Cooling plate and battery pack

Abstract

The utility model provides a cooling plate and a battery pack. The cooling plate comprises a cooling pipe, at least one pipe joint and a sealing piece, at least one pipe joint is connected to one end of the cooling pipe so as to be communicated with the cooling pipe; and the sealing piece is arranged between the pipe joint pipe and one end of the cooling pipe. The utility model aims to solve the technical problems of higher cost and poorer sealing performance of the snake-shaped cooling plate in the related technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a cooling plate and a battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] Thermal management has always been a focus of new energy vehicles. As the energy density and power density of new energy vehicle power batteries increase, the heat generated by the batteries also increases. Therefore, heat dissipation systems with characteristics such as fast cooling speed and high heat transfer coefficient are becoming increasingly important.

[0003] In related technologies, large cylindrical battery packs mainly use serpentine cooling plates that contact the sides of the battery for thermal management. However, serpentine cooling plates are expensive. In order to reduce costs, the material of the current collectors at both ends of the serpentine tube is replaced with plastic or other materials, resulting in poor sealing of the serpentine cooling plate. Utility Model Content

[0004] The embodiments of this utility model provide a cooling plate and a battery pack, which can improve the technical problem of poor sealing performance of serpentine cooling plates in related technologies.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a cooling plate, comprising:

[0006] Cooling pipes;

[0007] At least one pipe fitting is connected to one end of the cooling pipe to communicate with the cooling pipe; and,

[0008] A sealing element is provided between the pipe joint and one end of the cooling pipe.

[0009] In one embodiment, the pipe fitting includes a plastic pipe fitting, and the cooling pipe includes a metal cooling pipe.

[0010] In one embodiment, the pipe fitting has a receiving cavity to receive one end of the cooling pipe, wherein the sealing element is located inside the receiving cavity and sleeved on the outer periphery of the cooling pipe.

[0011] In one embodiment, the seal is integrally formed with the plastic tube connector.

[0012] In one embodiment, the overlapping length of the cooling pipe and the pipe joint is X, the length of the seal is Y, and the wall thickness of the seal is a, where a+1≤Y≤X-1.

[0013] In one embodiment, the wall thickness of the seal is a, the original wall thickness of the seal including the interference is b, the interference of the seal is d, d = (ba) / b, and 20% ≤ d ≤ 90%.

[0014] In one embodiment, the seal has a through hole, and the wall of the through hole has a snap-fit ​​protrusion that abuts against one end of the cooling pipe so that the pipe joint and the cooling pipe are interference-fitted.

[0015] In one embodiment, an adhesive layer is further included, which is disposed between the seal and the cooling pipe, with one end of the adhesive layer abutting against the end of the snap-fit ​​protrusion facing the opening of the pipe joint, and the other end of the adhesive layer extending to the opening of the pipe joint.

[0016] In one embodiment, the maximum wall thickness of the adhesive layer is c, and the wall thickness of the seal is a, where c > a.

[0017] In one embodiment, the length of the adhesive layer is Z, and the overlapping length of the cooling pipe and the pipe joint is X, where 1≤Z≤Xa-1.

[0018] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a battery pack, including a cooling plate, the cooling plate comprising:

[0019] Cooling pipes;

[0020] At least one pipe fitting is connected to one end of the cooling pipe to communicate with the cooling pipe; and,

[0021] A sealing element is provided between one end of the pipe joint pipe and one end of the cooling pipe.

[0022] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this utility model are as follows:

[0023] In this utility model, the cooling pipe is configured to contact the battery and cool it. A pipe joint is located at one end of the cooling pipe to connect the cooling pipe. A sealing element is located between the pipe joint and the cooling pipe, and the sealing element plays a sealing role, so that the pipe joint and the cooling pipe are tightly connected and gaps are avoided, thereby solving the technical problem of poor sealing of the cooling plate in related technologies. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cooling plate provided in some embodiments of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1An exploded diagram of the cooling plate in the middle;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged diagram of A in the middle;

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle pipe joint;

[0029] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of the cooling plate in the front view;

[0030] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Sectional view of BB;

[0031] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Enlarged diagram of C in the middle;

[0032] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 An enlarged schematic diagram of D in the diagram.

