Fluid-optimized quick connector
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202580011238.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-01-22
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-18
Smart Images
Figure CN122603241A_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a quick connector for connecting fluid lines in a battery thermal management system, which conforms to the technical solution described in the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] The lifespan of a battery, such as a lithium-ion or lithium iron phosphate electric vehicle battery, largely depends on its thermal management. In this process, the ambient temperature of the battery or individual battery packs, as well as the cooling method, plays a crucial and decisive role.
[0003] To ensure and maximize battery efficiency, safety, and lifespan, a thermal management system is needed to achieve the most uniform cooling possible. When designing and building thermal management and cooling systems, multiple batteries are typically connected in parallel and switched to achieve the most uniform cooling effect possible.
[0004] To cool the battery, liquid is typically delivered from a large main inlet pipe through multiple smaller branches to the battery's heat exchanger. Therefore, pipe diameter transitions or changes are required at the branch points.
[0005] Branches to the individual heat exchangers are typically connected via quick connectors in the form of T-joints, four-way branches, or 90° connectors. The last heat exchanger, located at the end of the main line, is connected via a 90° quick connector. Here, the last heat exchanger is often a problem area for cooling uniformity because pressure losses from upstream branches, the main inlet line, or intermediate connectors accumulate, resulting in lower overall pressure at the last heat exchanger and consequently lower flow rate. Furthermore, the 90° quick connector connecting the main inlet line to the last heat exchanger has higher flow resistance than, for example, a T-joint, which further reduces the flow rate of the last heat exchanger relative to the upstream heat exchangers. Therefore, the last heat exchanger has the lowest flow rate, resulting in significantly lower heat dissipation from its corresponding cell compared to the other cells or heat exchangers.
[0006] A known 90° quick connector for a battery thermal management system typically includes a generally vertically bent connecting body that surrounds a fluid channel for changing the flow direction of the inlet fluid. The connecting body has a straight inlet for a fluid-sealed connection to the main inlet pipe of the thermal management system. Perpendicularly perpendicular to this, the connecting body also has another straight outlet for a fluid-sealed connection to a pipe supplied to the battery heat exchanger. Here, "fluid-sealed" should be understood as a sealed and fluidly connected connection between two pipes or components used to transport or conduct fluid. The diameter of the fluid channel in the inlet typically corresponds to the larger diameter of the main inlet pipe, while the diameter of the fluid channel in the outlet corresponds to the smaller diameter of the heat exchanger pipe or the corresponding outlet distribution pipe. On the outlet side of the heat exchanger, the pipe diameter relationship can also be reversed. In this case, the inlet and outlet flow directions of the quick connector, as well as the inlet and outlet portions, are also reversed accordingly; that is, in this 90° quick connector, the diameter of the inlet on the heat exchanger side can be smaller than the diameter of the quick connector outlet.
[0007] The inlet and outlet portions of the connecting body, which are positioned approximately at right angles to each other, are connected by an arc-shaped portion to achieve fluid deflection. The larger fluid channel diameter in the inlet portion decreases towards the outlet portion via a direct pipe diameter transition provided in the arc-shaped portion of the connecting body. Here, the outlet portion of the connecting body can be inserted into an additional fitting, wherein the fluid channel diameter of the fitting corresponds to the reduced fluid channel diameter of the outlet portion after deflection.
[0008] For example, DE 11 2014 005 198 B4 discloses a 90° quick connector with a right-angle connection body for deflecting inlet fluid.
[0009] The main drawback of existing standard 90° quick-connect connectors is that, in order to achieve fluid deflection and reduce the fluid channel diameter, a sharp edge is formed on the inner side of the arc-shaped section, and a dome structure is formed on the upper side of the arc-shaped section. This results in abrupt changes in pipe diameter and fluid cross-section within the arc-shaped section. Consequently, the arc-shaped section and the pipe diameter transition within it generate a significant overall pressure drop during fluid deflection, significantly affecting the pressure loss and flow distribution in the entire battery thermal management system. This leads to uneven cooling, adversely impacting battery efficiency, safety, and lifespan.
[0010] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned and other disadvantages in the prior art and provide an improved quick connector for fluid-sealed connection of fluid lines in a battery thermal management system, thereby maximizing battery efficiency, safety and lifespan.
[0011] The main features of the invention are given in the characterizing portion of claim 1. Further improvements are the subject matter of claims 2 to 12.
