DE102022120899A1 - Battery module with integrated cooling channels - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery module (10) for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle (50) with a similar battery module (10). The battery module (10) comprises a battery cell stack (11), having a plurality of cells (12) arranged next to one another for storing electrical energy, the cells (12) having cell poles (13) for electrically contacting the cells and the cell poles (13) of the plurality of cells are arranged on a top side (14) of the battery cell stack (11). The battery module (10) further comprises a cover (20) for covering the battery cell stack. The cover (20) has two lateral, preferably opposite, sections (21) for covering lateral regions (15) of the battery cell stack and a central section (22) for covering the top (14) of the battery cell stack. Furthermore, the cover (20) has cooling channels (31, 32, 33) for cooling the battery cell stack (11), the two side sections (21) and the middle section (22) each comprising at least one cooling channel of the cooling channels. In this way, cooling for the battery module (20) integrated into a cover can advantageously be provided, by means of which the battery cell stack can be cooled from at least three sides.

Description

The invention relates to a battery module for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle with a similar battery module.

It is known in the prior art to equip electric and hybrid vehicles with one or more battery modules (so-called battery packs) in order to drive the drive units of the corresponding vehicles using the electrical energy stored or storable there. Such battery modules usually consist of a large number of battery cells that are electrically interconnected (e.g. lithium-ion battery cells).

In order to further protect the battery cells or the battery module against external influences, in particular moisture, the aforementioned components are usually enclosed in a closed (battery) housing. The housing may have a cover for covering a top side of the battery module.

In order for the battery cells to function as optimally and long-term as possible, they should be thermally conditioned. For example, the battery cells can be directly surrounded by a heat-conducting (and preferably electrically non-conductive) liquid (so-called immersion cooling), which, however, entails great effort in terms of the tightness of the respective components. Alternatively, the battery cells can be positioned on a temperature control plate with a channel structure through which a liquid heat transfer medium flows (so-called base plate cooling). The disadvantage of this is that the battery cells are only temperature controlled on one side on the floor. However, particularly when charging and discharging, heat can also be generated on the cell side, which cannot be optimally dissipated by pure bottom cooling.

The invention is based on the object of providing an improved technology for cooling the battery module that prevents the disadvantages of conventional techniques.

The task is solved by the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous developments are specified in the dependent claims and the description.

A first independent aspect of the present disclosure relates to a battery module for a motor vehicle. Preferably, the battery module is a battery module for a commercial vehicle (e.g. a truck or bus). The battery module can be a battery cell stack module.

The battery module comprises a battery cell stack, having several (battery) cells arranged next to one another and/or one behind the other for storing electrical energy. The cells thus form a stack of cells arranged next to one another and/or one behind the other, so-called battery cell stacks. The cells have cell poles for electrically contacting the cells. Each cell has two cell poles. The cell poles of the plurality of cells are arranged on one side of the battery cell stack. This side having the cell poles is referred to below as the top of the battery cell stack. The battery module can also include several battery cell stacks. Accordingly, the cover can be designed to cover several battery cell stacks.

The battery module also has a cover (e.g. made of metal, plastic or fiber-reinforced plastic) for covering the battery cell stack. The cover can also be referred to as a battery module cover. The cover has two lateral, preferably opposite, sections for covering lateral areas of the battery cell stack and a central section for covering the top of the battery cell stack. The middle section thus forms a top side of the cover.

The cover also has cooling channels for cooling the battery cell stack. The cooling channels are used to guide a coolant. Here, the two side sections and the middle section each have at least one cooling channel of the plurality of cooling channels. In other words, at least one cooling channel can be integrated into the middle section and into the two side sections.

Improved cooling of the battery cell stack can advantageously be realized since (at least) three sides of the battery cell stack can be actively cooled with the cooling channels integrated into the cover.

Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a battery module cover that advantageously fulfills a dual function. On the one hand, the battery module cover serves to protect the battery cell stack from external influences, especially moisture. The battery module cover can also provide contact protection for the cell poles etc. covered thereby. On the other hand, the battery module cover serves as a cooling device to improve the cooling of the battery module.

