Liquid cooling plate, battery pack and automobile

Abstract

The application discloses a liquid cooling plate, a battery pack and a car, wherein the liquid cooling plate comprises a plate body, a plurality of compression ribs and a limiting structure, the plate body has a first side plate and a second side plate, and is formed with a liquid flow cavity; the plurality of compression ribs are arranged at intervals to divide the liquid flow cavity into a plurality of liquid flow channels; the limiting structure comprises a first limiting rib and a second limiting rib, the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib are respectively fixed to the first side plate and the second side plate, and the limiting structure limits the limit position of the deformation of any one of the first side plate and the second side plate to the other through the mutual approach of the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib. The technical scheme of the application can make the liquid cooling plate have cooling function, buffering function and blocking function, effectively reduce the number of parts, reduce the cost, improve the space utilization of the battery pack, thereby improve the endurance and safety, and can make the liquid cooling plate be arranged on both large surfaces of the battery cell, greatly improve the heat management performance, and improve the power performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid cooling plate technology, and particularly to a liquid cooling plate, a battery pack, and an automobile. Background Technology

[0002] The power system of electric vehicles mainly uses power batteries as the power source. Most power batteries are lithium-ion power batteries. By assembling multiple lithium batteries into a battery pack, as much electrical energy as possible can be stored, enabling electric vehicles to achieve indicators such as high driving range, high charging speed, and high power performance. In order to ensure the safety and high driving range of electric vehicles, effective battery thermal management is necessary to avoid accidents such as short circuits and fires caused by excessive temperature during charging, discharging, or operation of lithium batteries. In the existing technology, liquid cooling is often used for battery thermal management, that is, heat exchange is mainly achieved through the contact between liquid cooling plates and the surface of the power battery.

[0003] Due to limitations in the mechanism and manufacturing process of lithium batteries, battery expansion is inevitable as the battery cycle progresses. In existing technologies, buffer materials such as silicone gaskets and foam are usually added between the liquid cooling plate and the battery to balance the expansion force and deformation caused by battery expansion. This buffering method occupies a large amount of space in the battery pack, reducing the space utilization rate of the battery pack. Furthermore, in traditional battery packs, to prevent the heat generated by the battery in thermal runaway from spreading or being transferred to surrounding batteries, fireproof and heat-insulating materials such as aerogel and heat insulation pads are usually added for barrier purposes, which also reduces the space utilization rate of the battery pack, thereby reducing the driving range, power performance and charging speed. In addition, it also increases manufacturing costs and reduces assembly efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a liquid cooling plate that has cooling, buffering, and barrier functions, effectively reducing the number of components and lowering costs while improving the space utilization of the battery pack, thereby enhancing range and safety. Furthermore, it enables liquid cooling plates to be arranged on both sides of the battery cell, significantly improving thermal management performance and also taking into account the improvement of power performance.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a liquid cooling plate applied to a battery pack, the battery pack comprising multiple battery cells and multiple liquid cooling plates, wherein any two liquid cooling plates hold a battery cell between them, and the liquid cooling plate comprises:

[0006] The plate body has a first side plate and a second side plate disposed opposite to each other, and the first side plate and the second side plate are connected to form a liquid flow cavity;

[0007] Multiple compression ribs, spaced apart and connected between the first side plate and the second side plate, divide the fluid flow cavity into multiple fluid flow channels for coolant flow; and

[0008] A limiting structure is provided between two adjacent compression ribs. The limiting structure includes a first limiting rib and a second limiting rib arranged opposite to each other. The first limiting rib and the second limiting rib are respectively fixed to the first side plate and the second side plate, so as to limit the extreme position of deformation of either the first side plate or the second side plate to the other by the mutual approach of the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib.

[0009] Optionally, the compression rib is inclined from the first side plate toward the second side plate, the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib are staggered, and the inclination direction of the line connecting the center of the first limiting rib and the center of the second limiting rib is opposite to the inclination direction of the compression rib.

[0010] Optionally, the angle formed between the inclined extension direction of the compression rib and the second side plate is θ, where θ is greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees.

[0011] Optionally, before the cell expands, the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib have a first misalignment distance H in the longitudinal direction, the compression rib has a first projected length, and after the cell expands, the compression rib has a second projected length, the difference between the first projected length and the second projected length is equal to the first misalignment distance.

[0012] Optionally, the first misalignment distance H is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1.5 mm.

[0013] Optionally, the compression rib is a straight segment, with one end connected to the first side plate and the other end connected to the second side plate.

[0014] Optionally, the compression rib includes a first fold, a second fold, and a transition section bent and connected between the first fold and the second fold. One end of the first fold is fixedly connected to the first side plate, and one end of the second fold is fixedly connected to the second side plate.

[0015] Optionally, the first fold segment is inclined from the first side plate toward the second side plate, and the second fold segment is parallel to the first fold segment.

[0016] Optionally, the transition segment includes a first arc segment and a second arc segment connected to each other, with one end of the first arc segment fixedly connected to the first bend segment and one end of the second arc segment fixedly connected to the second bend segment.

