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EP-4571944-B1 - HEAT EXCHANGE ASSEMBLY

EP4571944B1EP 4571944 B1EP4571944 B1EP 4571944B1EP-4571944-B1

Inventors

  • MILANOVIC, NIKO
  • WALCHESTER, ALAN LEIGH
  • PONOMAR, Andriy

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20231214

Claims (18)

  1. A heat exchange assembly (100) for a battery system, the battery system comprising a plurality of battery cells, the heat exchange assembly (100) comprising: a heat exchange element (1) extending along a first direction and having: - a first surface (2) and a second surface (3) facing the first surface along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; - at least one first channel (4) and at least one second channel (5) each for accommodating a fluid and provided between the first surface (2) and the second surface, each of the at least one first channel (4) and the at least one second channel (5) extending along the first direction, and - at least one first opening (6) provided on the first surface (2), the at least one first opening (6) being in a fluid communication with the at least one first channel (4), and at least one second opening (7) provided on the second surface (3), the at least one second opening (7) being in a fluid communication with the at least one second channel (5), the heat exchange assembly (100) comprising further: a fluid distribution member (8) mounted on the heat exchange element (1), the fluid distribution member (8) comprising an inlet port (9) for distributing the fluid in the at least one first channel (4) via the first opening (6) and an outlet port (10) for distributing the fluid out of the at least one second channel (5) via the second opening (7), the heat exchange assembly being characterized in that the fluid distribution member (8) is mounted on the heat exchange element (1) in the middle portion of the heat exchange element (1), wherein the inlet port (9) is arranged to face the first surface (2) and the outlet port (10) is arranged to face the second surface (3).
  2. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange element (1) is a one-piece extruded element.
  3. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first channel (4) and the at least one second channel (5) are arranged along a third direction that is perpendicular to each one of the first direction and the second direction.
  4. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first opening (6) and the at least one second opening (7) are provided on the first surface (2) and the second surface (3) respectively in a middle portion of the heat exchange element (1).
  5. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one first opening (6) and the at least one second opening (7) are arranged along a central line of the middle portion or are arranged on opposite sides of the central line, said central line extending along the third direction and dividing the middle portion into two sub-portions.
  6. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shape of the at least one first opening (6) is different than the shape of the at least one second opening (8) and/or the size of the at least one first opening (6) is different than the size of the at least one second opening (8).
  7. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid distribution member (8) is a pre-formed one-piece element arranged to be mounted on the heat exchange element (1) by sliding along the third direction.
  8. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising further a first support element (21) and/or a second support element (22) each mounted on the fluid distribution member (8), each of the first support element (21) and/or the second support element (22) comprising an inlet opening (211) for accommodating the inlet port (9) and an outlet opening (212) for accommodating the outlet port (10) of the fluid distribution member (8).
  9. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet port (9) comprises at least one inlet opening (91) arranged to be in fluid communication with the at least one first opening (6) and the outlet port (10) comprises at least one outlet opening (101) arranged to be in a fluid communication with the at least one second opening (7).
  10. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the middle portion of the heat exchange element (1) the first surface (2) has a first bulge (11) extending outwards from the heat exchange element (1) and the second surface (3) has a first bulge (12) extending outwards from the heat exchange element (1), wherein the first bulge (11) of the first surface (2) forms an inlet chamber (111) around the first opening (6) and the first bulge (12) of the second surface (3) forms an outlet chamber (121) around the second opening (7).
  11. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the middle portion of the heat exchange element (1) the first surface (2) has a second bulge (13) extending outwards from the heat exchange element (1) and the second surface (3) has a second bulge (14) extending outwards from the heat exchange element (1), wherein a wall of the inlet port (9) abuts against at least a part of the second bulge (13) of the first surface (2) and a wall of the outlet port (10) abuts against at least a part of the second bulge (14) of the second surface (3).
  12. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each one of the first surface (2) and the second surface (3) has undulations, wherein preferably each undulation is arranged to accommodate at least one battery cell, wherein preferably the undulations are provided in portions of the heat exchange element (1) other than the middle portion.
  13. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising further a first end member (15) arranged on one end of the heat exchange element (1) and a second end member (16) arranged on the other end of the heat exchange element (1), each of the first end member (15) and second end member (16) establishing a fluid communication between the at least one first channel (4) and the at least one second channel (5), wherein each of the first end member (15) and the second end member (16) has a curved shape for guiding the fluid between the at least one first channel (4) and the at least one second channel (5).
  14. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the heat exchange element (1) a plurality of first channels (4) are provided along the third direction and/or a plurality of second channels (5) are provided along the third direction, wherein, preferably, the total number of first channels (4) and/or second channels (5) is a multiple of 2.