Component protection and cooling are therefore combined in one structure or component, which is particularly efficient in terms of installation space and is also advantageous in terms of production technology, since component protection and at least part of the cooling function of the battery module can be pregrouped and/or preassembled in a component and can accordingly be positioned and/or assembled together in one assembly step on the battery cell stack.

According to one aspect of the disclosure, the cooling channels of the cover may form a channel structure for guiding a cooling liquid, which guides the cooling liquid along both the two side regions and along the top of the battery cell stack. Here, the channel structure and/or the cooling channels can be designed to guide the cooling liquid one after the other along one of the side areas and along the top. For example, the channel structure can be designed to guide the cooling liquid along the cover and the battery cell stack in a U-shape, i.e. H. first along one of the side areas, then along the central area and then along the other side area, resulting in a U-shaped cooling of the cover, which can be U-shaped in cross section. Alternatively, the channel structure can be designed to branch a coolant flow so that it is divided into fluidly parallel partial flows, each of which is only guided along one of the areas of the battery cell stack and/or is only guided along one of the sections of the cover.

The cover may include two side walls (in addition to the middle section) so that the cover is U-shaped in cross section. Alternatively, the cover may include four side walls (in addition to the central section) which form a rectangular frame or box and together with the central section form a hood-shaped cover for the battery cell stack. Additionally or alternatively, all four side walls can have at least one cooling channel (the cooling channels). This allows the cooling of the battery cell stack to be further improved.

The cover can e.g. B. be hood-shaped and / or U-shaped in cross section.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least one cooling channel of the middle section comprises two cooling channels for cell pole cooling, which are arranged parallel to one another on opposite end regions of the top of the battery cell stack and each above a row-shaped arrangement of the cell poles. The row-shaped arrangement of the cell poles is formed by one cell pole of a pair of cell poles of the cells of the battery cell stack. This allows the heat generated at the cell poles during charging and/or discharging to be dissipated particularly efficiently.

Additionally or alternatively, the at least one cooling channel of the middle section can comprise at least one cooling channel which is arranged between cell pole pairs of the cells. In other words, at least one further cooling channel can be provided, which is arranged and/or runs between the cell poles arranged in rows. This allows the cooling of the top of the battery cell stack to be further improved.

Additionally or alternatively, the at least one cooling channel arranged between the pairs of cell poles can comprise two cooling channels running parallel to one another, which are fluidly connected to one another and are each fluidly connected to one of the two cooling channels for cell pole cooling, preferably via a plurality of cross connections which are arranged at a distance from one another in the stacking direction . This makes it possible to achieve particularly effective cooling of the cell tops. The cross connections can be oriented transversely to a stacking direction. In the cross connections, the cooling liquid can have a flow direction that is perpendicular to the stacking direction of the battery cell stack.

In a further embodiment, the cells each have a degassing device on their upper side between the cell poles for emergency degassing in the event of a thermal emergency. Such degassing devices are known per se. These can, for example, each have a degassing valve which opens when a predetermined bursting pressure is reached in order to enable emergency degassing of the damaged cell and to prevent the risk of spreading to the neighboring cells. According to this embodiment, the at least one cooling channel arranged between the pairs of cell poles is arranged so that it is not arranged directly above the degassing devices of the cells and/or is guided along sections of the top of the battery cell stack module that lie between the cell poles and the degassing devices. This reduces the risk of this cooling channel being damaged during an emergency degassing.

According to a further aspect of the disclosure, the two side sections and/or the middle section can each comprise at least two cooling channels that are fluidly connected to one another in parallel or in series. Fluidically connected in series means that the cooling liquid flows one after the other through the serially connected cooling channels. On the other hand, fluidly connected in parallel means that the cooling liquid branches into partial streams and the partial streams then flow through the cooling channels, with one partial stream flowing through one of the cooling channels.

According to a further aspect of the disclosure, the cover has a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet for connecting the cooling channels to a coolant supply. The coolant inlet and the coolant outlet can be designed, for example, as connections for a coolant line attached to the cover. Particularly preferably, only one coolant inlet and only one coolant outlet are provided. The latter is particularly advantageous in order to keep the parts costs and effort for connecting the coolant supply as low as possible.

The cooling channels for cooling the battery cell stack are arranged on the inside of the cover. This is particularly advantageous for the cooling effect and protecting the cooling channels from external damage. Inside means that the cooling channels are arranged on a side of the cover facing the battery cell stack.

