Thermal management device for battery cell assembly and battery pack

Abstract

The utility model provides a thermal management device for a battery cell assembly and a battery pack. The battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of columnar battery cell monomers which are arranged in an array, at least two columnar battery cell monomers in the plurality of columnar battery cell monomers surround to form a gap in the battery cell assembly, the number of the gaps is multiple, and each gap extends in the axial direction of the columnar battery cell monomers. The heat management device comprises at least one liquid inlet pipeline, at least one liquid outlet pipeline and a plurality of heat exchange pipelines, and each heat exchange pipeline is arranged in the corresponding gap. According to the heat management device for the battery cell assembly, provided by the utility model, a sufficient heat exchange space can be provided for a plurality of columnar battery cell monomers through a plurality of gaps, and the gaps in the battery cell assembly are used as heat exchange areas, so that the problem that a heat management device of a battery pack in the prior art occupies a large space is solved. The volume utilization rate of the whole battery pack is improved, and cooling liquid circulates in the liquid inlet pipeline and the liquid outlet pipeline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of battery thermal management, and in particular relates to a thermal management device for a battery core assembly and a battery pack. Background Art

[0002] The battery pack is composed of battery cells, thermal management system, battery management system, electrical system and structural parts. Battery thermal management is a technology that solves the problem of thermal dissipation or thermal runaway caused by the battery working at too high or too low temperature. Its principle is to make a reasonable design based on the influence of temperature on battery performance, combined with the electrochemical characteristics and heat generation mechanism of the battery.

[0003] Reasonable and efficient thermal management solutions have a certain positive effect on improving the temperature uniformity, service life and overall capacity of the battery pack. The thermal management solutions adopted by batteries of different sizes and shapes are also different. For example, from 18650 to 4680 cylindrical batteries, the thermal management solution is still to use a corrugated cooling plate (a wavy cooling plate with a flow channel inside) to cool the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical battery. This thermal management design has the advantages of simple structure and convenient assembly, but the cooling area is limited. The cooling area of ​​a single corrugated plate and a single battery cell is less than one-sixth of the cylindrical area of ​​the battery cell. Sometimes even two corrugated plates are needed to cool a single battery cell, but the maximum cooling area does not reach one-third of the cylindrical area of ​​the battery cell. In addition, the corrugated plate will occupy the Y or X dimensions of the battery pack. The current mainstream corrugated plate has a design thickness of about 4 mm. Based on this calculation, it is calculated that the thermal management design of cylindrical cooling increases the battery cell area of ​​the cylindrical battery by about 10%. Due to the combined factors of the thermal management system design, the cell shape and the smoke exhaust channel, the volume utilization rate of the cylindrical battery pack is less than 40%. In addition, under the thermal management requirements of high-power charging and discharging, it is necessary to double the number of corrugated cooling plates to meet the cooling requirements, and the cell area will increase by about 20%.

[0004] The existing technology has also proposed different solutions to the above problems. For example, immersion thermal management is to completely immerse the battery cell in a high-voltage resistant, insulating liquid so that the battery cell as a whole can fully exchange heat with the liquid, thereby achieving temperature regulation of the battery pack. However, there is still the problem that the entire battery pack occupies a large space. Utility Model Content

[0005] The utility model aims to solve the problems in the prior art that the thermal management device of the battery pack occupies a large space and the overall volume utilization of the battery pack is low.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the utility model discloses a thermal management device for a battery cell assembly, the battery cell assembly includes a plurality of columnar battery cell monomers arranged in an array, and the battery cell assembly has a plurality of gaps, each of the plurality of gaps is formed by surrounding at least two columnar battery cell monomers among the plurality of columnar battery cell monomers, and extends along the axial direction of the columnar battery cell monomers; the thermal management device includes at least one liquid inlet pipe, at least one liquid outlet pipe, and a plurality of heat exchange pipes; each of the plurality of heat exchange pipes is arranged in a gap, and the outer wall surface of each heat exchange pipe is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell monomer around the gap; each heat exchange pipe has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the liquid inlet of each heat exchange pipe is connected to at least one liquid inlet pipe, and the liquid outlet of each heat exchange pipe is connected to at least one liquid outlet pipe.

