Side surface liquid-cooled immersed battery box

Abstract

The invention discloses a side surface liquid-cooled immersed battery box, which is characterized in that a battery cell module is directly immersed in an immersion liquid, so that a heating source battery cell, an aluminum row and the like are directly and fully contacted with the immersion liquid, the heat dissipation is more uniform and efficient, the temperature gradient of a battery can be effectively reduced, and the local overheating phenomenon is reduced. The main heat dissipation mode is a novel cooling scheme that heat is conducted into the immersion liquid through a battery cell aluminum row and the like, and then the heat in the immersion liquid is taken away by using a side liquid cooling device; compared with a traditional liquid-cooled battery box, the liquid-cooled battery box has the advantages of being more obvious in cooling effect and uniform in heat dissipation due to the fact that contact conduction of the side face liquid-cooled battery box has a larger contact surface area, heat exchange can be conducted more efficiently, and the service life of the side face liquid-cooled battery box is prolonged. The problem that the head of the battery cell is hot and the foot of the battery cell is cold in traditional liquid cooling is solved, the service life of the battery cell is prolonged, and the discharging and charging efficiency is improved. And compared with a cooling circulation dynamic oil scheme, the cost is lower, and the reliability is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery boxes, specifically a side-cooled, immersion-type battery box. Background Technology

[0002] Battery modules generate heat during charging and discharging. Excessive temperature and uneven localized temperature distribution within the battery can severely reduce battery life. The heat dissipation performance of the battery module is a crucial factor affecting battery performance, efficiency, lifespan, and safety. Currently, existing liquid-cooled battery pack structures use cooling channels at the bottom for heat dissipation. However, this results in uneven cell temperatures, significantly reducing the battery's operating temperature range and the overall energy efficiency of the battery pack, shortening battery life, and potentially posing safety hazards.

[0003] The existing battery boxes suffer from uneven temperature distribution within the modules, leading to localized overheating, which is detrimental to the long-term use of the battery system and compromises its safety and reliability. The cooling efficiency of the battery boxes is low, resulting in a narrow operating temperature range for the batteries. Liquid-cooled battery boxes on the market only dissipate heat through a bottom liquid cooling plate, leaving the cell terminals and aluminum busbars at excessively high temperatures, which are the main heat sources. This causes a large temperature difference between the top and bottom of the battery box, affecting the consistency of ion movement between the top and bottom of the battery, thus impacting charging and discharging efficiency and battery consistency. Existing immersion battery boxes, which rely on oil circulation for cooling, have numerous drawbacks, such as: variations in the fluidity of the immersion liquid at different temperatures leading to large pressure variations in the circulation pipeline; significant temperature inconsistencies in different locations or areas; complex oil circulation paths; compatibility issues with sealing rings; and material properties, resulting in potential oil leakage risks, difficult after-sales service, and high costs. Furthermore, the equipment for circulating cooling oil is more expensive, and its volumetric and mass energy density is low.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to improve such a structure to overcome the above-mentioned defects. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a side-cooled, immersion-type battery box to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A side-cooled immersion battery box includes a battery box; a battery module is disposed inside the inner cavity of the battery box and is immersed in an immersion liquid; the battery box also includes a side liquid cooling device located on both sides of the battery module; in this solution, the battery module is provided in several groups and the side liquid cooling device is provided in several groups, wherein the side liquid cooling device located on the inner side is used for liquid inlet and the side liquid cooling devices located on both sides are used for liquid return.

[0008] Furthermore, the battery module is provided with a total of four sets, and the side liquid cooling device is provided with a total of five sets. Among the five sets of side liquid cooling devices, the three sets located on the inner side are side liquid cooling devices for liquid inlet, and the two sets located on the outer side are side liquid cooling devices for liquid return.

[0009] Furthermore, the side liquid cooling device includes several hollow pipes arranged in parallel and primary distribution pipes located at both ends of the hollow pipes. The primary distribution pipes are hollow, and the ends of the hollow pipes are connected to the primary distribution pipes. At the same time, the top of the primary distribution pipes is connected to a bend. The side liquid cooling device also includes a rear main pipe, a front liquid inlet main pipe, and a front liquid return main pipe. The bends at the rear of the five sets of side liquid cooling devices are connected to the rear main pipe, wherein the rear main pipe is located on the outside of the rear of the battery box; the front liquid inlet main pipe and the front liquid return main pipe are both located on the outside of the front of the battery box. The bends at the front of the three sets of side liquid cooling devices located on the inner side are connected to the front liquid inlet main pipe, and the bends at the front of the two sets of side liquid cooling devices located on the outer side are connected to the front liquid return main pipe.