[0017] Optionally, the connection between the first arc segment and the second arc segment is tangent.

[0018] Optionally, the transition segment further includes a connecting segment, which is located between the first arc segment and the second arc segment and is tangent to one end of the first arc segment and one end of the second arc segment, respectively.

[0019] Optionally, multiple limiting structures are provided, and each of the multiple limiting structures is provided in a corresponding liquid flow channel;

[0020] And / or, each of the liquid flow channels is provided with multiple of the aforementioned limiting structures.

[0021] Optionally, the plate body is made of aluminum.

[0022] Optionally, the longitudinal distance between two adjacent compression ribs is h1, where h1 is greater than or equal to 15 mm and less than or equal to 25 mm.

[0023] And / or, the height of the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib in the longitudinal direction is h2, where h2 is greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 3mm;

[0024] And / or, the width of the first side plate and the second side plate in the lateral direction is h3, where h3 is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm;

[0025] And / or, the width of the fluid flow cavity in the transverse direction is h4, where h4 is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm;

[0026] And / or, the distance between the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib in the transverse direction is h5, where h5 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm.

[0027] Optionally, the length of the plate body is a, where a is greater than or equal to 800 mm and less than or equal to 1300 mm;

[0028] And / or, the width of the plate body is b, which is greater than or equal to 80 mm and less than or equal to 120 mm;

[0029] And / or, the thickness of the plate body is c, where c is greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 6 mm.

[0030] The present invention also proposes a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells and a liquid cooling plate as described above, wherein a plurality of liquid cooling plates are provided, and the battery cells are sandwiched between any two of the liquid cooling plates.

[0031] Optionally, a thermally conductive structural adhesive is provided between the battery cell and the liquid cooling plate.

[0032] The present invention also proposes an automobile that includes the battery pack described above.

[0033] In this invention, by replacing the original liquid cooling plate, buffer material, and heat insulation material, the liquid cooling plate of this invention possesses cooling, buffering, and barrier functions, effectively reducing the number of components and lowering costs while improving the space utilization of the battery pack, thereby enhancing range, power performance, charging speed, and safety. Specifically, by setting multiple compression ribs, on the one hand, the liquid flow cavity within the plate body is divided into multiple liquid flow channels for coolant. Utilizing the high heat capacity of the coolant, the heat generated by the battery cell is absorbed, thus blocking heat transfer and inhibiting heat spread. This improves the safety of the battery cell while reducing the number of components within the battery pack and increasing space utilization. On the other hand, under the action of battery cell expansion, the compression ribs are compressed and deformed, with the first side... The first and / or second side plates will also deform under stress and move closer to each other. This provides a buffer and reverse supporting force for the liquid cooling plate to balance the expansion force of the battery cell. This ensures the structural stability of the liquid cooling plate while better adapting to the expansion deformation of the battery cell, thus playing a buffering function. It can also effectively reduce the number of parts and further improve space utilization. In this process, the first and / or second side plates always have a large effective contact area with the battery cell, ensuring the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate and improving the reliability of the liquid cooling plate. In addition, by setting a limiting structure, the extreme position of deformation of either the first or second side plate towards the other is limited, ensuring that the coolant can still flow in the liquid flow channel under extreme conditions, realizing uniform cooling of the battery cell by the liquid cooling plate and improving the reliability of the liquid cooling plate. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the liquid cooling plate of the present invention in one embodiment;

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between two adjacent liquid cooling plates and their corresponding battery cells;

[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The front view shows a structural diagram illustrating the deformation state of the liquid cooling plate when the battery cell expands.

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the liquid cooling plate before deformation;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the liquid cooling plate after deformation;

[0040] Figure 6 for Figure 4 and Figure 5 A comparison diagram of the liquid cooling plate in two different states;

[0041] Figure 7 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the compression rib;

[0042] Figure 8 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the compression rib;

[0043] Figure 9 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the compression rib;

[0044] Figure 10 for Figure 4 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0045] Figure 11 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling plate.

[0046] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0047] label name label name 10 battery cells 33 transition section 20 Liquid cooling plate 33a First arc segment 21 First side panel 33b Second arc segment 22 Second side panel 33c Connecting segment 23 Fluid flow chamber 40 Limiting structure 23a Liquid flow channel 41 First limiting reinforcement 30 Compression ribs 42 Second limiting reinforcement 31 First section 60 First deformable surface 32 Second section 61 Second deformation surface

[0048] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0051] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the word "and / or" throughout the text means including three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0052] This invention proposes a liquid cooling plate 20 for use in a battery pack, as shown in the reference. Figures 1 to 2 The battery pack of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells 10 and a plurality of liquid cooling plates 20, wherein a battery cell 10 is sandwiched between any two liquid cooling plates 20. Furthermore, a plurality of liquid cooling plates 20 may be provided, arranged in an alternating manner, to ensure that both large opposing surfaces of a battery cell 10 are covered with a liquid cooling plate 20, thereby improving the thermal management performance of the liquid cooling plates 20 on the battery cell 10, and thus greatly extending the service life of the battery cell 10.