[0012] In a quick connector for connecting fluid lines in a battery thermal management system, the quick connector includes a connecting body having a straight inlet for fluid communication with a main inlet pipe of the thermal management system, and a straight outlet disposed substantially perpendicular thereto for fluid communication with battery heat exchanger lines. The connecting body surrounds and forms a fluid channel, and a deflector is provided between the inlet and outlet for deflecting the inlet fluid. According to the invention, the fluid channel diameters of the inlet and deflector correspond to the diameter of the main inlet pipe, and their dimensions are larger than the fluid channel diameter of the outlet. The diameter transition of the fluid channel is located in the outlet region downstream of the deflector.
[0013] Here, the arrangement of the inlet and outlet and the corresponding inlet and outlet flow directions correspond to the actual application situation. That is, the fluid first flows into the quick connector through the main inlet pipe along the inlet flow direction, and then flows downstream towards the outlet through the deflector and is transported along the outlet flow direction.
[0014] Preferably, the quick connector does not have fixed inlet and outlet flow directions, allowing fluid to flow through it in both directions. More preferably, the inlet and outlet of the connector body are interchangeable; that is, the connector body can form an inlet in the outlet region for fluid communication with the battery heat exchanger, or the actual outlet can be used as an inlet when the flow direction is reversed. Conversely, in the inlet region, according to this reverse embodiment, the connector body can have a substantially vertically positioned outlet. According to this further preferred embodiment, the inlet and outlet flow directions, or the fluid flow direction, in the connector body can also be reversed accordingly depending on the interchange of the inlet and outlet. This reversed inlet and outlet configuration and their corresponding flow directions correspond to practical applications, such as the placement of one quick connector upstream and one downstream of a heat exchanger. Here, the quick connectors located upstream and downstream of the heat exchanger preferably face the heat exchanger with a smaller fluid channel diameter. As anticipated, the quick connector is preferably designed to enable bidirectional flow during normal operation; therefore, in this patent application, the terms inlet and outlet are used only to describe the specific embodiments and flow states shown, and not as fixed functional limitations.
[0015] As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the 90° quick connector is known to have a sharp edge and a protruding dome structure on the inner side of the deflection section. This structure introduces several hydrodynamic defects. The shape of the inner side of the deflection section causes fluid to separate or detach from the fluid channel, resulting in significant turbulence and pressure loss in the flow. Due to the size and structure of the deflection section, the diameter decreases abruptly directly within the deflection section region when transitioning to the outlet section. Therefore, the fluid flowing through the fluid channel is accelerated within the deflection section region, and due to the presence of the sharp edge, a large turbulence region is formed downstream of the deflection section. This uneven velocity distribution leads to turbulence formation and significant pressure loss. The larger the water eddies or turbulence, the more uneven the flow, and thus the greater the pressure loss in the thermal management system.
[0016] Because the pipe diameter is transitionally set and offset to the outlet region downstream of the deflection section according to the present invention, fluid separation in the deflection section region can be effectively suppressed during the transition to the outlet section, thereby preventing fluid separation from occurring or only significantly reducing fluid separation in the deflection section region. The pipe diameter reduction is preferably offset to the straight outlet section. Therefore, a larger flow channel cross-section and a larger fluid channel diameter are formed overall in the deflection region. This significantly reduces the flow velocity in the deflection section region, thereby reducing eddies and turbulence directly formed downstream of the deflection section, and significantly reducing pressure drop compared to existing quick connectors. Furthermore, the solution of the present invention can be achieved simply by adjusting the corresponding dimensions, without the need for complex mold design.
[0017] Overall, the solution according to the present invention can significantly improve the uniformity of cooling in the thermal management system and reduce pressure loss in quick connectors by more than 50%.
[0018] In particular, the last heat exchanger connected to the main inlet pipe can dissipate more heat. Therefore, the improved quick connector of this invention can optimize and maximize the overall energy efficiency, safety, and lifespan of the battery or individual battery packs that are temperature-controlled or cooled by the battery thermal management system.
[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outlet portion of the connecting body may have a receiving area for accommodating and fluidly connecting a mating component, wherein a fluid channel diameter transition located downstream of the deflection portion is formed within the mating component inserted into the outlet portion. Therefore, instead of inserting the mating component as a male component through its outlet portion as in the prior art, the connecting body can act as a female component, accommodating the corresponding mating component within its receiving area and fluidly connecting it to the deflection portion and the inlet portion. This method is particularly helpful in shifting the pipe diameter transition to the outlet portion region downstream of the deflection portion. Since the corresponding mating component can be inserted into the receiving area, it can be designed to be relatively large, thereby ensuring and contributing to achieving a nearly constant fluid channel cross-section and fluid channel diameter between the deflection portion and the outlet portion.
