[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack to cool battery modules, and more specifically, to a battery thermal management system to cool a plurality of battery modules.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Conventional systems and apparatus related to battery air cooling use cells’ side surface for air cooling which consequently increases cell to cell gap and decreases the packaging efficiency. Higher cell to cell gap have several disadvantages, such as, reduction in packaging efficiency. In addition, special module structure and design is required, as few cells require compressed packaging within module, thereby maintaining cell to cell gap is difficult. Further, if cell to cell gap is lower, a certain limit inefficient cooling and whistle sound will occur. Moreover, the conventional systems and apparatus require different pack and module structures/design for different type of cooling options.

[0003] In view of the above, there is a serious need in the art to devise and practically provide a solution that eliminates the aforesaid problems and the structural limitations associated with the conventional arrangement.

SUMMARY
[0004] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a battery pack to cool a plurality of battery modules. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a battery pack to cool battery modules. The battery pack includes a plurality of air ducts, a cooling unit to push cool air inside the battery pack and pass from bottom of the plurality of battery modules through the plurality of air ducts, wherein a bottom of the plurality of the battery modules is exposed to cool air passing through the plurality of air ducts. The cooling unit may also be optionally mounted outside the battery pack.

[0006] In an aspect, the plurality of air ducts includes an inlet duct, a distribution duct, and a plurality of cooling ducts.

[0007] In an aspect, cool air flows from the cooling unit to the inlet duct, from the inlet duct to the distribution duct, and from the distribution duct to the plurality of cooling ducts.

[0008] In an aspect, the cooling unit is to pull warm air flowing from the plurality of cooling ducts.

[0009] In an aspect, the cooling unit is an evaporator-blower unit.

[00010] In an aspect, each of the plurality of cooling ducts is of uniform size.

[00011] In an aspect, the distribution duct includes at least two connection ports opposite to each other to connect at least two cooling ducts of the plurality of cooling ducts with the distribution duct.

[00012] In an aspect, each of the plurality of cooling ducts includes an inlet port and an outlet port, wherein cool air flows from the inlet port to the outlet port.

[00013] In an aspect, the connection ports of the distribution duct and the inlet port of the cooling duct form an interconnection mechanism such that air flows uniformly at a connection point that connects the distribution duct with the cooling duct.

[00014] In an aspect, the outlet port of a first duct of the plurality of cooling ducts and the inlet port of a second duct of the plurality of cooling ducts form an interconnection mechanism such that the air flows uniformly at a connection point that connects the first duct with the second duct.

[00015] The solution proposed by the present disclosure as mentioned cools the battery modules from bottom and thereby overcome the problems associated with state-of-the-art as discussed above.

[00016] To further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the scope of the present subject matter.

[00017] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[00018] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:

[00019] Fig. 1 illustrates a sectional view of a battery pack in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[00020] Fig. 2 illustrates a battery unit and a HVAC unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[00021] Fig. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a plurality of cooling ducts and a distribution duct in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[00022] Fig. 4 illustrates a top view of the plurality of cooling ducts and the distribution duct in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[00023] Fig. 5 illustrates a sectional view of interconnection between the plurality of cooling ducts and between the cooling duct and the distribution duct in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[00024] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00025] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[00026] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.

[00027] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

[00028] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

[00029] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[00030] In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[00031] Hereinafter, a description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present disclosure.

[00032] Fig. 1 illustrates the sectional view of a battery pack 100. The battery pack 100 comprises a cooling unit 102, an inlet duct 104, and a plurality of cooling ducts 108a-c that are beneath the plurality of battery modules 106a-c. As illustrated in Fig. 1, cool air from the cooling unit 102 is pushed inside the battery pack 100 and passed from bottom of the plurality of battery modules 106a-c through the respective cooling ducts 108a-c placed underneath. Also, as illustrated in Fig. 1, warm air discharging from outlets of the plurality of cooling ducts 108a-c is then pulled back to the cooling unit 102. Fig. 1 further illustrates a mounting location 110a-d at which the plurality of cooling ducts 108-c are mounted.

[00033] According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, Fig. 2 illustrates a battery pack 200. The battery pack 200 includes a cooling unit 206, an inlet duct 208, a distribution duct 210, and a plurality of cooling ducts 212. The cooling unit 206 can be an evaporator-blower unit, and the cooling unit 206 pushes the cool air inside the battery pack 200. From the inlet duct 208, cool air moves to the distribution duct 210 and then to the plurality of cooling ducts 212. Further, battery modules, not illustrated in Fig. 2, are mounted with cell bottom exposed to cool air passing through the plurality of cooling ducts 212 which subsequently cools the battery modules more efficiently due to direct contact of cold air. Further, comparatively warmer air from the plurality of cooling ducts 212 circulates in the battery pack and is pulled back to the cooling unit 206. The circulation of air inside the battery pack 200 also helps maintaining the environment inside the battery pack 200 at a desired lower temperature.