[0053] Reference Figures 1 to 11 In this embodiment of the invention, the liquid cooling plate 20 includes a plate body, a plurality of compression ribs 30, and a limiting structure 40. The plate body has a first side plate 21 and a second side plate 22 disposed opposite to each other, and the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are connected to form a liquid flow cavity 23. The plurality of compression ribs 30 are spaced apart and connected between the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 to divide the liquid flow cavity 23 into a plurality of liquid flow channels 23a for coolant flow. The limiting structure 40 is disposed between two adjacent compression ribs 30, and the limiting structure 40 includes a first limiting rib 41 and a second limiting rib 42 disposed opposite to each other, and the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 are respectively fixed to the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22. The second side plate 22, by the mutual proximity of the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42, limits the extreme position of either the first side plate 21 or the second side plate 22 to deform towards the other. In this way, while ensuring the reliability and structural stability of the liquid cooling plate 20, the liquid cooling plate 20 of the present invention has cooling, buffering and blocking functions by replacing the original liquid cooling plate, buffer material and heat insulation material. It effectively reduces the number of parts, reduces costs, and improves the space utilization of the battery pack. It allows for the arrangement of more battery cells 10 in the battery pack, thereby improving the range, power performance, charging speed and safety.

[0054] Understandable, such as Figure 1 As shown, multiple liquid cooling plates 20 and multiple battery cells 10 are staggered, meaning that a battery cell 10 is sandwiched between two adjacent liquid cooling plates 20, and a liquid cooling plate 20 is positioned between two adjacent battery cells 10, thereby effectively ensuring the safety and service life of the battery cells 10. Specifically, on the one hand, the liquid cooling plate 20 is located between two adjacent battery cells 10. Through the coolant flowing in the liquid flow cavity 23, the large heat capacity of the coolant absorbs the heat generated by the battery cell 10, delaying the temperature rise of the battery cell 10. The liquid cooling plate 20 also blocks heat transfer between two adjacent battery cells 10, effectively isolating heat transfer and diffusion, inhibiting heat spread, and thus improving the safety of the battery cells 10. The liquid cooling plate 20 is made of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as silver, copper, or aluminum. The liquid cooling plate 20 simultaneously covers multiple battery cells 10, as shown in the diagram. Figure 1 As shown, multiple battery cells 10 are arranged on both sides of the liquid cooling plate 20. When one of the battery cells 10 experiences thermal runaway, its high thermal conductivity material rapidly disperses heat, while the large heat capacity of its internal coolant quickly absorbs a large amount of heat. This reduces the heat transfer from the thermally runaway battery cell 10 to the surrounding battery cells 10 per unit time, ensuring that the heat absorbed by a single battery cell 10 per unit time is far below its thermal runaway threshold, effectively preventing heat propagation and ensuring the safety of the battery pack. The surrounding battery cells 10 are the multiple battery cells 10 surrounding the thermally runaway battery cell 10, i.e., those located on both sides of the thermally runaway battery cell 10 and adjacent battery cells blocked by the liquid cooling plate 20.

[0055] On the other hand, multiple compression ribs 30 arranged at intervals separate the liquid flow chamber 23 and form multiple liquid flow channels 23a. The compression ribs 30 respectively support the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22. This provides support for the liquid flow chamber 23, facilitates the flow of coolant within the liquid flow chamber 23, and improves the reliability and structural stability of the liquid cooling plate 20. Furthermore, the compression ribs 30 ensure that a certain clamping force is always maintained between the liquid cooling plate 20 and the battery cell 10. When the liquid cooling plate 20 is subjected to expansion and compression by the battery cell 10, they can provide buffering and reverse supporting force to balance the expansion force of the liquid cooling plate 20. Thus, while ensuring the structural stability of the liquid cooling plate 20, there is a large effective contact area between the plate body and the battery cell 10. That is, during the life cycle of the battery cell 10, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 deform due to the compression deformation of each compression rib 30. The liquid cooling plate 20 can absorb and offset the expansion force of the battery cell 10 and adapt to the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10. Figure 3As shown, the first deformation surface 60 formed by the expansion of the cell 10 matches the second deformation surface 61 formed by the deformation of the plate body. This can better adapt to the expansion of the cell 10 during its life cycle, ensuring that the structure of the cell 10 is not damaged under appropriate pressure, thereby improving the cycle life of the cell 10 and increasing the structural strength of the cell 10. At the same time, while ensuring the structural strength of the liquid cooling plate 20, it also ensures that there is always a large effective contact area between the liquid cooling plate 20 and the cell 10, improving the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate 20, thereby suppressing the occurrence of heat spread and improving the safety of the battery pack.

[0056] In extreme cases, such as when the cell 10 expands excessively, causing excessive deformation of the first side plate 21 toward the second side plate 22, and / or excessive deformation of the second side plate 22 toward the first side plate 21, the limiting structure 40 restricts the maximum distance between the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 that they can approach each other. This ensures that the coolant can still flow in each liquid flow channel 23a even in extreme cases, thereby achieving uniform cooling of the cell 10 by the liquid cooling plate 20 and improving the reliability of the liquid cooling plate 20.

