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EP-4741749-A1 - CONNECTOR DEVICE

EP4741749A1EP 4741749 A1EP4741749 A1EP 4741749A1EP-4741749-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connector device suitable for connection between a heat exchange tube with a flat configuration and at least one conduit which can be a liquid coolant feed conduit, a liquid coolant return conduit, or both. The connector device is particularly suitable for heat exchange tubes for heat exchange with battery cells where the free spaces left by the cell cluster are filled with foam. Barrier means which are interposed between the outside of the connector and sealing means established in the attachment with the exchange tube are used in the connector. The barrier means prevent, or at least hinder, the entry of the foam used when manufacturing the battery while allowing the verification of the existence of leakages, for example, in quality control testing.

Inventors

  • HERMIDA, Xoan
  • LOZANO, FRANCISCO
  • DÍAZ, Clara
  • LORENZO GONZÁLEZ, Manuel
  • Gallego, Joaquín
  • MÉNDEZ CALVO, María Isabel

Assignees

  • BORGWARNER EMISSIONS SYSTEMS SPAIN, S.L.U.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241111

Claims (15)

  1. A connector device suitable for connection between a heat exchange tube (1) with an essentially flat configuration and at least one conduit (C) that is a feed conduit, or a return conduit, or both, for a liquid coolant, the tube (1) showing one or more access openings (1.1, 1.2), wherein the device comprises a shell (2) comprising at least one connection port (2.1.1, 2.2.1) located on the outside of the shell (2) intended to establish a fluidic connection with the at least one conduit (C); at least one fluidic connection (2.1.2, 2.2.2) adapted to establish a fluidic connection with an access opening (1.1, 1.2) for accessing the heat exchange tube (1), wherein the fluidic connection (2.1.2, 2.2.2) is additionally in fluidic communication with the at least one connection port (2.1.1, 2.2.1), and wherein the fluidic connection (2.1.2, 2.2.2) comprises a sealing means (4) to establish sealing between the fluidic connection (2.1.2, 2.2.2) and the access opening (1,1, 1.2) for accessing the heat exchange tube (1); characterized in that it comprises barrier means (3) to at least partially prevent the access of a foamed material from outside the shell (2) to the sealing means (4), and wherein the barrier means (3) are adapted to allow the exit of fluid if the sealing means (4) leak.
  2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fluidic connection (2.1.2, 2.2.2) is an inner connection located inside the shell (2).
  3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the barrier means (3) are a perimeter gasket comprising an elastically deformable lip, configured to be supported on a surface on which the passage barrier is established, the lip being arranged in an oblique manner to allow the easy exit of fluid and to hinder the entry of a foamed material.
  4. The device according to any of claims 1 to 2, wherein the barrier means (3) are a perimeter gasket comprising a porous material, wherein the pores are intercommunicated.
  5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the porous material is elastically deformable.
  6. The device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising: - two connection ports (2.1.1, 2.2.1), an inlet connection port (2.1.1) and an outlet connection port (2.2.1); - two fluidic connections (2.1.2, 2.2.2), an outlet fluidic connection (2.2.2) and an inlet fluidic connection (2.1.2); - the inlet connection port (2.1.1) is in fluidic communication with the inlet fluidic connection (2.1.2), and the outlet connection port (2.2.1) is in fluidic communication with the outlet fluidic connection (2.2.2); and - the inlet fluidic connection (2.1.2) is adapted to connect with an access opening (1.1) for accessing the heat exchange tube (1) for the entry of liquid coolant, and the outlet fluidic connection (2.2.2) is adapted to connect with another access opening (1.2) for accessing the heat exchange tube (1) for the exit or return of the liquid coolant.
  7. The device according to the preceding claim, wherein the shell (2) comprises two coupleable parts (2.1, 2.2), a first part (2.1) and a second part (2.2), wherein: - once the two parts (2.1, 2.2) are coupled, the heat exchange tube (1) is interposed between both parts (2.1) and (2.2); - the first part (2.1) intended, in the operating mode, for introducing fluid into the tube (1), wherein the first part (2.1) comprises the inlet connection port (2.1.1) and the inlet fluidic connection (2.1.2); - the second part (2.2) intended, in the operating mode, for recovering the return fluid from the tube (1), wherein the second part (2.2) comprises the outlet connection port (2.2.1) and the outlet fluidic connection (2.2.2).
  8. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the barrier means (3) show a first support region on the shell (2) and a second support configured to be supported on either the tube (1) or the manifold (A) if the connection with the tube (1) is with the intermediation of a manifold (A), and to be coupled on the tube (1) in the operating mode, the sealing means (4) are housed in a space closed by the barrier means (3).
  9. A heat exchange tube (1) comprising at least one connector device according to any of the preceding claims.
  10. The heat exchange tube (1) according to the preceding claim with the connector device according to claim 7, wherein - a first part (2.1) of the connector device is in fluidic communication with one or more inner channels (1.3) of the tube (1) to feed an outbound flow; - a second part (2.2) of the connector device is in fluidic communication with one or more inner channels of the tube (1) to receive the return flow; - the first part (2.1) and the second part (2.2) of the connector device are at one end of the tube (1) according to a longitudinal direction, and at the opposite end of the tube (1), the one or more inner channels for the outbound flow are in fluidic communication with the one or more channels for the return flow to configure a U-shaped flow.
  11. The heat exchange tube (1) according to the preceding claim with the connector device according to claim 7, wherein - a first part (2.1) of the connector device is in fluidic communication with one or more inner channels (1.3) of the tube (1) to feed an outbound flow; - a second part (2.2) of the connector device is in fluidic communication with one or more inner channels of the tube (1) to receive the return flow; - the first part (2.1) and the second part (2.2) of the connector device are in an intermediate position of the tube (1) according to a longitudinal direction, and at both ends of the tube (1), the one or more inner channels for the outbound flow are in fluidic communication with the one or more channels for the return flow to configure two U-shaped flows.