  15. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of first openings (6) are provided on the first surface (2), wherein each of the plurality of first openings (6) is in a fluid communication with one of the plurality of first channels (4) and/or a plurality of second openings (7) are provided on the second surface (3), wherein each of the plurality of second openings (7) is in a fluid communication with one of the plurality of second channels (5).
  16. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of first openings (6) are provided on the first surface (2), wherein each one of the plurality of first openings (6) is in a fluid communication with a group of the first channels (4), and/or a plurality of second openings (7) are provided on the second surface (3), wherein each one of the plurality of second openings (7) is in a fluid communication with a group of the second channels (5).
  17. The heat exchange assembly (100) according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of secondary first channels are provided in the heat exchange element (1), each one of the plurality of secondary first channels establishing a fluid communication between one first opening (6) and the corresponding group of first channels (4), and a plurality of secondary second channels are provided in the heat exchange element (1), each one of the plurality of secondary second channels establishing a fluid communication between one second opening (7) and the corresponding group of second channels (5).
  18. The heat exchange assembly (18) according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the plurality of first openings (6) and the plurality of second openings (7) are arranged along the central line or are arranged on opposite sides of the central line, wherein preferably the plurality of first openings (6) are arranged in a zig zag pattern on one side of the central line and the plurality of second openings (7) are arranged in a zig zag pattern on the opposite side of the central line.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of battery systems comprising a plurality of battery cells and more particularly to the field of heat exchange in battery systems. BACKGROUND Batteries comprising a plurality of battery cells are playing an increasing role in energy storage for both mobility and grid storage applications. The temperature of the battery cells is critical for the performance of the battery cells, for example for the charge and discharge capacity of the battery cells. The temperature of the battery cells affects also the lifetime of the battery cells and accordingly the lifetime of the battery. During operation, the battery cells produce heat which needs to be properly rejected from the battery in order that a safe operation of the battery is ensured. Further, heating of the battery cells may be required in situations in which the temperature of the battery, influenced, for example, by the temperature of the surrounding environment of the battery, is disadvantageous for the operation of the battery. In such situations, it may be required that the battery is heated, at least up to a predetermined temperature, above which safe operation of the battery can be guaranteed before the battery is operated. For this, the battery is normally equipped with a system for heat exchange transfer. A system for heat exchange transfer normally employs a heat exchange fluid for heat exchange between the battery cells and the heat exchange fluid. The temperature of the heat exchange fluid normally changes as the heat exchange fluid flows through the heat exchange system. For cooling, the temperature of the heat exchange fluid normally increases since the battery cells give away heat to the heat exchange fluid. For heating, the temperature of the heat exchange fluid normally decreases since the heat exchange fluid gives away heat to the battery cells. This change of temperature of the heat exchange fluid leads to some battery cells exhibiting higher degree of heat exchange than other of the battery cells in the battery. Document EP 4 138 176 A1 relates to a heat exchange device for batteries for discharging heat from the battery and providing heat to said battery in the event of low outside temperatures, so as to achieve an optimal operation. Document EP 2 643 870 A1 relates to a heat exchanger module that comprises a flow inlet, a flow outlet and at least two lamination packs in fluid communication with said flow inlet and flow outlet. The lamination pack comprises a first plate, a second plate, and a central plate having cutouts forming flow channels when said central plate is located in between said first and second plates. Accordingly, there is a need for a heat exchange system capable of maintaining a more uniform temperature of the heat exchange fluid. SUMMARY The present invention is defined with the appended independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the appended dependent claims. In one aspect there is provided a heat exchange assembly for a battery system, the battery system comprising a plurality of battery cells, the heat exchange assembly comprising: a heat exchange element extending along a first direction and having: a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;at least one first channel and at least one second channel each for accommodating a fluid and provided between the first surface and the second surface, each of the at least one first channel and the at least one second channel extending along the first direction, andat least one first opening provided on the first surface, the at least one first opening being in a fluid communication with the at least one first channel, and at least one second opening provided on the second surface, the at least one second opening being in a fluid communication with the at least one second channel,the heat exchange assembly comprising further: a fluid distribution member mounted on the heat exchange element, the fluid distribution member comprising an inlet port for distributing a fluid in the at least one first channel via the first opening and an outlet port for distributing a fluid out of the at least one second channel via the second opening. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention which are presented for better understanding the inventive concept of the present invention, but which are not to be seen as limiting the present invention, will now be described with reference to the figures in which: Fig. 1shows schematically a heat exchange assembly;Fig. 2ashows schematically a heat exchange assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;Fig. 2bshows a cross-section of a heat exchange element of the heat exchange assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;Figure 3ashows the heat exchange element of the heat exchange assembly according to an embodiment of the present inventi