Heat exchanger component

Abstract

A heat exchanger component of a temperature control system of an electrical energy store may include a carrier material and at least two layers. The at least two layers may include a first layer composed of an electrically insulating material and a second layer that may facilitate temperature control via at least one of cooling and heating the electrical energy store.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger component of a temperature control system of an electrical energy store, comprising: a carrier material composed of plastics and at least two layers, the at least two layers including a first layer composed of an electrically insulating material and a second layer facilitating temperature control via at least one of cooling and heating the electrical energy store, the first layer and the second layer arranged in a multi-layer construction one on top of the other in a stacking direction and separated from one another via the carrier material; wherein the second layer includes a heat-conducting structure at least partially embedded within and integrated into a material of the second layer; and wherein the electrically insulating material of the first layer defines a plastics surface covering the first layer on a side facing away from the second layer in the stacking direction.

2. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of: the carrier material includes a fiber-reinforced plastic; and the carrier material is at least one of an organic sheet, a fiber-reinforced tape, a fiber-reinforced organic sheet and a plastics laminate including at least one integrated metal layer.

3. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second layer includes an electrically operable heating device.

4. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second layer includes a fluid duct for communicating a flow of a heat exchanger medium, and wherein the material of the second layer surrounds the fluid duct.

5. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second layer further includes at least one connection piece for at least one of a supply and a discharge of the heat exchanger medium.

6. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mechanically strengthening reinforcement material embedded within at least one of the carrier material and the at least two layers.

7. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second layer includes an enlarged surface.

8. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger component is produced by lamination, covering, pressing, pultrusion, sintering, thermoforming, injection molding or blow extrusion.

9. An electrical energy store of a motor vehicle, comprising a heat exchanger component including: a carrier material composed of plastics and at least two layers, the at least two layers including a first layer composed of an electrically insulating material and a second layer facilitating temperature control via at least one of cooling and heating the electrical energy store, the first layer and the second layer arranged in a multi-layer construction one on top of the other in a stacking direction and separated from one another via the carrier material; the second layer including a heat-conducting structure at least partially embedded within and integrated into a material of the second layer; the electrically insulating material of the first layer defining a plastics surface covering the first layer on a side facing away from the second layer in the stacking direction; and wherein the heat exchanger component at least one of is in heat-exchanging contact with a housing of the energy store and forms a housing part of the housing of the energy store.

10. The energy store as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second layer has an enlarged surface provided by a surface enlarging structure protruding outwardly from and extending across a surface of the second layer facing away from the first layer, the surface enlarging structure including at least one of a rib and a fin.

11. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting structure is one of a metallic nonwoven, a hybrid nonwoven, a knit, and a lattice.

12. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fluid duct is defined between two sub-layers of the second layer, and the heat-conducting structure includes a metal lattice embedded in the material of the second layer surrounding the fluid duct, and wherein the metal lattice extends transversely through the fluid duct with respect to a through-flow direction of the flow of the heat exchanger medium from a first of the two sub-layers to a second of the two sub-layers.

13. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second layer includes an enlarged surface provided by a plurality of surface enlarging structures arranged on a surface of the second layer facing away from the first layer, the plurality of surface enlarging structures extending outwardly from the surface of the second layer in a direction away from the fluid duct and arranged spaced apart from one another along the surface of the second layer, and wherein the plurality of surface enlarging structures include at least one of ribs and fins.

14. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the enlarged surface is provided by a surface enlarging structure protruding outwardly from and extending across a surface of the second layer, and wherein the surface enlarging structure is arranged in a plurality of rows extending transversely to the stacking direction.

15. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 14, wherein the surface enlarging structure includes a plurality of fins or ribs protruding outwardly from the surface of the second layer and arranged spaced apart from one another along the surface of the second layer.

16. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 15, wherein: the second layer defines an integrated fluid duct for communicating a flow of a heat exchanger medium, the material of the second layer surrounding the fluid duct; and the plurality of fins or ribs protrude outwardly from the surface of the second layer in a direction away from the fluid duct.

17. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 12, wherein the heat-conducting structure further includes a plurality of fins embedded in the material of the second layer and penetrating through a surface of the second layer facing away from the first layer.

18. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first layer is encapsulated by the carrier material, the carrier material defining the plastics surface covering the first layer on the side facing away from the second layer.

19. The heat exchanger component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second layer includes a first sub-layer, a second sub-layer, and a fluid duct disposed between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer relative to the stacking direction, and wherein the heat-conducting structure includes a metallic knit or nonwoven embedded within the second sub-layer and extending transversely to the stacking direction.

