Thermal control for battery packs
Aspects of the disclosure relate to thermal management aspects of a battery pack. A casted front member of a battery pack enclosure may facilitate cooling of a high voltage distribution box (HVDB) within a cavity of the casted front member. Cooling of other electrical components, such as a busbar can also be provided. Cooling of the HVDB and/or other electrical components external to the battery modules and/or battery cells in a battery pack can facilitate fast charging, vehicle acceleration, component reliability, and/or other advantages.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a unitary casted member for an enclosure for a battery pack, the unitary casted member comprising:
a cavity configured to enclose a high voltage distribution box; and
an opening configured to receive a fitting for a coolant port, wherein the unitary casted member comprises a unitary casted front portion of the enclosure for the battery pack, wherein the unitary casted member is configured to attach to first and second sidewalls, a base plate, and a lid for the enclosure, and wherein the battery pack is configured to provide power for an electric vehicle.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unitary casted member further comprises an additional cavity configured to receive a battery module for the battery pack, and an additional opening configured to receive an additional fitting for an additional coolant port to the additional cavity.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the opening comprises a first threaded opening configured to receive a first thread-in fitting, and wherein the additional opening comprises a second threaded opening configured to receive a second thread-in fitting.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unitary casted member further comprises an additional opening configured to receive an additional fitting for an additional coolant port to an additional cavity, external to the unitary casted member and within the enclosure, that is configured to receive one or more battery modules for the battery pack.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the opening comprises a first threaded opening configured to receive a first thread-in fitting, and wherein the additional opening comprises a second threaded opening configured to receive a second thread-in fitting.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unitary casted member further comprises one or more fluid channels within one or more walls of the unitary casted member, the one or more fluid channels fluidly coupled to the opening.
7. A battery pack, comprising:
a casted member for an enclosure for the battery pack, the casted member comprising:
a cavity configured to enclose a high voltage distribution box; and
an opening configured to receive a fitting for a coolant port;
the fitting in the opening;
the high voltage distribution box disposed within the cavity;
one or more fluid channels that extend from the fitting to cool the high voltage distribution box; and
an additional electrical component in the cavity, wherein at least one of the one or more fluid channels that extend from the fitting are configured to cool the additional electrical component.
8. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the additional electrical component comprises a busbar that is configured to electrically couple to one or more battery modules within the enclosure.
9. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more fluid channels is in direct thermal contact with the high voltage distribution box.
10. The battery pack of claim 7 , further comprising a cooling structure that thermally couples the one or more fluid channels to the high voltage distribution box.
11. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the casted member further comprises an additional opening configured to receive an additional fitting for an additional coolant port out of the cavity.
12. The battery pack of claim 11 , wherein the opening is formed in an outer wall of the casted member, and wherein the additional opening is formed in an inner wall of the casted member.
13. The battery pack of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of housing structures that combine with the casted member to form the enclosure of the battery pack, and one or more battery modules disposed in an additional cavity, separate from the cavity, within the enclosure.
14. The battery pack of claim 13 , further comprising the additional fitting in the additional opening, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within one or more walls of the casted member and extend from the fitting to the additional fitting to cool the high voltage distribution box, and wherein the battery pack further comprises one or more additional fluid channels coupled to the additional fitting and configured to cool the one or more battery modules.
15. A method, comprising:
providing a coolant into one or more fluid channels that are integrally formed within a unitary casted member of an enclosure of a battery pack, via a fitting for a coolant port in the unitary casted member; and
cooling, with the coolant, a high voltage distribution box that is disposed within a cavity in the unitary casted member, wherein the unitary casted member comprises a unitary casted front portion of the enclosure for the battery pack, wherein the unitary casted member is configured to attach to first and second sidewalls, a base plate, and a lid for the enclosure, and wherein the battery pack is configured to provide power for an electric vehicle.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cavity comprises a first cavity within the enclosure, and wherein the method further comprises:
providing the coolant that has cooled the high voltage distribution box from the one or more fluid channels into a second cavity within the enclosure, the second cavity enclosing one or more battery cells of the battery pack; and
cooling, with the coolant, the one or more battery cells within the second cavity.