Charging equipment and thermal management method thereof

Abstract

A charging device (10) and a thermal management method thereof; the charging equipment (10) comprises a connector assembly (11), a charging assembly (13) and a thermal management assembly (12), the connector assembly (11) is used for being connected with the electric vehicle and comprises a charging connector (111) and a thermal management connector (112), the charging connector (111) is used for being in butt joint with a power receiving seat (22) of the electric vehicle, the thermal management connector (112) is used for being in butt joint with a temperature control pipeline (21) of the electric vehicle, the power receiving seat (22) is connected with a battery pack (23) of the electric vehicle, and the temperature control pipeline (21) is connected with the charging assembly (13). The temperature control pipeline (21) is used for controlling the temperature of the battery pack (23) through a heat-conducting medium; the charging assembly (13) is used for charging the battery pack (23); the heat management assembly (12) comprises a heat management pipeline (122), a controller (121) and a cooler (123), the heat management pipeline (122) is connected with the heat management connector (112), and then heat conduction media circulate between the heat management connector (112) and the temperature control pipeline (21). The controller (121) is arranged to be capable of controlling the cooler (123) to cool the heat-conducting medium in the heat management pipeline (122) in the process of charging the battery pack (23) by the charging assembly (13) and after charging is finished; therefore, the endurance of the electric vehicle is improved.

Description

Charging device and thermal management method thereof

[0001]

Cross-reference

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on November 23, 2022, with application number 202223116964.1 and application name “A charging device for charging electric vehicles”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application.

Technical field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of new energy technology, and in particular to a charging device and a thermal management method thereof. [Background Technology]

[0004] With the advancement of battery technology, electric vehicles replacing fuel vehicles has become a growing trend in the automotive industry. To reduce user time costs, ultra-fast battery charging has been a key development goal in the new energy vehicle sector. During fast charging, the battery pack generates a significant amount of heat. If this heat cannot be dissipated quickly and promptly, it can lead to overheating of the battery cells, degrading performance, shortening the battery cycle life, and increasing the probability of thermal runaway.

[0005] In order to avoid thermal runaway of the battery pack during fast charging, a battery pack thermal management system is usually set up to regulate the heat of the battery. The battery pack thermal management system in the existing technology is completely built into the vehicle. The battery pack generates a lot of heat during the charging process, and the cooling capacity of the built-in thermal management system is high. At the same time, the built-in thermal management system consumes battery pack power, which is not conducive to energy saving and environmental protection.

[0006] [Summary of the invention]

[0007] The main purpose of this application is to provide a charging device and a thermal management method thereof, aiming to solve the above-mentioned technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present application provides a charging device, which includes: a connector assembly, a charging assembly and a thermal management assembly. The connector assembly is used to connect to the electric vehicle in a detachable manner, and includes a charging connector and a thermal management connector. The charging connector is used to dock with the power receiving socket of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle. The thermal management connector is used to dock with the temperature control pipeline of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle. The power receiving socket is connected to the battery pack of the electric vehicle, and the temperature control pipeline is used to control the temperature of the battery pack through a heat-conducting medium; the charging assembly is connected to the charging connector, and then charges the battery pack through the charging connector and the power receiving socket; the thermal management assembly includes a thermal management pipeline, a controller and a cooler. The thermal management pipeline is connected to the thermal management connector, and then the heat-conducting medium circulates between the thermal management connector and the temperature control pipeline through the thermal management connector. The controller is configured to control the cooler to cool the heat-conducting medium in the thermal management pipeline during and after the charging of the battery pack by the charging assembly. In this way, the thermal management component can be built into the charging equipment and cooperated with the vehicle's temperature control pipeline to effectively reduce the cooling capacity requirements of the vehicle's thermal management system. At the same time, in addition to cooling the battery pack during the charging process, the thermal management component also cools the battery pack after charging is completed, without consuming the electric vehicle's power to cool the battery pack, thereby improving the electric vehicle's endurance.

[0009] In one embodiment, the charging device or the electric vehicle further includes a temperature sensor connected to the controller, the temperature sensor being used to detect the temperature of the battery pack or the charging environment of the battery pack. The controller is further configured to switch the cooler on and off and / or adjust the cooling power of the cooler based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. Thus, the temperature sensor detects the temperature of the battery pack and transmits the temperature data to the controller, thereby controlling the operation of the cooler to ensure effective cooling of the battery pack during charging and avoid thermal runaway.

[0010] In one embodiment, the charging device further includes an alarm connected to the controller, and the controller is further configured to trigger the alarm to generate an alarm signal based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. Thus, the alarm signal issued by the alarm serves as a prompt signal, facilitating timely temperature control of the battery pack and preventing thermal runaway caused by a continuous temperature increase in the battery pack.

[0011] In one embodiment, the temperature sensor includes a first temperature sensor provided on the electric vehicle and a second temperature sensor provided on the connector assembly. The controller is configured to trigger the alarm to generate an alarm signal based on the temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor. Thus, the alarm can be triggered based on the temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, thereby improving the accuracy of the alarm triggering and reducing the possibility of false alarm triggering.

[0012] In one embodiment, the connector assembly further includes a communication connector, which is connected to the controller and docks with a communication socket of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle, thereby enabling the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor to be transmitted to the controller via the communication socket and the communication connector. The connection of the communication connector to the communication socket can accelerate the transmission efficiency of the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, facilitating the controller to promptly receive the temperature of the first temperature sensor and quickly control the execution of components.

