Cooling systems for batteries, battery packs, and vehicles.

Abstract

Invention details;

Description

Battery cooling system, battery pack and vehicle

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application number 202222024670.X, filed with the Patent Office of China on August 2, 2022, and entitled “Cooling System, Battery Pack and Vehicle for Battery,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this disclosure. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular, to a battery cooling system, a battery pack, and a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] In the related art, the connecting pieces in the battery pack are passively cooled naturally only by a small amount of air in the battery pack. However, this method has limited heat dissipation capacity and poor heat dissipation effect.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a battery cooling system, a battery pack, and a vehicle, which can achieve efficient heat dissipation of a connecting piece.

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present disclosure provides a battery cooling system, comprising: a main cold plate, in which a first cooling channel is provided, and the main cold plate is used to cool the battery cells; and a connecting plate cooling plate, which is arranged on the main cold plate, in which a second cooling channel is provided, and the connecting plate cooling plate is used to cool the connecting plate.

[0008] Optionally, the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel are independent of each other and are not connected.

[0009] Optionally, the first cooling channel is in communication with the second cooling channel.

[0010] Optionally, a first joint is provided at the inlet and the outlet of the second cooling channel respectively, and a plurality of second joints are provided on the main cold plate, and the second joints correspond to the first joints one by one and are connected to each other.

[0011] Optionally, a sealing hose is provided at the connection between the first joint and the second joint.

[0012] On the basis of the above technical solution, the present disclosure further provides a battery pack, including the above battery cooling system.

[0013] Optionally, the battery pack further includes a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of connecting plates, the battery cells are fixedly arranged on the main cold plate, the connecting plates are connected to the poles of the battery cells, and the connecting plate cooling plate is fixedly connected to the connecting plates.

[0014] Optionally, the battery core is fixedly connected to the main cold plate via thermally conductive adhesive.

[0015] Optionally, the connecting piece cooling plate is fixedly connected to the connecting piece by means of thermally conductive adhesive.

[0016] Optionally, the battery pack further includes a battery tray, the main cold plate includes a first cooling plate, and the first cooling plate is integrated on the battery tray.

[0017] Optionally, the battery tray includes an outer frame and a bottom plate, and the first cooling plate is integrated on the bottom plate.

[0018] Optionally, the battery pack further includes a sealing cover, and the main cold plate further includes a second cooling plate, and the second cooling plate is integrated on the sealing cover.

[0019] On the basis of the above technical solution, the present disclosure further provides a vehicle, comprising the battery cooling system or the battery pack.

[0020] Through the above technical solution, the battery cooling system provided in the present invention includes a main cold plate and a connecting plate cooling plate. A first cooling channel is provided in the main cold plate. By passing a cooling medium (such as coolant) into the first cooling channel in the main cold plate, heat dissipation and cooling of the battery cell are achieved. In addition, a second cooling channel is provided in the connecting plate cooling plate. By passing a cooling medium (such as coolant) into the second cooling channel in the connecting plate cooling plate, heat dissipation and cooling of the connecting plate are achieved. The additional connecting plate cooling plate can efficiently and timely dissipate heat for the connecting plate in the battery pack, reducing the impact of overheating of the connecting plate on battery performance and life.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the following detailed description, they are used to explain the present disclosure but do not constitute a limitation of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings:

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cooling system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of point A in FIG. 1 .

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG4 is a perspective exploded view of a battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG5 is another exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of point B in FIG. 5 .

[0029] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery tray in a battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Description of Reference Numerals

