opposite side of the outermost shell, a second bar (20) as an outlet valve (14 from FIG. 4) is integrated as a discharge element of the fluid. As a preferred embodiment of the fluid flow, both bars are located over the total width of the shell less both radii (21). Thereby, as visible from the sectional side view on the right side of FIG. 8, the bars are located in height over the resistance heating element (4).

[0069] FIG. 9 illustrates one typical circuit as a schematically circuit diagram with the different components and possible interconnections. The order and the usage of single components can vary.