[0013] In one embodiment, the thermal management assembly further includes a heater, and the controller is further configured to control the heater to heat the thermal medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor before the charging assembly charges the battery pack. Thus, the heater heats the thermal medium, thereby rapidly raising the battery pack temperature to an appropriate value, thereby improving the charging performance of the battery pack.

[0014] In one embodiment, the thermal management assembly further includes a pressure regulating device, and the controller is further configured to control the pressure regulating device to adjust the pressure of the heat transfer medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The pressure regulating device regulates the pressure of the heat transfer medium in the thermal management pipeline, thereby rapidly achieving cooling in conjunction with the cooler.

[0015] In one embodiment, the thermal management component further includes a delayed shutdown circuit independent of the controller. The controller triggers the delayed shutdown circuit in response to the charging component completing charging of the battery pack and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeding a preset temperature threshold. The delayed shutdown circuit is configured to delay shutting down the cooler after being triggered. Delaying the shutdown of the cooler by the delayed shutdown circuit, independent of the controller, frees up the controller, thereby reducing controller load or enabling power conservation by hibernating the controller.

[0016] In one embodiment, the connector assembly further includes an insulating plug configured for plugging and unplugging relative to the electric vehicle, the thermal management connector and the charging connector being disposed within the insulating plug. The thermal management connector includes a first thermal management connector and a second thermal management connector, the first thermal management connector being configured to input the heat transfer medium into the temperature control pipeline, and the second thermal management connector being configured to output the heat transfer medium from the temperature control pipeline. In a cross-section of the insulating plug, the charging connector is centered relative to the insulating plug, the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector being disposed on opposite sides of the charging connector, and the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector being thermally coupled to the charging connector via the insulating plug. Thus, the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector can be utilized to cool the charging connector, while effectively reducing heat transfer between the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector.

[0017] In one embodiment, in the cross section, the distance between the first thermal management connector and the charging connector is greater than the distance between the second thermal management connector and the charging connector. This allows the battery pack to be cooled preferentially using a coolant, thereby improving the thermal management of the battery pack.

[0018] In one embodiment, the charging device further includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the connector assembly. The temperature sensor is disposed within the insulating plug, wherein, in the cross-section, the shortest distance between the temperature sensor and the charging connector is shorter than the shortest distance between the temperature sensor and the first and second thermal management connectors. Thus, placing the temperature sensor close to the charging connector and relatively far from the first and second thermal management connectors can reduce the effect of the temperatures of the first and second thermal management connectors on the temperature sensor, thereby enabling the temperature sensor to quickly and accurately detect the temperature of the charging connector.

[0019] In one embodiment, the temperature sensor is located between the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector along the circumference of the charging connector, and the radial spacing between the temperature sensor and the charging connector is smaller than the radial spacing between the charging connector and the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector. Thus, placing the temperature sensor closer to the charging connector allows the temperature of the charging connector to be quickly and accurately detected.

[0020] In one embodiment, the insulating plug further includes a heat-insulating hollow portion located between the temperature sensor and the first thermal management connector and / or between the temperature sensor and the second thermal management connector. This heat-insulating hollow portion thermally isolates the temperature sensor from the first and second thermal management connectors, thereby reducing the temperature impact of the first and second thermal management connectors on the temperature sensor and enabling the temperature sensor to quickly and accurately detect the temperature of the charging connector.

[0021] In one embodiment, the connector assembly further includes a communication connector disposed within the insulating plug. In the cross-section, the communication connector and the temperature sensor are arranged on opposite sides of the charging connector, and the radial spacing between the communication connector and the charging connector is greater than the radial spacing between the temperature sensor and the charging connector. Therefore, disposing the communication connector away from the charging connector can reduce the impact of heat generated by the charging connector on the communication connector.

[0022] In one embodiment, the thermal management circuit is a pulsating heat pipe, which can accelerate the pre-setting or cooling of the battery pack.

[0023] To solve the above problems, the present application provides a thermal management method, which is applied to any charging device such as the above. The method includes: obtaining the temperature of the battery pack or charging environment in the electric vehicle connected to the charging device; based on the temperature, thermally managing the heat-conducting medium in the thermal management pipeline in the charging device, so that the temperature control pipeline in the electric vehicle controls the temperature of the battery pack through the heat-conducting medium.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the charging equipment of the present application includes: a connector assembly, a charging assembly and a thermal management assembly. The connector assembly is used to connect the electric vehicle in a detachable manner, and includes a charging connector and a thermal management connector. The charging connector is used to dock with the power receiving seat of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle. The thermal management connector is used to dock with the temperature control pipeline of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle. The power receiving seat is connected to the battery pack of the electric vehicle, and the temperature control pipeline is used to control the temperature of the battery pack through a heat-conducting medium; the charging assembly is connected to the charging connector, and then charges the battery pack through the charging connector and the power receiving seat; the thermal management assembly includes a thermal management pipeline, a controller and a cooler. The thermal management pipeline is connected to the thermal management connector, and then a heat-conducting medium circulates between the thermal management connector and the temperature control pipeline. The controller is configured to control the cooler to cool the heat-conducting medium in the thermal management pipeline during the charging process of the battery pack by the charging assembly and after charging is completed. Through the above implementation, the thermal management component is built into the charging device and cooperates with the vehicle's temperature control pipeline, effectively reducing the cooling capacity requirements of the vehicle's thermal management system; at the same time, in addition to cooling the battery pack during the charging process, the thermal management component also cools the battery pack after charging is completed, without consuming the electric vehicle's power to cool the battery pack, thereby improving the electric vehicle's endurance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0026] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a charging device provided by the present application;

[0027] FIG2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an embodiment of a connector assembly provided by the present application;

[0028] FIG3 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a thermal management method provided by the present application.