  12. The heat exchange tube according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the inlet fluidic connection (2.1.2) and the outlet fluidic connection (2.2.2) are oriented towards the same side, according to the direction transverse to the tube (1) such that it is parallel to the dimension establishing the width of the tube (1).
  13. A battery comprising a plurality of cells and exchange tubes (1) for regulating the temperature of the cells, particularly tubes according to claims 9 to 12, wherein the heat exchange tubes (1) are connected with a heat exchange liquid feeding and recovery means by a connector according to any of claims 1 to 8.
  14. A vehicle comprising at least one battery according to claim 13.
  15. A method of assembling a battery comprising a plurality of cells and at least one heat exchange tube (1) for the thermal regulation of the cells, wherein the method comprises the steps of: - coupling at least one connector device according to any of claims 1 to 8 to an opening (1.1, 1.2) of either an exchange tube (1) or a feed manifold (A) of the tube (1) if the tube (1) has said manifold (A); - carrying out a sealing verification test by means of the following sub-steps: subjecting the attachment between the connector device and the tube (1), or the manifold (A) of the tube (1), if there is a manifold (A), to pressure with a verification fluid, verifying if the barrier means (3) of the connector device show leakage of the verification fluid, - if there is no leakage of the verification fluid through the barrier means (3), emptying the tube (1) and the verification fluid connection device and incorporating the tube (1) with the connector device in thermal contact with one or more cells configuring a battery cell pack housed in a shell, or if there is a leakage of verification fluid, disposing of the tube (1) and connector device assembly by trying a new tube (1) with its connector device; - introducing a foaming material into the shell with the cells and the at least one tube (1) connected by means of the connector device and allowing the foam to expand therein.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a connector device suitable, and more preferably adapted, for connection between a heat exchange tube with a flat configuration and at least one conduit which can be a liquid coolant feed conduit, a liquid coolant return conduit, or both. The connector device is particularly suitable for heat exchange tubes for heat exchange with battery cells where the free spaces left by the cell cluster are filled with foam. Barrier means which are interposed between the outside of the connector and sealing means, which sealing means are established in the attachment with the exchange tube, are used in the connector. The barrier means prevent, or at least hinder, the entry of the foam used when manufacturing the battery while allowing the verification of the existence of leakages, for example, in quality control testing. Leakages can be identified through the behavior of the barrier means which allow the exit of the leaked fluid during quality control testing. The fluid used in quality control testing does not have to be the same fluid intended for heat exchange in the operating mode. The invention is of interest in the current environmental measures aimed at the use of electric vehicles for reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One of the most extensively developed areas of technology relates to the automotive sector and mainly those technologies that implement electric engine drive to eliminate the emission of polluting gases and greenhouse gases. The components of an electric vehicle subjected to the greatest research effort are the batteries, usually made up of cell clusters with a high degree of packing on which there is a need to control either an excessive temperature to prevent damage or a low temperature so that said batteries do not lose their capacity to store energy and maintain a certain potential. To achieve this purpose, battery cells are distributed in packs that are as compact as possible, usually by intercalating flat heat exchange tubes between the cells. This is the most common case when the cells have a cylindrical configuration. In these cases, the most common configurations of the heat exchange tubes are flat and corrugated, such that this corrugation allows the shape of the tube to conform to each cell with which it is in contact in the largest possible outer side area, thereby favoring heat transfer by conduction between the cell and the heat exchange tube. These tubes extend, contacting an alignment of cells and leaving some cavities free. Likewise, the tubes must be connected to one another so that all of them are fed with the liquid coolant and, after going through the inner channels of the tube, recover the return liquid completing a circuit that allows either evacuating heat from the cells when they are to be cooled or providing heat to the cells when they are to be heated. These connections are located at the end of the tube, i.e., at either end or at both ends, or at an intermediate point. In the latter case, it is preferable to access the tubes from a direction perpendicular to the cell packing so as not to take up space that would reduce the number of cells in the battery. In any case, the free cavities left by the cells and the heat exchange tubes are filled with a foam which, after being applied in liquid form, expands by means of a chemical reaction, filling said cavities. This foam is a protective foam and performs several functions, among which the following are identified: Thermal insulation: It helps to maintain a uniform temperature inside the battery pack, which is crucial for the performance and safety of the cells.Physical protection: It provides a layer of protection against impacts and vibrations, ensuring that the battery cells remain in place and are not damaged.Noise reduction: It acts as a buffer to reduce noise and vibrations that could be generated during vehicle operation. Although this foam is a protective foam, its growth during expansion until it reaches its consolidation phase in the form of rigid foam is not always controlled. During the expansion phase, it can penetrate the fluidic connections causing damage to the fluidic heat exchange system. This is the case of the fluidic connectors that allow the feed and return connection of heat exchange tubes. The problem to be solved is how to prevent the action of the foam by protecting the sealing means between the fluidic connector and the heat exchange tube such that the means that prevent said action of the foam do not interfere with the sealing tests between the connector and the tube that are required before installing the tube in the battery pack. The described solution solves the aforementioned problem in an effective and feasible manner according to the examples that will be described. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the invention relates to a device suitable for fluidic connection between a heat exc