[0010] Furthermore, the front-end inlet manifold and the front-end return manifold are respectively connected to an inlet and a return outlet.

[0011] Furthermore, the side liquid cooling device is made by extruding profiles into pipes and then welding them together.

[0012] Furthermore, the side liquid cooling device is formed by stamping and welding profiles.

[0013] Furthermore, the side liquid cooling device is made of aluminum tubes, copper tubes, or other metal tubes that have been bent and welded.

[0014] Furthermore, the side liquid cooling device is made of plastic injection molding or extrusion molding.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0016] The side liquid cooling solution ensures that the battery cell is in a temperature range that is more conducive to its performance. Even after multiple continuous charge and discharge cycles, the temperature rise and maximum temperature are still significantly better than the current liquid cooling method, greatly reducing the probability of thermal runaway of the battery cell from the source. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view of a side-cooled, liquid-immersed battery box.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a side view of a side-cooled, immersion-type battery box.

[0019] Figure 3A top view of a side-cooled, liquid-immersed battery box after removing the top cover.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a side-cooled immersion battery box after removing the battery module, with the top cover removed.

[0021] Figure 5 A top view of a side-cooled, submerged battery case after removing the top cover and battery module.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the rear main pipe in a side-cooled immersion battery box.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the front liquid inlet manifold and the front liquid return manifold in a side-cooled immersion battery box.

[0024] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the side liquid cooling device in some embodiments of this solution. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, 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 some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Please see Figure 1-8 A side-cooled immersion battery box includes a battery box 1; a battery module 2 is disposed inside the inner cavity of the battery box 1, and the battery module 2 is immersed in an immersion liquid; the immersion liquid is insulating heat-conducting oil.

[0027] It also includes a side liquid cooling device 3; the side liquid cooling device 3 is located on both sides of the battery module 2; in this solution, the battery module 2 is provided with a total of four sets, and the side liquid cooling device 3 is provided with a total of five sets. Among the five sets of side liquid cooling devices 3, the three sets located on the inner side are side liquid cooling devices 3 for liquid inlet, and the two sets located on the outer side are side liquid cooling devices 3 for liquid return.

[0028] The side liquid cooling device 3 includes three parallel hollow pipes 301 and primary distribution pipes 302 located at both ends of the hollow pipes 301. The primary distribution pipes 302 are hollow, and the ends of the hollow pipes 301 are connected to the primary distribution pipes 302. At the same time, the top of the primary distribution pipes 302 is connected to a bend 303.

[0029] The side liquid cooling device also includes a rear main pipe 4, a front liquid inlet main pipe 5 and a front liquid return main pipe 6. The bends 303 at the rear end of the five sets of side liquid cooling devices 3 are connected to the rear main pipe 4, wherein the rear main pipe 4 is located on the outside of the rear end of the battery box 1.

[0030] Both the front liquid inlet manifold 5 and the front liquid return manifold 6 are located on the front outer side of the battery box 1. The bends 303 at the front of the three inner side liquid cooling devices 3 are connected to the front liquid inlet manifold 5. The bends 303 at the outer side liquid cooling devices 3 are connected to the front liquid return manifold 6.

[0031] In this scheme, the front-end liquid inlet manifold 5 and the front-end liquid return manifold 6 are respectively connected to a liquid inlet 501 and a liquid return outlet 601;

[0032] Coolant enters the front inlet manifold 5 from the inlet 501. The coolant in the front inlet manifold 5 enters the middle three sets of side liquid cooling devices 3, then enters the rear manifold 4, and finally enters the front return manifold 6 from the side liquid cooling devices 3 on both sides and is discharged from the return port 601.

[0033] The advantage of this scheme is that the coolant temperature of the three sets of side liquid cooling devices 3 that enter the inner side first is lower, while the temperature in the middle of the battery box 1 is higher, and its heat exchange efficiency is higher; the coolant that returns last passes through the side liquid cooling devices 3 on both sides to return to the liquid.