[0029] Figure 1: Charging device 10; connector assembly 11; charging connector 111; thermal management connector 112; first thermal management connector 1121; second thermal management connector 1122; insulating plug 113; thermal management assembly 12; controller 121; thermal management pipeline 122; cooler 123; heater 124; voltage regulating device 125; delayed shutdown circuit 126; charging assembly 13; communication connector 131; alarm 14; second temperature sensor 15; electric vehicle 20; temperature control pipeline 21; power receiving socket 22; battery pack 23; first temperature sensor 24. [Specific implementation method]

[0030] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. It will be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, rather than to limit the present application. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only some, rather than all, structures related to the present application are shown in the drawings. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] The terms "first," "second," and "third" in this application are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined. All directional indications in the embodiments of this application (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the various components under a specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units that are not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to such process, method, product, or device.

[0032] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0033] Currently, market developments indicate that power batteries are becoming increasingly widely used. They are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal, wind, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. As power battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0034] Batteries can be used as power sources for electrical devices or as energy storage elements in various energy storage systems. Electrical devices may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, power tools, battery cars, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, and the like. Electric toys may include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, and spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft. In the embodiments of the present application, an electric vehicle as an electrical device is taken as an example.

[0035] An electric vehicle can be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle. A new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery pack is provided inside the electric vehicle, and the battery pack can be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the electric vehicle. The battery pack can be used to power the electric vehicle. For example, the battery pack can serve as an operating power source for the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle may also include a controller and a motor. The controller is used to control the battery pack to power the motor, for example, to meet the power requirements for starting, navigating and driving the electric vehicle. The battery pack can serve not only as an operating power source for the electric vehicle, but also as a driving power source for the electric vehicle, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the electric vehicle.

[0036] As the core energy supply module of electric vehicles, the battery pack must be able to quickly replenish its energy after consumption, which has become a development goal in this field. In order to reduce the user's time cost, ultra-fast battery charging has always been a key development goal in the new energy vehicle field. The power batteries used in current electric vehicles are mostly lithium-ion batteries. However, the charging and discharging capabilities of lithium-ion batteries are reduced when the temperature is below 0 degrees Celsius, and there is a risk of thermal runaway when the temperature is too high. However, during the fast charging process, the battery pack generates a large amount of heat. If the generated heat cannot be quickly and promptly discharged, the battery pack temperature will be too high, the performance will be reduced, the battery cycle life will be shortened, and the probability of thermal runaway will increase.

[0037] In order to avoid thermal runaway of the battery pack during fast charging, a battery pack thermal management system is usually set up to regulate the heat of the battery. The battery pack thermal management system in the existing technology is completely built into the electric vehicle. The battery pack generates a lot of heat during the charging process, and the cooling capacity of the built-in thermal management system is high. At the same time, the built-in thermal management system consumes battery pack power, which is not conducive to energy saving and environmental protection.

[0038] Based on the above-mentioned technical basis and technical problems, the present application provides a charging device, see Figures 1 and 2, Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the charging device provided by the present application; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the connector assembly provided by the present application.

[0039] The charging device 10 is electrically connected to the electric vehicle 20 so as to charge the electric vehicle 20 through the charging device 10. The charging device 10 includes a connector assembly 11, a charging assembly 13, and a thermal management assembly 12. The connector assembly 11 is used to electrically connect to the electric vehicle 20, and the charging assembly 13 is used to connect to the connector assembly 11. The charging assembly 13 charges the electric vehicle 20 through the connector assembly 11. The thermal management assembly 12 is built into the charging device 10 and is used to perform thermal management of the electric vehicle 20 during or after charging by the charging assembly 13.

[0040] The connector assembly 11 is used to detachably connect to an electric vehicle 20 and includes a charging connector 111 and a thermal management connector 112. The charging connector 111 is used to interface with the power receiving socket 22 of the electric vehicle 20 when the connector assembly 11 is connected to the electric vehicle 20. The thermal management connector 112 is used to interface with the temperature control pipe 21 of the electric vehicle 20 when the connector assembly 11 is connected to the electric vehicle 20. The power receiving socket 22 is connected to the battery pack 23 of the electric vehicle 20. The temperature control pipe 21 is used to control the temperature of the battery pack 23 via a heat-conducting medium. The charging assembly 13 is connected to the charging connector 111, and the battery pack 23 is charged via the charging connector 111 and the power receiving socket 22. The power receiving socket 22 can be electrically connected to the battery pack 23 of the electric vehicle 20. When the charging connector 111 is connected to the power receiving socket 22, the charging assembly 13 is electrically connected to the battery pack 23, allowing the charging assembly 13 to charge the battery pack 23. The temperature control line 21 can be arranged around the outer wall of the battery pack 23. The temperature control line 21 can contain a heat-conducting medium. The heat generated by the battery pack 23 during charging can be transferred out of the battery pack 23 through the heat-conducting medium to cool the battery pack 23. Alternatively, the heat of the heat-conducting medium can be transferred to the battery pack 23 through the heat-conducting medium to increase the temperature of the battery pack 23. The heat-conducting medium can be water or other liquid capable of transferring heat. The temperature control line 21 can be connected to the thermal management assembly 12 via the thermal management connector 112, so that the thermal management assembly 12 can control the temperature of the heat-conducting medium to control the temperature of the battery pack 23.

