A splicable bionic insect wing vein micro-channel liquid cooling plate

Abstract

This invention discloses a modular, biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate, comprising a liquid cooling plate body, a top cover, and socket-type flow guide connectors and socket-type flow guide tails respectively disposed at both ends of the liquid cooling plate body. The liquid cooling plate body contains biomimetic insect wing vein flow channels, which include an inlet, an outlet, a main vein, transverse veins, longitudinal veins, and a converging flow channel. The main veins are interconnected with the transverse and longitudinal veins, forming a multi-level branching-converging microchannel network. The liquid cooling plate body is provided with a positioning structure and a plug-in groove, allowing adjacent liquid cooling plates to be connected via the socket-type flow guide connectors and socket-type flow guide tails, achieving rapid assembly under the action of the positioning structure. This liquid cooling plate combines biomimetic wing vein flow equalization heat exchange with modular expansion connection functions, which is beneficial for improving the uniformity of coolant distribution, heat exchange efficiency, and the assembly complexity of external piping, making it suitable for vehicle battery and energy storage liquid cooling systems.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery thermal management and liquid cooling technology, specifically to a modular biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate and a battery module using the liquid cooling plate. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of new energy vehicles, energy storage systems, and high-power electronic devices, the power density of power batteries and electronic devices is constantly increasing, generating heat continuously during charging, discharging, or operation. If this heat cannot be dissipated effectively and in a timely manner, it can easily lead to increased temperature in individual battery cells and greater temperature differences within the module, thereby affecting battery capacity retention, cycle life, and charge / discharge consistency. In extreme cases, it may even induce localized overheating or thermal runaway. Therefore, improving the heat dissipation efficiency and temperature uniformity of battery modules and high-power electronic devices is a key issue in the design of liquid-cooled thermal management systems.

[0003] Liquid cooling plates are key components in liquid-cooled thermal management systems. Their internal flow channel structure directly affects the uniformity of coolant distribution, heat exchange efficiency, flow pressure drop, and temperature consistency of battery modules. Existing liquid cooling plates commonly employ parallel flow channels, serpentine flow channels, or simple branched flow channels. Parallel flow channels have lower pressure drops but limited temperature uniformity, while serpentine flow channels have longer heat exchange paths but higher flow resistance.

[0004] In recent years, biomimetic flow channels have been used to optimize the structure of liquid cooling plates. For example, branch-shaped or vein-shaped flow channels can increase the heat exchange area and improve the distribution of coolant through flow splitting and converging. However, most existing biomimetic liquid cooling plates are concentrated in the internal flow channel design of a single plate. Multiple liquid cooling plates still need to be connected by external pipes, independent joints or flow collection structures, which involves many assembly steps, occupies a large space, and is not convenient for modular expansion according to the number of batteries. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate and battery module to solve the problems of insufficient heat dissipation uniformity, high flow pressure drop and complex connection and assembly of multiple liquid cooling plates in existing liquid cooling plates.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a modular biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate, comprising a liquid cooling plate body, a top cover plate, a socket-type flow guide connector, a socket-type flow guide tail seat, and a biomimetic wing vein flow channel. The liquid cooling plate body is used to support the biomimetic wing vein flow channel and exchange heat with the component to be cooled. The top cover plate is used to close the biomimetic wing vein flow channel and form a cooling liquid flow cavity with the liquid cooling plate body. The socket-type flow guide connector and the socket-type flow guide tail seat are used for splicing adjacent liquid cooling plates and for coolant conduction.

[0007] Furthermore, the liquid-cooled plate body is provided with an inlet and an outlet. A socket-type flow guide connector is connected to the inlet, and a socket-type flow guide tail is connected to the outlet. After entering the inlet through the socket-type flow guide connector, the coolant flows into the biomimetic fin-like flow channel, completes heat exchange, and then enters the socket-type flow guide tail through the outlet, where it can continue to flow into the next liquid-cooled plate or be discharged from the liquid-cooled plate array.

[0008] Furthermore, the biomimetic fin-like flow channel includes a main flow channel, transverse flow channels, longitudinal flow channels, and a converging flow channel. The main flow channel is connected to the inlet and is used for initial guidance and distribution of the coolant entering the liquid cooling plate; the transverse flow channels extend to both sides from the bends or turns of the main flow channel to expand the coverage of the coolant on the surface of the liquid cooling plate; the longitudinal flow channels connect adjacent transverse flow channels and connect the transverse flow channels to the converging flow channel for secondary guidance between different branches; the converging flow channel is connected to the outlet and is used to collect the coolant after heat exchange.