[0032] 1- Main cold plate; 11- Inlet connector; 12- Outlet connector; 13- Second connector; 14- First cooling plate; 15- Second cooling plate; 2- Connecting plate cooling plate; 21- First connector; 3- Sealing hose; 4- Battery cell; 41- Fixing bracket; 42- Aerogel; 43- First thermal conductive adhesive; 5- Connecting plate; 51- Second thermal conductive adhesive; 6- Flexible circuit board; 7- Protective shell; 8- Outer frame; 81- Expansion beam; 82- Middle longitudinal beam; 9- Bottom plate; 100- Battery cooling system; 200- Battery pack; 201- Battery tray; 300- Vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following describes the specific embodiments of the present disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0034] In this disclosure, unless otherwise indicated, directional terms such as "inside" and "outside" refer to the outlines of the corresponding components themselves. Furthermore, when the following description refers to the drawings, identical numbers in different drawings represent identical or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with certain aspects of this disclosure, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0035] Electric vehicle battery packs typically feature connectors, which are welded or otherwise securely connected to the cell terminals, enabling series and parallel connections between the cells. During fast charging, the battery, connectors, and other electrical connections are subjected to continuous high currents. The inherent resistance of the connectors and other electrical connections, as well as the increased resistance from welding, generates significant heat. If the connectors and other electrical connections cannot dissipate this heat in a timely manner, the battery temperature will rise, affecting its performance and lifespan.

[0036] According to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, with reference to Figures 1 to 7, a battery cooling system 100 is provided, including: a main cold plate 1, in which a first cooling channel is provided, and the main cold plate 1 is used to cool the battery cell 4; and a connecting plate cooling plate 2, which is provided on the main cold plate 1 and has a second cooling channel provided therein, and the connecting plate cooling plate 2 is used to cool the connecting plate 5.

[0037] Through the above technical solution, the battery cooling system 100 provided in the present disclosure includes a main cold plate 1 and a connecting plate cooling plate 2. A first cooling channel is provided in the main cold plate 1. By passing a cooling medium (such as coolant) into the first cooling channel in the main cold plate 1, heat dissipation and cooling of the battery cell 4 is achieved. In addition, a second cooling channel is provided in the connecting plate cooling plate 2. The battery cooling system 100 provided in the present disclosure achieves heat dissipation and cooling of the connecting plate 5 by passing a cooling medium (such as coolant) into the second cooling channel in the connecting plate cooling plate 2. The additional connecting plate cooling plate 2 can efficiently and timely dissipate heat for the connecting plate 5 in the battery pack, reducing the impact of overheating of the connecting plate 5 on battery performance and life.

[0038] Wherein, referring to FIG1 , the main cold plate 1 can be a complete liquid-cooling plate, or can be formed by splicing together multiple liquid-cooling plates. The main cold plate 1 includes an inlet connector 11 and an outlet connector 12, and both the inlet connector 11 and the outlet connector 12 are connected to the first cooling channel. In the case where the main cold plate 1 is a complete liquid-cooling plate, the connecting plate cooling plate 2 is arranged above the main cold plate 1, wherein the connecting plate cooling plate 2 can be a metal extruded harmonica tube, a serpentine tube or a stamped brazing plate. The specific position of the connecting plate cooling plate 2 on the main cold plate 1 can be determined according to the position of the connecting plate 5, and the present disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on this. In the case where the main cold plate 1 is formed by splicing together multiple liquid-cooling plates, each liquid-cooling plate can be provided with its own connecting plate cooling plate 2. It is also possible that the same connecting plate cooling plate 2 is arranged across at least two liquid-cooling plates, and the present disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0039] In one embodiment provided in the present disclosure, the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel can be independent of each other and not connected to each other, so as to achieve independent control of the main cold plate 1 and the connecting plate cooling plate 2, wherein, when the main cold plate 1 and the connecting plate cooling plate 2 are independent of each other and not connected to each other, the substance passed into the second cooling channel can be a coolant or a coolant.

[0040] In other embodiments provided by the present disclosure, as shown in reference Figure 1, the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel may also be interconnected, so that the channel for the flow of the cooling medium (such as coolant) in the entire battery cooling system 100 forms a passage. When the coolant is introduced into the main cold plate 1, the coolant can flow in the first cooling channel of the main cold plate 1 and the second cooling channel of the connecting plate cooling plate 2. There is no need to connect a coolant delivery device to each connecting plate cooling plate 2. In other words, the main cold plate 1 and the connecting plate cooling plate 2 share the same coolant delivery device. In this way, the provision of multiple coolant delivery devices can be avoided, thereby saving internal space of the battery pack and reducing the cost of the battery pack.