[0041] The thermal management component 12 includes a thermal management pipeline 122, a controller 121 and a cooler 123. The thermal management pipeline 122 is connected to the thermal management connector 112, and a heat-conducting medium circulates between the thermal management connector 112 and the temperature control pipeline 21. The controller 121 is configured to control the cooler 123 to cool the heat-conducting medium in the thermal management pipeline 122 during the charging process of the battery pack 23 by the charging component 13 and after charging is completed. A loop for the flow of heat-conducting medium is formed between the thermal management pipeline 122, the thermal management joint 112 and the temperature control pipeline 21. The heat-conducting medium can flow in the thermal management pipeline 122 and the temperature control pipeline 21. When the temperature of the battery pack 23 is too high, the controller 121 can control the cooler 123 to cool the heat-conducting medium in the thermal management pipeline 122, and transport the heat-conducting medium with a relatively low temperature to the temperature control pipeline 21 through the thermal management pipeline 122 to cool the battery pack 23; when the temperature of the battery pack 23 is too low, the controller 121 can control the cooler 123 to heat the heat-conducting medium in the thermal management pipeline 122, and transport the heat-conducting medium with a relatively high temperature to the temperature control pipeline 21 through the thermal management pipeline 122 to heat the battery pack 23, thereby controlling the temperature of the heat-conducting medium through the thermal management component 12 to control the temperature of the battery pack 23. In this embodiment, the thermal management component 12 is built into the charging device 10 and cooperates with the vehicle's temperature control pipeline 21, effectively reducing the cooling capacity requirements of the vehicle's thermal management system, which is beneficial to energy conservation and environmental protection. In a specific application scenario, after the electric vehicle 20 is charged, it will leave the charging device 10. At this time, the battery pack 23 is still in a discharging and heating state. In this state, if the temperature of the battery pack 23 is too high, it will not only affect the discharge efficiency and safety of the battery pack 23, but also require the use of the electric vehicle 20's own thermal management system to cool it. However, using its own thermal management system to cool the battery pack 23 will also consume the power of the battery pack 23, reducing the endurance of the electric vehicle 20. In this embodiment, in addition to cooling the battery pack 23 during the charging process, the thermal management component 12 also cools the battery pack 23 after charging is completed. This eliminates the need to consume the electric vehicle 20's power to cool the battery pack 23, thereby improving the endurance of the electric vehicle 20.

[0042] The thermal management circuit 122 may be a pulsating heat pipe.

[0043] In one embodiment, the charging device 10 or electric vehicle 20 further includes a temperature sensor connected to the controller 121. The temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the battery pack 23 or the charging environment of the battery pack 23. The controller 121 is further configured to switch the cooler 123 on and off and / or adjust the cooling power of the cooler 123 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be located within the electric vehicle 20 and may be directly or indirectly connected to the battery pack 23. When directly connected to the battery pack 23, the temperature of the battery pack 23 may be directly detected by the temperature sensor. When indirectly connected to the battery pack 23, the temperature sensor may detect the temperature of components surrounding the battery pack 23, thereby inferring the temperature of the battery pack 23 from the detected temperature. The temperature sensor may also be located within the charging device 10 to detect the temperature of components within the charging device 10 that are related to the temperature of the battery pack 23, thereby inferring the temperature of the battery pack 23 from the detected temperature. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is too high, it means that the temperature of the battery pack 23 is too high and the battery pack 23 needs to be cooled. At this time, the controller 121 can turn on the cooler 123 or increase the cooling power of the cooler 123 to quickly cool down the battery pack 23; when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is normal, it means that the temperature of the battery pack 23 is normal and there is no need to cool or heat up the battery pack 23. At this time, the controller 121 can turn off the cooler 123 or reduce the cooling power of the cooler 123; when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is too low, it means that the temperature of the battery pack 23 is too low and the battery pack 23 needs to be heated. At this time, the controller 121 can turn off the cooler 123.

[0044] In one embodiment, the charging device 10 further includes an alarm 14 connected to the controller 121. The controller 121 is further configured to trigger the alarm 14 to generate an alarm signal based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The alarm 14 may be partially exposed on the exterior of the outer shell of the charging device 10. When the temperature sensor detects that the temperature exceeds a certain temperature threshold, the alarm 14 may be triggered to generate an alarm signal, thereby interrupting charging of the electric vehicle 20 and preventing the battery pack 23 from further increasing in temperature and causing thermal runaway. The alarm signal may be an audible or visual alarm signal.

[0045] The temperature sensors include a first temperature sensor 24 provided on the electric vehicle 20 and a second temperature sensor 15 provided on the connector assembly 11. The controller 121 is configured to trigger the alarm 14 to generate an alarm signal based on the temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor 24 and the second temperature sensor 15. The first temperature sensor 24 may be located on the outer surface of the battery pack 23 and may be used to detect the temperature of the battery pack 23, while the second temperature sensor 15 may be used to detect the temperature of the connector assembly 11. In this embodiment, when the temperature of the first temperature sensor 24 is greater than a first temperature threshold and the temperature of the second temperature sensor 15 is greater than a second temperature threshold, the controller 121 may control the alarm 14 to trigger an alarm signal; or when the temperature of the first temperature sensor 24 is greater than the first temperature threshold or the temperature of the second temperature sensor 15 is greater than the second temperature threshold, the controller 121 may control the alarm 14 to trigger an alarm signal.