[0057] The limiting structure 40 includes a first limiting rib 41 and a second limiting rib 42. The first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 are respectively fixed to the opposite surfaces of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22. In other words, the first limiting rib 41 and the first side plate 21, the second limiting rib 42 and the second side plate 22 can be an integral structure. For example, they can be fixedly connected by integral molding, welding, or embedding, so that the connection strength can be improved and the structure can be more stable.

[0058] Under the expansion of the battery cell 10, the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 will approach each other. When the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 approach each other to abut, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 stop deforming. At this time, the distance between part of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 is the sum of the thicknesses of the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 in the transverse direction (Y direction as shown in the figure, which is perpendicular to the first side plate 21). This avoids the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 from getting too close and reducing or even closing the liquid flow channel 23a, ensuring that the coolant passes smoothly, thereby ensuring the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate 20 and improving the thermal management performance of the liquid cooling plate 20 for the battery cell 10. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the limiting structure 40 may only be the first limiting rib 41 or the second limiting rib 42; or the limiting structure 40 may be a compressible spring sheet.

[0059] Furthermore, since the liquid cooling plate 20 itself has cooling, buffering, and barrier functions, compared to using buffering materials such as silicone gaskets and heat insulation materials such as aerogel to achieve the same functions, when the liquid cooling plate 20 is applied to the battery pack, it can make full use of the installation space inside the battery pack, reduce the number of other functional components, increase the number of battery cells 10, improve charging speed, enhance power performance, extend driving range, improve assembly efficiency, and reduce overall usage costs.

[0060] In this invention, by replacing the original liquid cooling plate, buffer material, and heat insulation material, the liquid cooling plate 20 of this invention has cooling, buffering, and barrier functions, effectively reducing the number of components and lowering costs while improving the space utilization of the battery pack, thereby enhancing range, power performance, charging speed, and safety. Specifically, by setting multiple compression ribs 30, on the one hand, the liquid flow cavity 23 in the plate body is divided into multiple liquid flow channels 23a for coolant. Utilizing the high heat capacity of the coolant, the heat generated by the battery cell 10 is absorbed, thus blocking heat transfer and inhibiting heat spread. This improves the safety of the battery cell 10 while reducing the number of components in the battery pack and improving space utilization. On the other hand, the compression ribs 30 are compressed and deformed under the expansion of the battery cell 10, and the first side plate 21 and / or the second side plate... The first side plate 21 and / or the second side plate 22 will also deform under stress and move closer to each other. This provides a buffer and reverse supporting force for the liquid cooling plate 20 to balance the expansion force of the battery cell 10. This ensures the structural stability of the liquid cooling plate 20 while better adapting to the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10, thus playing a buffering function. It can also effectively reduce the number of parts and further improve space utilization. In this process, the first side plate 21 and / or the second side plate 22 always have a large effective contact area with the battery cell 10, ensuring the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate 20 and improving the reliability of the liquid cooling plate 20. In addition, by setting the limiting structure 40, the extreme position of the deformation of either the first side plate 21 or the second side plate 22 towards the other is limited, ensuring that the coolant can still flow in the liquid flow channel 23a under extreme conditions, realizing uniform cooling of the battery cell 10 by the liquid cooling plate 20 and improving the reliability of the liquid cooling plate 20.

[0061] Reference Figures 4 to 9In one embodiment, the compression rib 30 is inclined from the first side plate 21 toward the second side plate 22, and the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 are staggered. The inclination direction of the line connecting the center of the first limiting rib 41 and the center of the second limiting rib 42 is opposite to the inclination direction of the compression rib 30. It can be understood that during the use of the battery cell 10, the battery cell 10 will expand and deform due to the expansion force. At this time, the expansion force squeezes the two adjacent liquid cooling plates 20 and transmits the expansion force to the liquid cooling plates 30 on both sides. Since the compression rib 30 is inclined, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are easy to bend and deform under the action of the expansion force to absorb the expansion force of the battery cell 10. Thus, the structural strength requirements of the liquid cooling plate 20 are met, and the cycle life requirements of the battery cell 10 are also met.

[0062] Furthermore, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are connected by the third side plate and the fourth side plate, respectively, and together they enclose the liquid flow cavity 23. The third side plate and the fourth side plate can be curved to accommodate the deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22. The inclination direction of the multiple compression ribs 30 is consistent, i.e., they are all inclined towards the third side plate of the liquid cooling plate 20, or they are all inclined towards the fourth side plate. In this case, the inclination direction of the line connecting the center of the first limiting rib 41 and the center of the second limiting rib 42 is opposite to the inclination direction of the compression ribs 30, preventing the first limiting ribs 41 and the second limiting ribs 42 from being too far apart and unable to abut, thus avoiding an excessively small distance between the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22, which would affect the flow of the coolant. Therefore, while satisfying the flow space of the coolant, the liquid cooling plate 20 also satisfies the thermal management performance of the battery cell 10, thereby significantly extending the service life of the battery cell 10.