[0007] By adopting the above technical scheme, by arranging multiple columnar battery cells in the battery cell assembly in an array, multiple gaps extending along the axial direction of the columnar battery cells are formed between at least two columnar battery cells. The gaps can be used to provide heat dissipation space for the columnar battery cells to prevent the temperature of the columnar battery cells from rising and causing thermal runaway. By setting at least one liquid inlet pipe, at least one liquid outlet pipe and multiple heat exchange pipes in the thermal management device, the cooling material flows in the liquid inlet pipe, the liquid outlet pipe and the heat exchange pipe. Each of the multiple heat exchange pipes is arranged in a gap, and the outer wall surface of each heat exchange pipe is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell around the gap. The heat exchange pipe and the columnar battery cell are fully in contact. The cooling material can flow from the liquid inlet pipe through the heat exchange pipe through the liquid inlet of the heat exchange pipe, and then flow to the liquid outlet pipe through the liquid outlet of the heat exchange pipe to complete the heat exchange of the columnar battery cell. This scheme can improve the space utilization rate between the batteries, create a heat exchange area to the greatest extent in a limited space, and reduce the space occupied by the thermal management device, thereby reducing the overall volume of the battery pack.

[0008] According to another specific embodiment of the utility model, in the thermal management device for a battery cell assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the utility model, at least one liquid inlet pipe is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with at least one liquid outlet pipe, and each of the at least one liquid inlet pipe is connected to a corresponding liquid outlet pipe and is arranged at the bottom of the battery cell assembly; each heat exchange pipe includes an inner tube and an outer tube, the outer tube is arranged on the outer periphery of the inner tube, and has an annular flow channel between the inner tube, wherein the inner tube extends axially along the columnar battery cell monomer, and a liquid inlet is arranged at one end of the inner tube, and at least one through hole is arranged at the other end, and at least one through hole is connected to the annular flow channel; the outer wall surface of the outer tube is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell monomer around the gap, and one end of the outer tube has an opening, which is the liquid outlet.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, at least one liquid inlet pipe and at least one liquid outlet pipe are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, so that the coolant flows in from the liquid inlet pipe and flows out through the liquid outlet pipe after cooling. Each liquid inlet pipe is connected to the corresponding liquid outlet pipe and arranged at the bottom of the battery cell assembly, so that the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe are integrated at the bottom of the battery cell assembly. The coolant flowing through the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe can reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas when the columnar battery cell monomer is thermally runaway to a certain extent, thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway. By arranging an inner tube and an outer tube in the heat exchange pipe, and the outer tube is arranged around the outer circumference of the inner tube, an annular flow channel is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, so that the heat exchange pipe is divided into two channels, the inner tube and the annular flow channel, and the coolant can flow in the inner tube and the annular flow channel, thereby completing the heat exchange of the columnar battery cell monomer. The inner tube of the heat exchange pipe extends along the axial direction of the columnar battery cell monomer, so that the flow direction of the coolant in the inner tube is the axial direction of the columnar battery cell monomer, so that the contact area between the heat exchange pipe and the columnar battery cell monomer is increased, which can improve the heat exchange efficiency and reduce the risk of thermal runaway. A liquid inlet is set at one end of the inner tube, and the coolant flows into the inner tube from the liquid inlet. At least one through hole is set at the other end, and at least one through hole is connected to the annular flow channel. The coolant flows from the inner tube to the annular flow channel through the through hole. The outer wall surface of the outer tube is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell monomer around the gap, so that the outer tube and the columnar battery cell monomer are in contact, and the heat generated when the columnar battery cell monomer dissipates heat can be transferred to the outer tube, and the coolant in the annular flow channel between the outer tube and the inner tube can absorb the dissipated heat. After flowing through the annular flow channel, the coolant flows out through the liquid outlet at one end of the outer tube and flows into the liquid outlet pipe.

[0010] According to another specific embodiment of the utility model, in the thermal management device for a battery cell assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the utility model, at least one liquid inlet pipe is a plurality of liquid inlet pipes, and at least one liquid outlet pipe is a plurality of liquid outlet pipes; each of the multiple liquid inlet pipes and each of the multiple liquid outlet pipes extend along a straight line, and one side of each liquid outlet pipe is arranged at the bottom end of a plurality of columnar battery cell units arranged along a straight line, and the other side is connected to one side of the corresponding liquid inlet pipe; and two adjacent liquid inlet pipes are arranged at intervals; one end of the inner tube passes through the liquid outlet pipe.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, at least one liquid inlet pipe and at least one liquid outlet pipe are arranged in multiple numbers, each liquid inlet pipe and each liquid outlet pipe extend in a straight line, and are arranged corresponding to the multiple columnar battery cells arranged in a straight line, so that the multiple liquid inlet pipes and the multiple liquid outlet pipes can simultaneously perform heat exchange for multiple groups of multiple columnar battery cells arranged in a straight line, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency. One side of each liquid outlet pipe is arranged at the bottom end of the multiple columnar battery cells arranged in a straight line, and the other side is connected to one side of the corresponding liquid inlet pipe, so that the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe are integrated at the bottom end of the multiple columnar battery cells, that is, the bottom of the battery cell assembly. The coolant flowing through the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe can reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas when the battery cell is thermally runaway to a certain extent, thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway. When two adjacent liquid inlet pipes are arranged at intervals, the two adjacent liquid outlet pipes are also arranged at intervals, so that the interval area between the adjacent liquid inlet pipes and the adjacent liquid outlet pipes can be used as a smoke exhaust channel during thermal runaway, without occupying additional area of ​​the battery pack, thereby improving the volume utilization rate of the entire battery pack. One end of the inner tube passes through the liquid outlet pipe, so the liquid inlet at one end of the inner tube passes through the liquid outlet pipe and is connected to the liquid inlet pipe.