[0020] More preferably, the outer contour of the mating part can be configured to be substantially complementary to the inner contour of the outlet receiving area. This ensures that the mating part is almost completely received within the outlet receiving area. For example, the mating part can be fixed to the connecting body by a threaded connection in a form-fit manner. Alternatively, a welded joint can be formed between the mating part and the connecting body to form an integral connection.
[0021] According to another preferred embodiment, the deflection section of the connecting body has a nearly constant fluid channel cross-section that extends to the outlet without abrupt diameter transitions. The mating component facing the deflection section has a fluid channel diameter that corresponds to and is the same size as the fluid channel diameters of the inlet and deflection sections. Thus, the protruding dome structure (see prior art connectors) on the upper side of the deflection section is eliminated, forming a nearly constant transition with lower pressure loss. Therefore, the diameter transition is no longer directly provided in the deflection section or the inlet section, and thus there is no step-like, abrupt diameter reduction to a smaller fluid channel diameter directly occurring in the deflection section. Since the inlet section has a constant and large flow channel diameter, the fluid is not accelerated again before reaching the deflection section. The larger diameters in the inlet and deflection sections remain nearly constant upon transition to the outlet section, decreasing further only in the outlet flow direction. The large and continuous cross-section with a large diameter in the deflection section advantageously results in a lower flow velocity in this critical region, thereby reducing eddies and turbulence downstream of the deflection section and achieving a significant reduction in pressure loss of up to 57% compared to existing technologies.
[0022] Preferably, the mating component has a connecting joint for connecting the heat exchanger piping on its end side opposite to the deflection section. The mating component can be inserted into the receiving area of the outlet section and extends along the outlet flow direction, such that, in the inserted state, the connecting joint of the mating component protrudes axially beyond the receiving area of the outlet section along the heat exchanger piping direction. More preferably, the pipe diameter transition can be offset downstream of the deflection section along the outlet flow direction and extend to the connecting joint area. This ensures sufficient spacing between the pipe diameter transition and the deflection section, allowing the reduction in pipe diameter protruding from the fluid channel to advantageously occur at the transition point from the straight outlet section to the outlet connecting joint area. The connecting joint preferably has a barbed structure on its outer surface. This allows the connecting joint to be quickly and securely inserted into the corresponding heat exchanger piping and to form a fluid communication connection. The barbed structure ensures a reliable connection between the pipes through its radial barbs. This method has proven to be a particularly economical, simple, and reliable method for fluid communication between a quick connector and corresponding piping.
[0023] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting joint of the mating component can be concentrically arranged relative to the upstream fluid channel of the connecting body and the mating component. This design is particularly advantageous in terms of manufacturing, as it allows for the formation of a rotationally symmetrical mating component.
[0024] According to another alternative design of the invention, the connecting joint of the mating component can be eccentrically positioned relative to the upstream fluid channel of the connecting body and the mating component. This eccentric positioning of the connecting joint in the high flow velocity range, particularly in the deflection section, the mating component, and the pipe diameter transition region, enables more uniform flow acceleration without fluid separation, thereby significantly reducing pressure loss. This advantageously creates a further optimized fluid and flow channel structure in the quick connector, improving pressure loss by up to 59% compared to known quick connectors.
[0025] The receiving area of the outlet of the connecting body preferably has an opening profile facing the mating member, wherein the diameter transition of the mating member inserted into the receiving area is formed within the opening profile area of the receiving area. This further facilitates the axial offset of the diameter transition or diameter reduction position to downstream of the deflection portion. Thus, the diameter reduction position can be axially moved away from the deflection portion and extend to the front end of the entire connecting body, so that the reduction can be located approximately at the height of the opening profile and formed slightly before the fluid passage leads to the connecting joint.