[0063] Specifically, during the expansion and deformation process of the battery cell 10, as shown... Figure 3 and Figure 4 For example, the contact surface between the plate body and the battery cell 10 is deformed by compression. The first deformation surface 60 and the second deformation surface 61 are both arc-shaped structures, that is, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 will deform under compression. At this time, the connection point formed by the compression rib 30 and the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 will be misaligned with each other in the longitudinal direction (Z direction as shown in the figure). The first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 provided on the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are also misaligned with each other in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, in order to ensure that the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 are aligned, the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 are aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction. 2. They can mutually press against each other, ensuring smooth flow of coolant. Before the cell 10 expands and deforms, the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 are longitudinally staggered, and the inclination direction of the line connecting the center of the first limiting rib 41 and the center of the second limiting rib 42 is opposite to the inclination direction of the compression rib 30. This ensures that as the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 approach each other laterally (Y direction), they also approach each other longitudinally (Z direction), achieving a certain effective contact area for mutual contact before stopping their approach. Figure 5 The cross-sectional view shown illustrates the final deformation state of the liquid cooling plate 20 under the expansion of the battery cell 10. Figure 6 This is a comparative schematic diagram of the liquid cooling plate 20 before and after the expansion of the battery cell 10. The solid line represents the liquid cooling plate 20 before deformation, and the dashed line represents the liquid cooling plate 20 after deformation.

[0064] Furthermore, such as Figure 10 As shown, the angle formed by the inclined extension direction of the compression rib 30 and the second side plate 22 is θ. This angle is acute and θ is greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees. Understandably, the size of the acute angle formed by the inclined extension direction of the compression rib 30 and the second side plate 22, and similarly the size of the acute angle formed by the inclined extension direction of the compression rib 30 and the first side plate 21, determines the magnitude of the expansion force transmitted to the compression rib 30 via the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22. Specifically, if the angle is too small, i.e. less than 30 degrees, the compression rib 30 is easily compressed when the liquid cooling plate 20 is subjected to the expansion and compression of the battery cell 10. Furthermore, before the battery cell 10 expands, there is not enough initial preload to maintain a certain clamping force between the liquid cooling plate 29 and the battery cell 10, which cannot provide buffer and reverse support force for balancing the expansion force of the liquid cooling plate 20. If the angle is too large, i.e. greater than 60 degrees, the structural strength of the liquid cooling plate 20 is too high. When the liquid cooling plate 20 is subjected to the expansion and compression of the battery cell 10, the compression rib 30 is difficult to compress, resulting in the battery cell 10 being subjected to excessive pressure and restricted expansion. This greatly increases the risk of structural damage and premature lifespan degradation of the battery cell 10. The specific value of θ can be 30 degrees, 45 degrees, or 60 degrees, etc.

[0065] Furthermore, refer to again Figure 10 In one embodiment, before the cell 10 expands, the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 have a first misalignment distance H in the longitudinal direction (Z direction), and the compression rib 30 has a first projected length. After the cell 10 expands, the compression rib 30 has a second projected length, and the difference between the first projected length and the second projected length is equal to the first misalignment distance. In this way, it can be ensured that the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 have a large effective contact area when they abut against each other. For example, the opposing surfaces of the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 completely overlap, so that the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 support each other more reliably. This is beneficial to ensuring the smooth flow of the liquid flow channel 23a, that is, the coolant can flow smoothly in the liquid flow channel 23a. On the other hand, it is beneficial to ensure the structural stability of the liquid cooling plate 20. That is, the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 support each other with a large effective contact area. Under the action of the expansion force of the cell 10, the liquid cooling plate 20 cooperates with the compression rib 30 to make the structure more stable and improve the compressive strength of the plate body.

[0066] The first misalignment distance H is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1.5 mm, which facilitates its cooperation with the inclined compression rib 30, i.e., with an included angle of θ. Under the expansion force of the battery cell 10, it ensures that the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 can approach each other to abut, and have a large effective contact area. The first misalignment distance can specifically be 0.5 mm, 1 mm, or 1.5 mm, etc.

[0067] Reference Figure 7 In one embodiment, the compression rib 30 is a straight segment, with one end connected to the first side plate 21 and the other end connected to the second side plate 22. In this way, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 can be supported respectively to absorb the expansion force transmitted by the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22, so that the plate body can adapt to the expansion deformation of the cell 10 and meet the structural strength requirements of the liquid cooling plate 20 and the cycle life requirements of the cell 10.

[0068] Combined with reference Figure 4 and Figure 8 In one embodiment, the compression rib 30 includes a first fold 31, a second fold 32, and a transition section 33 bent and connected between the first fold 31 and the second fold 32. One end of the first fold 31 is fixedly connected to the first side plate 21, and one end of the second fold 32 is fixedly connected to the second side plate 22. This arrangement is beneficial for dividing the liquid flow cavity 23 to form multiple liquid flow channels 23a. On the other hand, it can further store force through the transition section 33. While supporting the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 and ensuring the structural stability of the liquid flow cavity 23, it can be compressed and deformed well, thereby causing the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 to deform and move closer to each other, adapting to the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10, ensuring the cycle life of the battery cell 10 and the structural stability and reliability of the liquid cooling plate 20.