[0046] The connector assembly 11 further includes a communication connector 131, which is connected to the controller 121 and docks with the communication socket of the electric vehicle 20 when the connector assembly 11 is connected to the electric vehicle 20, thereby enabling the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 24 to be transmitted to the controller 121 via the communication socket and the communication connector 131. The communication connector 131 docks with the communication socket of the electric vehicle 20, and the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 24 can be transmitted to the controller 121 in real time via the communication connector 131.

[0047] In one embodiment, the thermal management assembly 12 further includes a heater 124. The controller 121 is further configured to control the heater 124 to heat the thermal conductive medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor before the charging assembly 13 charges the battery pack 23. The heater 124 may be connected to the thermal management circuit 122. The controller 121 may control the heater 124 to turn it on and off, and to increase or decrease the heating power of the heater 124, thereby increasing the temperature of the thermal conductive medium in the thermal management circuit 122. Before the charging assembly 13 charges the battery pack 23, the temperature of the battery pack 23 may be relatively low. A battery pack 23 with a relatively low temperature may have poorer charge and discharge performance. In this embodiment, before the charging assembly 13 charges the battery pack 23, the controller 121 may heat the thermal conductive medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor to quickly raise the temperature of the battery pack 23 to an appropriate value, thereby improving the charging performance of the battery pack 23.

[0048] In one embodiment, the thermal management assembly 12 further includes a pressure regulating device 125. The controller 121 is further configured to control the pressure regulating device 125 to adjust the pressure of the thermal medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The pressure regulating device 125 can be connected to the thermal management pipeline 122 to facilitate regulating the pressure of the thermal medium in the thermal management pipeline 122 via the pressure regulating device 125.

[0049] In one embodiment, the thermal management assembly 12 further includes a delayed shutdown circuit 126 independent of the controller 121. The controller 121 triggers the delayed shutdown circuit 126 in response to the completion of charging of the battery pack 23 by the charging assembly 13 and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeding a preset temperature threshold. The delayed shutdown circuit 126 is configured to delay the shutdown of the cooler 123 after being triggered. Since the battery pack 23 no longer generates heat after charging is completed and its temperature continues to decrease due to the action of the heat-conducting medium, there is no need to adjust the power of the cooler 123 or generate an alarm in response to a temperature increase of the battery pack 23. In this case, the delayed shutdown circuit 126, independent of the controller 121, delays the shutdown of the cooler 123, freeing up the controller 121, thereby reducing the load on the controller 121 or enabling power conservation by putting the controller 121 into hibernation.

[0050] In one embodiment, the connector assembly 11 further includes an insulating plug 113 that is pluggable relative to the electric vehicle 20. The thermal management connector 112 and the charging connector 111 are disposed in the insulating plug 113. The thermal management connector 112 includes a first thermal management connector 1121 and a second thermal management connector 1122. The first thermal management connector 1121 is used to input a heat-conducting medium into the temperature control pipeline 21, and the second thermal management connector 1122 is used to output a heat-conducting medium from the temperature control pipeline 21. In the cross section of the insulating plug 113, the charging connector 111 is centered relative to the insulating plug 113. The first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 are arranged on opposite sides of the charging connector 111. The first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 are thermally coupled to the charging connector 111 through the insulating plug 113. The insulating plug 113 is positioned over the thermal management connector 112 and the charging connector 111 to protect them. The thermal management connector 112 is specifically divided into a first thermal management connector 1121 and a second thermal management connector 1122. In the cross section of the insulating plug 113, the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 are located on either side of the charging connector 111. These first and second thermal management connectors 1121, 1122 can be used to cool the charging connector 111 while effectively reducing heat transfer between the first and second thermal management connectors 1121, 1122. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the central placement of the charging connector 111 relative to the insulating plug 113 means that the charging connector 111 is located near the geometric center of the insulating plug 113, such that the outer circumference of the charging connector 111 maintains a certain distance from the outer circumference of the insulating plug 113 in the radial direction from the geometric center of the insulating plug 113.

[0051] In one embodiment, the spacing between the first thermal management connector 1121 and the charging connector 111 is greater than the spacing between the second thermal management connector 1122 and the charging connector 111 in the cross section of the insulating plug 113. The first thermal management connector 1121 is primarily used to input a lower-temperature cooling medium, while the second thermal management connector 1122 is primarily used to output a higher-temperature cooling medium. By setting the spacing between the first thermal management connector 1121 and the charging connector 111 greater than the spacing between the second thermal management connector 1122 and the charging connector 111 in the cross section of the insulating plug 113, the lower-temperature cooling medium can be used to preferentially cool the battery pack 23, thereby improving the thermal management of the battery pack 23.