[0033] Explanation of icon numbers

[0034] label name label name 100 Cooling plate 23 water outlet pipe 10 Cooling pipes 24 First Sub-channel 11 curved section 25 Second Sub-channel 12 Connecting segment 30 Seals 13 Sub-channel 31 snap-fit ​​protrusion 20 Pipe fittings 40 Adhesive layer 21 Receiving cavity 50 Connected components 22 Inlet pipe Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. In the present utility model, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" generally refer to the upper and lower positions of the device in actual use or operation, specifically the drawing directions in the accompanying drawings; while "inner" and "outer" refer to the outline of the device.

[0036] In related technologies, large cylindrical battery packs mainly use serpentine cooling plates that contact the sides of the battery for thermal management. However, serpentine cooling plates are expensive. In order to reduce costs, the material of the current collectors at both ends of the serpentine tube is replaced with plastic or other materials, resulting in poor sealing of the serpentine cooling plate.

[0037] In view of this, the present invention proposes a cooling plate 100. Figures 1 to 8This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the cooling plate 100 provided by the present invention. The cooling plate 100 provided by the present invention has low cost and good sealing performance. The cooling plate 100 will be described in detail below with reference to the main drawings.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The present invention provides a cooling plate 100, which includes a cooling pipe 10, at least one pipe joint 20 and a sealing element 30; at least one pipe joint 20 is connected to one end of the cooling pipe 10 to communicate with the cooling pipe 10; the sealing element 30 is disposed between the pipe joint 20 and one end of the cooling pipe 10.

[0039] In this utility model, the cooling pipe 10 is configured to contact the battery and cool it. The pipe joint 20 is located at one end of the cooling pipe 10 to connect the cooling pipe 10. The sealing element 30 is located between the pipe joint 20 and the cooling pipe 10. The sealing element 30 plays a sealing role, so that the pipe joint 20 and the cooling pipe 10 are tightly connected to avoid gaps, thereby solving the technical problem of poor sealing performance of the cooling plate 100 in related technologies.

[0040] In some embodiments, the pipe connector 20 includes a plastic pipe connector, and the cooling pipe 10 includes a metal cooling pipe. Replacing the material of the pipe connector 20 with a plastic material can save costs. Meanwhile, the main function of the pipe connector 20 is to transport the cooling medium, delivering external cooling medium to the cooling pipe 10. The cooling pipe 10 contacts the battery to cool it. Therefore, replacing the material of the pipe connector 20 with a plastic material while keeping the cooling pipe 10 as a metal material will not affect the cooling effect.

[0041] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the material of the pipe fitting 20 can be any one of PA66 (polyhexamethylene adipamide), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PPE (polyphenylene ether plastic), and PA12 (polydodecyl lactam). The above materials have good heat resistance, strong corrosion resistance, and high strength.

[0042] In some embodiments, each cooling plate 100 further includes a first end, with an inlet end and an outlet end located at the first end. This arrangement can extend the length of the cooling channel, allowing the cooling medium in the cooling channel to flow through the same battery at least twice, thereby improving cooling efficiency and preventing thermal runaway.

[0043] Furthermore, a receiving cavity 21 is formed within the pipe joint 20. A partition is provided within the receiving cavity 21, dividing it into a first sub-channel 24 and a second sub-channel 25 that are not interconnected. A first through-hole is formed on the cavity wall of the first sub-channel 24, and a second through-hole is formed on the cavity wall of the second sub-channel 25. The cooling plate 100 also includes an inlet pipe 22 and an outlet pipe 23. The inlet pipe 22 communicates with the first through-hole, and the outlet pipe 23 communicates with the second through-hole. The second sub-channel 25 communicates with the outlet.

[0044] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 A cooling channel is formed inside the cooling pipe 10. The cooling channel includes multiple sub-channels 13. The multiple sub-channels 13 are spaced apart along the height direction of the cooling plate 100 and extend along the length direction of the cooling plate 100. Some sub-channels 13 are connected to the first sub-channel 24 and some sub-channels 13 are connected to the second sub-channel 25.

