Bi-material cooling valves
A electric vehicle battery thermal regulation system configured to prioritize a flow of cooling fluid past at least one of a battery cell experiencing a thermal event, including a plurality of conduits through which a flow of thermal regulation fluid can flow, portions of the thermal regulation system positioned in close proximity to the at least one of a plurality of battery cells to provide cooling to said plurality of battery cells, wherein the thermal regulation system includes one or more bi-material valves configured to at least one of open or close in response to a change in temperature of the thermal regulation fluid, thereby rerouting a flow of the thermal regulation fluid through the plurality of conduits to prioritize cooling to one or more battery cells experiencing a thermal event.
1 . An electric vehicle having a thermal regulation system configured to prioritize a flow of a thermal regulation fluid to one or more battery cells experiencing a thermal event through a valve when exposed to the thermal regulation fluid of a given temperature, the electric vehicle comprising:
a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells; and
the thermal regulation system defining a plurality of conduits through which the flow of the thermal regulation fluid can flow, portions of the thermal regulation system positioned in proximity to at least one of the plurality of battery cells to provide cooling to said plurality of battery cells, wherein the thermal regulation system includes one or more bi-material valves configured to at least one of open or close in response to a change in temperature of the thermal regulation fluid, thereby rerouting the flow of the thermal regulation fluid to prioritize cooling to the one or more battery cells experiencing the thermal event, wherein:
the plurality of battery cells are grouped into battery modules;
the thermoregulation system includes one or more cooling contact pads configured to correspond with one or more thermal transfer surfaces of the battery modules; and
the thermal regulation system includes at least one inlet line configured to route the flow of the thermal regulation fluid to the one or more cooling contact pads, at least one return line configured to route the flow of the thermal regulation fluid away from the one or more cooling contact pads, and at least one prioritized line configured to serve as an alternate flow path for routing the flow of the thermal regulation fluid away from the one or more cooling contact pads.
2 . The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the electric vehicle comprises at least one of an all-electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle.
3 . The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least portions of the thermal regulation system are positioned adjacent to the battery modules to enable heat transfer between the battery modules and the thermal regulation system.
4 . The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more cooling contact pads includes an outlet configured to enable the flow of the thermal regulation fluid out of the one or more cooling contact pads, and wherein at least one bi-material valve of the one or more bi-material valves is associated with the outlet, thereby enabling thermal regulation fluid heated above a threshold temperature to transition the at least one bi-material valve from a closed position to an open position, or vice versa.
5 . The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a bi-material valve of the one or more bi-material valves is positioned at a downstream location of the return line.
6 . The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more bi-material valves comprises one or more discs formed of a first material on one side or surface of the disc, and a second material on an opposing side or surface of the disc.
7 . The electric vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first material has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the second material.
8 . The electric vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the bi-material valve is configured to transition from a closed position to an open position at a temperature of about 100° C.
9 . The electric vehicle of claim 6 , wherein at least one bi-material valve of the one or more bi-material valves is configured to gradually transition from a closed position to an open position over a temperature range of about 60° C. to about 120° C.