[0041] Wherein, when the first cooling channel is connected to the second cooling channel, as shown in FIG1 and FIG2 , a first joint 21 can be provided at the inlet of the second cooling channel and the outlet of the second cooling channel, respectively. A plurality of second joints 13 are provided on the main cold plate 1. The second joints 13 correspond one-to-one with the first joints 21 and are connected to each other. Through the above-mentioned design method, the first joint 21 and the second joint 13 are both extended joint structures. The second joints 13 are provided one-to-one with the first joint 21, which facilitates the connection between the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel. Wherein, the connecting plate cooling plate 2 has a length, and the two first joints 21 are respectively provided at both ends of the length direction of the connecting plate cooling plate 2. The first joint 21 and the second joint 13 can both be metal joints, and the first joint 21 and the corresponding second joint 13 extend in a direction close to each other.

[0042] To reduce the possibility of coolant leakage at the connection between the first connector 21 and the second connector 13, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG2 , a sealing hose 3 is provided at the connection between the first connector 21 and the second connector 13. The sealing hose 3 seals the connection between the first connector 21 and the second connector 13, preventing coolant from escaping from the battery cooling system 100 and reducing the possibility of coolant affecting other structures within the battery pack, such as the battery cells 4. The inner wall of the sealing hose 3 is positioned in close contact with the outer walls of the first connector 21 and the second connector 13.

[0043] Based on the above technical solution, the present disclosure further provides a battery pack 200, as shown in Figures 3 to 6 . This battery pack 200 includes the aforementioned battery cooling system 100. This design allows the battery pack 200 to include a connecting piece cooling plate 2 that cools and dissipates heat from the connecting piece 5, preventing overheating of the connecting piece 5 from impacting the operation of the battery pack 200. The battery pack 200 provided in the present disclosure also possesses the aforementioned features, and to avoid repetition, these features will not be detailed here.

[0044] In one embodiment provided by the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3 , a battery pack 200 further includes a plurality of battery cells 4 and a plurality of connecting plates 5. The battery cells 4 are fixedly mounted on a main cold plate 1, the connecting plates 5 are connected to the poles of the battery cells 4, and the connecting plate cooling plate 2 is fixedly connected to the connecting plates 5. Through the above-described design, the battery cells 4 are mounted on the main cold plate 1, which facilitates heat dissipation and cooling of the battery cells 4. Similarly, the connecting plate cooling plate 2 is fixedly mounted on the connecting plates 5, which also enables the connecting plate cooling plate 2 to better dissipate heat and cool the heated connecting plates 5.

[0045] Wherein, referring to Figures 3 and 4, a plurality of battery cells 4 are arranged along a first direction and formed into a battery cell row (including a row of battery cells 4 and other structures connected or arranged on the battery cells 4) through a fixed bracket 41, and aerogel 42 is arranged between adjacent battery cells 4. The aerogel 42 realizes heat insulation between the battery cells 4 and can absorb the expansion of the battery cells 4. The fixed bracket 41 extends along the first direction, and a plurality of connecting plates 5 arranged at intervals along the first direction are respectively provided on the opposite sides of each battery cell row. The connecting plates 5 are used to connect the multiple battery cells 4 in the battery cell row to form a battery module. It should be noted that a connecting plate cooling plate 2 can be fixed on the outside of the connecting plate 5 on the same side of the battery cell row, or a plurality of connecting plate cooling plates 2 arranged along the first direction can be fixed.

[0046] In one embodiment provided in the present disclosure, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the battery pack 200 also includes a flexible circuit board 6 and a protective shell 7. The flexible circuit board 6 and the protective shell 7 both extend along the first direction. The connecting plate cooling plate 2 is located between the flexible circuit board 6 and the connecting plate 5. The flexible circuit board 6 is used to monitor and measure the voltage and temperature of the battery module and communicate with the BMS (Battery Management System) of the entire package. The protective shell 7 is covered on the outside of the flexible circuit board 6, the connecting plate cooling plate 2 and the connecting plate 5. The protective shell 7 is clamped to the fixed bracket 41 to protect the above structure.