[0026] According to another preferred design, the pipe diameter transition can be formed by a tapered portion in the fitting, which can be inserted into the receiving area of the outlet, wherein the tapered portion continuously and uniformly tapers from a larger fluid channel diameter to a smaller fluid channel diameter along the outlet flow direction. This creates a smooth and gentle pipe diameter transition, thereby further avoiding abrupt fluid reactions and the resulting further pressure loss. In a concentric embodiment of the connector, the tapered portion of the fitting can uniformly and symmetrically taper from a larger fluid channel diameter to a smaller fluid channel diameter. In an eccentric embodiment of the connector, it is preferably radially offset relative to the central longitudinal axis of the body, so that in this embodiment, the fluid channel or pipe diameter transition in the fitting tapers only from one side of the fitting to the eccentrically positioned connector. This also achieves a reduction from a larger fluid channel diameter to a smaller fluid channel diameter.
[0027] According to another preferred embodiment, the connecting body may have a connecting connector on its inlet for connecting the main inlet pipe to the connecting body, wherein the connecting connector has a barbed structure on its outer surface. With the aid of this connecting connector, the inlet can be reliably and quickly inserted into the corresponding main inlet pipe and form a fluid communication connection with it. Here, the barbed structure ensures a reliable connection between the pipes through its radial barbs. This method has proven to be a particularly economical, simple, and reliable method for establishing a fluid communication connection between a quick connector and corresponding pipes.
[0028] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the inlet, deflection, and outlet portions of the connecting body can be integrally formed and made of the same material. By designing the entire connecting body as a single piece and using the same material, manufacturing complexity and costs can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, no seams that could cause stress concentration and potentially affect flow, such as creating resistance points, are formed in the connecting body.
[0029] According to another alternative embodiment of the invention, the inlet and deflection portions of the connecting body can be integrally molded and made of the same material, wherein the outlet portion is configured as a separate component and is fluidly connected to the deflection portion of the connecting body. More preferably, the separate outlet portion can be at least partially inserted into the deflection portion region, wherein the separate outlet portion can be connected to the deflection portion of the connecting body via a non-rigid or integral connection through contact surfaces. Here, in particular, the integral connection between the separate outlet portion and the deflection portion of the connecting body can be achieved by welding the contact surfaces. Thus, both the separate outlet portion and the remaining parts of the connecting body, i.e., the deflection portion and the inlet portion, can be manufactured using a simple and low-cost injection molding process.
[0030] The independent outlet portion preferably extends the upper inner contour of the deflection portion along an arcuate direction, wherein the independent outlet portion has an opening contour facing the deflection portion and has a diameter the same as the larger fluid channel diameter of the deflection portion. Thus, the overall pipe diameter transition from the deflection portion to the offset outlet portion forms a hemispherical or dome-shaped internal structure. This allows for a smooth transition between the deflection portion and the outlet portion. Here, the arcuate continuation of the inner contour enables the provision of a quick connector with further improved pressure drop characteristics.
[0031] Other features, details, and advantages of the present invention may be apparent from the text of the claims and the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a known quick connector in the prior art is shown; Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of a quick connector with a concentric connection joint according to the present invention is shown; Figure 3 Show Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic cross-sectional view of the quick connector according to the present invention, which has an eccentric connection joint. Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view is shown, illustrating another embodiment of the quick connector according to the present invention; Figure 5a Existing technology Figure 1 The diagram shows a flow simulation (velocity field) of the quick connector; and Figure 5b The present invention is shown Figure 3The diagram shows a flow simulation (velocity field) of a fast connector.
[0032] Figure 1 The quick connector, commonly referred to as 1, exemplarily illustrates a 90° connector known in the prior art for connecting fluid lines in a battery thermal management system (not shown).
[0033] The quick connector 1 includes a connecting body 10, which is substantially vertically bent and integrally formed to deflect the inlet fluid 90° from the inlet flow direction E to the outlet flow direction A. For this purpose, the connecting body 10 surrounds and forms a fluid channel 5, and has a straight inlet 2 for fluid communication with the main inlet pipe (not shown) of the thermal management system. A straight outlet 4 is provided perpendicularly to the inlet 2 for fluid communication with a pipe (not shown) supplied to the battery heat exchanger.
[0034] The inlet 2 and outlet 4 of the connecting body 10 are arranged at approximately right angles to each other, and fluid deflection is achieved by the arc-shaped part 3 disposed between them. The fluid channel diameter D of the inlet 2 corresponds to the larger diameter of the main liquid inlet pipe, while the fluid channel diameter d of the outlet 4 corresponds to the smaller diameter of the heat exchanger pipeline or the corresponding outlet distribution pipeline.