[0069] The first fold 31 and the second fold 32 can be arranged in parallel and connected by bending through the transition section 33. This can increase the length of the compression rib 30 and improve its resistance to compressive deformation. At the same time, it can also reduce the squeezing force that brings the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 closer together, thus preventing the structure of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 from being damaged and causing the liquid cooling plate 20 to be scrapped.

[0070] Specifically, in one embodiment, the first fold 31 is inclined from the first side plate 21 toward the second side plate 22, and the second fold 32 is parallel to the first fold 31. That is, the first fold 31 is not perpendicular to the first side plate 21, and the second fold 32 is not perpendicular to the second side plate 22. This arrangement further increases the length of the compression rib 30, improves the compression deformation resistance of the compression rib 30, and also improves the fluid performance when the liquid flow channel 23a undergoes a sharp bend.

[0071] Reference Figure 8 In one embodiment, the transition segment 33 includes a first arc segment 33a and a second arc segment 33b connected to each other. One end of the first arc segment 33a is fixedly connected to the first fold segment 31, and one end of the second arc segment 33b is fixedly connected to the second fold segment 32. This can improve the structural strength of the compression rib 30 while improving the deformation capacity of the compression rib 30, and avoid the compression rib 30 from cracking or even breaking under stress.

[0072] Specifically, taking into account both manufacturing cost and performance, the connection between the first arc segment 33a and the second arc segment 33b is tangentially set, which ensures that the compression rib 30 can adapt to the compressive force of the expansion of the battery cell 10 and provide support for the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22, so that they fit together with the surface of the battery cell 10, absorb the expansion force of the battery cell 10 and adapt to the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10.

[0073] Or, refer to Figure 9 In one embodiment, the transition section further includes a connecting section 33c, which is located between the first arc segment 33a and the second arc segment 33b, and is tangentially arranged to one end of the first arc segment 33a and one end of the second arc segment 33b, respectively. This can improve the structural strength of the compression rib 30 while also increasing its deformation capacity, preventing the compression rib 30 from cracking or even breaking under stress. Furthermore, the transition section 33 is formed by connecting the first arc segment 33a, the connecting section 33c, and the second arc segment 33b. This ensures that the compression rib 30 can adapt to the compressive force of the cell 10 expansion and provides support for the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22, while also making the structure of the transition section 33 more gradual.

[0074] In this invention, the transition section 33 is integrally formed, and it is also integrally formed with the first fold section 31 and the second fold section 32, which facilitates the improvement of the structural strength of the compression rib 30.

[0075] Reference Figures 4 to 5 In one embodiment, multiple limiting structures 40 are provided, and each of the multiple limiting structures 40 is provided in a corresponding liquid flow channel 23a. In other words, each liquid flow channel 23a is provided with multiple limiting structures 40. In other words, at least one limiting structure can be provided in a liquid flow channel 23a. For example, only one can be provided, or two, three or even four can be provided. Under the premise of ensuring smooth flow of coolant and meeting thermal management requirements, the number can be selectively set according to the strength requirements of the plate body or the distance between two adjacent compression ribs 30, so as to meet the compressive strength requirements of the liquid cooling plate 20 and the cycle life requirements of the battery cell 10.

[0076] Optionally, in one embodiment, the liquid cooling plate 20 should be made of a metal with good thermal conductivity, good structural strength and easy processing. Considering the manufacturing cost and performance of each material, the liquid cooling plate 20 is preferably made of aluminum, that is, the plate body is made of aluminum. In addition, the compression rib 30 can also be made of aluminum.

[0077] Reference Figure 4 In one embodiment, the longitudinal distance between two adjacent compression ribs 30 is h1, where h1 is greater than or equal to 15mm and less than or equal to 25mm. On the one hand, this ensures that the deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 between the two adjacent compression ribs 30 is moderate under the expansion force of the battery cell 10, and can absorb the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10 in time, so that the liquid cooling plate 20 meets the expansion force requirements of the battery cell 10. On the other hand, it reduces the number of limiting structures 40 between the two adjacent compression ribs 30, thereby reducing costs.

[0078] Specifically, if h1 is less than 15mm, with the limiting structure 40, the deformation of the compression rib 30 is small during the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10, and the deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 is small. This results in insufficient initial preload before the battery cell 10 expands and inability to absorb the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10 in time after expansion, i.e., the expansion force of the battery cell 10 cannot be balanced, so the liquid cooling plate 20 cannot meet the expansion force requirements of the battery cell 10. If h1 is greater than 25mm, the distance between the two adjacent compression ribs 30 is large, resulting in the height of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 between the two adjacent compression ribs 30 being too high in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are easily deformed under the expansion force of the battery cell 10. Therefore, it is necessary to add the limiting structure 40 to limit the deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 and improve the stability of the structure. h1 can be 15mm, 16mm, 17mm, 18mm, 19mm, 20mm, 21mm, 22mm, 23mm, 24mm or 25mm, etc.