[0047] Referring to Figures 3 to 5, in order to ensure that the battery cell 4 is firmly connected to the main cold plate 1 without affecting the conduction of heat, in one embodiment provided in the present disclosure, the battery cell 4 can be fixedly connected to the main cold plate 1 by a thermally conductive adhesive. The thermally conductive adhesive between the battery cell 4 and the main cold plate 1 can be a first thermally conductive adhesive 43. At the same time, in order to ensure that the connecting piece 5 is firmly connected to the connecting piece cooling plate 2 without affecting the conduction of heat, in one embodiment provided in the present disclosure, the connecting piece cooling plate 2 can also be fixedly connected to the connecting piece 5 by a thermally conductive adhesive. The thermally conductive adhesive between the connecting piece 5 and the connecting piece cooling plate 2 can be a second thermally conductive adhesive 51. In other embodiments, the connecting piece cooling plate 2 and the connecting piece 5 can be connected and fixed by a thermally conductive structural adhesive, and the battery cell 4 and the main cold plate 1 can also be connected and fixed by a thermally conductive structural adhesive. The present disclosure does not impose any specific restrictions on this.

[0048] In one embodiment provided by the present disclosure, with reference to Figures 5 and 7, the battery pack 200 further includes a battery tray 201, and the main cold plate 1 may include a first cooling plate 14, which may be integrated on the battery tray 201. Through the above-mentioned design method, the battery module is placed on the battery tray 201, and heat is directly dissipated through the first cooling plate 14 integrated on the battery tray 201, so that the degree of integration after the first cooling plate 14 and the battery pack 200 are combined is higher, and it is easy to dissipate heat for the battery cells 4 in the battery module. In addition, the first cooling plate 14 and the battery tray 201 can also be two independent structures fixed together, and the first cooling plate 14 and the battery tray 201 can also be integrated into the same structure (that is, forming a battery tray 201 with liquid cooling function).

[0049] 5, 6 and 7, the battery tray 201 includes a base plate 9 and an outer frame 8. The outer frame 8 is a square frame structure formed by welding extruded profiles. The outer frame 8 is arranged outside the battery module. The first cooling plate 14 is integrated on the base plate 9, and the integrated base plate 9 and the first cooling plate 14 are fixed to the bottom of the outer frame 8 by stir friction welding or other forms. The battery module is fixed to the first cooling plate 14 after integration with the base plate by thermal conductive adhesive or thermal conductive structural adhesive. There can be one or more battery modules in the outer frame 8, and this disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0050] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, four battery modules are housed within an outer frame 8. A central expansion beam 81 and a central longitudinal beam 82 are fixed to the inner wall of the outer frame 8. The central expansion beam 81 and the central longitudinal beam 82 are connected in a cross-shaped pattern within the outer frame 8, thereby dividing the interior of the outer frame 8 into four areas, each of which can accommodate a battery module. For two battery modules distributed along a first direction, the connecting piece 5 located on the same side of the two battery modules can be provided with only one connecting piece cooling plate 2. The central expansion beam 81 is high enough to avoid the connecting piece cooling plate 2. The first cooling plate 14 is bonded to the lower surfaces of the battery cells 4 of all battery modules within the outer frame 8 using thermally conductive adhesive or thermally conductive structural adhesive.

[0051] In the specific embodiment provided by the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the battery pack 200 also includes a sealing cover, and the main cold plate 1 also includes a second cooling plate 15, and the second cooling plate 15 can be integrated on the sealing cover. Through the above design method, the sealing cover can also have the function of cooling the battery cell, thereby achieving efficient cooling and heat dissipation of the battery cell. Among them, the second cooling plate 15 and the sealing cover can be two independent structures fixed together, and the second cooling plate 15 and the sealing cover can also be integrated into the same structure (that is, forming a sealing cover with a cooling function), so that the degree of integration of the battery pack 200 disclosed in the present disclosure is higher. The second cooling plate 15 integrated with the sealing cover can be fixedly connected to the upper surface of the battery cell 4 of all battery modules in the outer frame 8 by thermal conductive glue or thermal conductive structural glue. Among them, the connecting plate cooling plate 2 can be connected to the first cooling plate 14, can also be connected to the second cooling plate 15, and can also be connected to the first cooling plate 14 and the second cooling plate 15 at the same time. The present disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on this. In other embodiments, the main cold plate 1 may include only the first cooling plate 14 , and the sealing plate may be a cover plate made of plastic or metal and is disposed on the battery tray 201 .

