Heat pipe for vehicle energy-storage systems
View Patent ↗Provided are cooling subsystems for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising a heat pipe disposed between two battery modules, the heat pipe being thermally coupled to each of a plurality of cells of the two battery modules at an end of each cell. The heat pipe comprises an envelope and a working fluid, the heat pipe transferring heat from the plurality of cells. Optionally, the cooling subsystem further includes a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heat pipe, the heat exchanger receiving heat from the heat pipe.
1. A cooling subsystem for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising:
a heat pipe disposed between two battery modules, the heat pipe being thermally coupled to each of a plurality of cells of the two battery modules at an end of each cell, the heat pipe comprising an envelope and a working fluid, the heat pipe transferring heat from the plurality of cells;
a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heat pipe, the heat exchanger receiving heat from the heat pipe; and
a coolant system for circulating a coolant pumped into a battery tray such that a plurality of battery modules disposed in the battery tray are at approximately the same predetermined temperature, the heat exchanger being thermally coupled to the coolant system using a coolant input port and a coolant output port.
2. The cooling subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one of: aluminum, copper, and an aluminum-copper alloy.
3. The cooling subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the coolant comprises at least one of: synthetic oil, water and ethylene glycol (WEG), poly-alpha-olefin oil, and liquid dielectric cooling based on phase change.
4. The cooling subsystem of claim 1 wherein, the envelope comprises at least one of: aluminum, copper, steel, stainless steel, and a high-performance alloy.
5. The cooling subsystem of claim 4 , wherein an exterior surface of the envelope comprises at least one of: aluminum oxide, diamond powder based materials, and boron nitride.
6. The cooling subsystem of claim 5 , wherein the working fluid comprises at least one of: ammonia, ethanol, methanol, water, refrigerant, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, hydrogen, helium, and alkali metal.
7. The cooling subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the envelope comprises aluminum, an exterior surface of the envelope comprises aluminum oxide, and the working fluid comprises ammonia.
8. The cooling subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe comprises two sides that are substantially planar.
9. A cooling system for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising:
a heat pipe comprising a planar surface thermally coupled to a plurality of cells of a battery module of the vehicle energy-storage system, an envelope being configured to transfer heat from the plurality of cells; and
a heat exchanger coupled to the envelope and configured to transfer the heat from the envelope, the heat exchanger comprising a channel configured to direct a working fluid through the heat exchanger to transfer the heat from the heat exchanger,
wherein the heat exchanger is thermally coupled to a coolant system for circulating a coolant pumped into a battery tray such that a plurality of battery modules disposed in the battery tray are at approximately the same predetermined temperature, the heat exchanger being thermally coupled to the coolant system through a coolant input port and a coolant output port.
10. The cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the envelope has a width of about 2 to 4 mm.
11. The cooling system heat pipe of claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one of: aluminum, copper, and an aluminum-copper alloy.
12. The cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the coolant comprises at least one of: synthetic oil, water and ethylene glycol (WEG), poly-alpha-olefin oil, and liquid dielectric cooling based on phase change.
13. The cooling system of claim 9 wherein, the envelope comprises at least one of: aluminum, copper, steel, stainless steel, and a high-performance alloy.
14. The cooling system of claim 13 , wherein an exterior surface of the envelope comprises at least one of: aluminum oxide, diamond powder based materials, and boron nitride.
15. The cooling system of claim 14 , wherein the working fluid comprises at least one of: ammonia, ethanol, methanol, water, refrigerant, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, hydrogen, helium, and alkali metal.
16. The cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the envelope comprises aluminum, an exterior surface of the envelope comprises aluminum oxide, and the working fluid comprises ammonia.
17. The cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the planar surface of the heat pipe is coupled to the plurality of cells through end sections of the plurality of cells.