FR3132983A1 - Device for thermal regulation of an electrical and/or electronic element using a dielectric fluid and System comprising such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for regulating the temperature of at least one electrical and/or electronic component (2), in particular for a motor vehicle, in particular an energy storage cell, the device (1) comprising an enclosure (3) intended to contain a liquid volume of dielectric fluid (4) and the at least one electrical component (2) so that the said electrical component is at least partially immersed in the said fluid, and at least one placing means in movement (5, 6) of said volume of dielectric fluid, said at least one means being configured to be partially immersed in the dielectric fluid and to create movement of the fluid by rotation of said means. Figure to be published with abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Device for thermal regulation of an electrical and/or electronic element using a dielectric fluid and system comprising such a device Technical field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to the field of devices for thermal regulation of an electrical and/or electronic element using a dielectric fluid. The invention also relates to a housing comprising said device as well as a plurality of electrical and/or electronic elements and a dielectric fluid.

prior art

Electrical and/or electronic elements, whether electrical energy storage cells, integrated circuits, servers, data centers, etc. require thermal regulation in order to maintain them within their operating temperature range.

The invention is in particular intended to equip motor vehicles, in particular motor vehicles with electric or hybrid engines, and to thermally regulate an electrical energy storage cell or power electronic elements.

As the market share of electric vehicles increases, the dielectric/heating issues of the battery packs that equip them are becoming strategic issues. The objective is to design the most efficient, efficient and economical battery thermal management device possible.

The invention can also be applied to the thermal regulation of a data center. Data centers around the world currently represent 10% of global electricity consumption. The advent of “block chain” and 5G technologies mean that this percentage could increase drastically in the coming years. At least half of this consumption comes from the cooling systems of these data centers. Currently the majority of data centers are air cooled by cooling the ambient air in storage rooms using air conditioning devices. The optimal operating temperature for data centers is between 5°C and 40°C, more particularly around 27°C. Taking into consideration that the air has a very low conductivity, in order to sufficiently cool the electronic elements, which can reach temperatures exceeding 60°C, the temperature difference between the air and the electronic elements to be cooled must be important and therefore this type of device is very energy intensive.

In the automotive field, it is common to meet the need for cooling (and/or heating) of electric batteries to use heat exchangers consisting of a cold plate with circulation of a heat transfer liquid (e.g. mixture of water and ethylene glycol), the plates being in contact with the cells to be cooled. This type of technique can lead to uneven cooling (and/or heating) of the batteries and thus limit their lifespan and performance. These devices also have high thermal resistance due to the thicknesses of material present between the heat transfer liquid and the cells.

A solution proposed to respond to this problem consists of immersing the electric batteries in a dielectric heat transfer fluid. This immersion can be carried out with fluid circulation or in static condition with phase change.

These two techniques are efficient from a thermal point of view in particular due to the direct contact established between the liquid and the cells but have the disadvantage of using a large quantity of dielectric liquid, which increases the cost and weight of the pack. battery and are also sensitive to the change in attitude of the vehicle in operation.

This results in a need for a less expensive solution that requires less fluid while maintaining good heat exchange capacity.

The present invention therefore aims to propose a device for thermal regulation of an electrical and/or electronic element using a dielectric fluid and system comprising such a device, making it possible to overcome at least part of the disadvantages of the prior art.

This goal is achieved by a device for regulating the temperature of at least one electrical and/or electronic component, in particular for a motor vehicle, in particular an energy storage cell, the device comprising an enclosure intended to contain a liquid volume of fluid dielectric and the at least one electrical component so that said electrical component is at least partially immersed in said fluid, and at least one means for setting in motion said volume of dielectric fluid, said at least one means being configured to be partially immersed in the dielectric fluid and to create a movement of the fluid by rotation of said means.

According to one particular feature, the means of setting in motion comprises at least one of a propeller, a toothed wheel, a paddle wheel.

According to another particularity, the medium is more emerged than submerged.

