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EP-4742374-A1 - A BATTERY CELL STACK ASSEMBLY, A BATTERY PACK AND A VEHICLE

EP4742374A1EP 4742374 A1EP4742374 A1EP 4742374A1EP-4742374-A1

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a battery cell stack assembly (1), comprising: - at least one battery cell stack (21-24), - a cooling plate member (4) for cooling the at least one battery cell stack (21-24), and wherein the at least one battery cell stack (21-24) comprises at least one vapor chamber (5) configured to transfer heat between a plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) of the battery cell stack (21-24) and the cooling plate member (4). The disclosure also relates to a battery pack (100) and a vehicle (200).

Inventors

  • Jonsson, Kasper
  • NICKLASSON, Kristian
  • IRANNEZHAD, Mike
  • ROUT, Dhirendra

Assignees

  • Volvo Truck Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241112

Claims (15)

  1. A battery cell stack assembly (1), comprising: - at least one battery cell stack (21-24) comprising a plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) stacked together, the respective prismatic battery cell being formed by a top surface (31) comprising at least one electrical terminal (311), a bottom surface (32), and four side surfaces (33) connecting the top surface (31) to the bottom surface (32), wherein the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) are stacked together along a cell stack longitudinal direction (L) such that the top surfaces (31) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) are directed in a common direction (D 1) which is perpendicular to the cell stack longitudinal direction (L), - a cooling plate member (4) for cooling the at least one battery cell stack (21-24), wherein the at least one battery cell stack (21-24) further comprises at least one vapor chamber (5) configured to transfer heat between the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) and the cooling plate member (4), the at least one vapor chamber (5) comprises a first heat conductive portion (51) which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction (L) over adjacently arranged side surfaces (33) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) and a second heat conductive portion (52) which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction (L) over adjacently arranged bottom surfaces (32) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3), the cooling plate member (4) extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction (L) and is provided at the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces (32) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3), and the second heat conductive portion (52) is provided in-between the cooling plate member (4) and the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces (32) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) such that heat can be transferred between the second heat conductive portion (52) and the cooling plate member (4).
  2. The battery cell stack assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first heat conductive portion (51) is a plate element which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction (L) over the adjacently arranged side surfaces (33) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3).
  3. The battery cell stack assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second heat conductive portion (52) is a plate element which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction (L) over the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces (32) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3).
  4. The battery cell stack assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second heat conductive portions (51, 52) comprise a common chamber (53) with a fluid, wherein the at least one vapor chamber (5) is arranged to transfer heat between the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) of the at least one battery cell stack (21-24) and the cooling plate member (4) by phase transition of the fluid.
  5. The battery cell stack assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling plate member (4) comprises a coolant path (41), and a coolant inlet (42) and a coolant outlet (43) fluidly connected to the coolant path (41).
  6. The battery cell stack assembly (1) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one vapor chamber (5) is fluidly separated from the coolant path (41) of the cooling plate member (4).
  7. The battery cell stack assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one battery cell stack (21-24) comprises a first vapor chamber (5) and a second vapor chamber (5') of the at least one vapor chamber, wherein the first heat conductive portion (51) of the first vapor chamber (5) is provided on a first cell stack side (211) of the at least one battery cell stack (21) and the first heat conductive portion (51') of the second vapor chamber (5') is provided on a second cell stack side (212) of the at least one battery cell stack (21), wherein the second cell stack side (212) is an opposite side to the first cell stack side (211).
  8. The battery cell stack assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a first battery cell stack (21) and a second battery cell stack (22) of the at least one battery cell stack (21-24), wherein the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces (32) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) of the first battery cell stack (21) are provided on a first side (44) of the cooling plate member (4) and the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces (32) of the plurality of prismatic battery cells (3) of the second battery cell stack (22) are provided on a second side (45) of the cooling plate member (4), wherein the second side (45) is an opposite side to the first side (44).
  9. A battery pack (100), the battery pack (100) having a longitudinal extension in a longitudinal direction (L), a width extension in a width direction (W) and a height extension in a height direction (H), wherein the battery pack (100) comprises a battery cell stack assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.