[0009] Furthermore, when the main vein is configured as a parallel double main vein structure, the net distance between the opposite sidewalls of the two main veins is 6mm to 8mm. The transverse veins are formed by extending from the bends or turns of the main veins. The pairs of transverse veins located on the left and right sides of the main veins are arranged symmetrically with respect to the main veins, and the angle between the center lines of the two symmetrical transverse veins is 120° to 150°.

[0010] Multiple transverse veins are arranged sequentially along the coolant flow direction, with the spacing between adjacent transverse veins decreasing arithmetically along the coolant flow direction, and the ratio of the spacing of the previous stage to the spacing of the next stage being 1 to 1.2. By making the transverse veins relatively dense in the downstream area, the problem of reduced heat exchange capacity after the coolant heats up along the flow path can be compensated.

[0011] Furthermore, the longitudinal veins are arranged in layers along the area between the transverse veins, and the spacing between longitudinal veins in the same layer is equal; the longitudinal veins and the transverse veins they are connected to form an acute angle, which is 50° to 65°.

[0012] Furthermore, the collecting channel is configured as a coolant collection area, the width of which is greater than at least a portion of the channel widths in the main vein, transverse vein, and longitudinal vein. Preferably, the width of the collecting channel is 1.3 to 2 times the width of the largest channel in the biomimetic fin vein channel excluding the collecting channel, in order to reduce pressure loss in the collecting area and improve the stability of coolant discharge after heat exchange.

[0013] Furthermore, the main channel, transverse channels, longitudinal channels, and converging channels can all be configured as microchannel structures with a hydraulic diameter of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm. This size range is beneficial for improving the heat exchange capacity per unit area, while avoiding excessive pressure drop caused by overly narrow channels.

[0014] Furthermore, the liquid cooling plate body is provided with a positioning structure, which is used to define the relative position of adjacent liquid cooling plates when they are spliced ​​together. The positioning structure can be set at the end of the liquid cooling plate body to improve the alignment accuracy and assembly stability when adjacent liquid cooling plates are spliced ​​together.

[0015] Furthermore, the socket-type flow guide joint is provided with a plug-in section, and the socket-type flow guide tail seat is provided with a receiving cavity that mates with the plug-in section. When adjacent liquid cooling plates are spliced, the plug-in section of one liquid cooling plate is inserted into the receiving cavity of another liquid cooling plate, so that the adjacent liquid cooling plates form a coolant passage while being mechanically connected.

[0016] Furthermore, the socket-type flow guide joint and the socket-type flow guide tail seat are provided with a sealing mating part. The sealing mating part includes double-layer sealing rings arranged at intervals along the insertion direction. The double-layer sealing rings are located at the outer periphery of the insertion section to form a double seal after adjacent liquid cooling plates are inserted, thereby improving the sealing reliability at the joint and reducing the risk of coolant leakage.

[0017] Furthermore, the liquid cooling plate body and the upper cover are preferably made of aluminum or aluminum alloy to balance thermal conductivity, lightweight, and processability. The upper cover can be fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate body by welding, laser welding, or adhesive bonding to form a reliably sealed coolant flow cavity.

[0018] This invention also provides a battery module, comprising several individual batteries and multiple splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plates. Further, the liquid cooling plates are located at the bottom of the individual batteries, and the multiple liquid cooling plates are sequentially spliced ​​together to form a liquid cooling plate array via their respective socket-type flow guide connectors and socket-type flow guide tails. Thus, the number of liquid cooling plates can be increased or decreased according to the number of individual batteries, achieving modular expansion of the battery module's thermal management structure.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention during production and processing are as follows:

[0020] 1) By forming a multi-level diversion-convergence microchannel network through the biomimetic insect wing vein flow channel, the coolant can be distributed through multiple paths inside the liquid cooling plate, improving the coverage and flow uniformity of the coolant on the plate surface, thereby reducing local hot spots and battery module temperature differences.

