Serpentine counter flow cold plate for a vehicle battery module

Abstract

A battery module or battery pack is provided having a serpentine counter flow cold plate with improved dissipation of heat from individual battery cells, wherein the cold plate provides a more uniform temperature gradient across the cold plate to more evenly transfer heat from the battery cells to liquid coolant circulating through the cold plate. The cold plate selectively omits turbulator material upstream of turbulators to control and govern the coolant fed into and through the turbulators to provide a more uniform temperature gradient across the cooling surfaces.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A cold plate for a battery module, comprising:
 a coolant channel comprising an upstream channel section and a downstream channel section;   an inlet port in fluid communication with the upstream channel section;   an outlet port in fluid communication with the downstream channel section; and   a turbulator disposed in the downstream channel section of the coolant channel.   
     
     
         14 . The cold plate of  claim 13 , wherein:
 coolant is configured to flow from the upstream channel section to the downstream channel section;   the coolant absorbs heat from the coolant surface while flowing through the coolant channel; and   the turbulator increases heat transfer of the downstream section.   
     
     
         15 . The cold plate of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the absorption of heat causes a temperature gradient across the cold plate; and   an unrestricted and free flow of the coolant in the upstream channel section and the turbulator disposed in the downstream channel section reduce the temperature gradient of the cold plate.   
     
     
         16 . The cold plate of  claim 13 , wherein the upstream channel section is free of a turbulator, allowing an unrestricted and free flow of a coolant. 
     
     
         17 . The cold plate of  claim 13 , wherein the upstream channel section is narrower than the downstream channel section that comprises the turbulator. 
     
     
         18 . The cold plate of  claim 13 , wherein the coolant channel comprises successive first, second, third, and fourth channel section arranged to form a serpentine counter flow pattern, wherein the first channel section comprises the upstream channel section and the fourth channel section comprises the downstream channel section. 
     
     
         19 . The cold plate of  claim 18 , wherein the first and fourth channel sections are in parallel adjacent relation. 
     
     
         20 . The cold plate of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first cooling surface on a first side of the coolant channel; and   a second cooling surface on an opposite second side of the coolant channel from the first cooling surface, wherein:
 the first cooling surface is coupled to a first group of battery cells, and 
 the second cooling surface is coupled to a second group of battery cells. 
   
     
     
         21 . A battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of battery cells; and   a cold plate comprising:
 a coolant channel comprising an upstream channel section and a downstream channel section; 
 a top plate disposed on a side of the coolant channel, wherein the plurality of battery cells are coupled to the top plate above the upstream and downstream channel sections; 
 an inlet port in fluid communication with the upstream channel section; 
 an outlet port in fluid communication with the downstream channel section; and 
 a turbulator disposed in the downstream channel section of the coolant channel. 
   
     
     
         22 . The battery module of  claim 21 , further comprising a thermal interface material that couples the plurality of battery cells to the top plate. 
     
     
         23 . The battery module of  claim 21 , wherein:
 coolant is configured to flow from the upstream channel section to the downstream channel section;   the coolant absorbs heat generated from the plurality of battery cells while flowing through the coolant channel; and   the turbulator increases heat transfer of the downstream channel section.   
     
     
         24 . The battery module of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the absorption of heat causes a temperature gradient across the top plate; and   an unrestricted and free flow of the coolant in the upstream channel section and the turbulator disposed in the downstream channel section reduce the temperature gradient of the cold plate.   
     
     
         25 . The battery module of  claim 21 , wherein the upstream channel section is narrower than the downstream channel section that comprises the turbulator. 
     
     
         26 . The battery module of  claim 21 , wherein the coolant channel comprises successive first, second, third, and fourth channel section arranged to form a serpentine counter flow pattern, wherein the first channel section comprises the upstream channel section and the fourth channel section comprises the downstream channel section. 
     
     
         27 . The battery module of  claim 26 , wherein the first and fourth channel sections are in parallel adjacent relation. 
     
     
         28 . The battery module of  claim 21 , wherein the cold plate further comprises:
 a bottom plate disposed on an opposite side of the coolant channel, wherein:
 the plurality of battery cells comprises a first plurality of battery; and 
 the bottom plate is coupled to a second plurality of battery cells. 
   
     
     
         29 . A battery module comprising:
 a first group of battery cells arranged in an array;   a second group of battery cells arranged in an array; and   a cold plate configured to remove heat from the first group of battery cells and from the second group of battery cells, wherein the cold plate is arranged between the first group of battery cells and the second group of battery cells, and wherein the cold plate comprises:
 a top cooling surface coupled to the first group of battery cells; 
 a bottom cooling surface coupled to the second group of battery cells; 
 a coolant channel comprising an upstream channel section and a downstream channel section; 
 an inlet port in fluid communication with the upstream channel section; 
 an outlet port in fluid communication with the downstream channel section; and 
 a turbulator disposed in the downstream channel section of the coolant channel. 
   
     
     
         30 . The battery module of  claim 29 , wherein:
 coolant is configured to flow from the upstream channel section to the downstream channel section;   the coolant absorbs heat from the first and second groups of battery cells while flowing through the coolant channel; and   the turbulator increases heat transfer of the downstream channel section.   
     
     
         31 . The battery module of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the absorption of heat causes a temperature gradient across the cooling surface; and   an unrestricted and free flow of the coolant in the upstream channel section and the turbulator disposed in the downstream channel section reduce the temperature gradient of the cold plate.   
     
     
         32 . The battery module of  claim 30 , wherein the upstream channel section is free of a turbulator.