[0079] Reference Figure 10 In one embodiment, the height of the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 in the longitudinal direction is h2, where h2 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm. The height can be set according to the size of h1. On the one hand, this can ensure the structural stability of the liquid cooling plate 20. On the other hand, it can prevent the limiting structure 40 from occupying too much space in the liquid flow channel 23a when the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 abut against each other, resulting in too little flow of coolant. Alternatively, the limiting structure 40 may be unstable and close the liquid flow channel 23a under the expansion force of the battery cell 10, thereby affecting the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate 20 and reducing the thermal management performance of the liquid cooling plate 20.

[0080] Specifically, if h2 is less than 1 mm, the contact surface between the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 is too small. When the expansion force of the battery cell 10 is too large, the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 are easily deformed, causing excessive deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22, closing the liquid flow channel 23a, thereby affecting the structural strength of the liquid cooling plate 20 and the smooth flow of the coolant. If h2 is greater than 3 mm, the contact surface between the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 is too large. At this time, the space occupied by the limiting structure 40 is large, and the space for coolant flow in the liquid flow channel 23a is small, which easily reduces the flow of coolant and reduces the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate 20. h2 can be 1 mm, 2 mm, or 3 mm, etc.

[0081] Reference Figure 10 In one embodiment, the width of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 in the lateral direction is both h3, where h3 is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm. This ensures that the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 deform under the expansion force of the battery cell 10, thereby balancing the expansion force of the battery cell 10 and meeting the cycle life requirements of the battery cell 10.

[0082] Specifically, if h3 is less than 0.5 mm, the structural strength and compressive strength of the plate body are low, meaning it is prone to deformation under the pressure of the internal coolant and during processing and movement. Under the expansion force of the battery cell 10, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are easily deformed. If h3 is greater than 1 mm, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are too thick, resulting in excessively high structural strength of the plate body. When the liquid cooling plate 20 is subjected to the expansion and compression of the battery cell 10, the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 are difficult to be deformed, causing the battery cell 10 to be subjected to excessive pressure and restricted expansion. This prevents the expansion force requirement of the battery cell 10 from being met, greatly increasing the risk of structural damage and premature lifespan degradation of the battery cell 10. h3 can specifically be 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, or 1 mm, etc.

[0083] Reference Figure 10 In one embodiment, before the cell 10 expands, the width of the liquid flow cavity 23 in the lateral direction is h4, which is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm; that is, the distance between the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 in the Y direction is h4, so as to ensure that the liquid flow channel 23a formed between the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 can meet the refrigerant flow requirements. h4 can specifically be 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm or 5 mm, etc.

[0084] Reference Figure 10In one embodiment, the lateral distance between the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 is h5, where h5 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm. This distance can be set according to the compression rib 30, the θ value, and the size of h4 to ensure that during the expansion and deformation of the battery cell 10, the first limiting rib 41 and the second limiting rib 42 can approach and abut against each other with a large effective contact area. Simultaneously, it ensures the deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22, guaranteeing that the deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22 can absorb and counteract the expansion force of the battery cell 10, and limits the extreme positions of the deformation of the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22. This allows the coolant to flow smoothly through the liquid flow channel 23a between the first side plate 21 and the second side plate 22, meeting the refrigerant flow requirements. h5 can specifically be 1 mm, 2 mm, or 3 mm, etc.

[0085] Reference Figure 11 In one embodiment, the length of the plate body is 'a', which is greater than or equal to 800 mm and less than or equal to 1300 mm; in another embodiment, the width of the plate body is 'b', which is greater than or equal to 80 mm and less than or equal to 120 mm; in yet another embodiment, the thickness of the plate body is 'c', which is greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 6 mm. It is understood that the length, width, and thickness of the plate body can be set according to the specific dimensions of the battery pack, so as to meet the thermal management requirements of the battery pack while minimizing the space occupied by the liquid cooling plate 20, thereby increasing the content of the battery cells 10 in the battery pack, thereby improving the battery pack's range, charging speed, and power performance, while also improving the safety of the battery pack.

[0086] Specifically, when a is less than 800mm, b is less than 80mm, and c is less than 3mm, the overall structure of the liquid cooling plate 20 is small, making it unable to cool multiple battery cells 10 simultaneously. This easily increases the content of the liquid cooling plate 20 and the flow of coolant, thereby reducing the usability and safety of the battery pack. When a is greater than 1300mm, b is greater than 120mm, and c is greater than 6mm, the overall structure of the liquid cooling plate 20 is large, occupying a large space within the battery pack. This reduces the content of battery cells 10 within the battery pack, thus reducing the battery pack's range, charging speed, and power performance. a can specifically be 800mm, 900mm, 1000mm, 1100mm, 1200mm, or 1300mm, etc.; b can specifically be 80mm, 90mm, 100mm, 1100mm, or 120mm, etc.; and c can specifically be 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, or 6mm, etc.

[0087] The present invention also proposes a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells 10 and a liquid cooling plate 20. The specific structure of the liquid cooling plate 20 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. Multiple liquid cooling plates 20 are provided, and a battery cell 10 is sandwiched between any two liquid cooling plates 20.