20. The energy store as claimed in claim 10, wherein the surface enlarging structure is in direct contact with at least one of the housing of the energy store and an exterior space surrounding the energy store.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings, in each case schematically:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional illustration through a heat exchanger component according to the invention which has multiple layers,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the heat exchanger component according to the invention in a fluid duct, and of a heat-conducting structure and of an enlarged surface for improved heat exchange,

(4) FIG. 3a shows a further possible embodiment of a layer of the heat exchanger component according to the invention with integrated fluid duct,

(5) FIG. 3b shows an illustration as in FIG. 3a, from the other side,

(6) FIG. 3c is a detail illustration of a connection piece integrally formed onto the layer,

(7) FIG. 4a is a detail illustration of a reinforcement for the mechanical strengthening of a layer of the heat exchanger component according to the invention,

(8) FIG. 4b shows a sectional view of the heat exchanger component according to the invention with multiple reinforced layers,

(9) FIG. 5 shows a possibility for the formation of a recess for a subsequent inlet or outlet,

(10) FIG. 6 shows a possible embodiment of a layer of the heat exchanger component according to the invention with electrically operable heating device,

(11) FIGS. 7a to 7d show possible method steps for the production of a connection piece, or of an inlet or an outlet, in a layer of the heat exchanger component,

(12) FIG. 8 shows the integration of a connection piece with a disk-shaped base into a laid structure of a layer of the heat exchanger component according to the invention,

(13) FIG. 9 is an illustration as in FIG. 8, but with the connection piece integrated,

(14) FIG. 10a shows a pressure plate of a stamping/pressing tool for the production of a fluid-conducting layer of a heat exchanger component,

(15) FIG. 10b shows a die of a stamping/pressing tool for the production of a fluid-conducting layer of a heat exchanger component,

(16) FIG. 11 shows a side view of the stamping/pressing tool for the production of a fluid-conducting layer of a heat exchanger component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(17) Correspondingly to FIG. 1, a heat exchanger component 1 according to the invention of a temperature control system (not otherwise shown) of an electrical energy store 18, for example of a cooling system for a fraction battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle, has a carrier material 2, for example a fiber-reinforced plastic, and at least two layers 3, 4. In this case, the first layer 3 has an electrically insulating action, whereas the second layer 4 permits temperature control, that is to say cooling and/or heating of the electrical energy store 18. The first layer 3 may purely theoretically be formed from the carrier material 2 itself, or else may be encapsulated by said carrier material. As per FIG. 1, the heat exchanger component 1 according to the invention has multiple layers 5, 6 which are separated from one another for example by in each case one layer of the carrier material 2. In general, the carrier material 2 may be formed from plastic, in particular from fiber-reinforced plastic, or as an organic sheet, as a fiber-reinforced tape or organic sheet, or as a plastics laminate with integrated metal layers, for example with a metallic reinforcement. In this case, the heat exchanger component 1 may be produced for example by lamination, covering, pressing, pultrusion, sintering, thermoforming, injection molding or blow extrusion.

(18) As already mentioned, for the carrier material 2, use may be made of plastics or fiber-reinforced composite materials which permit not only a relatively high strength but furthermore also a relatively low weight of the heat exchanger component 1. By means of the multi-layer construction of the heat exchanger component 1 according to the invention, it is furthermore possible for individual layers to be assigned individual functions, such as for example heating/cooling, electrical insulation or thermal insulation and/or diffusion sealing. The integration of functional materials such as for example carbon fibers, glass fibers or fibers in general may be performed already during the production of semifinished products, whereby subsequent shaping or deformation steps, for example for a fluid duct 7 (cf. FIG. 3), may be omitted. In this case, the fibers may be arranged in directional fashion in the respective layer or in the carrier material 2 or else may have an isotropic distribution, whereby the respective layer has isotropic strength characteristics, that is to say non-directional characteristics.

(19) Viewing the layer 4 as per FIG. 2, it can be seen that, in the latter, there extends a fluid duct 7 through which a heat exchanger medium, for example a coolant, flows. Here, to be able to improve an exchange of heat with the object whose temperature is to be controlled, for example with the energy store, a heat-conducting structure 8 may be integrated, for example in the form of a nonwoven, knit, lattice or the like which exhibits good thermal conductivity, said structure being incorporated into the carrier material 2 or into the material surrounding the fluid duct 7. Metallic nonwovens or knits are particularly suitable for this purpose. By means of the heat-conducting structure 8, it is possible to achieve a particularly high rate of heat exchange from the heat exchanger medium flowing in the fluid duct 7 to a surface 9 of the second layer 4 or of the heat exchanger component 1, wherein, said surface 9 may include an enlarged surface 10, provided by for example ribs, teeth, spikes or fins arranged thereon, for the purposes of enlarging the surface and thus increasing the rate of heat exchange. In this way, the thermal conductivity and also the heat exchange and thus the cooling action can be considerably increased in relation to a plastics surface. If the heat-conducting structure 8 is in the form of a metal lattice, this may also perform the task of reinforcement, that is to say mechanical stiffening of the respective layer 4.