[0035] The fluid channel 5 in the inlet 2 has a tapered section in the direction downstream of the deflection section 3, which reduces the fluid channel diameter D to a slightly smaller fluid channel diameter D′, and forms a dome structure 6 in the deflection section 3. However, the fluid channel diameter D′ is still larger than the reduced fluid channel diameter d in the outlet 4.
[0036] As shown in the figure, the larger fluid channel diameter D′ in the inlet and deflection section 3 decreases towards the outlet section 4 through a direct pipe diameter transition 7. Due to this direct and abrupt pipe diameter transition 7 in the deflection section 3, a sharp edge 8 is formed on the inner contour of the deflection section 3 on the lower side of the connecting body 10.
[0037] The outlet portion 4 of the connecting body 10 is inserted axially into the additional fitting 20. For this purpose, the fitting 20 includes a receiving area 21, which is substantially complementary in shape to the outer contour 15 of the outlet portion 4. The outlet portion 4 is almost completely inserted into the receiving area 21 of the fitting 20 in a fluidly communicating and fluidly sealed manner by a corresponding sealing element (not shown), and is sealed relative to the outside.
[0038] The mating part 20 has a barbed connector 22 for connecting to the heat exchanger piping. The connector 22 is axially connected to the receiving area 21 via its fluid passage 5. The outlet 4 is axially inserted into the receiving area 21 of the mating part 20 until the connection position is reached. The fluid passage 5 of the connector 22 has the same fluid passage diameter d as the reduced diameter d of the outlet 4 after deflection. Therefore, the connector 22 extends the outlet 4 and the fluid passage 5 axially along the heat exchanger piping direction. The inlet 2 also has a barbed connector 9 for connecting to the main inlet pipe of the battery thermal management system.
[0039] Figure 2 A first embodiment of a quick connector 1 for connecting fluid lines in a battery thermal management system according to the present invention is shown.
[0040] The inlet 2, deflection 3, and outlet 4 of the connecting body 10 are integrally formed and made of the same material. The outlet 4 of the connecting body 10 is designed as a female part and includes a receiving area 11 for receiving the mating part 20, which is constructed as a male part, and connecting it to the inlet 2 and deflection 3 in a fluid communication manner.
[0041] The mating member 20 has an outer contour 25, which is substantially complementary to the inner contour of the receiving area 11 of the outlet 4. The mating member 20 is inserted into the receiving area 11 of the outlet 4 up to the deflection part 3 and is fluidly connected to the deflection part 3 and the inlet part 2 of the connecting body 10.
[0042] The inlet 2 has a larger fluid channel diameter D corresponding to the main inlet pipe, and a constant fluid channel cross-section extending downstream, which extends through the deflection part 3 to the outlet 4 and the fluid channel 5 of the fitting 20. Therefore, the deflection part 3 connecting the main body 10 has an almost constant fluid channel cross-section, extending to the outlet 4 and the fluid channel 5 of the fitting 20 without abrupt pipe diameter transitions. The fitting 20, facing the deflection part 3, has a fluid channel diameter D that corresponds to and is the same size as the fluid channel diameter D of the inlet 2 and the deflection part 3.
[0043] The receiving area 11 of the outlet section 4 includes an opening profile 12 facing the mating member 20. At approximately the axial height of the opening profile 12 of the receiving area 11, a pipe diameter transition 7 is provided towards the smaller fluid passage diameter d that passes through the connecting joint 22.
[0044] The pipe diameter transition 7 is formed by a tapering portion 23 in the fluid channel 5 of the mating member 20. The tapering portion 23 continuously and uniformly tapers from a larger fluid channel diameter D to a smaller fluid channel diameter d along the outlet flow direction A. The pipe diameter transition 7 is offset axially from downstream of the deflection portion 3 to the region of the connecting joint 22.
[0045] The connector 22 with barbed structure is concentrically arranged relative to the upstream fluid channel 5 of the connecting body 10 and the mating part 20. The tapered portion 23 of the mating part 20 uniformly and symmetrically tapers the fluid channel cross section from the larger fluid channel diameter D to the smaller fluid channel diameter d of the connector 22.
[0046] Figure 3 An embodiment of the quick connector 1 according to the present invention is shown, which has a structural principle that is essentially the same, but with an alternative arrangement of the connecting joint 22. As shown, the connecting joint 22 of the mating member 20 with a barbed structure is eccentrically arranged relative to the upstream fluid channel 5 of the connecting body 10 and the mating member 20.