[0034] The side liquid cooling device 3 is formed by extruding profiles into pipes and then welding them together, or by stamping sheet metal and then welding them together. It can also be replaced by bending and welding other metal pipes such as aluminum pipes and copper pipes, or non-metallic pipes.

[0035] If it is a non-metallic tube, it can be made of plastic injection molding or extrusion molding.

[0036] The installation and fixing method of the side liquid cooling device 3 in this solution is as follows: First, install the battery module 2 inside the battery box 1, then install the side liquid cooling device 3 on the side of the battery module 2. Repeat this step. After fixing the battery module 2 and the side liquid cooling device, connect and splice the side liquid cooling device 3 and fix it with screws and sealing rings to prevent loosening and ensure the overall sealing of the battery box. Finally, structural adhesive can be used for further fixing to ensure the firmness of the liquid cooling device.

[0037] It is worth noting that the laying method in this solution is only for the purpose of describing the present invention and should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. For example, the side liquid cooling device can also be installed first and then the battery module can be installed.

[0038] In this design, external coolant enters through three inlet channels 3 between the four battery modules 2, then collects at the rear of the battery box 1 before returning through inlet channels 3 near the sides of the box. The coolant is then cooled by a side-mounted liquid cooling device 3, allowing the heat generated by the battery cells to exchange heat with the cooling system for cooling. This design ensures cooling between modules, enabling efficient and comprehensive heat exchange of the entire immersion fluid. This improves overall cooling performance, extends battery life, and enhances safety.

[0039] In this solution, the side-mounted liquid cooling device does not occupy the vertical space of the module. The side-mounted liquid cooling device is located on both sides of the module, which can keep the module compactly arranged, improve the energy density of the battery pack, and make the manufacturing process flexible.

[0040] Side liquid cooling devices offer a variety of material options and controllable costs. They can be manufactured using various processes such as profile extrusion, aluminum tube bending, copper tube welding, or plastic injection molding to meet different cost requirements and provide ease of maintenance.

[0041] The modular design facilitates the replacement of the side liquid cooling unit, which is relatively independent of the module and can be replaced individually when damaged, reducing maintenance costs.

[0042] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "left," and "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly understood by those skilled in the art. These terms are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "set" and "connect" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

Claims

1. A side-cooled, liquid-immersed battery box, comprising a battery box; characterized in that, The battery box contains battery modules inside its cavity, which are immersed in an immersion liquid. It also includes side liquid cooling devices located on both sides of the battery modules. The battery modules are arranged in several groups, and the side liquid cooling devices are arranged in several groups. The side liquid cooling devices located on the inner side are used for liquid inlet, and the side liquid cooling devices located on both sides are used for liquid return.

2. The side-cooled immersion battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side liquid cooling device includes several hollow pipes arranged in parallel and primary distribution pipes located at both ends of the hollow pipes. The primary distribution pipes are hollow, and the ends of the hollow pipes are connected to the primary distribution pipes. At the same time, the top of the primary distribution pipes is connected to a bend. The side liquid cooling device also includes a rear main pipe, a front liquid inlet main pipe, and a front liquid return main pipe. The bends at the rear of several sets of side liquid cooling devices are connected to the rear main pipe, wherein the rear main pipe is located on the outside of the rear of the battery box; the front liquid inlet main pipe and the front liquid return main pipe are both located on the outside of the front of the battery box. The bends at the front of the inner side liquid cooling devices in several sets of side liquid cooling devices are connected to the front liquid inlet main pipe, and the bends at the outer side liquid cooling devices in several sets of side liquid cooling devices are connected to the front liquid return main pipe.

3. A side-cooled immersion battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, The front-end inlet manifold and the front-end return manifold are also respectively connected to an inlet and a return outlet.

4. A side-cooled immersion battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side liquid cooling device is made by extruding profiles into pipes and then welding them together.

5. A side-cooled immersion battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side liquid cooling device is made by stamping and welding profiles.

6. A side-cooled immersion battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side liquid cooling device is made of aluminum tubes, copper tubes, or other metal tubes that have been bent and welded.

7. A side-cooled immersion battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side liquid cooling device is made of plastic injection molding or extrusion molding.

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