ENERGY STORE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

An energy store of a motor vehicle may include at least one battery cell and a fluid channel having a temperature control fluid that may control a temperature of the at least one battery cell. The fluid channel may be defined by a fluid channel arrangement having two walls and a plurality of spacers arranged therebetween. The plurality of spacers may be configured for a needs-based temperature control of the at least one battery cell. The plurality of spacers may be arranged so that a coolant flow is conducted directly to a hot spot of the at least one battery cell. At least one of the two walls may comprise an organic sheet and may be connected, via glue or welding, to the plurality of spacers.

Claims

1. An energy store of a motor vehicle comprising: at least one battery cell; a fluid channel including a temperature control fluid configured to control a temperature of the at least one battery cell; wherein the fluid channel is defined by a fluid channel arrangement having two walls and a plurality of spacers arranged therebetween, wherein the plurality of spacers are configured for a needs-based temperature control of the at least one battery cell, wherein the plurality of spacers are arranged so that a coolant flow is conducted directly to a hot spot of the at least one battery cell; and wherein at least one of the two walls comprises an organic sheet and is connected, via glue or welding, to the plurality of spacers.

2. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two walls and at least one of the plurality of spacers comprise an electrically insulating material.

3. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spacers is a tube section or a bushing.

4. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spacers has one of a non-round outer contour, an oval contour, or an angled outer contour.

5. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of spacers are arranged in direct contact to one another and define a flow-guiding contour.

6. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein the two walls are closely connected to one another on an edge side directly or indirectly via an edging element.

7. A fluid channel arrangement of an energy store having at least one battery cell and a fluid channel including a temperature control fluid configured to control a temperature of the at least one battery cell the fluid channel arrangement comprising: two walls and a plurality of spacers arranged therebetween, wherein at least one of the two walls comprises an organic sheet and is connected, via glue or welding, to the plurality of spacers.

8. A method for operating a fluid channel arrangement of an energy store comprising: providing the fluid channel arrangement having two walls and a plurality of spacers arranged therebetween, wherein at least one of the two walls comprises an organic sheet and is connected, via glue or welding, to the plurality of spacers; determining a temperature distribution of the at least one battery cell of the energy store at different operating states; calculating a fluid flow, optimally controlling a temperature of the determined temperature distribution in the fluid channel arrangement; producing a template from the calculated fluid flow for the arrangement of the plurality of spacers; aligning the plurality of spacers via the template to position the plurality of spacers on a first wall of the two walls of the fluid channel arrangement; removing the template and applying a second wall of the two walls onto the plurality of spacers; and connecting the second wall of the at least two walls, via glue or welding, to the plurality of spacers.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein at least one battery cell is inserted into a housing so that the fluid channel arrangement is aligned with the plurality of spacers to the at least one battery cell so that the previously calculated, optimally temperature-controlling fluid flow is achieved.

10. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two walls is connected, via glue, to the plurality of spacers.

11. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two walls is connected, via welding, to the plurality of spacers.

12. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spacers is a tube section.

13. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spacers is a bushing.

14. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spacers has a non-round outer contour.

15. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spacers has an oval contour.

16. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spacers has an angled outer contour.

17. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein the at least one battery cell is disposed within a housing.

18. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein the at least one battery cell comprises a plurality of battery cells.

19. The energy store according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating material is a thermoplastic.

20. The method of claim 8, further comprising fixing the plurality of spacers on the first wall of the two walls of the fluid channel arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 a sectional illustration through an energy store according to the invention,

[0025] FIG. 2 a view partially in section through a fluid channel arrangement according to the invention,

[0026] FIG. 3 a sectional illustration through the fluid channel arrangement according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] According to FIG. 1, an energy store 1, according to the invention, of a motor vehicle 2, otherwise illustrated only diagrammatically, has in the instance shown in the drawings, a housing 3 and a plurality of battery cells 4 arranged therein. The energy store 1 is configured here as a rechargeable energy store and can be used for example in a hybrid or electric vehicle. Between the housing 3 and the battery cells 2, a fluid channel 5 is arranged here, through which a temperature control fluid 6, for example a coolant, is directed for controlling the temperature of the battery cells 4. According to the invention, the fluid channel 5 is now formed by a fluid channel arrangement 7 (cf. also FIGS. 2 and 3), which has two walls 8, 9 and spacers 10 arranged therebetween. Furthermore, the spacers 10 are arranged or respectively aligned such that a needs-based temperature control, in particular a needs-based cooling, of the battery cells 4 can be achieved. This is greatly advantageous in particular to increase the efficiency of the energy store, because for example so-called locally occurring hot spots can be cooled in a needs-based manner.

