Battery Pack Optimization for Thermal Management
A battery pack for an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle may include a housing, a stack of battery cells disposed within the housing, and a cooling subassembly. The housing typically holds the cell stack together, and the cooling subassembly typically cools the cell stack to prevent damage to the battery cells and to maintain the performance of the battery cells. The cooling subassembly may include a cold plate defining a liquid flow channel and one or more thermoelectric devices (TEDs) that are operable to cool the cell stack when current is supplied thereto. Heat spreaders may be employed within the battery pack, and exemplary configurations of components to thermally and mechanically couple the cooling subassembly are described.
1 . A heat spreader, comprising:
a flat body having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side opposite of the first longitudinal side, a first major surface extending between the first and second longitudinal sides, and a second major surface opposite of the first major surface;
a head attached to the first longitudinal side of the flat body, a first portion of the head projecting from the first major surface of the flat body in a first direction, a second portion of the head projecting from the second major surface of the flat body in a second direction opposite of the first direction;
a first chamfer extending between and connecting the first portion of the head and the first major surface of the flat body; and
a second chamfer extending between and connecting the second portion of the head and the second major surface of the flat body.
2 . The heat spreader of claim 1 wherein the second longitudinal side of the flat body includes an inset portion that is inset relative to a remainder of the second longitudinal side.
3 . The heat spreader of claim 2 , wherein the inset portion to provide a clearance between the heat spreader and a housing of a battery pack.
4 . The heat spreader of claim 3 , wherein the battery pack is located in a vehicle.
5 . The heat spreader of claim 3 , wherein the heat spreader is configured to distribute heat way from battery cells in the battery pack.
6 . The heat spreader of claim 1 further comprising a cylindrical body attached to the second longitudinal side of the flat body.
7 . The heat spreader of claim 6 , wherein the cylindrical body is hollow.
8 . The heat spreader of claim 1 , wherein the head and the flat body form a T-shaped profile.
9 . A heat spreader, comprising:
a flat body having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side opposite of the first longitudinal side, a first major surface extending between the first and second longitudinal sides, and a second major surface opposite of the first major surface;
a head attached to the first longitudinal side of the flat body, a first portion of the head projecting from the first major surface of the flat body in a first direction, a second portion of the head projecting from the second major surface of the flat body in a second direction opposite of the first direction; and
a plurality of components extending between and connecting the first portion and the second portion of the head and the first major surface and the second major surface of the flat body.
10 . The heat spreader of claim 9 wherein the second longitudinal side of the flat body includes an inset portion that is inset relative to a remainder of the second longitudinal side.
11 . The heat spreader of claim 10 , wherein the inset portion to provide a clearance between the heat spreader and a housing of a battery pack.
12 . The heat spreader of claim 11 , wherein the battery pack is located in a vehicle.
13 . The heat spreader of claim 11 , wherein the heat spreader is configured to distribute heat way from battery cells in the battery pack.
14 . The heat spreader of claim 9 further comprising a cylindrical body attached to the second longitudinal side of the flat body.
15 . The heat spreader of claim 14 , wherein the cylindrical body is hollow.
16 . The heat spreader of claim 9 , wherein the head and the flat body form a T-shaped profile.