[0052] In one embodiment, the charging device 10 further includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the connector assembly 11. The temperature sensor is disposed within the insulating plug 113. In a cross-sectional view, the shortest distance between the temperature sensor and the charging connector 111 is shorter than the shortest distance between the temperature sensor and the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122. Referring to FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the temperature sensor may be the second temperature sensor 15 in FIG. 2 . The shortest distance between the second temperature sensor 15 and the charging connector 111 is the distance between the outer surface of the second temperature sensor 15 and the outer surface of the charging connector 111; the shortest distance between the second temperature sensor 15 and the first thermal management connector 1121 is the distance between the outer surface of the second temperature sensor 15 and the outer surface of the first thermal management connector 1121; and the shortest distance between the second temperature sensor 15 and the second thermal management connector 1122 is the distance between the outer surface of the second temperature sensor 15 and the outer surface of the second thermal management connector 1122. Therefore, in the cross section, the shortest spacing distance between the temperature sensor and the charging connector 111 is smaller than the shortest spacing distance between the temperature sensor and the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122, so that the temperature sensor can be closer to the charging connector 111 and relatively far away from the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122. This can reduce the influence of the temperature of the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 on the temperature sensor, so that the temperature of the charging connector 111 can be quickly and accurately detected by the temperature sensor.

[0053] In one embodiment, the temperature sensor is located between the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 along the circumference of the charging connector 111. In the radial direction of the charging connector 111, the radial spacing between the temperature sensor and the charging connector 111 is smaller than the radial spacing between the charging connector 111 and the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122. Referring to FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the temperature sensor may be the second temperature sensor 15 in FIG. The second temperature sensor 15, the first thermal management connector 1121, and the second thermal management connector 1122 are spaced apart along the circumference of the charging connector 111, and the radial spacing between the second temperature sensor 15 and the charging connector 111 is smaller than the radial spacing between the charging connector 111 and the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122. Therefore, placing the second temperature sensor 15 closer to the charging connector 111 allows the second temperature sensor 15 to quickly and accurately detect the temperature of the charging connector 111.

[0054] In one embodiment, the insulating plug 113 is further provided with a thermally insulating hollow portion (not shown), which is located between the temperature sensor and the first thermal management connector 1121 and / or between the temperature sensor and the second thermal management connector 1122. Referring to FIG2 , in this embodiment, the temperature sensor may be the second temperature sensor 15 in FIG2 . The thermally insulating hollow portion may be one, located between the second temperature sensor 15 and the first thermal management connector 1121; or between the second temperature sensor 15 and the second thermal management connector 1122; or two, located both between the second temperature sensor 15 and the first thermal management connector 1121 and between the second temperature sensor 15 and the second thermal management connector 1122. Thus, the second temperature sensor 15 is thermally isolated from the first thermal management joint 1121 and the second thermal management joint 1122 through the thermal insulation hollow portion, thereby reducing the influence of the temperature of the first thermal management joint 1121 and the second thermal management joint 1122 on the second temperature sensor 15, so that the temperature of the charging joint 111 can be quickly and accurately detected by the second temperature sensor 15.

[0055] In one embodiment, the connector assembly 11 further includes a communication connector 131, which is disposed within the insulating plug 113. In a cross-section, the communication connector 131 and the temperature sensor are arranged on opposite sides of the charging connector 111, and the radial spacing between the communication connector 131 and the charging connector 111 is greater than the radial spacing between the temperature sensor and the charging connector 111. Referring to FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the temperature sensor may be the second temperature sensor 15 in FIG. Therefore, disposing the communication connector 131 away from the charging connector 111 can reduce the impact of heat generated by the charging connector 111 on the communication connector 131.

[0056] Through the above-mentioned embodiment, the thermal management component 12 is built into the charging device 10 and cooperates with the vehicle's temperature control pipeline 21, effectively reducing the cooling capacity requirements of the vehicle's thermal management system; at the same time, in addition to cooling the battery pack 23 during the charging process, the thermal management component 12 also cools the battery pack 23 after charging is completed, without consuming the power of the electric vehicle 20 to cool the battery pack 23, thereby improving the endurance of the electric vehicle 20.

[0057] The above embodiments are various embodiments of the charging device 10 . In other embodiments, the charging device 10 may further include a combination of the above embodiments of the charging device 10 .

[0058] The charging device 10 is electrically connected to the electric vehicle 20 so as to charge the electric vehicle 20 through the charging device 10. The charging device 10 includes a connector assembly 11, a charging assembly 13, a thermal management assembly 12, an alarm 14, and a second temperature sensor 15. The connector assembly 11 includes a charging connector 111, a first thermal management connector 1121, a second thermal management connector 1122, a communication connector 131, and an insulating plug 113. The thermal management assembly 12 includes a controller 121, a thermal management circuit 122, a cooler 123, a heater 124, a voltage regulator 125, and a delayed shutdown circuit 126. The electric vehicle 20 includes a temperature control circuit 21, a power receiving base 22, a battery pack 23, and a first temperature sensor 24.

[0059] The connector assembly 11 is used to electrically connect to the electric vehicle 20. The charging assembly 13 charges the electric vehicle 20 through the connector assembly 11. The thermal management assembly 12 is built into the charging device 10 and is used to thermally manage the electric vehicle 20 during or after the charging assembly 13 is charging the electric vehicle 20. The charging connector 111 is used to connect to the power receiving socket 22 of the electric vehicle 20. The first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 are used to connect to the temperature control pipeline 21 and the thermal management pipeline 122, so that a loop is formed between the charging device 10 and the electric vehicle 20 through the first thermal management connector 1121, the second thermal management connector 1122, the temperature control pipeline 21, and the thermal management pipeline 122, so that a heat transfer medium circulates in the loop. The temperature control circuit 21 may contact the battery pack 23. The thermal management circuit 122 may be built into the charging device 10 and connected to the cooler 123 and heater 124 to regulate the temperature of the heat transfer medium via the cooler 123 and heater 124. The controller 121 is connected to the second temperature sensor 15, the alarm 14, the communication connector 131, and the voltage regulator 125. The first temperature sensor 24 is located within the electric vehicle 20 and can detect the temperature of the battery pack 23 or the temperature of the charging environment of the battery pack 23. The temperature is transmitted to the controller 121 via the communication connector 131.

