# US 12,179,632 B2 · Thermal management structure with integrated channels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,632 B2 - Document ID: US12179632B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/188,570 - Filed: 2021-03-01 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-31 - Assignees: Hutchinson - Applicants: Hutchinson - Inventors: Fabrice Chopard; Clément Blanchard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179632B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors} - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60L 58/26: by cooling - F28D 20/02: using latent heat - F28F 3/086: {having one or more openings therein forming tubular heat-exchange passages} - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) - H01M 10/6557: arranged between the cells - H01M 10/658: by thermal insulation or shielding - H01M 10/659: by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition - H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells - H01M 50/213: adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) - H01M 50/227: Organic material - H01M 50/24: adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) - H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) - H01M 50/289: characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) - B60K 6/28: characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors - B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles - B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles - B60Y 2306/05: Cooling - F28F 2255/06: composite, e.g. polymers with fillers or fibres - H01M 10/6567: Liquids - H01M 10/6569: Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation (heat pipes H01M10/6552) - H01M 10/663: the system being an air-conditioner or an engine - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The invention relates to a structure comprising at least one thermal management element comprising : a composite body (3) containing at least one phase change material (PCM) in a structuring rigid matrix, so that the composite body is self-supporting regardless of the phase of the phase change material contained, and/or a plastic or metal bag, gas-tight and under partial internal vacuum, having a shape maintained by the internal vacuum, the composite body (3) and/or the bag being shaped so as locally to present externally at least one elongated cavity (11) which by itself defines a channel wall (13) suitable for the circulation of a fluid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A structure comprising at least one thermal management element comprising a composite body made of a composite material containing at least one phase change material disposed in a rigid structuring matrix, such that the composite body is self-supporting regardless of the phase of the phase change material contained, the composite body comprises cavities, at least one cavity defines by itself a wall of a channel suitable for circulating a fluid, the composite body defining a tray which presents a thickness and opposite faces, said channels extending on at least one of the opposite faces of the tray, and wherein passages are formed in the thickness of the tray between the channels, the passages are through holes arranged to receive external elements to be in thermal exchange with the fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The structure according to claim 1, wherein the rigid structuring matrix comprises an elastomer or fibers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The structure according to claim 1, wherein the rigid structuring matrix comprises a graphite felt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The structure according to claim 1, further comprising sheathes that are arranged within cavities of the composite body, and adapted for circulating said fluid, and wherein each one of the sheathes has an inlet and an outlet for the circulation of the fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The structure according to claim 4, wherein said cavities are arranged parallel to the passages, so that the cavities pass through the composite body and open each on said opposite faces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The structure according to claim 4, wherein each one of the sheathes is arranged in a cavity formed as a blind hole within the composite body and wherein the inlet and the outlet of each one of the sheathes are the same and are located at an open a end of the sheath, so that the fluid flows back and forth in each sheath. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A set of structures comprising a plurality of structures, each according to claim 1, wherein said channels are arranged adjacent, back to back, on said faces of each tray opposite to each other according to the thickness, the trays being stacked, successively applied one on top of the other, so that one said tray forms a cover for the adjacent tray, thus creating said channels which each have a closed section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A set of structures comprising a plurality of structures, each according to claim 1, wherein the trays are stacked, successively one on top of the other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The set according to claim 8, wherein each tray further comprises sheathes, wherein each one of the sheathes is arranged within a cavity of the composite body, and is adapted for circulating said fluid, and has an inlet and an outlet for the fluid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The set according to claim 9, wherein each one of the sheathes is arranged in a cavity formed as a blind hole within the composite body and wherein, the inlet and the outlet of each one of the sheathes are the same and are located at an open end of the sheath so that the fluid flows back and forth in each sheath through the open end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The set according to claim 8, wherein said cavities are arranged parallel to the passages, so that the cavities pass through the composite body and open each on said opposite faces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The set according to claim 7, which further comprises sheathes which: are adapted for circulating said fluid: each has an inlet and an outlet for the fluid, each integrates several elongated recesses, each one of the recesses being adapted to be received in one of said cavities, and each is placed between two successive trays. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The set according to claim 7, wherein the channels extend in several directions so as to cross each other and are arranged in a staggered manner in one of the directions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An assembly comprising: the structure according to claim 1, wherein the passages pass through the tray, and said external elements are cells of a vehicle electric battery, each cell being arranged in one of the passages. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) An assembly comprising: the set according to claim 7, wherein the passages pass through the stacked trays, and said external elements are cells of a vehicle electric battery, each cell being arranged in one of the stacked passages of the stacked trays. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) An assembly comprising: the set according to claim 8, wherein the passages pass through the stacked trays, and said external elements are cells of a vehicle electric battery, each cell being arranged in one of the stacked passages of the stacked trays. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the cells are arranged in thermal exchange with the trays on first sides of the cells, the channels being connected to a first supply of the fluid able to circulate in said channels, and, which further comprises a cooling plate arranged in thermal exchange with the cells on second sides thereof, the cooling plate having ducts which are connected to a second supply of a fluid able to circulate in said ducts, for a thermal exchange with the cells. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The assembly according to claim 16, wherein the cells are arranged in thermal exchange with the trays on first sides of the cells, the channels being connected to a first supply of the fluid able to circulate in said channels, and, which further comprises a cooling plate arranged in thermal exchange with the cells on second sides thereof, the cooling plate having ducts which are connected to a second supply of a fluid able to circulate in said ducts, for a thermal exchange with the cells. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly according to claim 18: wherein the cells are cylindrical and extend through successive passages of the stacked trays, each cell having a top comprising an anode and a cathode, and a base, and, wherein the cooling plate is arranged in thermal exchange with the bases of the cells.