  10. The battery pack (100) according to claim 9, wherein the cooling plate member (4) is a bottom support member of the battery pack (100) with an extension in the longitudinal direction (L) and the width direction (W), and wherein the bottom support member is a load-bearing support member for the at least one battery cell stack (21-24).
  11. The battery pack (100) according to claim 9, wherein the cooling plate member (4) is an intermediate support member of the battery pack (100) with an extension in the longitudinal direction (L) and the height direction (H).
  12. The battery pack (100) according to any one of claims 9-11, wherein the cell stack longitudinal direction (L) of the at least one battery cell stack (21-24) corresponds to the longitudinal direction (L) of the battery pack (100).
  13. The battery pack (100) according to claim 12, wherein the common direction (D1) extends along the width direction (W) of the battery pack (100).
  14. The battery pack (100) according to claim 12, wherein the common direction (D1) extends along the height direction (H) of the battery pack (100).
  15. A vehicle (200) comprising a battery pack (100) according to any one of claims 9-14.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to energy storage systems. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to a battery cell stack assembly, a battery pack and a vehicle. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, among other vehicle types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND A battery pack typically comprises a plurality of battery cells, i.e., electrochemical battery cells, which are electrically connected in series and/or in parallel. The battery pack may comprise one or more separate battery cell stacks. The battery cells may be prismatic battery cells. Due to the electrification trend, such as for vehicles, there is an ongoing strive to develop improved technology relating to battery packs, such as to provide cost-effective configurations which are reliable, robust and/or space efficient, and which also provide efficient cooling of the battery cells. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a battery cell stack assembly is provided. The battery cell stack comprises: at least one battery cell stack comprising a plurality of prismatic battery cells stacked together, the respective prismatic battery cell being formed by a top surface comprising at least one electrical terminal, a bottom surface, and four side surfaces connecting the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the plurality of prismatic battery cells are stacked together along a cell stack longitudinal direction such that the top surfaces of the plurality of prismatic battery cells are directed in a common direction which is perpendicular to the cell stack longitudinal direction,a cooling plate member for cooling the at least one battery cell stack, wherein the at least one battery cell stack further comprises at least one vapor chamber configured to transfer heat between the plurality of prismatic battery cells and the cooling plate member, the at least one vapor chamber comprises a first heat conductive portion which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction over adjacently arranged side surfaces of the plurality of prismatic battery cells and a second heat conductive portion which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction over adjacently arranged bottom surfaces of the plurality of prismatic battery cells,the cooling plate member extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction and is provided at the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces of the plurality of prismatic battery cells, and the second heat conductive portion is provided in-between the cooling plate member and the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces of the plurality of prismatic battery cells such that heat can be transferred between the second heat conductive portion and the cooling plate member. The first aspect of the disclosure may seek to provide a battery cell stack assembly which improves cooling of the prismatic battery cells of the battery cell stack while also resulting in a compact, robust and/or reliable configuration. A technical benefit may include that heat may be efficiently transferred between the prismatic battery cells and the cooling plate member. By way of example, by the battery cell stack assembly as disclosed herein, fewer cooling plate members may be required for achieving efficient cooling, and/or a more compact configuration may be achieved in that adjacent battery cell stacks may be located closer to each other. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the first heat conductive portion is a plate element which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction over the adjacently arranged side surfaces of the plurality of prismatic battery cells. A technical benefit may include that a more compact configuration is achieved, while still achieving an appropriate cooling of the prismatic battery cells. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the second heat conductive portion is a plate element which extends in the cell stack longitudinal direction over the adjacently arranged bottom surfaces of the plurality of prismatic battery cells. A technical benefit may include that a more compact configuration is achieved, while still achieving an appropriate cooling of the prismatic battery cells. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the first heat conductive portion is configured to transfer heat from the respective adjacently arranged side surfaces towards the second heat conductive portion in a direction along the respective side surface which is perpendicular to the cell stack longitudinal direction. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the first and second heat conductive portions comprise a common chamber with a fluid, wherein the at least one vapor chamber is arranged to transfer heat between the plurali