[0012] According to another specific embodiment of the utility model, in the thermal management device for a battery core assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the utility model, each heat exchange pipe also includes a plurality of fins, one end of each of the plurality of fins is connected to the outer wall of the inner tube, and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the outer tube.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, multiple fins are arranged in the heat exchange pipe, and one end of each of the multiple fins is connected to the outer wall of the inner pipe, and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the outer pipe, so that the structural strength of the heat exchange pipe can be improved and the risk of structural deformation and leakage of the heat exchange pipe can be reduced. In addition, the arrangement of multiple fins in the heat exchange pipe can improve the heat exchange efficiency between the coolant and the columnar battery cell monomer, thereby improving the heat exchange performance of the heat exchange pipe.

[0014] According to another specific embodiment of the present utility model, in the thermal management device for a battery core assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the present utility model, a plurality of fins are arranged in a spiral shape along the axial direction of the inner tube.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, arranging multiple fins in an axial spiral shape along the inner tube can guide the coolant flowing between the outer wall of the inner tube and the inner wall of the outer tube, and the coolant can flow along the spiral direction of the fins.

[0016] According to another specific embodiment of the utility model, the thermal management device for the battery cell assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the utility model also includes a plurality of bases, and the plurality of bases correspond one-to-one to the plurality of heat exchange pipes, each of the plurality of bases surrounds the outer periphery of one end of the corresponding heat exchange pipe connected to the liquid outlet pipe, and one end face of each base is connected to one side of the liquid outlet pipe, and a portion of the bottom of the columnar battery cell monomer around the heat exchange pipe abuts against the other end face of the base.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, a plurality of bases corresponding to the plurality of heat exchange pipes are arranged in the thermal management device, each of the plurality of bases surrounds the outer periphery of one end of the corresponding heat exchange pipe connected to the liquid outlet pipe, and one end face of each base is connected to one side of the liquid outlet pipe, and part of the bottom of the columnar battery cell monomer around the heat exchange pipe abuts against the other end face of the base, so that the base enables a sealed connection between the heat exchange pipe and the liquid outlet pipe, and the base enables a certain gap between the bottom of the columnar battery cell monomer and the liquid outlet pipe, so that the columnar battery cell monomer has sufficient space to discharge high-temperature gas in the event of thermal runaway.

[0018] According to another specific embodiment of the utility model, in the thermal management device for a battery cell assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the utility model, each columnar battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell, and multiple cylindrical battery cells are arranged alternately, and intervals are set between two adjacent cylindrical battery cells, and a gap is formed between three cylindrical battery cells.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, multiple cylindrical cells are arranged in a staggered manner to improve the volume utilization rate of the battery pack and the overall structural stability. Two adjacent cylindrical cells are arranged at intervals. Since the outer wall of the cylindrical cell is an arc surface, the outer wall surfaces of multiple cylindrical cells cannot be completely fitted together. When multiple cylindrical cells are arranged in a staggered manner, there will be vacant areas between the cylindrical cells. The vacant areas between the three cylindrical cells form a gap, and the heat exchange pipe is correspondingly arranged in the gap.