[0021] 2) This invention is applicable to the modular arrangement of different numbers of single cells. The liquid cooling plate is equipped with socket-type flow guide joints and socket-type flow guide tail seats at both ends. Through the positioning structure and groove cooperation, the alignment accuracy and assembly stability when adjacent liquid cooling plates are spliced ​​are improved. The liquid cooling plate array can be flexibly expanded according to the size of the battery module and the number of cells, and has good engineering adaptability. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1This is an exploded structural diagram of the splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the liquid cooling plate body and the biomimetic fin-like flow channel in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the socket-type flow guide joint and the socket-type flow guide tailstock in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the socket-type flow guide joint, socket-type flow guide tail seat, or positioning structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the battery module structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram comparing the temperature distribution of a parallel flow channel, a serpentine flow channel, and the biomimetic fin-vein flow channel of this invention;

[0028] Figure 7 A performance comparison chart of parallel flow channel, serpentine flow channel and the biomimetic fin-vein flow channel of the present invention;

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Liquid cooling plate body; 2. Top cover plate; 3. Socket-type flow guide connector; 4. Socket-type flow guide tail seat; 5. Bionic fin-like flow channel; 6. Positioning structure; 11. Outlet; 12. Inlet; 13. Main vein; 14. Transverse vein; 15. Longitudinal vein; 16. Converging flow channel; 17. Receiving cavity; 30. Thermally conductive adhesive layer; 31. Single cell. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, any equivalent substitutions, modifications, or improvements made without departing from the concept of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The modular biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate of this embodiment includes a liquid cooling plate body 1, an upper cover plate 2, a socket-type flow guide joint 3, a socket-type flow guide tail seat 4, and a biomimetic wing vein flow channel 5. The liquid cooling plate body 1 serves as the main heat-conducting component, with one side for contact with a single battery cell or other heat-generating components, and the other side for sealing with the upper cover plate 2.

[0032] See Figure 2The biomimetic wing-like vein flow channel 5 includes a main vein 13, transverse veins 14, longitudinal veins 15, and a converging flow channel 16. The main vein 13 is connected to the inlet 12, and the converging flow channel 16 is connected to the outlet 11. The transverse veins 14 are distributed on both sides of the main vein 13, and the longitudinal veins 15 connect adjacent transverse veins 14 and connect the transverse veins 14 to the converging flow channel 16, thereby forming a mesh-like multi-level diversion-convergence microchannel structure similar to the wing veins of an insect.

[0033] The main vein 13 serves as the initial flow channel for the biomimetic fin-like flow channel 5, used to transport and distribute the coolant entering from the inlet 12 along the length of the liquid-cooled plate body 1. In one embodiment, the main vein 13 can be configured as a parallel double main vein structure, with a net distance of 6mm to 8mm between the opposite sidewalls of the two main veins 13 to ensure sufficient structural strength and heat exchange coverage area between the two main veins 13.

[0034] The transverse veins 14 are branch channels extending from the bends or turns of the main veins 13 to both sides of the liquid-cooled plate body 1. Multiple transverse veins 14 are arranged at intervals along the length of the main veins 13, so that the coolant can diffuse from the main veins 13 to both sides of the liquid-cooled plate surface.

[0035] Longitudinal veins 15 are used to connect adjacent transverse veins 14, or to connect transverse veins 14 to the converging flow channel 16. Longitudinal veins 15 can be arranged in layers along the area between transverse veins 14, with equal spacing between longitudinal veins 15 within the same layer. An acute angle is formed between each longitudinal vein 15 and its connected transverse vein 14, the acute angle being 50° to 65°, to facilitate a smooth transition of coolant between adjacent transverse veins 14 and reduce local flow resistance at the junction.

[0036] The collecting channel 16 is used to collect the coolant discharged from the transverse veins 14 and longitudinal veins 15, and direct the coolant to the outlet 11. The collecting channel 16 can be configured as a coolant collection area, with a width 1.3 to 2 times the width of the largest channel in the biomimetic fin-like channel 5 excluding the collecting channel 16. By increasing the width of the collecting channel 16, the capacity of the confluence area can be improved, and the sudden changes in coolant velocity and pressure loss in the confluence section can be reduced.

[0037] The main channel 13, transverse channel 14, longitudinal channel 15, and converging channel 16 can all be configured as microchannel structures with a hydraulic diameter of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm. The biomimetic fin-like channel 5 can be manufactured by CNC machining, milling, or other processes suitable for forming microchannels. The width, depth, and spacing of each channel can be adjusted according to the coolant flow rate, allowable pressure drop, and heat load of the component to be cooled.