[0052] Based on the above technical solution, the present disclosure further provides a vehicle 300, as shown in FIG8 , which includes the battery cooling system 100 or the battery pack 200 described above. Through the above design approach, the vehicle 300 equipped with the battery cooling system 100 or the battery pack 200 of the present disclosure is protected from overheating of the connecting piece 5 and the resulting impact on the battery. This ensures more stable operating performance and reduces the failure rate of the vehicle 300. The battery pack 200 can be installed on the vehicle 300 or integrated with the vehicle body.

[0053] The implementation principle of the embodiment of the present disclosure is as follows: a main cold plate 1 is fixedly arranged on the battery cell 4, a connecting plate cooling plate 2 is fixedly arranged on the outside of the connecting plate 5, and a coolant or refrigerant is introduced into the main cold plate 1 and the connecting plate cooling plate 2. While dissipating heat from the battery cell 4, the connecting plate 5 is also dissipated. The connecting plate 5 is no longer passively cooled only by air, but the connecting plate cooling plate 2 is arranged to directly actively cool the connecting plate 5, thereby achieving efficient cooling of the connecting plate 5 and reducing the impact of overheating of the connecting plate 5 on battery performance and life.

[0054] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the technical concept of the present disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0055] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any appropriate manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, the present disclosure will not further describe various possible combinations.

[0056] In addition, the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be arbitrarily combined, and as long as they do not violate the concept of the present disclosure, they should also be regarded as the contents disclosed by the present disclosure.

Claims

DEPCT681. Cooling system (100) for the battery, which consists of: the main cooling plate (1), in which the first cooling channel is provided in the main cooling plate (1), and in which the main cooling plate (1) is configured to cool the battery cells (4); and the junction plate cooling plate (2), in which the junction plate cooling plate (2) is arranged on the main cooling plate (1), in which the second cooling channel is provided in the junction plate cooling plate (2), and in which the junction plate cooling plate (2) is configured to cool the junction plate (5).

2. Cooling system (100) for the battery according to claim 1, in which the first and second cooling channels are independent of each other and do not communicate with each other.

3. Cooling system (100) for the battery according to claim 1, in which the first cooling channel communicates with the second cooling channel.4.Cooling system (100) for the battery under claim 1 or 3, where the first connector (21) is arranged at the inlet and outlet of the second cooling channel respectively, multiple second connectors (13) are arranged on the main cooling plate (1), and the second connector (13) and the first connector (21) are in a one-to-one corresponding manner and communicate with each other.

5. Cooling system (100) for the battery under claim 4, where a sealing wire (3) is wrapped at the joints of the first connector (21) and the second connector (21). Second (13)6. Battery pack (200), which includes a cooling system (100) for the battery according to any of Claims 1 to 5.

7. Battery pack (200) according to Claim 6, which includes a multitude of battery cells (4) and a multitude of connecting plates (5), in which the battery cells (4) are arranged in a fixed manner on the main cooling plate (1), in which connecting plate (5) is connected to the ends of the battery cells (4), and in which the cooling plate of the connecting plate (2) is connected in a fixed manner to the connecting plate (5). 8.Battery pack (200) under claim 7, in which battery cells (4) are permanently connected to the main cooling plate (1) via a heat-conducting adhesive.

9. Battery pack (200) under claim 7 or 8, in which the cooling plate of the connecting plate (2) is permanently connected to the connecting plate (5) via a heat-conducting adhesive.

10. Battery pack (200) under any of claims 6 through 9, which is further incorporated with a battery tray (201), in which the main cooling plate (1) is incorporated with the cooling plate of the connecting plate (2).

11. Battery pack (200) under claim 10, in which the battery pack (201) is incorporated with the outer frame (8) and bottom plate (9), and the first cooling plate (14) is incorporated onto the bottom plate (9).

12. Battery pack (200) under claim 10, which is incorporated with a sealed cover, in which the primary cooling plate (1) is incorporated with a second cooling plate (15), and in which the second cooling plate (15) is incorporated onto the sealed cover. 13.Vehicles (300), which include a cooling system (100) for batteries under any of Claims 1 to 5 or battery packs (200) under any of Claims 6 to 12;

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