# US 12,191,518 B2 · Active thermal management systems with multi-purpose reservoirs for liquid immersion cooled battery assemblies

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- Number: US 12,191,518 B2
- Document ID: US12191518B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/713,484
- Filed: 2022-04-05
- Published: 2023-10-05
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2022-04-05
- Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Inventors: Ryan P. Hickey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191518B2

## CPC

- H01M 50/317: Re-sealable arrangements
- 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
- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- H01M 10/63: Control systems (charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 {, H01M10/443}; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 {, H01M10/486})
- H01M 10/6567: Liquids
- H01M 50/3425: {in the form of rupturable membranes or weakened parts, e.g. pierced with the aid of a sharp member}
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using 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
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Presented are active thermal management (ATM) systems with multi-purpose reservoirs for liquid-immersion cooled battery assemblies, methods for making/using such systems, and motor vehicles equipped with such systems. An ATM system for a battery assembly includes a coolant reservoir that stows a liquid immersion cooling (LIC) fluid, and an inlet manifold that fluidly connects the reservoir to the battery assembly's battery case to transfer LIC fluid into an immersion compartment within the battery case. An outlet manifold fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir to transfer fluid out from the immersion compartment. An auxiliary vent manifold selectively fluidly connects the battery case to the reservoir responsive to a predefined thermal event to thereby transfer LIC fluid and battery cell vent gases from the immersion compartment to the reservoir. A gas valve, which is fluidly connected to the reservoir, selectively evacuates therefrom the vent gases at a predefined internal reservoir pressure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An active thermal management (ATM) system for a battery assembly, the battery assembly including a battery case with a liquid-tight immersion compartment containing a battery cell and configured to hold a liquid immersion cooling (LIC) fluid, the ATM system comprising:
a coolant reservoir defining therein a single fluid compartment configured to stow therein both the LIC fluid and vent gases of the battery cell;
a coolant inlet manifold configured to fluidly connect the coolant reservoir to the battery case and transfer the LIC fluid into the immersion compartment;
a coolant outlet manifold configured to fluidly connect the battery case to the coolant reservoir and transfer the LIC fluid out from the immersion compartment and into the single fluid compartment of the coolant reservoir;
an auxiliary vent manifold configured to selectively fluidly connect the battery case to the coolant reservoir responsive to a predefined thermal event and thereby transfer the LIC fluid and the vent gases of the battery cell from the immersion compartment into the single fluid compartment of the coolant reservoir; and
a gas valve fluidly connected to the coolant reservoir and configured to selectively evacuate therefrom the vent gases at a predefined internal reservoir pressure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ATM system of claim 1, wherein the coolant outlet manifold includes a first cylindrical manifold body having a first diameter, and the auxiliary vent manifold includes a second cylindrical manifold body having a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ATM system of claim 1, wherein the coolant outlet manifold has a first total conduit length from the battery case to the coolant reservoir, and the auxiliary vent manifold includes a second total conduit length, greater than the first total conduit length, from the battery case to the coolant reservoir.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ATM system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary vent manifold includes a burst vent configured to restrict fluid flow through the auxiliary vent manifold to the coolant reservoir prior to the predefined thermal event.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The ATM system of claim 4, wherein the burst vent includes a frangible burst disc seated inside and sealing a fluid port defined in the auxiliary vent manifold, the frangible burst disc being configured to rupture at a predefined internal compartment pressure of the immersion compartment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The ATM system of claim 5, wherein the fluid port is a fluid inlet port interposed between the auxiliary vent manifold and the immersion compartment, and wherein the frangible burst disc is sealed over the fluid inlet port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The ATM system of claim 1, wherein the gas valve includes a passive-type, spring-biased valve.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The ATM system of claim 7, wherein the coolant reservoir includes a reservoir body with a reservoir basin, within which is stowed the LIC fluid, and a reservoir cover extending across and closing the reservoir basin, and wherein the gas valve is mounted to the reservoir cover.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The ATM system of claim 8, wherein the auxiliary vent manifold includes a fluid outlet port fluidly connected via a vent conduit to an upper portion of the reservoir body such that the LIC fluid separates from the vent gases and drains into the reservoir basin.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ATM system of claim 1, further comprising a liquid pump fluidly connected to the coolant reservoir and configured to circulate the LIC fluid through the coolant inlet manifold and into the battery case to thereby at least partially submerge the battery cell in the LIC fluid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The ATM system of claim 1, wherein the battery assembly is a traction battery pack mounted to a vehicle, and wherein the gas valve evacuates the vent gases from the vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The ATM system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle includes a heat-generating powertrain component, and wherein the ATM system includes fluid conduits configured to fluidly connect the coolant reservoir to the heat-generating powertrain component to transfer thereto the LIC fluid.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The ATM system of claim 1, wherein the predefined thermal event includes a thermal runaway (TR) event with a resultant TR fluid pressure within the immersion compartment causing the auxiliary vent manifold to fluidly connect the battery case to the coolant reservoir.