(20) Viewing FIG. 3, it can be seen that said fluid duct 7 is integrated into the second layer 4, in which fluid duct the heat exchanger medium can flow. The fluid duct 7 is in this case delimited by two sub-layers 4a and 4b of the second layer 4, wherein the two sub-layers 4a and 4b (cf. FIGS. 3a and 3b) may be connected to one another by adhesive bonding or welding. Furthermore, a connection piece 11 (cf. FIGS. 3b and 3c) may be integrally formed, in particular molded, onto the second layer 4 or onto the sub-layer 4b, via which connection piece heat exchanger medium can be supplied to/discharged from the fluid duct 7. If it is the intention for the connection piece 11 to be of relatively long form, then it is for example possible for an insert part 12 with a disk-shaped base 13 (cf. FIG. 8) to be inserted into the connection piece 11 of the sub-layer 4b and to be sealingly connected thereto for example by welding or adhesive bonding.

(21) Viewing FIGS. 4a and 4b, it is possible to see a reinforcement 14 in individual layers of the heat exchanger component 1, wherein the reinforcement 14 may for example be in the form of a metallic knit or nonwoven or mat, and generates the mechanical stiffening of the heat exchanger component 1.

(22) If a reinforcement 14 is provided, it is under some circumstances necessary for said reinforcement to be removed in the region of the connection piece 11 in order to produce the connection piece 11, for which purpose, as per FIG. 5, use may for example be made of a punch 15 which punches a corresponding opening into the reinforcement 14.

(23) The production of such an opening or of a corresponding connection piece 11, 12 is illustrated in the method steps in FIGS. 7a to 7d. Firstly, in the first method step as per FIG. 7a, the plastics matrix 16 into which the reinforcement 14 is inlaid is punched out by means of the punch 15. The plastics fibers or the reinforcement 14 is in this case not damaged, as illustrated in FIG. 7b. Subsequently, in the method step from FIG. 7c, the reinforcement 14, that is to say the individual fibers, are deformed in order that, in the subsequent method step, illustrated in FIG. 7d, the connection piece 11 can be molded on. It is self-evidently possible here for the plastics matrix 16 to also be in the form of an organic sheet or tape.

(24) Viewing FIG. 6 again, said figure shows an electrically operable heating device 17 which may likewise be arranged in the layer 4. Alternatively, for the heating of the electrical energy store, it is self-evidently possible for use to also be made of a corresponding heat exchanger medium which flows in the associated fluid duct 7.

(25) FIGS. 10 and 11 show a stamping/pressing tool 19 with in each case one pressure plate 20 and one associated die 21 for producing a half of an in particular fluid-conducting layer 4 of the heat exchanger component 1. The layer 4 can be assembled by virtue of two such halves being joined together, for example by being welded or adhesively bonded to one another.

(26) By means of the stamping/pressing tool 19, it is for example possible to produce organic sheets into which additional fluid-conducting structures are formed. In this way, it is possible for a planar surface 22 to be formed on one side, and for a fluid guide 23 to be formed on the other side, without the need for additional material. This is realized by virtue of existing matrix material being forced out of the fiber-reinforced composite material into corresponding cavities 24 of the stamping/pressing tool 19. This eliminates the need for additional molding-on process step, or for additional components and/or material.

(27) If, by means of the pressing/stamping of the so-called organic sheet, structures 23 are intended to be generated for which there is insufficient matrix material, the amount of matrix can be increased through the introduction of additional material. For this purpose, the additional material may be introduced in the form of a foil or as granulate. It would likewise be conceivable for a melt to additionally be introduced. Foils composed of the corresponding matrix material may be applied either directly during the production process of the organic sheet or in an additional process step or in a manner integrated into the pressing/stamping of the organic sheet.

(28) Granulate or ground pieces of the corresponding matrix material may be introduced into the pressing/stamping tool 19 by a variety of methods: manually by way of a dosing system 25 or by way of a shaking function in the pressing/stamping tool 19 with an extractor apparatus. In the case of a manual feed, the individual granulate bodies are introduced in a defined number into the respective tool depressions provided for the same, which tool depressions form the desired structure 23 during the subsequent pressing/stamping process. By means of the dosing system 25, a defined amount of granulate can be dosed and pre-sorted in order for said granulate to subsequently be introduced into the depressions provided in the tool in a manually or automatically initiated manner during the process. Furthermore, it is possible for an undefined amount of granulate bodies to be applied to the die 21, such that, by way of a shaking function, the individual granulate bodies fall into the depressions/cavities 24. Subsequently, by way of an extractor apparatus, the excess granulate is removed from the surface of the die 21, is collected by way of a collecting apparatus, and is supplied back to the process again.

(29) It is furthermore possible to use rotary table or sliding table technology in order to realize or improve accessibility to the stamping/pressing tool 19 for the feed of the granulate. Aside from foils and granulate, it is also possible, as mentioned above, for the additional material to be fed in the form of a melt to the pressing/stamping tool 19. In this case, the so-called organic sheet is placed into the pressing/stamping tool 19 and the desired structure is formed by way of the injection stamping process. The stamping/pressing tool 19 is self-evidently heatable.

(30) With the heat exchanger component 1 according to the invention, it is made possible for the first time to replace the hitherto cumbersome separate manufacture of heat-exchanging layers and additional electrical insulation. The heat exchanger component 1 according to the invention has furthermore been considerably reduced in terms of weight in relation to conventional heat-exchanging components.