[0020] According to another specific embodiment of the utility model, in the thermal management device for a battery core assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the utility model, the wall thickness of the inner tube and the outer tube of the heat exchange pipe is 0.3mm-0.5mm, and the inner tube and the outer tube are made of aluminum; the distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is 1mm-3mm; the number of through holes is multiple, wherein the multiple through holes are evenly arranged along the circumference of the inner tube, or are evenly arranged along the circumference and axial direction of the inner tube; and the distance between at least two through holes evenly arranged along the axial direction of the inner tube is 3mm-6mm.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the wall thickness of the inner tube and the outer tube of the heat exchange pipe is 0.3mm-0.5mm, thereby ensuring the structural strength of the heat exchange pipe, and the thickness is appropriate, which is convenient for heat conduction. The inner tube and the outer tube are made of aluminum to improve the thermal conductivity of the inner tube and the outer tube. The distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is 1mm-3mm, that is, the width of the annular flow channel is 1mm-3mm, for the coolant to flow through the annular flow channel. By setting a plurality of through holes, the plurality of through holes are evenly arranged along the circumference of the inner tube, or evenly arranged along the circumference and axial direction of the inner tube, and the distance between at least two through holes evenly arranged along the axial direction of the inner tube is 3mm-6mm, and the plurality of through holes form a liquid flow path between the inner tube and the outer tube. When the coolant flow rate is large, the coolant flows evenly from the plurality of through holes to the annular flow channel, thereby making the heat exchange more uniform and improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0022] According to another specific embodiment of the present utility model, the embodiment of the present utility model discloses a battery pack, including a battery cell assembly composed of a plurality of columnar battery cells arranged in an array, and also including a thermal management device for the battery cell assembly.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the battery pack includes a cell assembly composed of a plurality of columnar battery cells arranged in an array and a thermal management device. Since the space occupied by the heat exchange pipe in the battery pack is the vacant volume that cannot be eliminated between the columnar battery cells, the volume utilization rate of the entire battery pack is improved, and since the heat exchange pipe isolates the contact between all columnar battery cells between the columnar battery cells, zero possibility of heat diffusion can be achieved.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the utility model are:

[0025] The utility model provides a thermal management device for a battery cell assembly, wherein the thermal management device and the battery cell assembly are integrated in a battery pack. The battery cell assembly includes a plurality of columnar battery cells arranged in an array, and the plurality of columnar battery cells are output power sources of the battery pack. At least two of the plurality of columnar battery cells surround a gap in the battery cell assembly, and there are a plurality of such gaps, and each gap extends along the axial direction of the columnar battery cell, and a plurality of gaps can provide sufficient heat exchange space for the plurality of columnar battery cells. The thermal management device includes at least one liquid inlet pipe and at least one liquid outlet pipe, and the coolant flows in the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe. The thermal management device also includes a plurality of heat exchange pipes, and each of the plurality of heat exchange pipes is arranged in a gap, thereby utilizing the gap in the battery cell assembly as a heat exchange area, thereby improving the volume utilization rate of the entire battery pack. The outer wall surface of each heat exchange pipe is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell around the gap, so that the heat of the columnar battery cell can be transferred to the heat exchange pipe, and the coolant in the heat exchange pipe is cooled. In addition, each heat exchange pipe has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The liquid inlet of each heat exchange pipe is connected to at least one liquid inlet pipe, and the liquid outlet of each heat exchange pipe is connected to at least one liquid outlet pipe, so that the coolant can flow into the heat exchange pipe through the liquid inlet, and after completing the heat exchange in the heat exchange pipe, flow out through the liquid outlet and flow to the liquid outlet pipe. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management device for a battery cell assembly and a columnar battery cell monomer provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a heat exchange pipe in a thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model, which is arranged in a gap formed by at least two columnar battery core monomers;

[0028] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management device for a battery cell assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0029] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0030] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of an outer tube of a thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0031] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of an inner tube of a thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0032] Figure 7A schematic diagram of the structure of the fins of the thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0033] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid inlet pipe, a liquid outlet pipe and a base of a thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0034] Fig. 9 A structural side view of a base of a thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0035] Fig.10 A top view of a base of a thermal management device for a battery core assembly provided in Example 1 of the utility model;

[0036] Fig.11 for Fig.10 The cross-section along the AA direction;

[0037] Fig.12 A side view of a thermal management device for a battery cell assembly and a columnar battery cell unit provided in Example 1 of the utility model.

[0038] Description of reference numerals:

[0039] 10. Battery cell components;

[0040] 100. Columnar battery cell;

[0041] 20. Thermal management device;

[0042] 200, liquid inlet pipe; 210, liquid outlet pipe; 220, heat exchange pipe;

[0043] 221, liquid inlet; 222, liquid outlet; 223, inner tube; 224, outer tube; 225, annular flow channel; 226, through hole;

[0044] 227, fins;