In one embodiment, the cooling channels are rigid, i.e. that is, the wall of the cooling channels is rigid and the cross section of the cooling channels cannot be changed when a fluid flows through them. The rigid cooling channels can, for example, be made of aluminum sheet metal parts, e.g. B. can be embossed accordingly to form the cooling channels, or can be carried out by tubes attached to the inside of the cover. The (rigid) cooling channels can be integrated directly into the cover or subsequently attached to the inside of a wall of the cover.

In an embodiment variant of the embodiment with rigid cooling channels, a thermal paste is arranged in an area between the battery cell stack and the cooling channels. The thermal paste is preferably an electrically non-conductive thermal paste. This can improve the removal of heat from the battery cell stack. Here, the cover can optionally further have, preferably closable and/or closed, through openings for introducing the thermal paste into a gap between the cooling channels of the cover and the battery cell stack. The through openings are preferably positioned in relation to the cooling channels so that the thermally conductive material introduced above them is distributed in the area between the battery cell stack and the cooling channels and fills a free space and/or gap between the battery cell stack and the cooling channels.

The cover can have at least one of the through openings in the area of each cell. The cover can optionally have two rows of through openings on the side sections, with the through openings in each row having a distance that corresponds to a thickness of the cell in the stacking direction and/or with the two rows being arranged offset from one another in the stacking direction. This advantageously allows the thermal paste to be introduced evenly when the cover is positioned on the cells.

In an alternative embodiment, a wall of the cooling channels is designed to be flexible and/or deformable. The wall of the cooling channels can preferably be formed by a film, for example a plastic or aluminum film, which is attached to the inside of the cover. The foils can e.g. B. be glued to the inside of the cover and/or melted. The use of flexible cooling channels offers several advantages: Firstly, they are characterized by a low additional weight, as the use of a film requires particularly little weight. Secondly, flexible cooling channels can fit particularly well into the areas to be cooled, so that a good thermal bridge can be achieved (especially without thermal paste). Furthermore, a more compact design can be realized.

For this purpose, the wall of the (flexible) cooling channels can be designed, preferably dimensioned, such that pressurizing the cooling channels with coolant causes the cooling channels to expand, such that the cooling channels in the inflated state rest at least in sections on the battery cell stack. In other words, with regard to the distance from the cover to the battery cell stack in the area of the cooling channels, the flexible cooling channels are designed in advance so that the cooling channels can completely bridge this distance in the inflated state and rest directly on the battery cell stack. The foils for the flexible cooling channels can have a diameter of e.g. B. have 0.1 mm.

According to a further aspect of the disclosure, the side portions and the middle portion of the cover may be rigidly connected to one another. Furthermore, an outer wall of the cover and/or the sections of the cover can be made integrally in one piece. Handling when installing the cover on the battery cell stack can advantageously be made easier.

According to a further aspect of the disclosure, the battery module may have a cooling plate which is arranged on an underside of the battery cell stack and has a channel structure for cooling liquid to form a base plate cooling. Advantageously, the underside of the battery cell stack can also be efficiently cooled. The cooling plate can be used together with the cover Form a module housing or alternatively be arranged on the inside on a base plate of a module housing, of which the cover forms another part.

Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a motor vehicle having a battery module as described in this document. In other words, the features described in this document in connection with the battery module itself should also be disclosed and usable in connection with the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle can z. B. be a purely electrically powered motor vehicle. The motor vehicle is preferably a commercial vehicle (e.g. a truck or bus). A commercial vehicle can generally be understood as meaning a vehicle that, due to its design and equipment, is specifically designed to transport people, transport goods or tow trailers. Overall, this can advantageously provide a vehicle whose battery module(s) or battery cells can be cooled as well as possible.

