Methods and systems for battery pack thermal management
Provided are methods and systems for battery pack thermal management, such as heating and cooling of individual batteries arranged into battery packs. The methods and systems use thermal control modules, specifically configured to thermally couple to the side wall and the bottom end of each battery in a battery pack. In some examples, a thermal control module comprises a thermal plate and one or two battery engagement components, connected and thermally coupled to the thermal plate. Each battery engagement component comprises a plurality of battery receiving openings. When the batteries are installed into these openings, the side wall and the bottom end of each battery are thermally coupled to the thermal control module. Thermal fluid is circulated through at least the thermal plate to provide cooling or heating to the batteries without any direct contact between the thermal fluid and the batteries.
1. A thermal control module for controlling temperature of batteries in a battery pack, the thermal control module comprising:
a thermal plate comprising a first side, a second side, a divider, a first thermal fluid port, and a second thermal fluid port, wherein:
the first side faces the second side and is offset relative to the second side to form an interior cavity of the thermal control module, the interior cavity configured to receive a thermal fluid,
the divider extends between the first side and the second side within the interior cavity and separates the interior cavity into a first cavity part and a second cavity part,
the first thermal fluid port is fluidically coupled to the first cavity part, and
the second thermal fluid port is fluidically coupled to the second cavity part; and
a first battery engagement component and a second battery engagement component, each battery engagement component monolithic with the thermal plate and comprising battery receiving openings facing away from the thermal plate and configured to thermally couple the batteries to the thermal plate, to electrically insulate the batteries from the thermal plate, and to fluidically isolate the batteries from the thermal fluid;
wherein the first battery engagement component extends from and is monolithic with the first side of the thermal plate and the second battery engagement component extends from and is monolithic with the second side of the thermal plate such that the first and second battery engagement components extend away from the thermal plate in opposite directions.
2. The thermal control module of claim 1 , wherein each of the battery receiving openings is cylindrical and circumferentially closed.
3. The thermal control module of claim 1 , wherein:
the thermal plate comprises diffusers disposed within the interior cavity and attached to at least one of the first side or the second side, and
the diffusers are configured to redirect the thermal fluid within the interior cavity.
4. The thermal control module of claim 3 , wherein:
each of the diffusers comprises a diffusing surface extending between the first side and the second side and forming an angle with the divider, and
the diffusers are arranged into rows such that the angle of the diffusing surfaces of the diffusers in one of the rows is different than the angle of the diffusing surfaces of the diffusers in an adjacent one of the rows.
5. The thermal control module of claim 1 , wherein the first thermal fluid port and the second thermal fluid port are positioned on a common end of the thermal plate.
6. The thermal control module of claim 1 , wherein each of the first battery engagement component and the second battery engagement component comprises:
a base structure; and
an electrical insulator positioned over the base structure and forming at least a portion of a surface of the battery receiving openings.
7. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the base structure is formed from aluminum.
8. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the electrical insulator is a coating or a sleeve.
9. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein:
the electrical insulator is a sleeve comprising sleeve cups, and
each of the sleeve cups is separated from one or more others of the sleeve cups and forms one of the battery receiving openings.
10. The thermal control module of claim 9 , wherein each of the sleeve cups comprises side cutouts.
11. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the electrical insulator extends over at least a portion of the thermal plate within each of the battery receiving openings.
12. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the electrical insulator extends over an entire surface of the thermal plate within each of the battery receiving openings.
13. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the electrical insulator has a thermal conductivity of at least 0.5 W/mK.
14. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the electrical insulator comprises a polymer and a non-conductive ceramic filler.
15. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the electrical insulator has thickness of between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.
16. The thermal control module of claim 6 , wherein the electrical insulator is formed from a compressible material for conformal engaging of the batteries.
17. The thermal control module of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each of the battery receiving openings is within 1% to 5% of a diameter of the batteries.
18. A battery pack comprising:
multiple batteries;
a thermal control module comprising a thermal plate, the thermal plate comprising a first side, a second side, a divider, a first thermal fluid port, a second thermal fluid port, a first battery engagement component, and a second battery engagement component, wherein:
the first side faces the second side and is offset relative to the second side to form an interior cavity of the thermal control module, the interior cavity configured to receive a thermal fluid,
the divider extends between the first side and the second side within the interior cavity and separates the interior cavity into a first cavity part and a second cavity part,
the first thermal fluid port is fluidically coupled to the first cavity part,
the second thermal fluid port is fluidically coupled to the second cavity part,
each of the first battery engagement component and the second battery engagement component is monolithic with the thermal plate and comprises battery receiving openings facing away from the thermal plate such that the batteries are inserted into the battery receiving openings,
each of the first battery engagement component and the second battery engagement component is configured to thermally couple the batteries to the thermal plate, to electrically insulate the batteries from the thermal plate, and to fluidically isolate the batteries from the thermal fluid, and
the first battery engagement component extends from and is monolithic with the first side of the thermal plate and the second battery engagement component extends from and is monolithic with the second side of the thermal plate such that the first and second battery engagement components extend away from the thermal plate in opposite directions;
a first electrical interconnect module extending parallel to the thermal control module, electrically connected to a first portion of the batteries, and partially protruding into the first battery engagement component; and
a second electrical interconnect module extending parallel to the thermal control module, electrically connected to a second portion of the batteries, and partially protruding into the second battery engagement component.
19. The battery pack of claim 18 , further comprising a battery pack controller configured to control at least one of a flow rate of the thermal fluid through the thermal control module or a temperature of the thermal fluid supplied to the thermal control module.
20. An electric vehicle comprising:
a battery pack comprising multiple batteries and a thermal control module, the thermal control module comprising a thermal plate, a first battery engagement component, and a second battery engagement component, wherein:
the thermal plate comprises a first side, a second side, a divider, a first thermal fluid port, and a second thermal fluid port,
the first side faces the second side and is offset relative to the second side to form an interior cavity of the thermal control module, the interior cavity configured to receive a thermal fluid,
the divider extends between the first side and the second side within the interior cavity and separates the interior cavity into a first cavity part and a second cavity part,
the first thermal fluid port is fluidically coupled to the first cavity part,
the second thermal fluid port is fluidically coupled to the second cavity part,
each of the first battery engagement component and the second battery engagement component is monolithic with the thermal plate and comprises battery receiving openings facing away from the thermal plate such that the batteries are inserted into the battery receiving openings,
each of the first battery engagement component and the second battery engagement component is configured to thermally couple the batteries to the thermal plate, to electrically insulate the batteries from the thermal plate, and to fluidically isolate the batteries from the thermal fluid, and
the first battery engagement component extends from and is monolithic with the first side of the thermal plate and the second battery engagement component extends from and is monolithic with the second side of the thermal plate such that the first and second battery engagement components extend away from the thermal plate in opposite directions;
a heating module fluidically coupled to the battery pack such that the thermal fluid is able to circulate between the heating module and the battery pack;
a cooling module fluidically coupled to the battery pack such that the thermal fluid is able to circulate between the cooling module and the battery pack; and
an inverter and an electric motor electrically coupled to the battery pack.