[0028] At least one of the walls 8, 9 and/or at least one spacer 10 is formed here from an electrically insulating material, for example from a thermoplastic plastic. The spacers 10 themselves can be configured here for example as tube sections or as bushings 11 (cf. also FIGS. 2 and 3) and thereby produced from a tube by means of a corresponding cutting to length. Alternatively hereto, the spacers 10 can of course also have a non-round outer contour, in particular an oval or an angled outer contour, as is illustrated for example in the spacers 10 according to FIG. 2. When the spacers 10 are configured as tube sections or respectively as bushings 11, these usually have a round outer contour. By means of the respectively selected outer contour and/or the arrangement of the spacers 10, a particularly targeted flow guidance of the temperature control fluid 6 and thereby a particularly needs-based temperature control of the individual battery cells 4 can be achieved. According to FIG. 1, the fluid channel 5 here is arranged merely between the housing 3 and the battery cells 4, wherein of course additionally further fluid channels, not illustrated, can be provided between the individual battery cells 4. Also, of course, the housing 3 can be dispensed with, so that only the fluid channel arrangement 7 surrounds the battery cells 4.

[0029] In order to be able to produce the fluid channel arrangement 7 at a favourable cost and in a simple manner with regard to manufacturing, at least one wall 8, 9 is formed from foil, in particular from plastic foil or from a plastic composite foil, from an organic sheet or from a plastic sheet and is connected, in particular welded or glued, to the spacers 10, 11. Furthermore, a plurality of spacers 10 can also be arranged in direct contact to one another, and can thereby form a flow-guiding contour 12 (cf. FIG. 2).

[0030] Observing in addition FIG. 3, it can be seen that the two walls 8, 9 are connected closely to one another on the edge side directly (right side) or indirectly via an edging element 13 (left side). In order to be able to increase a heat-transferring contact between the fluid channel arrangement 7 and the battery cells 4, this can be connected to the battery cells 4 for example by means of a heat-conductive paste 14 (cf. FIG. 1).

[0031] It is of great advantage in the energy store 1 according to the invention that the latter has a variable flow field, can be produced at a favourable cost and has a particularly great freedom of design and possibility for adaptation to a purpose of use and installation space. Furthermore, the fluid channel arrangement 7 according to the invention has an integrated barrier layer and is configured through the use of plastic as an electrical insulator between the battery cells 4 and the housing 3, so that basically also a metallic housing 3 can come into use.

[0032] The fluid channel arrangement 7 according to the invention is produced in accordance with the method according to the invention, described below. Firstly, a temperature distribution of at least one battery cell 4, preferably of all battery cells 4 of the energy store 1 is determined at different operating states. Subsequently, a fluid flow is calculated, optimally controlling the temperature of the determined temperature distribution in a fluid channel arrangement 7 arranged preferably between the battery cells 4 which are to be temperature-controlled and the housing 3. From this calculated fluid flow, a template is produced for arranging and configuring the individual spacers 10. By means of this produced template, the corresponding spacers 10 are positioned on the first wall 9 of the fluid channel arrangement 7 and are already fixed for example, in particular by means of a gluing or welding. Subsequently, the template is removed and the second wall 8 is placed onto the pre-positioned spacers 10, wherein subsequently the second wall 8 is connected, for example glued or welded, to the spacers 10. Of course, a connecting of the two walls 8, 9 to the spacers 10 can also take place in a single operating step, i.e. after the removal of the template and after the applying of the second wall 8.

[0033] A fluid channel arrangement 7 produced in such a manner can be subsequently placed into the housing 3 and then the battery cells 4 can be inserted, wherein now by means of the fluid channel arrangement 7 according to the invention a needs-based temperature control, in particular a needs-based cooling of the individual battery cells 4 can be achieved.

[0034] With the fluid channel arrangement 7 according to the invention and the energy store 1 equipped therewith, a favourably priced and optimized localin particular with regard to so-called hot spots, needs-based temperature control of the energy store 1 can be achieved, whereby its efficiency can be increased.