[0060] In a cross-section of the insulating plug 113, the charging connector 111 is centered relative to the insulating plug 113. The first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 are arranged on opposite sides of the charging connector 111. The first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 are thermally coupled to the charging connector 111 through the insulating plug 113. In a cross-section of the insulating plug 113, the distance between the first thermal management connector 1121 and the charging connector 111 is greater than the distance between the second thermal management connector 1122 and the charging connector 111. In a cross-section, the shortest distance between the second temperature sensor 15 and the charging connector 111 is less than the shortest distance between the second temperature sensor 15 and the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122. Along the circumference of the charging connector 111, the second temperature sensor 15 is located between the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122. In the radial direction of the charging connector 111, the radial spacing between the second temperature sensor 15 and the charging connector 111 is smaller than the radial spacing between the charging connector 111 and the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122. The insulating plug 113 further includes a thermally insulating hollow portion located between the second temperature sensor 15 and the first thermal management connector 1121 and / or between the second temperature sensor 15 and the second thermal management connector 1122. The communication connector 131 and the second temperature sensor 15 are arranged on opposite sides of the charging connector 111, and the radial spacing between the communication connector 131 and the charging connector 111 is larger than the radial spacing between the second temperature sensor 15 and the charging connector 111.

[0061] In a specific application scenario, when charging an electric vehicle 20 using a charging device 10, the first thermal management connector 1121 and the second thermal management connector 1122 are connected to the temperature control pipe 21, the communication connector 131 is connected to the communication socket of the electric vehicle 20, and the charging connector 111 is connected to the receiving socket 22. The controller 121 receives the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 24 and the second temperature sensor 15. When the temperature is detected to be less than a first temperature threshold, the controller 121 can control the heater 124 to heat the heat transfer medium to preheat the battery pack with the heated heat transfer medium. During and after charging, the controller 121 receives the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 24 and the second temperature sensor 15. When the temperature of the battery pack 23 is detected to be greater than a second temperature threshold, the controller 121 controls the cooling power of the cooler 123 to increase to cool the heat transfer medium. When the temperature of the battery pack 23 is detected to be less than a third temperature threshold, the controller 121 controls the cooling power of the cooler 123 to decrease. When the temperature of the battery pack 23 is detected to be greater than a fourth temperature threshold, the controller 121 generates an alarm signal to trigger the alarm, where the fourth temperature threshold is greater than the second temperature threshold, greater than the third temperature threshold, and greater than the first temperature threshold. During the charging process of the electric vehicle 20 using the charging device 10, the controller 121 may also control the pressure regulating device 125 to adjust the pressure of the heat transfer medium based on the temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor 24 and the second temperature sensor 15. When the battery pack is fully charged and the temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor 24 and the second temperature sensor 15 are greater than a preset temperature threshold, the delayed shutdown circuit 126 is triggered, delaying the shutdown of the cooler 123 via the delayed shutdown circuit 126 to release the controller 121.

[0062] Through the above-mentioned embodiment, the thermal management component 12 is built into the charging device 10 and cooperates with the vehicle's temperature control pipeline 21, effectively reducing the cooling capacity requirements of the vehicle's thermal management system; at the same time, in addition to cooling the battery pack 23 during the charging process, the thermal management component 12 also cools the battery pack 23 after charging is completed, without consuming the power of the electric vehicle 20 to cool the battery pack 23, thereby improving the endurance of the electric vehicle 20.

[0063] Please also refer to Figure 3. In some embodiments, a thermal management method is also provided, which is applicable to any of the charging devices provided in the above charging device embodiments. The thermal management method includes: Step S11 and Step S12. Step S11: Obtaining the temperature of the battery pack or charging environment in the electric vehicle connected to the charging device; Step S12: Based on the temperature, thermally managing the heat transfer medium in the thermal management circuit of the charging device so that the temperature control circuit in the electric vehicle can control the temperature of the battery pack through the heat transfer medium.

[0064] The temperature of the battery pack or the charging environment can be obtained by a temperature sensor provided in the charging device or the electric vehicle. Thermal management of the heat-conducting medium can be cooling or heating the heat-conducting medium. For example, if the temperature of the battery pack or the charging environment is detected to be high, the heat-conducting medium in the heat-management pipeline is cooled, so that the temperature control pipeline in the electric vehicle can cool the battery pack through the heat-conducting medium. If the temperature of the battery pack or the charging environment is detected to be low, the heat-conducting medium in the heat-management pipeline is heated, so that the temperature control pipeline in the electric vehicle can preheat the battery pack through the heat-conducting medium.

[0065] Through the above implementation, the thermal management component is built into the charging device and cooperates with the vehicle's temperature control pipeline, effectively reducing the cooling capacity requirements of the vehicle's thermal management system; at the same time, in addition to cooling the battery pack during the charging process, the thermal management component also cools the battery pack after charging is completed, without consuming the electric vehicle's power to cool the battery pack, thereby improving the electric vehicle's endurance.