[0045] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cooling plate 100 further includes a second end, which is provided with a connecting block 50. Multiple sub-channels 13 are connected to the pipe connector 20 through the connecting block 50. Specifically, the pipe connector 20 is located at one end of the cooling pipe 10, and the connecting block is located at the other end of the pipe connector 20. Please refer to [the relevant documentation] for actual cooling processes. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The cooling medium enters the first sub-channel 24 from the inlet pipe 22, then enters the sub-channel 13 that is partially connected to the first sub-channel 24, then enters the connecting block 50, and then flows through the connecting block 50 into the remaining part of the sub-channel 13 that is connected to the second sub-channel 25, and then flows into the outlet pipe 23 to complete the cooling cycle.

[0046] It should be noted that during the cooling process, the temperature of the cooling medium continuously rises as it flows; that is, the temperature of the cooling medium in the inlet pipe 22 is lower than the temperature of the cooling medium in the outlet pipe 23. In this embodiment, the cooling medium in the cooling channel can flow through the same battery at least twice. The battery that is cooled first is cooled later, and vice versa. Since the temperature of the cooling medium gradually rises and its cooling effect gradually decreases during the cooling process, the battery that has a better cooling effect when the cooling medium flows through it for the first time will have a worse cooling effect when the cooling medium flows through it for the second time, and vice versa. This back-and-forth cooling effect can balance the cooling effect obtained by the batteries in the same row, keeping multiple batteries in a uniform temperature state, avoiding local high temperature phenomena, and improving the service life of multiple batteries.

[0047] It should be noted that the type of cooling medium in the above embodiments is not limited, and can be selected according to the actual application. For example, the cooling medium can be lubricating oil, water, cold air, alcohol compounds, etc.

[0048] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, one end of the cooling pipe 10 is snapped into the receiving cavity 21, and the sealing member 30 is located inside the receiving cavity 21 and sleeved on the outer periphery of the cooling pipe 10. The sealing member 30 is clamped and fixed between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20, thereby ensuring a sealing effect between the pipe joint 20 and the cooling pipe 10.

[0049] In some embodiments, the seal 30 includes a sealing ring, the material of which includes any one of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber), TPE (tissue rubber), and NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber). These materials have good impact resistance and stable chemical properties.

[0050] To improve the sealing performance of the cooling plate 100, in this embodiment, the sealing element 30 and the pipe connector 20 are integrally formed. It should be noted that the forming method of the sealing element 30 and the pipe connector 20 is not limited and can be selected according to the actual situation. For example, in some embodiments, the sealing element 30 and the pipe connector 20 are integrally formed by vulcanization. In other embodiments, the sealing element 30 and the pipe connector 20 are integrally formed by injection molding.

[0051] Optionally, the size of the seal 30 needs to be compatible with the sizes of the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe fitting 20. If the seal 30 is too large, it will make it difficult, or even impossible, for the cooling pipe 10 to be inserted into the pipe fitting 20. If the seal 30 is too small, there will be a gap between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe fitting 20, resulting in a poor sealing effect. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The overlapping length of the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20 is X, the length of the sealing element 30 is Y, and the wall thickness of the sealing element 30 is a, where a+1≤Y≤X-1. When Y is less than a+1, the length of the sealing element 30 is too short. During use, even a slight displacement of the sealing element 30 will cause it to deform and fail to provide a seal. When Y is greater than X-1, the length of the sealing element 30 is too long, increasing the space occupied by the receiving cavity 21 of the pipe joint 20, affecting the flow rate of the cooling medium, and reducing the cooling effect of the cooling plate 100. For example, in a specific embodiment, the length of the sealing element 30 is 3mm, the wall thickness of the sealing element 30 is 1mm, and the overlapping length of the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20 is 5mm. In this case, the length of the sealing element 30 satisfies the requirement of the relationship a+1≤Y≤X-1.

[0052] To ensure a good seal, the seal 30 is press-fitted with the cooling pipe 10. When the cooling pipe 10 is inserted into the pipe connector 20, it compresses the seal 30, causing it to deform in its thickness direction. After the cooling pipe 10 is fully engaged, the seal 30 rebounds, filling the space between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20, thus improving the seal. For details, please refer to [link to details]. Figure 6 and Figure 8 The wall thickness of the seal 30 cannot be too thick or too thin. If the seal 30 is too thick, the cooling pipe 10 will not be able to be inserted into the pipe joint 20. If the seal 30 is too thin, the rebound amount of the seal 30 will be insufficient, resulting in a poor sealing effect. Specifically, the wall thickness of the seal 30 is 'a', the original wall thickness of the seal 30 including the interference fit is 'b', and the interference fit of the seal 30 is 'd', where 'd' = (a) / b, and 20% ≤ d ≤ 90%. Specifically, 'd' can be 20%, 25%, 30%, 32%, 35%, 38%, 40%, 45%, 48%, 50%, 55%, 65%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or other unlisted data.

