Cooling techniques for battery packages
A method includes forming a cold plate including conductive material and having a plurality of openings, and coating the cold plate with dielectric coating. The method further includes placing the cold plate proximal to a metal plate including one or more metals, and exposing the cold plate to moisture and/or water. In an example, a minimum lateral distance between the cold plate and the metal plate is at most 0.5 inch. The method further includes, while the cold plate is exposed to the moisture and/or the water, applying a voltage across the cold plate and the metal plate, and measuring a resultant leakage current through the cold plate. A thickness of the dielectric coating on an edge of an opening of the plurality of openings is at least 0.003 inch.
1 . A battery assembly comprising:
a first cold plate comprising a conductive material and coated with a dielectric coating, the cold plate comprising a first array of openings therewithin;
a first battery adjacent to the first cold plate; and
a conductive line coupled to a first positive terminal of the first battery, wherein the first positive terminal of the first battery is adjacent to and substantially aligned with a first opening of the first array of openings;
wherein a distance between (i) an edge of an opening in the first array of openings and (ii) one or both the conductive line and the first battery is at most 0.4 inch;
a second cold plate that is substantially parallel to the first cold plate, the second cold plate comprising a conductive material and coated with a dielectric coating, the second cold plate comprising a second array of openings therewithin;
a second battery having a second positive terminal that is adjacent to and substantially aligned with a second opening of the second array of openings;
a first negative terminal of the first battery faces the second cold plate and is not aligned to any opening of the second array of openings; and
a second negative terminal of the second battery faces the first cold plate and is not aligned to any opening of the first array of openings.
2 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a structure comprising aluminum, wherein the structure includes at least a first slot and a second slot, and wherein the first battery is within the first slot and the second battery is within the second slot.
3 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first battery is configured to, during a faulty operation of the first battery, vent outgases from or near the first positive terminal of the first battery, such that the outgases are vented out of the battery assembly through the first opening of the first array of openings of the first cold plate.
4 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first cold plate comprises a first surface facing the first battery, and a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein the battery assembly further comprises:
coolant tubes arranged on the second surface of the first cold plate.
5 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the battery assembly further comprises:
a thermal pad between the conductive line and the first cold plate, wherein the second array of openings is substantially aligned with the first array of openings of the first cold plate.
6 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a structure including a slot, wherein the first battery is within the slot; and
a mounting hardware extending through an opening of the first array of openings of the first cold plate and extending within the structure.
7 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the dielectric coating on an edge of the first opening of the first cold plate is at least 0.003 inch.
8 . A system comprising:
an aircraft; and
a battery assembly installed within the aircraft, wherein the battery assembly comprises
a first cold plate comprising conductive material and coated with a dielectric coating, the first cold plate comprising a first array of openings therewithin, such that a thickness of the dielectric coating on an edge of an opening of the plurality of openings is at least 0.003 inch,
a first battery having a first terminal that is adjacent to and substantially aligned with the opening of the first array of openings,
a conductive line coupled to the first terminal of the first battery, and
a thermal pad between the conductive line and the first cold plate, wherein the thermal pad has a second array of openings that is substantially aligned with the first array of openings of the first cold plate;
a second cold plate that is substantially parallel to the first cold plate, the second cold plate comprising a conductive material and coated with a dielectric coating, the second cold plate comprising a second array of openings therewithin;
a second battery having a second terminal that is adjacent to and substantially aligned with the second array of openings;
an additional terminal of the first battery facing the second cold plate and is not aligned to any opening of the second array of openings; and
an additional terminal of the second battery facing the first cold plate and is not aligned to any opening of the first array of openings.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the battery assembly is installed within a section of the aircraft, wherein air pressure within the section of the aircraft is not regulated when the aircraft is flying at an altitude above a testing altitude.
10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a distance between the conductive line and an edge of the opening of the first cold plate is at most 0.4 inch.