[0045] 230. Base. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clear, the implementation mode of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] In the existing thermal management solutions for battery packs, in order to solve the problems of limited cooling area of ​​the thermal management device and low volume utilization of the entire battery pack, a phase change material cooling method has been proposed. The advantages of phase change cooling are that it does not consume energy and does not occupy additional volume in the battery pack, but its disadvantages are that it has large mass and heat dissipation limits. These defects limit the development of phase change cooling methods.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] In view of the above problems, the utility model provides a thermal management device for a battery core assembly, such as Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown, the battery cell assembly 10 includes a plurality of columnar battery cells 100 arranged in an array. It should be noted that the specific shape of the columnar battery cells 100 can be an existing columnar battery cell, such as cylindrical, square, prism, etc. The battery cell assembly 10 has a plurality of gaps, each of which is formed by surrounding at least two of the plurality of columnar battery cells 100 and extending along the axial direction of the columnar battery cell 100. Specifically, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the columnar battery cell 100 is a cylindrical battery cell, and multiple cylindrical battery cells are arranged in a staggered manner, and a gap is formed between three cylindrical battery cells; and for the cylindrical battery cell, the gap is the vacant area generated when the cylindrical battery cell array is arranged. If the columnar battery cell 100 is square or prismatic, a vacant area of ​​a certain distance can be left between at least two columnar battery cells 100, so that at least two square or prismatic battery cells surround to form a gap.

[0050] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the thermal management device 20 includes at least one liquid inlet pipe 200, at least one liquid outlet pipe 210, and multiple heat exchange pipes 220; each heat exchange pipe 220 in the multiple heat exchange pipes 220 is arranged in a gap; and the outer wall surface of each heat exchange pipe 220 is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell 100 around the gap; each heat exchange pipe 220 has a liquid inlet 221 and a liquid outlet 222, and the liquid inlet 221 of each heat exchange pipe 220 is connected to at least one liquid inlet pipe 200, and the liquid outlet 222 of each heat exchange pipe 220 is connected to at least one liquid outlet pipe 210.

[0051] Specifically, each of the multiple heat exchange pipes 220 is arranged in a gap; thus, the heat exchange pipe 220 does not occupy additional space in the battery pack, saving the volume in the battery pack, solving the problem that the thermal management device 20 of the battery pack occupies a large space, and utilizing the gap to provide heat dissipation space for the columnar battery cell monomer 100, preventing the columnar battery cell monomer 100 from increasing in temperature and causing thermal runaway. By arranging at least one liquid inlet pipe 200, at least one liquid outlet pipe 210 and multiple heat exchange pipes 220, the coolant flows in the liquid inlet pipe 200, the liquid outlet pipe 210 and the heat exchange pipe 220. When the thermal management device 20 in the battery pack is working, the coolant flows to the heat exchange pipe 220 through the liquid inlet pipe 200, and flows to the liquid outlet pipe 210 through the heat exchange pipe 220. It should be noted that the positions of the liquid inlet pipe 200 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 can be set as needed, and can be set at the upper part and the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10 respectively, or can be set around the battery cell assembly 10, as long as it can ensure that the liquid inlet pipe 200 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 are connected with the heat exchange pipe 220 to form a passage. Each heat exchange pipe 220 of the multiple heat exchange pipes 220 is set in a gap, and the outer wall surface of each heat exchange pipe 220 is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell monomer 100 around the gap, so as to create a heat exchange area to the greatest extent in a limited space, and reduce the space occupied by the thermal management device 20, thereby reducing the overall volume of the battery pack and improving the overall volume utilization of the battery pack. The heat exchange pipe 220 is fully in contact with the columnar battery cell monomer 100, so that the heat of the columnar battery cell monomer 100 can be transferred to the heat exchange pipe 220, and the coolant in the heat exchange pipe 220 is cooled.

[0052] Furthermore, each heat exchange pipe 220 has a liquid inlet 221 and a liquid outlet 222. The liquid inlet 221 of each heat exchange pipe 220 is connected to at least one liquid inlet pipe 200, and the liquid outlet 222 of each heat exchange pipe 220 is connected to at least one liquid outlet pipe 210. The cooling material can flow from the liquid inlet pipe 200 through the liquid inlet 221 of the heat exchange pipe 220, and then flow to the liquid outlet pipe 210 through the liquid outlet 222 of the heat exchange pipe 220, thereby completing heat exchange of the columnar battery cell 100. For example, when the liquid inlet pipe 200 is arranged at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 is arranged at the upper part of the battery cell assembly 10, the liquid inlet 221 of the heat exchange pipe 220 is arranged at one end of the bottom of the heat exchange pipe 220 close to the liquid inlet pipe 200, and is communicated with the liquid inlet pipe 200, and the liquid outlet 222 is arranged at one end of the upper part of the heat exchange pipe 220 close to the liquid outlet pipe 210, and is communicated with the liquid outlet pipe 210. Figure 4As shown, the liquid inlet pipe 200 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 can also be both arranged at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10, and one side of each liquid outlet pipe 210 is arranged at the bottom end of a plurality of columnar battery cell monomers 100, and the other side is connected to one side of the corresponding liquid inlet pipe 200, so that the liquid inlet pipe 200 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 are integrated at the bottom ends of the plurality of columnar battery cell monomers 100, that is, the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10. At this time, the liquid inlet 221 and the liquid outlet 222 of the heat exchange pipe 220 are both arranged at the bottom of the heat exchange pipe 220, and the liquid inlet 221 is connected to the liquid inlet pipe 200, and the liquid outlet 222 is connected to the liquid outlet pipe 210.