[0047] The connecting joint 22 is eccentrically positioned towards the upper side 26 of the main body 20. In this embodiment, the tapered portion 23 of the mating member 20 extends continuously and uniformly from the lower side 27 of the mating member 20 to the eccentrically positioned connecting joint 22, thereby causing the fluid channel diameter D to taper to the fluid channel diameter d. Conversely, the upper side 26 of the main body 20 does not have a cross-sectional change or tapering portion. Apart from this, the structure of this embodiment is similar to... Figure 2 The implementation methods shown are exactly the same.
[0048] Figure 4 Another alternative embodiment of the quick connector 1 according to the present invention is shown, wherein the inlet portion 2 and the deflection portion 3 of the connecting body 10 are integrally formed and made of the same material, while the outlet portion 4 is provided as a separate component and is connected to the deflection portion 3 of the connecting body 10 in a fluid communication manner.
[0049] According to this embodiment, the independent outlet section 4 is inserted into the deflection section 3 region and is welded to the deflection section 3 of the connecting body 10 via the contact surface 13.
[0050] As shown in the figure, the independent outlet section 4 extends the upper inner contour of the deflection section 3 in an arc shape along the downstream direction. The independent outlet section 4 has an opening contour facing the deflection section 3 and has the same diameter D as the larger fluid channel diameter D of the inlet section 2 and the deflection section 3.
[0051] Similar to known 90° quick connectors, the independent outlet section 4 is inserted into the corresponding receiving area 21 of the mating part 20 via a complementary outer contour 15 and is connected in a fluid communication manner. The pipe diameter transition 7 is located in the fluid channel 5 of the independent outlet section 4, downstream of the upper arc-shaped inner contour continuation.
[0052] Figure 5a The flow simulation results for a known 90° quick connector are shown, while Figure 5b The flow simulation results of the quick connector 1 with an eccentric connection joint 22 according to the present invention are shown. Because... Figure 5a and Figure 5b The flow field, not the quick connector itself, is highlighted; therefore, the quick connector is marked as 1 for identification purposes only. The fluid velocity field (magnitude and vector) is shown here, and the flow field in the pipe diameter transition region 7 is highlighted in the detailed views X1 and X2.
[0053] from Figure 5a As can be seen in the magnified detailed view X1, a sharp edge 8 and a protruding dome structure 6 are formed in the abrupt diameter transition region 7 inside the deflector 3. This structure causes the fluid to detach or separate from the fluid channel, resulting in significant turbulence and pressure loss directly at the initiation of the outlet 4. This situation is schematically represented by the flow vector. In the region where the deflector 3 transitions to the outlet 4, the abrupt diameter reduction causes fluid acceleration. Due to the presence of the sharp edge 8, a large turbulent region and eddies are formed downstream of the deflector 3. This non-uniform velocity distribution leads to turbulence formation and significant pressure loss. The larger the water eddies or turbulence, the more non-uniform the flow, and thus the greater the pressure loss in the thermal management system.
[0054] Combination Figure 5b The comparison shows that, since the pipe diameter transition 7 is shifted from downstream of the deflection section 3 to the outlet section 4 region according to the present invention, such significant fluid acceleration does not occur during the transition to the outlet section 4. Therefore, fluid separation is advantageously reduced, so that no fluid separation occurs in the deflection section region, or only a significantly reduced fluid separation occurs.
[0055] As can be seen from detailed view X2, the flow velocity and turbulence are significantly reduced in the deflection section 3 and the pipe diameter transition area 7. Due to the setting of the tapered section 23, a uniform and continuous pipe diameter reduction is formed towards the fluid channel diameter d, thereby reducing the eddies and turbulence directly formed downstream of the deflection section 3, and significantly reducing pressure loss compared to known quick connectors.
[0056] Overall, the solution according to the present invention can significantly improve the uniformity of cooling in the thermal management system and reduce pressure loss in quick connectors by up to 59%.
[0057] In particular, the last heat exchanger connected to the main inlet pipe can dissipate more heat. Therefore, the improved quick connector of this invention can optimize and maximize the efficiency, safety, and lifespan of the battery or individual battery packs.
[0058] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways.
[0059] All features and advantages disclosed in the claims, description and drawings, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, whether individually or in various combinations, constitute the essential features of the present invention.