According to another particularity, the medium has 50% and 70% surface area.

According to another particularity, the means comprises appendages configured to increase the splashes of liquid volume of fluid during the rotation of said means.

According to another particularity, the device comprises a plurality of means for setting in motion by rotation.

According to another particularity, the means of setting in motion by rotation have a different rotation speed.

The present invention also relates to a thermal management system of an electrical and/or electronic component (2) comprising a device (1) as described above, and further comprising a means of heating and/or cooling (7) of the fluid dielectric offset outside the enclosure (3), and a supply line and an evacuation line fluidly connecting the temperature regulating device and the heating and/or cooling means.

The present invention also relates to a thermal management system for an electrical and/or electronic component comprising a device (1) as described above, and further comprising means for cooling the dielectric fluid, said cooling means (7) being immersed in the liquid volume of dielectric fluid inside the enclosure, the cooling means (7) comprising a supply line and a heat transfer fluid evacuation line fluidly connecting the cooling means to a circuit heating and/or cooling in which said heat transfer fluid circulates.

The present invention also relates to a thermal management system of an electrical and/or electronic component comprising a battery box comprising a device as described above, and in addition at least one electrical and/or electronic component and a liquid volume of fluid dielectric so that said electrical component is at least partially immersed in said fluid.

Brief description of the figures

• représente de façon schématique l’invention selon un premier mode de réalisation de l’invention.
• représente de façon schématique l’invention selon un second mode de réalisation de l’invention.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows with reference to the appended figures, which illustrates:

• schematically represents the invention according to a first embodiment of the invention.
• schematically represents the invention according to a second embodiment of the invention.

detailed description of the invention

Numerous combinations can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention; the skilled person will choose one or the other depending on the economic, ergonomic, dimensional or other constraints that he must respect.

Generally, the present invention comprises a device for regulating the temperature of at least one electrical and/or electronic component, in particular for a motor vehicle, in particular an energy storage cell, the device comprising an enclosure intended to contain a volume dielectric fluid liquid and the at least one electrical component so that said electrical component is at least partially immersed in said fluid, and at least one means for setting in motion said volume of dielectric fluid, said at least one means being configured to be partially immersed in the dielectric fluid and to create movement of the fluid by rotation of said means.

We understand by partially submerged means of setting in motion that the means must also be partially emerged. Preferably, the medium is more emerged than submerged, still preferably between 50% and 70% emerged.

Advantageously,

In certain embodiments, the moving means (5, 6) comprises at least one of a propeller (5), a toothed wheel (6), a paddle wheel.

Advantageously, these means allow mixing of the volume of dielectric fluid at lower cost. The choice of one of these means will depend on the person skilled in the art depending on the elements whose temperature is to be regulated, the target temperature as well as the volume of fluid and its viscosity.

In certain embodiments, the means is more emerged than submerged. In certain preferred embodiments, the means has 50% and 70% surface area.

Advantageously, this makes it possible to create more turbulence and splashing, which allows better distribution of the fluid and improved watering of the surface of the component whose temperature is to be regulated.

In some embodiments, the means includes appendages configured to increase liquid volume splashing of fluid upon rotation of said means.

In certain embodiments, the device comprises a plurality of means for setting in motion (5, 6) by rotation. In certain preferred embodiments, the means for setting in motion (5, 6) by rotation have a different rotation speed.

Advantageously, this makes it possible to increase the effects of turbulence and/or to increase exchanges locally if necessary.

In certain embodiments, as for example illustrated in a non-limiting manner in the , the invention relates to a device comprising a propeller (5) rotating in a liquid volume of fluid (4) which sets said fluid in motion in order to improve thermal exchanges with the component whose temperature is to be regulated (2) .