[0053] It should be noted that the multiple heat exchange pipes 220 can correspond to the multiple gaps one by one, and each heat exchange pipe 220 is arranged in the corresponding gap; the number of heat exchange pipes 220 can also be less than the gaps, and the heat exchange pipes 220 can be designed to be arranged in some of the gaps as needed.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, at least one liquid inlet pipe 200 is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with at least one liquid outlet pipe 210, and each liquid inlet pipe 200 in the at least one liquid inlet pipe 200 is connected to a corresponding liquid outlet pipe 210 and is arranged at the bottom of the battery core assembly 10; each heat exchange pipe 220 includes an inner tube 223 and an outer tube 224, the outer tube 224 is arranged on the outer periphery of the inner tube 223, and has an annular flow channel 225 between the inner tube 223, wherein the inner tube 223 extends along the axial direction of the columnar battery cell 100, and a liquid inlet 221 is arranged at one end of the inner tube 223, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, at least one through hole 226 is provided at the other end, and at least one through hole 226 is connected to the annular flow channel 225; the outer wall surface of the outer tube 224 is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell 100 around the gap, and one end of the outer tube 224 has an opening, which is the liquid outlet 222.

[0055] Specifically, at least one liquid inlet pipe 200 is arranged in one-to-one correspondence with at least one liquid outlet pipe 210, so that the coolant flows in from the liquid inlet pipe 200 and flows out through the liquid outlet pipe 210 after cooling. Each liquid inlet pipe 200 in the at least one liquid inlet pipe 200 is connected to a corresponding liquid outlet pipe 210 and is arranged at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10, so that the liquid inlet pipe 200 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 are integrated at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10. Specifically, each liquid inlet pipe 200 and a corresponding liquid outlet pipe 210 can be arranged along the axial extension direction of the columnar battery cell 100, or each liquid inlet pipe 200 and a corresponding liquid outlet pipe 210 can be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the axial extension direction of the columnar battery cell 100.

[0056] like Figure 4-Figure 7 As shown, by arranging an inner tube 223 and an outer tube 224 in the heat exchange pipe 220, and the outer tube 224 is arranged around the outer periphery of the inner tube 223, an annular flow channel 225 is formed between the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224, so that the heat exchange pipe 220 is divided into two channels, the inner tube 223 and the annular flow channel 225, and the coolant can flow in the inner tube 223 and the annular flow channel 225, and the coolant completes the heat exchange of the columnar battery cell 100. It should be noted that the specific shape of the outer wall surface of the outer tube 224 of the heat exchange pipe 220 can be set according to the shape of the columnar battery cell 100, and the size of the outer tube 224 of the heat exchange pipe 220 is also positively correlated with the circumferential size of the columnar battery cell 100. The size of the inner tube 223 of the heat exchange pipe 220 can be set according to the size of the outer tube 224, the inflow (outflow) resistance of the coolant, and the flow direction of the coolant, as long as the size of the inner tube 223 is smaller than the size of the outer tube 224, and a hollow annular flow channel 225 is left between the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224. The inner tube 223 of the heat exchange pipe 220 extends along the axial direction of the columnar battery cell 100, so that the flow direction of the coolant in the inner tube 223 is the axial direction of the columnar battery cell 100, so that the contact area between the heat exchange pipe 220 and the columnar battery cell 100 is increased, which can improve the heat exchange efficiency and reduce the risk of thermal runaway. A liquid inlet 221 is set at one end of the inner tube 223, and the coolant flows into the inner tube 223 from the liquid inlet 221. At least one through hole 226 is set at the other end, and at least one through hole 226 is connected to the annular flow channel 225. The coolant flows from the inner tube 223 to the annular flow channel 225 through the through hole 226. The outer wall surface of the outer tube 224 is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell 100 around the gap, so that the outer tube 224 is in contact with the columnar battery cell 100, and the heat generated by the columnar battery cell 100 during heat dissipation can be transferred to the outer tube 224, and the coolant in the annular flow channel 225 between the outer tube 224 and the inner tube 223 can absorb the dissipated heat. After flowing through the annular flow channel 225, the coolant flows out through the liquid outlet 222 at one end of the outer tube 224 and flows into the liquid outlet pipe 210.

