Patent Application

App. No. 15/491,767

Abstract

Claims (76)

1 . A battery module compartment chamber configured for deployment with one or more other battery module compartment chambers within a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, comprising:

a plurality of exterior walls that define an exterior frame of the battery module compartment chamber;

at least one interior firewall that, in conjunction with the plurality of exterior walls, define a first interior space for a first battery module compartment configured to fit a first battery module and a second interior space for a second battery compartment configured to fit a second battery module;

a first insertion-side through which the first battery module is configured to be inserted into the first interior space of the first battery module compartment and/or removed from the first interior space of the first battery module compartment; and

a second insertion-side through which the second battery module is configured to be inserted into the second interior space of the second battery module compartment and/or removed from the second interior space of the second battery module compartment,

wherein the first insertion-side is configured to be closed via a first insertion-side cover to seal the first battery module compartment at least from the second battery module compartment, and

wherein the second insertion-side is configured to be closed via a second insertion-side cover to seal the second battery module compartment at least from the first battery module compartment.

2 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 ,

wherein the battery module compartment chamber is longitudinally stacked with one or more additional battery module compartment chambers that are each configured identically to the battery module compartment chamber to form the battery module mounting area,

wherein a type of battery module compartment chambers in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers and/or a number of battery module compartment chambers in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers is selected to satisfy a size requirement for the battery module mounting area.

3 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first set of electrical interfaces in the first battery module compartment configured to be coupled to the first battery module; and

a second set of electrical interfaces in the second battery module compartment configured to be coupled to the second battery module.

4 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 3 , wherein the first and second sets of electrical interfaces are included in connectors that are inserted into the first and second battery module compartments via respective holes.

5 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 4 , wherein the connectors are each configured to be sealed via an 0 -ring in an axial or a radial direction, a rubber gasket, a sealing adhesive or a combination thereof

6 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second insertion-side covers include a sealing substance.

7 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 6 , wherein the sealing substance includes dispensed foam, rubber, a sealing adhesive or any combination thereof

8 . The battery module compartment chamber of 1 , further comprising:

wherein the first and second insertion-side covers include holes through which respective input and output cooling tube plug connections are inserted,

wherein the respective input and output cooling tube plug connections are coupled to respective cooling tubes that connect to an external cooling system and are configured to cool respective cooling plates inside the first and second battery modules, and

wherein the respective input and output cooling tube plug connections are configured to be sealed.

9 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second insertion-sides correspond to opposing lateral sides of the battery module compartment chamber.

10 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 9 , wherein the first and second insertion-sides correspond to exterior-facing lateral sides of the battery module compartment chamber.

11 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second battery module compartments are configured to permit lateral insertion of the first and second battery modules, respectively, and/or to permit lateral removal of the first and second battery modules, respectively.

12 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second battery module compartments are attached to respective hinges that permit the first and second battery module compartments to be configured in a closed state where insertion and/or removal of the first and second battery modules is not permitted or an open state where the first and second battery module compartments are configured to rotate downwards to permit insertion and/or removal of the first and second battery modules, respectively, via the first and second insertion-sides, respectively.

14 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second insertion-sides correspond to top-sides of the first and second battery module compartments or bottom-sides of the first and second battery module compartments.

15 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second insertion-side covers are configured to individually cover the first and second battery module compartments, respectively.

16 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and second insertion-side covers are configured to cover a group of battery module compartments, such that the group of battery module compartments is sealed from one or more battery module compartments outside of the group of battery module compartments.

17 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second battery module compartments are a pair of laterally adjacent battery module compartments.

18 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the battery module compartment chamber is secured to one or more adjacent battery module compartment chambers during assembly of the battery module mounting area.

19 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the battery module compartment chamber is produced via sheet metal construction or extruded or die-cast aluminum construction.

20 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second insertion-sides each include a flange and a set of integrated fixation points for securing the first and second insertion-side covers, respectively, to the first and second battery module compartments, respectively.

21 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the first and second battery modules include a set of cylindrical battery cells or a set of pouch or prismatic battery cells.

22 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 ,

wherein the first battery module is integrated with the first insertion-side cover prior to insertion into the first interior space of the first battery module compartment, or

wherein the second battery module is integrated with the second insertion-side cover prior to insertion into the second interior space of the second battery module compartment, or

any combination thereof

23 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 ,

wherein the first battery module is integrated with the first insertion-side cover prior to insertion into the first interior space of the first battery module compartment,

wherein the second battery module is integrated with the second insertion-side cover prior to insertion into the second interior space of the second battery module compartment,

or any combination thereof

24 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 ,

wherein the first battery module and the first insertion-side cover are separate components that are not integrated prior to insertion into the first interior space of the first battery module compartment,

wherein the second battery module and the second insertion-side cover are separate components that are not integrated prior to insertion into the second interior space of the second battery module compartment, or

any combination thereof

25 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the battery module mounting area is part of a vehicle floor of an electric vehicle.

26 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 ,

wherein the seal between the first and second battery module compartments formed by the closing of the first insertion-side by the first insertion-side cover is at least liquid-tight,

wherein the seal between the first and second battery module compartments formed by the closing of the second insertion-side by the second insertion-side cover is at least liquid-tight, or

any combination thereof

27 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 26 ,

wherein the seal between the first and second battery module compartments formed by the closing of the first insertion-side by the first insertion-side cover is liquid tight and gas-tight with respect to one or more types of gas,

wherein the seal between the first and second battery module compartments formed by the closing of the second insertion-side by the second insertion-side cover liquid tight and gas-tight with respect to one or more types of gas, or

any combination thereof

28 . The battery module compartment chamber of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage system stores power that is configured for distribution to an electric vehicle, a home power system, an industrial or commercial power system or a public power system.

29 . A battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, comprising:

a set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers, each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment of each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment of each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover,

wherein a type of battery module compartment chamber in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers and/or a number of battery module compartment chambers in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers is selected to satisfy a size requirement for the battery module mounting area.

30 . The battery module mounting area of claim 29 ,

wherein the battery module mounting area is part of a floor of an electric vehicle, and

wherein the size requirement for the battery module mounting area is based upon a wheel base of the electric vehicle.

31 . The battery module mounting area of claim 29 , wherein the energy storage system stores power that is configured for distribution to an electric vehicle, a home power system, an industrial or commercial power system or a public power system.

32 . A method of arranging a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, comprising:

determining a size requirement for the battery module mounting area;

obtaining physical dimensions for a battery module compartment chamber, the battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover;

identifying a maximum number of battery module compartment chambers that can be longitudinally stacked together without exceeding the size requirement; and

generating a design for the battery module mounting area that includes the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers.

33 . The method of claim 32 ,

wherein the battery module mounting area is part of a floor of an electric vehicle, and

wherein the size requirement for the battery module mounting area is based upon a wheel base of the electric vehicle.

34 . The method of claim 32 ,

wherein the obtaining obtains the physical dimensions for two or more different types of battery module compartment chambers,

wherein the identifying identifies the maximum number for each of the two or more different types of battery module compartment chambers, further comprising:

determining, for each type of battery module compartment chamber, a spatial and/or energy efficiency metric that is based on that type's maximum number,

wherein the generating generates the design for the battery module mounting area using the type of battery module compartment chamber that is associated with the highest spatial and/or energy efficiency metric.

35 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the energy storage system stores power that is configured for distribution to an electric vehicle, a home power system, an industrial or commercial power system or a public power system.

Assignments (9)