[0088] Specifically, two liquid cooling plates 20 are disposed on both sides of the battery cell 10, so that both large surfaces of the battery cell 10 facing each other are provided with liquid cooling plates 20. Since the liquid cooling plates 20 have cooling, buffering and barrier functions, the overall structure is simplified and the battery pack has a larger space to integrate multiple battery cells 10, which greatly improves the battery pack's range, charging speed and power performance, while also improving assembly efficiency and reducing costs.

[0089] Furthermore, a thermally conductive structural adhesive is provided between the battery cell 10 and the liquid cooling plate 20. Since the thermally conductive structural adhesive has better thermal conductivity and bonding performance, it can simplify the connection structure between the battery cell 10 and the liquid cooling plate 20, reduce costs, and transfer the heat generated by the battery cell 10 and the expansion deformation to the liquid cooling plate 20, so that the liquid cooling plate 20 absorbs heat, slows down the heating rate of the battery cell 10, and absorbs and offsets the expansion force of the battery cell 10 and adapts to the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10.

[0090] The present invention also proposes an automobile, which includes a battery pack. The specific structure of the battery pack is as described in the above embodiments. Since the automobile 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, which will not be described in detail here.

[0091] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid cooling plate, applied to a battery pack, the battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of said liquid cooling plates, wherein any two said liquid cooling plates hold the battery cells between them, characterized in that, The liquid cooling plate includes: The plate body has a first side plate and a second side plate disposed opposite to each other, and the first side plate and the second side plate are connected to form a liquid flow cavity; Multiple compression ribs, spaced apart and connected between the first side plate and the second side plate, divide the fluid flow cavity into multiple fluid flow channels for coolant flow; and A limiting structure is provided between two adjacent compression ribs. The limiting structure includes a first limiting rib and a second limiting rib arranged opposite to each other. The first limiting rib is fixed to the inner surface of the first side plate, and the second limiting rib is fixed to the inner surface of the second side plate. The mutual proximity of the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib limits the extreme position of either the first side plate or the second side plate to deform toward the other. The compression rib is inclined from the first side plate toward the second side plate. When the cell is not expanded, the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib are misaligned in the longitudinal direction of the plate body, and the inclination direction of the line connecting the center of the first limiting rib and the center of the second limiting rib is opposite to the inclination direction of the compression rib. When the battery cell expands, the first side plate and the second side plate move closer to each other and deform, causing the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib to move closer to each other and abut against each other when they reach the deformation limit position, so as to prevent the liquid flow channel from being completely closed.

2. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the inclined extension direction of the compression rib and the second side plate is θ, where θ is greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees.

3. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Before the cell expands, the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib have a first misalignment distance H in the longitudinal direction, the compression rib has a first projected length, and after the cell expands, the compression rib has a second projected length. The difference between the first projected length and the second projected length is equal to the first misalignment distance.

4. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first misalignment distance H is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1.5 mm.

5. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The compression rib is a straight segment, with one end connected to the first side plate and the other end connected to the second side plate.

6. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The compression rib includes a first fold, a second fold, and a transition section bent between the first fold and the second fold. One end of the first fold is fixedly connected to the first side plate, and one end of the second fold is fixedly connected to the second side plate.

7. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The first fold segment is inclined from the first side plate toward the second side plate, and the second fold segment is parallel to the first fold segment.

8. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The transition section includes a first arc segment and a second arc segment connected to each other. One end of the first arc segment is fixedly connected to the first bend segment, and one end of the second arc segment is fixedly connected to the second bend segment.

9. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The connection between the first arc segment and the second arc segment is tangent.

10. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The transition section further includes a connecting section, which is located between the first arc segment and the second arc segment, and is tangent to one end of the first arc segment and one end of the second arc segment, respectively.

11. The liquid-cooled plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting structure is provided in multiple ways, and each of the multiple limiting structures is provided in a corresponding liquid flow channel; And / or, each of the liquid flow channels is provided with multiple of the aforementioned limiting structures.

12. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The plate body is made of aluminum.

13. The liquid-cooled plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The longitudinal distance between two adjacent compression ribs is h1, where h1 is greater than or equal to 15mm and less than or equal to 25mm; And / or, the height of the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib in the longitudinal direction is h2, where h2 is greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 3mm; And / or, the width of the first side plate and the second side plate in the lateral direction is h3, where h3 is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm; And / or, the width of the fluid flow cavity in the transverse direction is h4, where h4 is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm; And / or, the distance between the first limiting rib and the second limiting rib in the transverse direction is h5, where h5 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm.

14. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the plate body is a, where a is greater than or equal to 800 mm and less than or equal to 1300 mm; And / or, the width of the plate body is b, which is greater than or equal to 80 mm and less than or equal to 120 mm; And / or, the thickness of the plate body is c, where c is greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 6 mm.

15. A battery pack, characterized in that, It includes multiple battery cells and a liquid cooling plate as described in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein multiple liquid cooling plates are provided, and the battery cells are sandwiched between any two liquid cooling plates.

16. The battery pack as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, Thermally conductive structural adhesive is provided between the battery cell and the liquid cooling plate.

17. A car, characterized in that, Includes the battery pack as described in any one of claims 15 or 16.

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