# US 2014/0360207 A1 · Thermal management system of battery for electric vehicle

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- Number: US 2014/0360207 A1
- Document ID: US20140360207A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/090,580
- Filed: 2013-11-26
- Published: 2014-12-11
- Earliest claimed: 2013-06-11
- Assignees: Kia Motors Corporation; Hyundai Motor Company
- Applicants: Kia Motors Corporation; Hyundai Motor Company
- Inventors: Yong Hwan Choi; Dal Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360207A1

## CPC

- H01M 10/658: by thermal insulation or shielding
- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- H01M 10/637: characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching (means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572)
- H01M 10/6552: Closed pipes transferring heat by thermal conductivity or phase transition, e.g. heat pipes
- H01M 10/486: {for measuring temperature}
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A thermal management system of a battery for an electric vehicle is provided. The thermal management system controls a temperature of an electric vehicle battery by utilizing a heat pipe connected to a battery module and an insulating pack case and a thermoelectric module connected to the heat pipe and the pack case. The heat pipe performs bidirectional heat exchange and the thermoelectric module heats and cools the heat pipe through current direction change.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermal management system of an electric vehicle battery including a battery module and an insulating pack case encapsulating the battery module, comprising:
a heat pipe connected to the battery module and the insulating pack case, wherein the heat pipe performs bidirectional heat exchange; and
a thermoelectric module connected to the heat pipe and the insulating pack case, wherein the thermoelectric module heats and cools the heat pipe by changing the direction of the current.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is filled with a working fluid and a plane thereof has a honeycomb shape.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is filled with an amount of working fluid, which corresponds to a third of the working fluid flow area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric module includes a pair of electrical conduction plates and a bipolar semiconductor interposed between the electrical conduction plates.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The thermal management system of claim 1, further comprising a cover that covers the heat pipe.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The thermal management system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor that senses a temperature of the battery module and outputs a signal corresponding to a sensed result to a controller.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to not apply a voltage to the thermoelectric module when the temperature of the battery module, sensed by the temperature sensor, is greater than a first temperature and less than a second temperature,
wherein the thermoelectric module transfers heat generated from the heat pipe to outside of the insulating pack case.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to apply a positive voltage to the thermoelectric module when the temperature of the battery module, sensed by the temperature sensor, is greater than or equal to the second temperature,
wherein the thermoelectric module absorbs the heat of the heat pipe and radiates the heat to outside of the insulating pack case.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to apply a negative voltage to the thermoelectric module when the temperature of the battery module, sensed by the temperature sensor, is less than or equal to the first temperature,
wherein the thermoelectric module absorbs heat from outside of the pack case and transfers the heat to the heat pipe.

### Claim 10

A method for controlling the temperature of a battery, the method comprising:
determining, by a controller, whether or not to apply a voltage to a thermoelectric module based on a sensed temperature of a battery module;
in response to the temperature of the battery module being greater than a first temperature and less than a second temperature, determining, by the controller, not to apply a voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module transfers heat generated from the heat pipe to outside of the insulating pack case;
in response to the temperature of the battery module being greater than or equal to the second temperature, applying, by the controller, a positive voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module absorbs the heat of the heat pipe and radiates the heat to outside of the insulating pack case; and
in response to the temperature of the battery module being less than or equal to the first temperature, applying, by the controller, a negative voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module absorbs heat from outside of the pack case and transfers the heat to the heat pipe.

### Claim 11

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:
program instructions that determine whether or not to apply a voltage to a thermoelectric module based on a sensed temperature of a battery module;
program instructions that determine not to apply a voltage to the thermoelectric module in response to the temperature of the battery module being greater than a first temperature and less than a second temperature, wherein the thermoelectric module transfers heat generated from the heat pipe to outside of the insulating pack case;
program instructions that apply a positive voltage to the thermoelectric module in response to the temperature of the battery module being greater than or equal to the second temperature, wherein the thermoelectric module absorbs the heat of the heat pipe and radiates the heat to outside of the insulating pack case; and
program instructions that apply a negative voltage to the thermoelectric module in response to the temperature of the battery module being less than or equal to the first temperature, wherein the thermoelectric module absorbs heat from outside of the pack case and transfers the heat to the heat pipe.