### Claim 14

A motor vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body;
a plurality of road wheels attached to the vehicle body;
a traction motor attached to the vehicle body and operable to drive one or more of the road wheels to thereby propel the motor vehicle;
a traction battery pack attached to the vehicle body and electrically connected to the traction motor, the traction battery pack including a battery case defining therein a liquid-tight immersion compartment containing a plurality of lithium-class battery cells at least partially submerged in a liquid immersion cooling (LIC) fluid; and
an active thermal management (ATM) system, including:
a coolant reservoir defining therein a single fluid compartment stowing therein the LIC fluid and vent gases emitted by the lithium-class battery cells;
a coolant inlet manifold fluidly connecting the coolant reservoir to the battery case and configured to transfer the LIC fluid into the immersion compartment;
a coolant outlet manifold fluidly connecting the battery case to a first location of the coolant reservoir and configured to transfer the LIC fluid out from the immersion compartment and into the single fluid compartment;
an auxiliary vent manifold configured to selectively fluidly connect the battery case to a second location of the coolant reservoir, distinct from the first location, responsive to a predefined thermal event and thereby transfer the LIC fluid and the vent gases generated by the lithium-class battery cells from the immersion compartment into the single fluid compartment of the coolant reservoir; and
a gas valve mounted onto a third location of the coolant reservoir, above the first and second locations, and configured to selectively evacuate therefrom the vent gases at a predefined internal reservoir pressure.

### Claim 15

A method of assembling an active thermal management (ATM) system for regulating an operating temperature of a battery assembly, the battery assembly including a battery case with a liquid-tight immersion compartment containing a battery cell and configured to hold a liquid immersion cooling (LIC) fluid, the method comprising:
receiving a coolant reservoir configured to stow therein both the LIC fluid and vent gases of the battery cell;
fluidly connecting the coolant reservoir to the battery case via a coolant inlet manifold, the coolant inlet manifold configured to transfer the LIC fluid from the coolant reservoir into the immersion compartment;
fluidly connecting the battery case to the coolant reservoir via a coolant outlet manifold, the coolant outlet manifold configured to transfer the LIC fluid out from the immersion compartment and into the coolant reservoir;
selectively fluidly connecting the battery case to the coolant reservoir responsive to a predefined thermal event via an auxiliary vent manifold, the auxiliary vent manifold configured to transfer the LIC fluid and vent gases generated by the battery cell from the immersion compartment into the coolant reservoir; and
fluidly connecting a gas valve to the coolant reservoir, the gas valve configured to selectively evacuate the vent gases from the coolant reservoir at a predefined internal reservoir pressure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the coolant outlet manifold includes a first cylindrical manifold body having a first diameter, and the auxiliary vent manifold includes a second cylindrical manifold body having a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the coolant outlet manifold has a first total conduit length from the battery case to the coolant reservoir, and the auxiliary vent manifold includes a second total conduit length, greater than the first total conduit length, from the battery case to the coolant reservoir.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the auxiliary vent manifold includes a burst vent with a frangible burst disc restricting fluid flow through the auxiliary vent manifold to the coolant reservoir prior to the predefined thermal event.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the gas valve includes a passive-type, spring-biased valve mounted to the coolant reservoir.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising fluidly connecting a liquid pump to the coolant reservoir, the liquid pump configured to circulate the LIC fluid through the coolant inlet manifold and into the battery case to thereby at least partially submerge the battery cell in the LIC fluid.