• 1A, 1 B und 1C schematische Darstellungen eines Batteriemoduls mit starren, in die Abdeckung integrierten Kühlkanälen gemäß einer Ausführungsform;
• 2A, 2B und 2C schematische Darstellungen eines Batteriemoduls mit flexiblen, in die Abdeckung integrierten Kühlkanälen gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform;
• 3A, 3B und 3D schematische Darstellungen eines Batteriemoduls mit starren, in die Abdeckung integrierten Kühlkanälen gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform;
• 3C eine Detaildarstellung einer Durchlassöffnung einer Batteriemodulabdeckung zur Einbringen einer Wärmeleitpaste; und
• 4: eine schematische Darstellung eines Kraftfahrzeugs mit einem Batteriemodul gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

The previously described preferred embodiments and features of the invention can be combined with one another in any way. Further details and advantages of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• 1A , 1 B and 1C schematic representations of a battery module with rigid cooling channels integrated into the cover according to one embodiment;
• 2A , 2 B and 2C schematic representations of a battery module with flexible cooling channels integrated into the cover according to a further embodiment;
• 3A , 3B and 3D schematic representations of a battery module with rigid cooling channels integrated into the cover according to a further embodiment;
• 3C a detailed representation of a passage opening in a battery module cover for introducing a thermal paste; and
• 4 : a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with a battery module according to an embodiment of the invention.

The embodiments shown in the figures are at least partially the same, so that similar or identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals and for their explanation reference is also made to the description of the other embodiments or figures in order to avoid repetitions.

1A shows a schematic sectional view of a battery module 10 for storing electrical drive energy of a motor vehicle. The battery module (high-voltage battery module) 10 has a battery cell stack 11. The battery cell stack comprises a plurality of battery cells 11, which are arranged in a stack next to one another and/or one behind the other. The battery cells 11 can z. B. prismatic battery cells 11, e.g. B. designed as lithium-ion battery cells 11.

In 1A only one battery cell 11 is visible from the side (the battery cells stacked behind it are not visible, but in 1B , which shows a front view, and in 1C , which shows a perspective view). The stacking direction is in 1A perpendicular to the drawing plane. The cells 12 each have two electrical cell poles 13 (pair of cell poles) for electrically contacting the cells. The cell poles 13 of the cells are arranged on an upper side 14 of the battery cell stack 11. The cells 12 can be connected in parallel or in series via cell connectors that electrically connect the cell poles 13 of adjacent cells 12 to one another.

The battery module 10 further includes a cover 20 (so-called battery module cover) for covering the battery cell stack 11. The cover 20 can be placed over the battery cell stack 11 from above and thereby covers the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11 as well as two opposite side areas 15 of the battery cell stack 11 .

The cover comprises two lateral, opposing sections 21 for covering lateral areas 15 of the battery cell stack 11 and a central section 22 for covering the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11. The cover 20 is designed as a fixed cover, i.e. that is, the side sections 21 and the middle section 22 of the cover 20 are firmly connected to one another. In particular, the cover and/or an outer wall of the cover 20 can be made integrally in one piece.

A cooling channel structure 30 for cooling the battery cell stack 11 is integrated into the cover 20. For this purpose, the cover 20 has cooling channels 31, 32, 33 for cooling the battery cell stack 11, which are attached to the inside of the cover 20. The two side sections 21 and the middle section 22 each include at least one cooling channel. The cooling channels are designed to guide a cooling liquid along the battery cell stack 11.

The cooling channels integrated into the cover 20 enable improved cooling of the battery cell stack 11, since they are integrated into the cover 20 integrated cooling channels 31, 32, 33 (at least) three sides of the battery cell stack 11, here the top 14 and two opposite side areas 15 of the battery cell stack 11, can be actively cooled. The cover 20 or the battery module cover 20 thus forms several functions at the same time: The cover 20 serves to protect the battery cell stack 11 from external influences, in particular from moisture, forms contact protection for the cell poles 13 covered thereby and also serves as a cooling device to improve the cooling of the battery module 10.

By way of example only, two cooling channels 33 can be provided on the two side sections 21 of the cover 20, which form side surface cooling of the battery cell stack 11. Furthermore, four cooling channels 31, 32 can be provided on the middle section 22 of the cover to provide cooling for the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11.

From the cooling channels 31, 32, which are on the middle section 22 of the cover 20, i.e. H. are arranged on the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11, two cooling channels 31 can be used for cell pole cooling. These cooling channels 31 for cell pole cooling are arranged parallel to one another at opposite end regions of the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11 and each above a row-shaped arrangement of the cell poles 13.