[0060] List of reference numerals E Inlet Flow Direction A. Export flow direction D: Large fluid channel diameter, inlet section (connection section, main inlet pipe) D′ is the diameter of another fluid channel, at the inlet (existing technology). d. Small fluid channel diameter, outlet section (connection, heat exchanger) X1 Detailed view, pipe diameter transition X2 Detailed View, Pipe Diameter Transition 1 Quick Connector 2 Entrance 3. Deflection section 4. Export Department 5. Fluid Channels 6. Dome structure (inner contour, deflection section) 7. Pipe diameter transition 8. Sharp edge (inner contour, deflection part) 9. Connecting connector (inlet) 10 Connecting Main Body 11. Accommodation Area (Exit Section) 12. Opening profile (accommodating area) 13 Contact surfaces 15. Outer contour (exit section) 20 mating parts 21. Accommodation area (mating parts) 22 Connecting joints (mating parts) 23. Tapered section 25 Outer contour (mating part) 26 upper side 27. Lower side.
Claims
1. A quick connector (1) for connecting fluid lines in a battery thermal management system, comprising a connecting body (10), the connecting body (10) having a straight inlet (2) for fluid communication with the main inlet pipe of the thermal management system, and a straight outlet (4) disposed substantially perpendicular thereto for fluid communication with battery heat exchanger lines, wherein, The connecting body (10) surrounds and forms a fluid channel (5), and a deflection part (3) for deflecting the inlet fluid is provided between the inlet and outlet (2, 4), characterized in that: The fluid channel diameter (D) of the inlet and deflection sections (2, 3) corresponds to the diameter of the main inlet pipe, and its size is larger than the fluid channel diameter (d) of the outlet section (4), wherein the pipe diameter transition (7) of the fluid channel (5) is provided in the region of the outlet section (4) downstream of the deflection section (3).
2. The quick connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outlet portion (4) of the connecting body (10) has a receiving area (11) for receiving and fluidly connecting the fitting (20), wherein the diameter transition (7) of the fluid channel (5) located downstream of the deflection portion (3) is formed within the fitting (20) inserted into the outlet portion (4).
3. The quick connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The deflection portion (3) of the connecting body (10) has an almost constant fluid channel cross section that extends into the outlet portion (4) without abrupt transition to a smaller fluid channel diameter (d). The mating member (20) has a fluid channel diameter on the side facing the deflection portion (3) that corresponds to and is the same size as the fluid channel diameter (D) of the inlet portion and the deflection portion (2, 3).
4. The quick connector according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The fitting (20) has a connecting joint (22) for connecting the heat exchanger pipeline on its end side away from the deflection part (3), wherein the fitting (20) can be inserted into the receiving area (11) of the outlet part (4) and extends along the outlet flow direction (A) such that, in the inserted state, the connecting joint (22) of the fitting (20) protrudes axially outside the receiving area (11) of the outlet part (4) along the heat exchanger pipeline direction.
5. The quick connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting joint (22) of the mating component (20) is concentrically arranged relative to the fluid channel (5) upstream of the connecting body and the mating component (10, 20).
6. The quick connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting joint (22) of the mating component (20) is eccentrically positioned relative to the fluid channel (5) upstream of the connecting body and the mating component (10, 20).
7. The quick connector according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The receiving area (11) of the outlet (4) has an opening profile (12) facing the fitting (20), wherein the pipe diameter transition (7) is formed in the fitting (20) and is located approximately at the axial height of the opening profile (12) of the receiving area (11).
8. The quick connector according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that: The pipe diameter transition (7) is formed by a tapering portion (23) in the fitting (20), which can be inserted into the receiving area (11) of the outlet (4), wherein the tapering portion (23) continuously and uniformly tapers from a larger fluid channel diameter (D) to a smaller fluid channel diameter (d) along the outlet flow direction (A).
9. The quick connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The connecting body (10) has a connecting connector (9) at its inlet (2) for connecting the main inlet pipe to the connecting body (10), wherein the connecting connector (9) is provided with a barb structure on its outer side.
10. The quick connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The inlet (2), the deflection (3), and the outlet (4) of the connecting body (10) are integrally formed and made of the same material.
11. The quick connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The inlet (2) and the deflection (3) of the connecting body (10) are integrally formed and made of the same material, wherein the outlet (4) is set as an independent component and is connected to the deflection (3) of the connecting body (10) in a fluid communication manner.
12. The quick connector according to claim 11, characterized in that: The independent outlet (4) is at least partially inserted into the region of the deflection part (3), wherein the independent outlet (4) is connected to the deflection part (3) of the connection body (10) by means of a non-rigid connection or integral connection via a contact surface (13).