[0038] See Figure 3 and Figure 4The socket-type flow guide connector 3 is connected to the inlet 12, and the socket-type flow guide tail seat 4 is connected to the outlet 11. The socket-type flow guide connector 3 is provided with a plug-in section, and the socket-type flow guide tail seat 4 is provided with a receiving cavity 17 that mates with the plug-in section. When adjacent liquid cooling plates are spliced, the plug-in section of the socket-type flow guide connector 3 of one liquid cooling plate is inserted into the receiving cavity 17 of the socket-type flow guide tail seat 4 of another liquid cooling plate to achieve mechanical connection and fluid conduction between adjacent liquid cooling plates. The liquid cooling plate body 1 is provided with a positioning structure 6, which is used to limit the relative position of adjacent liquid cooling plates before or during insertion to avoid insertion misalignment.

[0039] The sealing mating part includes double-layer sealing rings arranged at intervals along the insertion direction. The double-layer sealing rings can be O-rings or rectangular sealing rings. When the insertion section is inserted into the receiving cavity 17, the double-layer sealing rings are compressed to form two sealing interfaces, thereby improving the sealing reliability of the joint.

[0040] See Figure 6 and Figure 7 Under conditions of an inlet velocity of 0.1 m / s and similar heat exchange areas, the parallel flow channel exhibits a maximum temperature of 33.22℃, a temperature difference of 8.18℃, and a pressure drop of 53.08 Pa; the serpentine flow channel exhibits a maximum temperature of 31.63℃, a temperature difference of 4.47℃, and a pressure drop of 235.21 Pa; and the biomimetic fin-like flow channel in this embodiment exhibits a maximum temperature of 31.35℃, a temperature difference of 4.01℃, and a pressure drop of 43.97 Pa. Therefore, it is evident that the biomimetic fin-like flow channel in this embodiment maintains a low pressure drop while reducing the maximum temperature and temperature difference.

[0041] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any equivalent substitutions, modifications or improvements made to the shape, size, material, connection method, number of flow channels, flow channel spacing and splicing method of each component within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid-cooled plate, characterized in that, It includes a liquid cooling plate body (1), an upper cover plate (2), a socket-type flow guide joint (3), a socket-type flow guide tail seat (4), and a biomimetic fin-pulse flow channel (5); The liquid cooling plate body (1) is provided with an inlet (12) and an outlet (11), and the upper cover plate (2) is sealed to the liquid cooling plate body (1) to form a cooling liquid flow cavity; The biomimetic wing-like vein channel (5) includes a main vein (13) connected to the inlet (12), a transverse vein (14) connected to the main vein (13), a longitudinal vein (15) connected to the transverse vein (14), and a converging channel (16) connected to the outlet (11). The socket-type flow guide joint (3) is connected to the inlet (12), and the socket-type flow guide tail (4) is connected to the outlet (11). Two adjacent liquid cooling plates are connected by the socket-type flow guide joint (3) of one liquid cooling plate and the socket-type flow guide tail (4) of the other liquid cooling plate to achieve splicing and fluid conduction.

2. The modular biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transverse veins (14) are distributed on both sides of the main vein (13), and the longitudinal veins (15) are used to connect the adjacent transverse veins (14) and to connect the transverse veins (14) with the converging channel (16), so that the main vein (13), transverse veins (14), longitudinal veins (15) and converging channel (16) constitute a mesh-like multi-level diversion-convergence microchannel structure similar to insect wing veins.

3. The modular biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid-cooled plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The spacing between the transverse pulses (14) decreases arithmetically along the direction of coolant flow, and the ratio of the spacing between the previous and subsequent pulses is 1 to 1.

2.

4. The splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydraulic diameters of the main channel (13), transverse channel (14), longitudinal channel (15) and converging channel (16) are 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm.

5. The splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid cooling plate body (1) is provided with a positioning structure (6), which is used to limit the relative position when adjacent liquid cooling plates are spliced.

6. The modular biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The socket-type flow guide joint (3) is provided with a plug section, and the socket-type flow guide tail seat (4) is provided with a receiving cavity (17) that cooperates with the plug section.

7. The modular biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid-cooled plate according to claim 6, characterized in that, The socket-type flow guide joint (3) and the socket-type flow guide tail seat (4) are provided with a sealing mating part.

8. The splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid cooling plate body (1) and the upper cover plate (2) are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. The upper cover plate (2) is fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate body (1) by welding, laser welding or adhesive bonding.

9. A battery module, characterized in that, It includes several individual cells (31) and multiple splicable biomimetic insect wing vein microchannel liquid cooling plates as described in any one of claims 1 to 8. The liquid cooling plates are located at the bottom of several individual cells (31), and the multiple liquid cooling plates are sequentially spliced ​​together to form a liquid cooling plate array through their respective socket-type flow guide joints (3) and socket-type flow guide tails (4).

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