[0057] In one embodiment of the utility model, at least one liquid inlet pipe 200 is a plurality of liquid inlet pipes 200, and at least one liquid outlet pipe 210 is a plurality of liquid outlet pipes 210; each liquid inlet pipe 200 in the plurality of liquid inlet pipes 200 and each liquid outlet pipe 210 in the plurality of liquid outlet pipes 210 extend along a straight line, and one side of each liquid outlet pipe 210 is arranged at the bottom end of a plurality of columnar battery cell units 100 arranged along a straight line, and the other side is connected to one side of the corresponding liquid inlet pipe 200; and two adjacent liquid inlet pipes 200 are arranged at intervals; one end of the inner tube 223 passes through the liquid outlet pipe 210.

[0058] Specifically, at least one liquid inlet pipe 200 and at least one liquid outlet pipe 210 are provided in plurality, each liquid inlet pipe 200 and each liquid outlet pipe 210 extend in a straight line, and are provided corresponding to a plurality of columnar battery cells 100 arranged in a straight line, so that a plurality of liquid inlet pipes 200 and a plurality of liquid outlet pipes 210 can simultaneously perform heat exchange for a plurality of groups of columnar battery cells 100 arranged in a straight line, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency. It should be noted that the extension direction of each liquid inlet pipe 200 and the corresponding liquid outlet pipe 210 can also be changed according to the arrangement of the columnar battery cells 100. For example, when the arrangement of the columnar battery cells 100 is staggered, the extension direction of each liquid inlet pipe 200 and the corresponding liquid outlet pipe 210 is provided in a wave shape or a broken line shape formed between the columns of the columnar battery cells 100. One side of each liquid outlet pipe 210 is set at the bottom end of a plurality of columnar battery cells 100 arranged in a straight line, and the other side is connected to one side of the corresponding liquid inlet pipe 200, so that the liquid inlet pipe 200 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 are integrated at the bottom ends of the plurality of columnar battery cells 100, that is, the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10. The coolant flowing through the liquid inlet pipe 200 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 can reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas during thermal runaway of the battery cell to a certain extent, thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway. When two adjacent liquid inlet pipes 200 are spaced apart, two adjacent liquid outlet pipes 210 are also spaced apart, so that the interval area between adjacent liquid inlet pipes 200 and adjacent liquid outlet pipes 210 can be used as a smoke exhaust channel during thermal runaway, without occupying additional area of ​​the battery pack, thereby improving the volume utilization rate of the entire battery pack. Figure 4 As shown, one end of the inner tube 223 passes through the liquid outlet pipe 210 , and therefore, the liquid inlet 221 at one end of the inner tube 223 passes through the liquid outlet pipe 210 and is connected to the liquid inlet pipe 200 .

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 As shown, each heat exchange pipe 220 further includes a plurality of fins 227 , one end of each of the plurality of fins 227 is connected to the outer wall of the inner tube 223 , and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the outer tube 224 .

[0060] Specifically, a plurality of fins 227 are arranged in the heat exchange pipe 220, and one end of each of the plurality of fins 227 is connected to the outer wall of the inner tube 223, and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the outer tube 224, so that the structural strength of the heat exchange pipe 220 can be improved, and the risk of structural deformation and leakage of the heat exchange pipe 220 can be reduced. In addition, the plurality of fins 227 are arranged in the heat exchange pipe 220 to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the coolant and the columnar battery cell 100, thereby improving the heat exchange performance of the heat exchange pipe 220. The plurality of fins 227 can be arranged as needed, and can be a plurality of separate sheet-like monomer fins 227, one end of each fin 227 is connected to the outer wall of the inner tube 223, and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the outer tube 224, or a plurality of fins 227 arranged axially in series through an intermediate shaft, or a plurality of fins 227 arranged in a spiral shape along the axial direction of the inner tube 223.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of fins 227 are arranged in a spiral shape along the axial direction of the inner tube 223. Specifically, Figure 7 As shown, arranging multiple fins 227 in an axial spiral shape along the inner tube 223 can guide the coolant flowing between the outer wall of the inner tube 223 and the inner wall of the outer tube 224 , and the coolant can flow along the spiral direction of the fins 227 .

[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 8 As shown, the thermal management device 20 for the battery cell assembly also includes a plurality of bases 230, and the plurality of bases 230 correspond one-to-one to the plurality of heat exchange pipes 220, and each of the plurality of bases 230 surrounds the outer periphery of one end of the corresponding heat exchange pipe 220 connected to the liquid outlet pipe 210, and one end face of each base 230 is connected to one side of the liquid outlet pipe 210, and a portion of the bottom of the columnar battery cell monomer 100 around the heat exchange pipe 220 abuts against the other end face of the base 230.