[0053] In one specific embodiment, the seal 30 has a thickness of 1 mm, and the original wall thickness of the seal 30 including the interference is 2 mm. Therefore, the interference of the seal 30 is 50%, which meets the range requirement of d.

[0054] It should be noted that there are no restrictions on the way the seal 30 and the cooling pipe 10 are fitted, as long as they are interference fit.

[0055] In some embodiments, the sealing element 30 has a through hole, and the wall of the through hole is provided with a snap-fit ​​protrusion 31. The snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 abuts against one end of the cooling pipe 10, so that the pipe connector 20 and the cooling pipe 10 are in an interference fit. During actual installation, when the cooling pipe 10 is snapped into the pipe connector 20, the cooling pipe 10 will squeeze the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31, causing the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 to deform. When the cooling pipe 10 is snapped into the appropriate position, the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 rebounds and abuts against the outer surface of the cooling pipe 10, thereby achieving an interference fit between the pipe connector 20 and the cooling pipe 10 and improving the reliability of the connection between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20.

[0056] In some embodiments, to improve the connection effect, the cooling plate 100 further includes an adhesive layer 40, which is disposed at the opening of the receiving cavity 21 of the pipe joint 20. The adhesive layer 40 can fill between the seal 30 and the cooling pipe 10, and can also fill between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20, thereby improving the sealing performance of the cooling plate 100.

[0057] Optionally, one end of the adhesive layer 40 abuts against the end of the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 facing the opening of the pipe joint 20, and the other end of the adhesive layer 40 extends to the opening of the pipe joint 20. This arrangement not only improves the sealing effect of the cooling plate 100, but also prevents the adhesive layer 40 from penetrating into the interior of the pipe joint 20, thus avoiding internal blockage.

[0058] Furthermore, the raw material for the adhesive layer 40 includes any one of polyurethane adhesive, epoxy adhesive, or acrylic adhesive, whichever is selected according to the actual situation. Specifically, after the pipe connector 20 is snapped into the cooling pipe 10, the cooling plate 100 is placed vertically (with the opening of the pipe connector 20 facing upwards), and adhesive is injected into the receiving cavity 21 of the pipe connector 20 until the adhesive is flush with the opening of the receiving cavity 21 of the pipe connector 20. After the adhesive solidifies to form the adhesive layer 40, the cooling plate 100 is laid flat. This arrangement ensures that the adhesive layer 40 fills the space between the sealant 30 and the cooling pipe 10, as well as between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20, preventing gaps and improving the sealing performance of the cooling plate 100.

[0059] In some embodiments, the maximum wall thickness of the adhesive layer 40 is c, and the wall thickness of the sealant 30 is a, where c > a. It should be noted that when c is less than a, the thickness of the adhesive layer 40 is too small, resulting in the area between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20 failing to achieve a seal, potentially leading to leakage.

[0060] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is Z, where 1 ≤ Z ≤ Xa-1. When Z is less than 1 mm, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is small, and there is a gap between the part of the pipe structure near the opening and the cooling pipe 10, which can easily lead to leakage problems. When Z is greater than Xa-1, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is too long, which occupies space, wastes resources, and increases costs.

[0061] In one specific embodiment, the wall thickness of the seal 30 is 1 mm, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is 5 mm, and the length of the adhesive layer 40 is 3 mm. The length of the adhesive layer 40 satisfies the above relationship and meets the requirements.

[0062] In some embodiments, the cooling pipe 10 includes an aluminum pipe, which is lightweight and highly corrosion-resistant, thus extending the service life of the cooling plate 100. It should be noted that the cooling pipe 10 can also be made of copper, depending on the specific circumstances.

[0063] In some embodiments, the cooling plate 100 is provided with a plurality of curved sections 11, which are adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the battery, so that the cooling plate 100 can be in close contact with the battery, thereby improving the cooling effect.