This is good in the perspective representation of the 1C recognizable. By way of example only, the battery cell stack 11 is formed from eight battery cells 12 arranged one behind the other in the stacking direction S. The two cooling channels 31 for cell pole cooling extend in the stacking direction S and directly above each row of cell poles 31, so that the heat generated at the cell poles during charging and discharging can be efficiently dissipated.

The cooling channels arranged on the middle section 22 of the cover 20 may include further cooling channels arranged between pairs of cell poles (each cell 12 has a pair of cell poles 13) of the cells 12. Two such cooling channels 32 are shown here as examples. This means that the part of the top sides of the cells that lies between the cell poles 13 can be cooled efficiently.

The cooling channels 31, 32, 33 of the cover 20 thus form a channel structure 30 for guiding a cooling liquid, which guides the cooling liquid both along the two side regions 15 and along the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11. Here, the channel structure 30 can be designed to guide the cooling liquid one after the other along one of the side areas 15 and along the top 14.

For example, the channel structure 30 can be designed to guide the cooling liquid in a U-shape along the cover 20, which has a U-shaped cross-section, and along the battery cell stack 11, that is, first along one of the lateral regions 21, then along the central region 22 and then along the other lateral region Area 21 of the cover 20. Such guidance of the coolant is in 1 B , which shows a schematic front view of the battery module 10, illustrated schematically using the arrows. Even in the area of the side sections 21 themselves, the guidance of the coolant can be U-shaped, which is also indicated by the arrows in 1B is illustrated.

For this purpose, the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 can be fluidly connected accordingly. For example, the two cooling channels 33 of the side sections 21 can be fluidly connected, so that a cooling liquid first flows through the one cooling channel of a side section 21 and then through the second cooling channel 33 of this side section 21. Furthermore, the second cooling channel of the side section 21 can then be fluidly connected to one of the cooling channels 31, 32, which are arranged on the central section 22 of the cover and thus in the area of the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11, etc. On the cover 20, a Coolant inlet and a coolant outlet may be provided (not shown) for connecting the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 to a coolant supply.

The cooling channels 31, 32, 33 are on an inside of the cover, i.e. H. arranged on a side of the cover that faces the battery cell stack 11. The cover has a rigid outer wall 25, to which the cooling channels are attached on the inside. When the cover 20 is placed on the battery cell stack 11, the cooling channels are automatically positioned on the battery cells 12.

At the in the 1A , 1 B and 1C In the embodiment shown, the cooling channels are designed as rigid cooling channels, that is, the wall of the cooling channels is rigid. For example, the cooling channels can be made of appropriately embossed aluminum sheet metal parts or of tubes attached to the inside of the cover 20.

In order to enable a good thermal bridge between the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 and the battery cell stack 11, an electrically non-conductive thermal paste 24 is introduced into a gap between the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 of the cover 20 and the battery cell stack 11. The heat conductive paste 24 is in 1A marked by the hatched area. The thermal paste 24 is preferably only introduced after the cover 20 including cooling channels has been positioned on the battery cell stack 11. For this purpose, the cover 20 has several through openings through which the thermal paste 24 can be injected from the outside into the space between the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 and the battery cell stack 11. Advantageously, one or more through openings are provided on the cover 20 in the area of each cell. The thermal paste 24 can advantageously be injected at several points in order to ensure good and even distribution of the thermal paste 24. The through openings 23 can be closed and/or closed again after the thermal paste has been introduced, e.g. B. with a filling material or a lid.

The cell poles 13 protrude slightly from the top 14 of the cells 12 or the battery cell stack 11. So that the distance between the cooling channels and the battery cell stack 11 is always the same, the middle section 22 can be slightly increased at its outer edge regions, which run above the cell poles 13, compared to the section in between, preferably to compensate for the elevated position of the cell poles 13. This is in the section view of the 1A good to see.

The battery cells 12 can optionally, e.g. B. on their top 14 between the cell poles 13, each have a degassing device 16 for emergency degassing in the event of a thermal emergency. Such degassing devices are known per se and can have a degassing valve. The degassing valve is designed to open when a predetermined bursting pressure is reached in order to enable emergency degassing of the damaged cell and to prevent the risk of spread to neighboring cells. In this case, it is advantageous if the cooling channels 32, which are arranged between the cell pole pairs, are not arranged directly above the degassing devices 16 of the cells 12, but are guided along sections of the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11, which are between the cell poles 13 and the degassing devices 16 lie. This can reduce the risk of the cooling channels being damaged during emergency degassing.