[00034] Fig. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the plurality of cooling ducts 304 and the distribution duct 302, highlighting the scalability of the duct structures as employed herein in the context of the present invention and forming a part of the battery cooling system. The ducts are designed in such a manner that the number of ducts inside the battery pack can be easily increased or decreased depending on the battery pack size without any change or alterations in the basic structure and design of the ducts proposed herein in the context of the present invention. Fig. 3, in particular, illustrates an example with three rows and four columns of the cooling ducts placed beneath the batter pack, where the number of rows and columns can be easily increased or decreased without any further modifications as per the battery pack requirements, as can well be comprehended by a person skilled in the art. Also, the ducts are represented as rectangular in shape, however, the ducts can be designed in any other shape such as square, oval, round etc. as per the battery pack requirements without deviating from the scope of the invention

[00035] Fig. 4 illustrates a top view of the plurality of cooling ducts 404 and the distribution duct 402. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the distribution unit 402 is connected with some of the cooling ducts along the line or the section B-B. Also, Fig. 4 illustrates some of the cooling ducts are connected with each other along the line or the section A-A. Further, the interconnection along the lines/sections A-A and B-B is highlighted in Fig. 5.

[00036] Fig. 5 illustrates a sectional view of the interconnection of the plurality of cooling ducts, and connection between the cooling duct and the distribution duct, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Along the line A-A, an outlet of the cooling duct is connected with an inlet of another cooling duct, and along the line B-B, an inlet of the cooling duct is connected with a port of the distribution duct. The different duct to duct inter connections and connections of the cooling duct and the distribution duct, as highlighted in Fig. 5, are such that it provides a uniform flow cross section even at joining points, thereby resulting in smaller flow losses and providing increased and efficient cooling within the battery pack. These duct to duct inter connections can also include sealant or gasket in order to provide leakage proof design. Further, the duct to duct inter connections can be a snap-fit connection.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES
[00037] With the help of the present disclosure, the configuration of the cooling ducts inside the battery pack can be designed/monitored as per the design requirements i.e., the number of ducts inside the pack can be easily increased or decreased depending on the battery pack size and the cooling requirements thereto, thereby helping provide and add an important feature, in the form of scalability of the duct structure to the presently proposed solution.

[00038] Further, with the help of the present disclosure, cooling from the bottom of the battery modules is enabled, thereby serving different characteristics in the form increased packaging efficiency, increased and efficient cooling with an easy to manufacture and assemble structure, resulting in improved overall operability thereto.

[00039] Additionally, the present disclosure provides a significant benefit in the form of using the same battery pack and module for different cooling purposes. Due to cooling from the bottom side, same module could be used for air cooling as well as liquid cooling without any design change in module or battery pack structure and mounting, significantly improving the accessibility and acceptability of the novel structure of the integrated battery pack as proposed in and forming subject of the present invention.

[00040] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present disclosure when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

Claims:We Claim:
1. A battery pack (200) to cool a plurality of battery modules (106a-c), the battery pack comprising:
a plurality of air ducts;
a cooling unit (206) to push cool air inside the battery pack (200) and pass from bottom of the plurality of battery modules (106a-c) through the plurality of air ducts, wherein the bottom of each of the plurality of the battery modules (106a-c) is exposed to cool air passing through the plurality of air ducts.

2. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of air ducts comprises an inlet duct (208), a distribution duct (210), and a plurality of cooling ducts (212).

3. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein cool air flows from the cooling unit (206) to the inlet duct (208), from the inlet duct (208) to the distribution duct (210), and from the distribution duct (210) to the plurality of cooling ducts (212).

4. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the cooling unit (206) is to pull warm air flowing from the plurality of cooling ducts (212).

5. The battery pack (200) as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the cooling unit (206) is an evaporator-blower unit.

6. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of cooling ducts (212) is of uniform size.

7. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distribution duct (210) comprises at least two connection ports opposite to each other to connect at least two cooling ducts of the plurality of cooling ducts (212) with the distribution duct (210).

8. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of cooling ducts (212) comprises an inlet port and an outlet port, wherein cool air flows from the inlet port to the outlet port.

9. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claims 7 and 8, wherein the connection ports of the distribution duct (210) and the inlet port of the cooling duct (212) form an interconnection mechanism such that air flows uniformly at a connection point that connects the distribution duct (210) with the cooling duct (212).

10. The battery pack (200) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outlet port of a first duct of the plurality of cooling ducts (212) and the inlet port of a second duct of the plurality of cooling ducts (212) form an interconnection mechanism such that air flows uniformly at a connection point that connects the first duct with the second duct.