[0064] Further, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The cooling pipe 10 also includes a connecting section 12, which is located between any two curved sections 11, smoothly connecting the two curved sections 11. It should be noted that the shape of the connecting section 12 is not limited and can be selected according to the actual situation. For example, when two adjacent batteries are arranged close together, the connecting section 12 is an arc-shaped section to facilitate battery arrangement. When a gap is formed between two adjacent batteries, the connecting section 12 is a straight section to facilitate heat dissipation.

[0065] It should be noted that the cooling plate 100 provided by this utility model can be applied to various types of batteries. In some embodiments, when the battery being cooled is a cylindrical battery, the bending section 11 is arc-shaped. In other embodiments, when the battery being cooled is a square battery, the bending section 11 is square. In some embodiments, when the battery being cooled is a long blade battery, the bending section 11 is rectangular.

[0066] According to a second aspect of this application, a direct cooling assembly is provided, including at least one of the aforementioned cooling plates 100. The specific structure of the cooling plate 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this direct cooling assembly adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it possesses at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0067] In some embodiments, multiple cooling plates 100 are provided, and the multiple cooling plates 100 are spaced apart. A cooling cavity is formed between two adjacent cooling plates 100. The cooling cavity is used to accommodate the battery. The cooling plates 100 can cool the battery from two sides, resulting in high cooling efficiency. At the same time, each cooling plate 100 is provided with multiple curved sections 11, which are adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the battery, so that the cooling plate 100 can be in close contact with the battery, thereby improving the cooling effect.

[0068] This utility model also proposes a battery pack, which includes multiple batteries and a direct cooling assembly. The multiple batteries are disposed between two adjacent cooling plates 100. The specific structure of the direct cooling assembly is as described in the above embodiments. Since this battery pack adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0069] Furthermore, this utility model also proposes an electrical device, which includes the aforementioned battery pack. The specific structure of the battery pack is described in the above embodiments. Since this electrical device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it possesses at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated upon further here.

[0070] It is understood that the electrical equipment mentioned includes, but is not limited to, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, automobiles, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc. Automobiles can be gasoline-powered vehicles, natural gas-powered vehicles, and new energy vehicles.

[0071] The embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this utility model. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this utility model. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this utility model. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. A cooling plate (100), characterized by The application relates to a cooling pipe (10), at least one pipe joint (20) connected to one end of the cooling pipe (10) to communicate the cooling pipe (10), and a sealing member (30) arranged between the pipe joint (20) and the one end of the cooling pipe (10). The pipe joint (20) comprises a plastic pipe joint, and the cooling pipe (10) comprises a metal cooling pipe. The pipe joint (20) is provided with a receiving cavity (21) for receiving one end of the cooling pipe (10), wherein the sealing member (30) is located in the receiving cavity (21) and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the cooling pipe (10). The sealing member (30) is integrally formed with the pipe joint (20). The length of the cooling pipe (10) coinciding with the pipe joint (20) is X, the length of the sealing member (30) is Y, the wall thickness of the sealing member (30) is a, and a+1<=Y<=X-1.

2. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The wall thickness of the sealing member (30) is a, the original wall thickness of the sealing member (30) including an interference amount is b, the interference amount of the sealing member (30) is d, d=(b-a) / b, and 20%<=d<=90%.

3. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealing member (30) is formed with a through hole, the through hole is provided with a clamping protrusion (31) on the hole wall, the clamping protrusion (31) abuts against one end of the cooling pipe (10), so that the pipe joint (20) is interference-fitted with the cooling pipe (10).

4. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that The application further comprises a glue layer (40) arranged between the sealing member (30) and the cooling pipe (10), one end of the glue layer (40) abuts against one end of the clamping protrusion (31) facing the opening of the pipe joint (20), and the other end of the glue layer (40) extends to the opening of the pipe joint (20).

5. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The maximum value of the wall thickness of the glue layer (40) is c, the wall thickness of the sealing member (30) is a, and c>a.

6. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The length of the glue layer (40) is Z, the length of the cooling pipe (10) coinciding with the pipe joint (20) is X, and 1<=Z<=X-a-1.

7. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The application further relates to a cooling plate (100) comprising the cooling pipe (10) and the pipe joint (20).

8. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that ​ 9. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that ​ 10. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that ​ 11. A battery pack, characterized by ​

Images