The 2A , 2 B and 2C show schematic representations of a battery module 100 with flexible cooling channels integrated into the cover according to a further embodiment.

It is understood that the reference to the 2A -C described techniques and features with the techniques and features described with reference to the 1A -C and 3A -D are described, can be combined, individually or in any combination.

The number and arrangement of the cooling channels on the side sections 21 and the central section 22 of the cover correspond to the design as described in connection with 1A , 1 B and 1C were described. To avoid repetitions, reference is made to this.

The peculiarity of the embodiment in the 2A , 2 B and 2C shown is that the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 are flexible and not rigid. That is, a wall 37 of the cooling channels is designed to be flexible and/or deformable. For example, the wall of the cooling channels can be formed by a liquid-tight, flexible material, e.g. B. by a film 37. The film 37 can be realized, for example, by a plastic or aluminum film. The film 37 can z. B. be attached to the inside of the cover 20, for example by sticking the film 37 to the wall or by melting the film 37 in the area of the contact point to the wall. The cover 20 or the side sections 21 and the middle section 22 can z. B. be made of plastic.

Will e.g. B. aluminum chosen as the material for the film and thus the cooling channels is applied to the cell poles after they are electrically connected to a cell pole of an adjacent cell, e.g. B. via a cell connector, electrical insulation is attached to the top, at least in the area in which the flexible cooling channel is in the expanded state.

As soon as these flexible cooling channels are pressurized by a coolant, the cooling channels inflate. This is by comparing the 2A and 2 B good to see. 2A shows a state of the cooling channels in the installed state, ie in a state in which coolant does not flow through the flexible cooling channels 31, 32, 33. In this state, there is a free area 26 between the cooling channels and the opposite contact points on the cells 12 of the battery module 100.

2 B On the other hand, shows a state of the cooling channels in which the cooling channels were exposed to a coolant. The coolant pressure causes the cooling channels to expand and press against the cells 12 of the battery module 100. The free area 26 is bridged and occupied by the cooling channels. Accordingly, there is no need for thermal paste between the cooling channel and the contact point on the cells 12 of the battery module 100, since the cooling channels are in direct contact.

So that the free area 26 is bridged when the cooling channels are acted upon by coolant, the wall 37 of the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 is designed, preferably dimensioned, such that pressurization of the cooling channels with coolant causes an expansion of the cooling channels, such that the cooling channels in inflated state at least on the cells of the battery module 100. The flexible cooling channels must therefore be designed so that their diameter when inflated is slightly larger than the distance between cover 20 and battery cell stack 11 at the point where the cooling channel is attached to cover 20.

2C shows a front view of the battery module 2A and 2 B . As in 2C shown, the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 can also each be fluidly connected to one another in the flexible design. The cooling channels form a channel structure which guides a cooling liquid in a U-shape along the cover 20 and along the battery cell stack 11, that is to say first along one of the side regions 21, then along the middle region 22 and then along the other lateral region 21 of the cover 20 . Such guidance of the coolant is in 2C illustrated schematically using the arrows.

The 3A , 3B and 3D show schematic representations of a battery module with rigid cooling channels integrated into the cover according to a further embodiment. It is understood that the reference to the 3A to 3D techniques and features described with the techniques and features described with reference to the 1A - C and 2A - C are described, can be combined, individually or in any combination.

3A shows a top view of a battery module 200. Cooling channels 33 can in turn be arranged on the side sections 21 of the cover, as is the case, for example. B. above in connection with 1A , 1B and 1C was described. To avoid repetitions, reference is made to this.

Of the cooling channels 31, 32, which are arranged on the middle section 22 of the cover 20, two cooling channels 31 can serve for cell pole cooling. The cooling channels 31 are arranged parallel to one another at opposite end regions of the top 14 of the battery cell stack 11 and each above a row-shaped arrangement of the cell poles 13.

