Battery thermal management with thermoelectrics

A thermoelectric battery thermal management system configured to manage temperature of battery cells, the system comprising:

• a first battery cell comprising a first electrode configured to deliver electric power to or from the first battery cell, the first electrode connected to the first battery cell on a first side of the first battery cell, wherein the first battery cell has a first hotspot corresponding to a temperature increase of the first battery cell when the first battery cell is operating via the first electrode delivering electric power to or from the first battery cell, the first hotspot having a center corresponding to a point or a region of the first battery cell having a highest temperature relative to other regions of the first battery cell;
• a second battery cell comprising a first electrode configured to deliver electric power to or from the second battery cell, the first electrode connected to the second battery cell on a first side of the second battery cell, wherein the second battery cell has a second hotspot corresponding to a temperature increase of the second battery cell when the second battery cell is operating via the first electrode delivering electric power to or from the second battery cell, the second hotspot having a center corresponding to a point or a region of the second battery cell having a highest temperature relative to other regions of the second battery cell;
• a first heat spreader on a second side of the first battery cell and in thermal communication with the first hotspot, the first heat spreader over the center of the first hotspot on the second side of the first battery cell;
• a second heat spreader on a second side of the second battery cell and in thermal communication with the second hotspot, the second heat spreader over the center of the second hotspot on the second side of the second battery cell, wherein the second sides of the first and second battery cells are substantially parallel to each other;
• a third heat spreader in thermal communication with the first and second heat spreaders;
• and
• a thermoelectric device comprising a main surface and a waste surface, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy between the main surface and the waste surface of the thermoelectric device upon application of electric current to the thermoelectric device, wherein the main surface of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the third heat spreader to heat or cool the first and second battery cells by adjusting a polarity of the electric current delivered to the thermoelectric device, wherein the thermoelectric device is proximate to a third side of the first battery cell, and wherein a geometric center of the main surface of the thermoelectric device is substantially on a line along a shortest thermal path on the first heat spreader from the center of the first hotspot to the third side of the first battery cell with the geometric center of the main surface of the thermoelectric device projected onto a plane of the first heat spreader extending along the second side of the first battery cell.

A thermoelectric battery thermal management system configured to manage temperature of a battery cell, the system comprising:

• a battery cell comprising an electrode configured to deliver electric power to or from the battery cell, the electrode connected to the battery cell on a first surface of the battery cell, wherein the battery cell has a hotspot corresponding to a temperature increase of the battery cell when the battery cell is operating via the electrode delivering electric power to or from the battery cell, the hotspot having a center corresponding to a point or a region of the battery cell having a highest temperature relative to other regions of the battery cell;
• a heat spreader positioned on a second surface of the battery cell and in thermal communication with the hotspot, the heat spreader positioned over the center of the hotspot on the second surface of the battery cell;
• a fin connected to the heat spreader and in thermal communication with the hotspot via the heat spreader, the fin positioned to provide a shortest thermal path along the heat spreader from the center of the hotspot to the fin, the fin on a first side of a plane, the plane parallel or tangential to the first surface where the electrode connects to the battery cell, wherein the electrode is on a second side of the plane;
• and
• a thermoelectric device comprising a main surface and a waste surface, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy between the main surface and the waste surface of the thermoelectric device upon application of electric current to the thermoelectric device, wherein the main surface of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the fin to heat or cool the battery cell by adjusting a polarity of the electric current delivered to the thermoelectric device, wherein the shortest thermal path on the heat spreader extends to a dimension of a perimeter of the main surface of the thermoelectric device when the dimension of the perimeter of the main surface of the thermoelectric device is projected onto a surface of the heat spreader where the fin connects to the heat spreader,
• wherein the battery cell has a cylindrical shape, and wherein the heat spreader circumscribes a perimeter of the battery cell about a central axis of the cylindrical shape, the central axis perpendicular to the plane.