[0066] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, based on the ideas of this application, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting this application.

Claims

1. A charging device, comprising: A connector assembly for detachably connecting to an electric vehicle and comprising a charging connector and a thermal management connector, wherein the charging connector is configured to interface with a power receiving socket of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle, and the thermal management connector is configured to interface with a temperature control pipeline of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle, wherein the power receiving socket is connected to a battery pack of the electric vehicle, and the temperature control pipeline is configured to control the temperature of the battery pack via a heat-conducting medium; A charging assembly connected to the charging connector to charge the battery pack via the charging connector and the charging base; a thermal management assembly, the thermal management assembly comprising a thermal management pipeline, a controller, and a cooler; the thermal management pipeline is connected to the thermal management connector, and the heat transfer medium circulates between the thermal management connector and the temperature control pipeline; the controller is configured to control the cooler to cool the heat transfer medium in the thermal management pipeline during and after charging of the battery pack by the charging assembly; Wherein, the thermal management pipeline is a pulsating heat pipe.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The charging device or the electric vehicle also includes a temperature sensor connected to the controller, which is used to detect the temperature of the battery pack or the charging environment of the battery pack. The controller is also configured to switch the cooler based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and / or adjust the cooling power of the cooler.

3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein: The charging device further includes an alarm connected to the controller, and the controller is further configured to trigger the alarm to generate an alarm signal based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

4. The charging device according to claim 3, wherein: The temperature sensor includes a first temperature sensor provided on the electric vehicle and a second temperature sensor provided on the joint assembly. The controller is configured to trigger the alarm to generate an alarm signal based on the temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor.

5. The charging device according to claim 4, wherein: The first temperature sensor is located on an outer surface of the battery pack and is used to detect the temperature of the battery pack.

6. The charging device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The connector assembly also includes a communication connector, which is connected to the controller and docks with the communication socket of the electric vehicle when the connector assembly is connected to the electric vehicle, thereby allowing the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor to be transmitted to the controller via the communication socket and the communication connector.

7. The charging device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein: The thermal management component further includes a heater, and the controller is further configured to control the heater to heat the heat transfer medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor before the charging component charges the battery pack.

8. The charging device according to claim 7, wherein: The heater is connected to the heat management pipeline, and the controller is further configured to control the switching of the heater, and increase or decrease the heating power of the heater, so that the heater can heat the heat-conducting medium in the heat management pipeline.

9. The charging device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein: The thermal management component further includes a pressure regulating device, and the controller is further configured to control the pressure regulating device to regulate the pressure of the heat transfer medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

10. The charging device according to claim 9, wherein: The pressure regulating device is connected to the heat management pipeline, and the controller is further configured to control the pressure regulating device to adjust the pressure of the heat transfer medium in the heat management pipeline based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

11. The charging device according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein: The thermal management component also includes a delayed shutdown circuit independent of the controller. The controller triggers the delayed shutdown circuit in response to the charging component completing charging of the battery pack and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor being greater than a preset temperature threshold. The delayed shutdown circuit is configured to delay shutting down the cooler after being triggered.

12. The charging device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The connector assembly also includes an insulating plug arranged relative to the electric vehicle for plugging and unplugging. The thermal management connector and the charging connector are arranged in the insulating plug. The thermal management connector includes a first thermal management connector and a second thermal management connector. The first thermal management connector is used to input the heat-conducting medium into the temperature control pipeline, and the second thermal management connector is used to output the heat-conducting medium from the temperature control pipeline. In the cross section of the insulating plug, the charging connector is centered relative to the insulating plug. The first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector are arranged on opposite sides of the charging connector. The first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector are thermally coupled to the charging connector through the insulating plug.

13. The charging device according to claim 12, wherein: In the cross section, a spacing distance between the first thermal management connector and the charging connector is greater than a spacing distance between the second thermal management connector and the charging connector.

14. The charging device according to claim 12, wherein: The charging device also includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the connector assembly, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged in the insulating plug, wherein in the cross section, the shortest spacing distance between the temperature sensor and the charging connector is smaller than the shortest spacing distance between the temperature sensor and the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector.

15. The charging device according to claim 14, wherein: Along the circumference of the charging connector, the temperature sensor is located between the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector, and along the radial direction of the charging connector, the radial spacing distance between the temperature sensor and the charging connector is smaller than the radial spacing distance between the charging connector and the first thermal management connector and the second thermal management connector.

16. The charging device according to claim 15, wherein: The insulating plug is further provided with a heat-insulating hollow portion, and the heat-insulating hollow portion is located between the temperature sensor and the first thermal management joint and / or between the temperature sensor and the second thermal management joint.

17. The charging device according to claim 15, wherein: The connector assembly also includes a communication connector, which is disposed in the insulating plug, wherein in the cross section, the communication connector and the temperature sensor are arranged on opposite sides of the charging connector, and the radial spacing distance between the communication connector and the charging connector is greater than the radial spacing distance between the temperature sensor and the charging connector.

18. A thermal management method, applied to the charging device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, the thermal management method comprising: Obtaining the temperature of a battery pack or a charging environment in an electric vehicle connected to the charging device; Based on the temperature, the heat transfer medium in the heat management pipeline of the charging device is thermally managed to The temperature control pipeline in the electric vehicle controls the temperature of the battery pack through the heat conducting medium.

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