# US 9,437,903 B2 · Method for cooling a lithium-ion battery pack

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- Number: US 9,437,903 B2
- Document ID: US9437903B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/753,221
- Filed: 2013-01-29
- Published: 2013-08-01
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-01-31
- Assignees: Johnson Controls Technology Company
- Applicants: Johnson Controls Technology Company
- Inventors: Richard M. DeKeuster
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437903B2

## CPC

- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries}
- B60L 58/26: by cooling
- H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold
- H01M 10/6551: Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
- H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552)
- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K 2001/005: {the electric storage means}
- H01M 10/647: Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
- H01M 50/209: adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence)
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- 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
- 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
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Systems are disclosed for battery modules with cooling systems. In accordance with disclosed embodiments, the cooling system may be disposed against an external surface of a housing of the battery module. The cooling system may utilize a coolant to remove heat generated by cells within the battery module, to prevent the cells from aging prematurely. Embodiments of the cooling system may include cold plates, tubes, fins, and plates, or a combination thereof, which may route the coolant along the surface of the battery module housing. Such features may create a large effective cooling surface against the battery module housing to promote a high heat transfer rate from the cells to the coolant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cooling system for a battery module, comprising:
a cold plate being generally rectangular in shape and formed from a conductive material;
a cooling route created within the cold plate; and
two headers disposed at least partially external to the cold plate, at least partially internal to the cold plate, and parallel with one another; and
cross flow branches of the cooling route, wherein the cross flow branches are in fluid communication with the two headers, wherein the cross flow branches extend between and perpendicular to the two headers, wherein each cross flow branch comprises an elliptical cross-sectional shape having a major diameter and a minor diameter smaller than the major diameter, and wherein each cross flow branch comprise an approximately 90° twist proximate to each header such that the major diameter of the elliptical cross-sectional shape of each cross flow branch is substantially parallel with longitudinal axes of the two headers between the approximately 90° twists and substantially perpendicular with the longitudinal axes of the two headers outside of the approximately 90° twists.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cold plate is configured to be disposed adjacent to the battery module and in physical contact with the battery module.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the cold plate is configured to be disposed directly beneath and in physical contact with the battery module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the battery module comprises multiple individual battery cells.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cooling system of claim 1, wherein one header of the two headers comprises an inlet to the cross flow branches of the cooling route and the other header of the two headers comprises an outlet of the cross flow branches of the cooling route.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cold plate comprises a flat surface and a raised surface extending from the flat surface, wherein the raised surface comprises the cross flow branches.

### Claim 7

A battery module comprising:
a module housing and a cooling system configured to receive heat from the module housing via conduction; and
wherein the cooling system comprises a cooling surface being generally rectangular in shape and formed from a conductive material, the cooling surface having a cooling route created within a cold plate, and wherein the cooling system comprises two headers disposed at least partially external to the cold plate, at least partially internal to the cold plate, and parallel with one another; and
cross flow branches of the cooling route, wherein the cross flow branches are in fluid communication with the two headers, wherein the cross flow branches extend between and perpendicular to the two headers, wherein each cross flow branch comprises an elliptical cross-sectional shape having a major diameter and a minor diameter smaller than the major diameter, and wherein each cross flow branch comprises an approximately 90° twist proximate to each header such that the major diameter of the elliptical cross-sectional shape of each cross flow branch is substantially parallel with longitudinal axes of the two headers between the approximately 90° twists and substantially perpendicular with the longitudinal axes of the two headers outside of the approximately 90° twists.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The battery module of claim 7, wherein the cold plate is disposed adjacent to and in physical contact with the battery module housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The battery module of claim 8, wherein the cold plate is configured to be disposed directly beneath and in physical contact with the module housing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The battery module of claim 7, comprising multiple individual battery cells having terminal ends and base ends opposite the terminal ends, wherein the cold plate is disposed proximate to the base ends of the multiple individual battery cells.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The battery module of claim 7, wherein the cold plate comprises a flat surface and a raised surface extending from the flat surface, wherein the raised surface comprises the cross flow branches.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The battery module of claim 7, wherein one header of the two headers comprises an inlet to the cross flow branches of the cooling route and the other header of the two headers comprises an outlet of the cross flow branches of the cooling route.