A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric battery thermal management system configured to manage temperature of a battery cell, the method comprising:

• connecting a heat spreader to a battery cell having an electrode configured to deliver electric power to or from the battery cell, the electrode connected to the battery cell on a first surface of the battery cell, wherein the battery cell has a hotspot corresponding to a temperature increase of the battery cell when the battery cell is operating via the electrode delivering electric power to or from the battery cell, the hotspot having a center corresponding to a point or a region of the battery cell having a highest temperature relative to other regions of the battery cell, wherein the heat spreader is connected on a second surface of the battery cell to be in thermal communication with the hotspot, the heat spreader positioned over the center of the hotspot on the second surface of the battery cell;
• connecting a fin to the heat spreader in thermal communication with the hotspot, the fin positioned to provide a shortest thermal path along the heat spreader from the center of the hotspot to the fin, the fin on a first side of a plane, the plane parallel or tangential to the first surface where the electrode connects to the battery cell, wherein the electrode is on a second side of the plane;
• and
• connecting a thermoelectric device to the fin, the thermoelectric device comprising a main surface and a waste surface, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy between the main surface and the waste surface of the thermoelectric device upon application of electric current to the thermoelectric device, wherein the main surface of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the fin to heat or cool the battery cell by adjusting a polarity of the electric current delivered to the thermoelectric device, wherein a geometric center of the main surface of the thermoelectric device is positioned substantially along the shortest thermal path on the heat spreader when the geometric center of the main surface of the thermoelectric device is projected onto a surface of the heat spreader where the fin connects to the heat spreader.

A thermoelectric battery thermal management system configured to manage temperature of a battery cell, the system comprising:

• a battery cell comprising an electrode configured to deliver electric power to or from the battery cell, the electrode connected to the battery cell on a first side of the battery cell, wherein the battery cell has a hotspot corresponding to a temperature increase of the battery cell when the battery cell is operating via the electrode delivering electric power to or from the battery cell, the hotspot having a center corresponding to a point or a region of the battery cell having a highest temperature relative to other regions of the battery cell;
• a heat spreader positioned on a second side of the battery cell and in thermal communication with the hotspot, the heat spreader positioned over the center of the hotspot on the second side of the battery cell;
• a fin connected to the heat spreader and in thermal communication with the hotspot via the heat spreader, the fin positioned proximate to a third side of the battery cell, the second and the third sides of the battery cell connected at a common edge that is no farther away from the center of the hotspot than any other edge between sides of the battery cell;
• and
• a thermoelectric device comprising a main surface and a waste surface, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy between the main surface and the waste surface of the thermoelectric device upon application of electric current to the thermoelectric device, wherein the main surface of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the fin to heat or cool the battery cell by adjusting a polarity of the electric current delivered to the thermoelectric device, wherein a geometric center of the main surface of the thermoelectric device is positioned substantially along a thermal path on the heat spreader when the geometric center of the main surface of the thermoelectric device is projected onto a plane of the heat spreader extending along the second side of the battery cell, the thermal path extending from the center of the hotspot perpendicularly toward the common edge.

A thermoelectric battery thermal management system configured to manage temperature of a battery cell, the system comprising:

• a battery cell comprising an electrode configured to deliver electric power to or from the battery cell, the electrode connected to the battery cell on a first surface of the battery cell, wherein the battery cell has a hotspot corresponding to a temperature increase of the battery cell when the battery cell is operating via the electrode delivering electric power to or from the battery cell, the hotspot having a center corresponding to a point or a region of the battery cell having a highest temperature relative to other regions of the battery cell;
• a heat spreader positioned on a second surface of the battery cell and in thermal communication with the hotspot, the heat spreader positioned over the center of the hotspot on the second surface of the battery cell;
• a fin connected to the heat spreader and in thermal communication with the hotspot via the heat spreader;
• and
• a thermoelectric device comprising a main surface and a waste surface, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy between the main surface and the waste surface of the thermoelectric device upon application of electric current to the thermoelectric device, wherein the main surface of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the fin to heat or cool the battery cell by adjusting a polarity of the electric current delivered to the thermoelectric device,
• wherein the hot spot and the thermoelectric device are located on a same side of a plane passing through the battery cell parallel to the first surface and dissecting the battery cell in to two equal portions.