Thermally triggered adhesive release for battery service

1 . A vehicle comprising:

an electric motor;

a battery pack electrically coupled to the electric motor; and

a thermal management system coupled to the battery pack, the thermal management system comprising a cooling plate, an upper tray, and a lower tray joined to opposite surfaces of the cooling plate to define an enclosed volume therebetween, the thermal management system further comprising:

a memory, computer readable instructions, and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

heating an adhesive layer for removal by modifying at least one of a flowrate and a temperature of a heating fluid through the enclosed volume;

measuring a temperature of an adhesive layer coupled to the cooling plate and a component of the battery pack;

while the adhesive layer is being heated for removal:

measuring, separately from a temperature of the adhesive layer, a temperature of the component; and

decreasing a flow rate of the heating fluid responsive to the temperature of the component exceeding a thermal limit; and

responsive to determining that the temperature has reached a target temperature selected based at least in part on the temperature of the component, applying a load to the component until the component is removed.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein applying the load to the component comprises applying one or more of a peeling load, a shearing load, and a tensile load to the component until cohesive or adhesive failure of the adhesive layer.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the enclosed volume comprises one or more fluid flow channels, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet for circulation of the heating fluid.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein modifying at least one of the flowrate and the temperature of the heating fluid through the enclosed volume comprises increasing one or more of the flowrate and the temperature responsive to the measured temperature being below the target temperature.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein modifying at least one of the flowrate and the temperature of the heating fluid through the enclosed volume comprises decreasing one or more of the flowrate and the temperature responsive to the measured temperature being above the target temperature.

6 . A thermal management system comprising:

a cooling plate, an upper tray, and a lower tray joined to opposite surfaces of the cooling plate to define an enclosed volume therebetween; and

a memory, computer readable instructions, and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

heating an adhesive layer for removal by modifying at least one of a flowrate and a temperature of a heating fluid through the enclosed volume;

measuring a temperature of an adhesive layer coupled to the cooling plate and a component of a battery pack;

while the adhesive layer is being heated for removal:

measuring, separately from a temperature of the adhesive layer, a temperature of the component; and

decreasing a flow rate of the heating fluid responsive to the temperature of the component exceeding a thermal limit; and

responsive to determining that the temperature has reached a target temperature selected based at least in part on the temperature of the component, applying a load to the component until the component is removed.

7 . The thermal management system of claim 6 , wherein applying the load to the component comprises applying one or more of a peeling load, a shearing load, and a tensile load to the component until cohesive or adhesive failure of the adhesive layer.

8 . The thermal management system of claim 6 , wherein the enclosed volume comprises one or more fluid flow channels, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet for circulation of the heating fluid.

9 . The thermal management system of claim 6 , wherein modifying at least one of the flowrate and the temperature of the heating fluid through the enclosed volume comprises increasing one or more of the flowrate and the temperature responsive to the measured temperature being below the target temperature.

10 . The thermal management system of claim 6 , wherein modifying at least one of the flowrate and the temperature of the heating fluid through the enclosed volume comprises decreasing one or more of the flowrate and the temperature responsive to the measured temperature being above the target temperature.

11 . A method for thermally triggering an adhesive release for battery service, the method comprising:

receiving a battery pack comprising an adhesive layer at an interface between a cooling plate and a component;

heating an adhesive layer for removal by directing a heating fluid through an enclosed volume of the cooling plate;

measuring a temperature of the adhesive layer;

while the adhesive layer is being heated for removal:

measuring, separately from a temperature of the adhesive layer, a temperature of the component; and

decreasing a flow rate of the heating fluid responsive to the temperature of the component exceeding a thermal limit; and

responsive to determining that the temperature has reached a target temperature selected based at least in part on the temperature of the component, applying a load to the component until the component is removed.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the adhesive comprises a material having a known bond strength as a function of temperature.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein directing the heating fluid through the enclosed volume causes a convective heat transfer from the heating fluid to the adhesive layer.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein applying the load to the component comprises applying one or more of a peeling load, a shearing load, and a tensile load to the component until cohesive or adhesive failure of the adhesive layer.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the enclosed volume comprises one or more fluid flow channels, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet for circulation of the heating fluid.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising performing a pre-service comprising a debussing prior to directing the heating fluid through the enclosed volume of the cooling plate.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising replacing the removed component with a new component.