The cooling channels on the middle section 22 of the cover 20 also include further cooling channels 32 which are arranged between cell pole pairs of the cells 12. Two such cooling channels 32 are shown here as examples. The cooling channels 32 are each fluidly connected to one of the outer cooling channels 31 via a plurality of cross connections 34, which are arranged at a distance from one another in the stacking direction S of the cells 12 or the battery cell stack 11. Furthermore, the two cooling channels 32 themselves are fluidly connected to one another at their end regions, so that the two cooling channels 32 together form a type of annular channel which is connected to the outer cooling channels 31 via the cross connections 34. By way of example only, the number of cross-connections 34 on each side can correspond to the number of cells 12 of the battery cell stack 11.

The cooling channels 31, 32, 34 of the middle section 22 for cooling the top 14 of the battery cell stack, together with the cooling channels 33 of the side sections 21 of the cover 29, in turn form a channel structure 30 which supplies the cooling liquid in a U-shape on the cover 20 and on the Battery cell stack 11 runs along, i.e. H. first along one of the side areas 21, then along the central area 22 and then along the other side area 21 of the cover 20.

For this purpose, a coolant inlet 35 and a coolant outlet 36 are arranged on the side areas 21 of the cover 20 for connecting the cooling channels to a coolant supply.

The battery module 200 is in 3B in a side sectional view and in 3D shown in a side view. In order to enable a good thermal bridge between the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 and the battery cell stack 11, an electrically non-conductive thermal paste is again introduced into a gap between the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 of the cover 20 and the battery cell stack 11. For this purpose, the cover 20 has a plurality of through openings 23 through which the thermal paste can be injected from the outside into the space between the cooling channels 31, 32, 33 and the battery cell stack 11 after the cover 20 has been positioned on the battery cell stack.

One or more through openings 23 are advantageously provided on the cover 20 in the area of each cell 12, so that the thermal paste can be injected at several points in order to ensure good and even distribution of the thermal paste. The through openings 23 are shown in the illustrations 3B and the 3D good to see. For example, two rows of such through openings 23 (here eight through openings 24 per row only as an example) are provided along the side section. The two rows also have an offset from each other in order to ensure the best possible distribution of the to enable thermal paste introduced from the outside via the through openings 23. 3C shows a detailed representation of a passage opening 23 of a battery module cover for introducing the thermal paste 24. The through openings 23 can be closed again after the thermal paste has been introduced, e.g. B. with a filling material or a lid.

In 3B the battery module 200 is arranged on a base plate 40. The base plate 40 can be designed as a cooling plate into which a channel structure for guiding a cooling liquid is integrated. With such a cooling plate, the battery module 200 can also be cooled from below.

4 shows a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with a battery module according to an embodiment of the invention. It is understood that the reference to the 4 Techniques and features described can be combined with the techniques and features described with reference to the foregoing, individually or in any combination.

The motor vehicle 50 can - as shown by way of example - be a commercial vehicle (e.g. a tractor unit or a truck with a body). However, the motor vehicle 50 can also be a car. The motor vehicle 50 is preferably a purely electrically driven motor vehicle 50. The battery module 10 can be arranged on a longitudinal outside of the motor vehicle 50.

In principle, the battery module 10 can be designed as described in this document. In particular, the energy storage device 10 can thus have a cover 20 with integrated cooling channels, as described above in connection with the other figures.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a large number of variants and modifications are possible, which also make use of the inventive idea and therefore fall within the scope of protection. In particular, the invention also claims protection for the subject matter and features of the subclaims, regardless of the claims referred to. In particular, the individual features of independent claim 1 are each disclosed independently of one another. In addition, the features of the subclaims are also disclosed independently of all features of independent claim 1.