A fluid cooling means is provided in order to cool the liquid volume of fluid when it has heated up on contact with the component (2). In Figures 1 and 2, the cooling means is shown outside the housing (3) in which the at least one component (2) is placed. In other embodiments, the cooling means 7 is located inside the housing, and can either be immersed in the liquid, or emerged in the form of a condenser plate cooling the gas phase of the fluid when it this is used in two-phase form, that is to say when the liquid fluid vaporizes on contact with the component (2) with which it exchanges heat, and where the cooling means forming a condensation plate allows condensation by contact with said gas.

Likewise, the illustrates an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, in which the moving means is a toothed wheel (6) rather than a propeller. Any other means of setting in motion by rotation can be easily substituted for those presented in Figures 1 and 2 without departing from the invention.

Advantageously, this shape can allow turbulence and exchanges different from those caused by the propeller. In some embodiments, several shapes are combined.

By “said electrical component is at least partially submerged”, we understand that at least the base of the components, for example the base of the cells, is submerged. The proportion depends on the component to be cooled, the temperature to be evacuated, but also weight and cost constraints.

In some embodiments, the dielectric fluid is configured for use in the device in a two-phase liquid and gaseous state. In other words, its melting temperature at the operating pressure of the device is chosen so that it passes from the liquid state to the gaseous state under the effect of heating on contact with the batteries, which causes its vaporization. Its cooling in contact with a cooling means, for example a condenser, allows it to return to the liquid state. This cycle advantageously makes it possible to improve the thermal exchanges of the fluid with the component to be thermally regulated.

In some embodiments, the dielectric fluid is configured for use in the device in a single-phase state.

It will be easily understood on reading the present application that the particularities of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the description of the present invention and the related figures are not intended to limit the scope of the invention but simply represent selected embodiments.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical characteristics of a given embodiment can in fact be combined with characteristics of another embodiment unless the reverse is explicitly mentioned or it is obvious that these characteristics are incompatible. Furthermore, the technical characteristics described in a given embodiment can be isolated from the other characteristics of this mode unless the opposite is explicitly mentioned.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention permits embodiments in many other specific forms without departing from the scope defined by the scope of the appended claims, they should be considered for purposes of illustration and the invention should not be limited to the details given above.

Claims (10)

Device for regulating the temperature (1) of at least one electrical and/or electronic component (2), in particular for a motor vehicle, in particular an energy storage cell, the device (1) comprising an enclosure (3) intended to contain a liquid volume of dielectric fluid (4) and the at least one electrical component (2) so that said electrical component is at least partially immersed in said fluid, and at least one means of setting in motion (5, 6) of said volume of dielectric fluid, said at least one means being configured to be partially immersed in the dielectric fluid and to create a movement of the fluid by rotation of said means. Device according to the preceding claim, in which the moving means (5, 6) comprises at least one of a propeller (5), a toothed wheel (6), a paddle wheel. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the means is more emerged than submerged. Device according to the preceding claim, in which the means has 50% and 70% surface area. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the means comprises appendages configured to increase the splashing of liquid volume of fluid during the rotation of said means. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which it comprises a plurality of means for setting in motion (5, 6) by rotation. Device according to the preceding claim, in which the means for setting in motion (5, 6) by rotation have a different rotation speed. Thermal management system for an electrical and/or electronic component (2) comprising a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, and further comprising means for heating and/or cooling (7) the dielectric fluid transferred outside of the enclosure (3), and a supply line and an evacuation line fluidly connecting the temperature regulating device and the heating and/or cooling means. Thermal management system for an electrical and/or electronic component comprising a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, and further comprising means for cooling the dielectric fluid, said cooling means (7) being immersed in the liquid volume of dielectric fluid inside the enclosure, the cooling means (7) comprising a supply line and a heat transfer fluid evacuation line fluidly connecting the cooling means to a heating circuit and /or cooling in which said heat transfer fluid circulates. System according to one of claims 8 or 9, comprising a battery box comprising a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, and in addition at least one electrical and/or electronic component (2) and a liquid volume of dielectric fluid (4) so that said electrical component (2) is at least partially immersed in said fluid.