Magnetically Controlled Traction Battery Thermal Plate

Abstract

A vehicle traction battery assembly including an array of battery cells, a thermal plate, and a magnetic valve assembly. The thermal plate may be thermal communication with the array and define a flow field therein. The magnetic valve assembly may selectively output a magnetic field to tune a viscosity of magnetic coolant within a vicinity of the magnetic field and flowing within the flow field to promote or inhibit the flowing within the flow field. The flow field may include first and second channels and the magnetic valve assembly may further selectively output the magnetic field to tune the viscosity such that the magnetic coolant flows through the second channel and not the first channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle traction battery assembly comprising:
 an array of battery cells;   a thermal plate in thermal communication with the array and defining a flow field therein; and   a magnetic valve assembly to selectively output a magnetic field to tune a viscosity of magnetic coolant within a vicinity of the magnetic field and flowing within the flow field to promote or inhibit the flowing within the flow field.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flow field includes first and second channels and wherein the magnetic valve assembly selectively outputs the magnetic field to tune the viscosity such that the magnetic coolant flows through the second channel and not the first channel. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal plate defines a plurality of valve zones, wherein the magnetic valve assembly includes an electromagnet positioned proximate to each of the valve zones, and wherein the magnetic valve assembly operates the electromagnet to selectively control the flowing of magnetic coolant within each of the valve zones. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic valve assembly selectively outputs the magnetic field based on a temperature of the battery cells. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic valve assembly selectively outputs the magnetic field to promote the flowing within portions of the flow field adjacent to the battery cells having a temperature exceeding a threshold value. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic coolant is a magnetorheological fluid or ferrofluid. 
     
     
         7 . A vehicle comprising:
 an array of battery cells;   a thermal plate in thermal communication with the array and defining a flow field;   coolant distributed within the flow field and having magnetic particles therein; and   an electromagnetic valve assembly arranged proximate to and outside of the flow field to selectively output a magnetic field to influence configurations of the particles to alter a flow of the coolant through the flow field.   
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the electromagnetic valve assembly includes at least one electromagnet. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the electromagnetic valve assembly varies the output of the magnetic field such that the particles gather in a central region of the flow field or at walls defining the flow field. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the flow field includes a plurality of multi-pass channels and wherein the electromagnetic valve assembly selectively outputs the magnetic field to direct the flow of the coolant within some of the multi-pass channels. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 7  further comprising a controller configured to, in response to temperature data for the battery cells, control operation of the electromagnetic valve assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the coolant is magnetorheological fluid or ferrofluid.