Reference symbol list

10, 100, 200

Battery module

11

Battery cell stack

12

cell

13

cell pole

14

Top

15

Lateral area of the battery cell stack

16

Degassing device

17

bottom

20

cover

21

Lateral section

22

Middle section

23

Passage opening

24

Thermal paste

25

Outer wall of the cover

26

Area between cell and cooling channel

30

Channel structure

31, 32, 33

Cooling channel

34

Cross connection

35

Coolant inlet

36

Coolant outlet

37

Flexible wall, foil

40

base plate

50

Motor vehicle, e.g. B. Commercial vehicle

S

Stacking direction

Claims (15)

Battery module (10; 100; 200), preferably battery cell stack module, for a motor vehicle (50), preferably commercial vehicle, comprising a battery cell stack (11), having a plurality of cells (12) arranged next to one another and/or one behind the other for storing electrical energy, the cells (12 ) have cell poles (13) for electrically contacting the cells and the cell poles (13) of the plurality of cells (12) are arranged on an upper side (14) of the battery cell stack (11), and a cover (20) for covering the battery cell stack (11) , comprising a) two lateral, preferably opposite, sections (21) for covering lateral areas (15) of the battery cell stack (11) and a central section (22) for covering the top (14) of the battery cell stack (11), and b) cooling channels (31, 32, 33) for cooling the battery cell stack (11), the two side sections (21) and the middle section (22) each having at least one cooling channel of the cooling channels (31, 32 , 33). Battery module (10; 100; 200). Claim 1 , wherein the cooling channels (31, 32, 33) of the cover form a channel structure (30) for guiding a coolant, which leads the coolant both along the two side areas (15) and along the top (14) of the battery cell stack (11), wherein preferably the channel structure (30) is designed to guide the cooling liquid successively along one of the side areas (15) and along the top (14). Battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one cooling channel (31, 32) of the middle section (22) comprises two cooling channels (31) for cell pole cooling, which are parallel to one another at opposite end regions of the top (14) of the battery cell stack (11) and in each case above a row-shaped arrangement of the cell poles (13 ) are arranged. Battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one cooling channel (31, 32) of the middle section (22) comprises at least one cooling channel (32) which is arranged between cell pole pairs of the cells (12). Battery module (200) according to the Claims 3 and 4 , wherein the at least one cooling channel (32) arranged between the cell pole pairs comprises two mutually parallel cooling channels (32), which are fluidly connected to one another and are each fluidly connected to one of the two cooling channels (31) for cell pole cooling, preferably via several cross connections ( 34), which are arranged at a distance from one another in the stacking direction (S). Battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the Claims 4 and 5 , wherein the cells (12) each have a degassing device (16) on their top side (14) between the cell poles (13) for emergency degassing in the event of a thermal emergency, and the at least one cooling channel (32) arranged between the cell pole pairs is not directly above the Degassing devices (16) of the cells (12) is arranged and / or is guided along sections of the top of the battery cell stack (11), which lie between the cell poles (13) and the degassing devices (16). Battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two side sections (21) and/or the middle section (22) each comprise at least two cooling channels which are fluidly connected to one another in parallel or series. Battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (20) has one, preferably only one, coolant inlet (35) and one, preferably only one, coolant outlet (36) for connecting the cooling channels to a coolant supply; and or the cooling channels (31, 32, 33) for cooling the battery cell stack are arranged on the inside of the cover (20). Battery module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling channels (31, 32, 33) are designed to be rigid, preferably made of aluminum sheet metal parts, or made of tubes attached to the inside of the cover. Battery module (10). Claim 9 , wherein the cover (20), preferably closable, through openings (23) for introducing a thermal paste (24) into a space between the cooling channels (31, 32, 33) of the cover (20) and the battery cell stack (11), preferably the cover (20) has at least one of the through openings (23) in the area of each cell (12). Battery module (100) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8th , wherein a wall (37) of the cooling channels is designed to be flexible and / or deformable, and / or a wall of the cooling channels is formed by a film (37), for example a plastic or aluminum film, which is attached to the cover (20 ) is attached on the inside, preferably glued and / or melted. Battery module (100). Claim 11 , wherein the wall (37) of the cooling channels (31, 32, 33) is designed, preferably dimensioned, such that pressurizing the cooling channels with coolant causes the cooling channels to expand, such that the cooling channels in the inflated state at least on the battery cell stack (11 ) issue. Battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side sections (21) and the middle section (22) of the cover (20) are firmly connected to one another, and / or an outer wall of the sections of the cover (20) is made integrally in one piece. Battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a cooling plate arranged on an underside (17) of the battery cell stack (11) with a channel structure for cooling liquid to form a base plate cooling. Motor vehicle (50), preferably commercial vehicle a battery module (10; 100; 200) according to one of the preceding claims.

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