[0063] Specifically, Figure 9-11 As shown, a plurality of bases 230 corresponding to the plurality of heat exchange pipes 220 are arranged in the thermal management device 20, each of the plurality of bases 230 surrounds the outer periphery of one end of the corresponding heat exchange pipe 220 connected to the liquid outlet pipe 210, and one end face of each base 230 is connected to one side of the liquid outlet pipe 210, and a part of the bottom of the columnar battery cell monomer 100 around the heat exchange pipe 220 abuts against the other end face of the base 230, so that the base 230 makes the heat exchange pipe 220 and the liquid outlet pipe 210 sealed and connected, and the base 230 makes a certain gap between the bottom of the columnar battery cell monomer 100 and the liquid outlet pipe 210, so that the columnar battery cell monomer 100 has enough space to discharge high-temperature gas in the event of thermal runaway, and at the same time, as Fig.12 As shown, the gap between the base 230 and the bottom of the columnar battery cell 100 and the gap formed between the multiple spaced liquid inlet pipes 200 can be used as a smoke exhaust channel when the battery pack is thermally runaway. The specific height of the base 230 can be set as needed.

[0064] In one embodiment of the present invention, the outer wall surface of each heat exchange pipe 220 is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell 100 around the gap by a thermally conductive adhesive. Specifically, the thermally conductive adhesive can fix the heat exchange pipe 220 and the columnar battery cell 100 to ensure the structural stability of the heat exchange device, and the thermally conductive adhesive also has a good thermal conductivity to transfer the heat of the columnar battery cell 100 to the heat exchange pipe 220.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, when each columnar battery cell 100 is a cylindrical battery cell, and a plurality of cylindrical battery cell cells are arranged in a staggered manner, two adjacent cylindrical battery cell cells are spaced apart, and a gap is formed between three cylindrical battery cell cells.

[0066] Specifically, multiple cylindrical battery cells are arranged in a staggered manner to improve the volume utilization of the battery pack and the overall structural stability. Two adjacent cylindrical battery cells are arranged at intervals. Since the outer wall of the cylindrical battery cell is an arc surface, the outer wall surfaces of multiple cylindrical battery cells cannot be completely fitted together. When multiple cylindrical battery cells are arranged in a staggered manner, there will be vacant areas between the cylindrical battery cells. The vacant areas between the three cylindrical battery cells form a gap, and the heat exchange pipe 220 is correspondingly arranged in the gap. It should be noted that, Figure 1-Figure 3 , Figure 5 As shown, the outer wall shape of the outer tube 224 of the heat exchange pipe 220 is set to a curved triangle that matches the outer wall of the cylindrical battery cell, and the size of the outer tube 224 is set according to the diameter of the cylindrical battery cell. In addition, the gap in the battery pack accounts for about 10% of the area of ​​the battery cell area. Through the above technical means, the volume utilization rate of the battery pack can be increased by 8%. Since the heat exchange pipe 220 isolates all cylindrical battery cells from contact between the cylindrical battery cells, zero heat diffusion can be achieved.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, the wall thickness of the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224 of the heat exchange pipe 220 is 0.3mm-0.5mm, and the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224 are made of aluminum; the distance between the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224 is 1mm-3mm; the number of through holes 226 is multiple, wherein the multiple through holes 226 are evenly arranged along the circumference of the inner tube 223, or evenly arranged along the circumference and axial direction of the inner tube 223; and the distance between at least two through holes 226 evenly arranged along the axial direction of the inner tube 223 is 3mm-6mm.

[0068] Specifically, the cylindrical battery cell monomer can use 4680 cylindrical battery cells, and a 1mm-2mm thermal insulation gap is left between the cylindrical battery cell monomers. A 0.5mm gap is left between the heat exchange pipe 220 and the cylindrical battery cell monomer for filling with thermal conductive glue. The wall thickness of the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224 of the heat exchange pipe 220 is 0.3mm-0.5mm, which ensures the structural strength of the heat exchange pipe 220, and the thickness is appropriate for heat conduction. The inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224 are made of aluminum to improve the thermal conductivity of the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224. The distance between the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224 is 2mm, that is, the width of the annular flow channel 225 is 2mm, for the coolant to flow through the annular flow channel 225. By setting a plurality of through holes 226, the plurality of through holes 226 are evenly arranged along the circumference of the inner tube 223, or evenly arranged along the circumference and axial direction of the inner tube 223, and the distance between at least two through holes 226 evenly arranged along the axial direction of the inner tube 223 is 5 mm, the plurality of through holes 226 form a liquid flow path between the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224, and when the coolant flow rate is large, the coolant flows evenly from the plurality of through holes 226 to the annular flow channel 225, thereby making the heat exchange more uniform and improving the heat exchange efficiency. It should be noted that there are a plurality of fins 227 arranged in a spiral shape along the axial direction of the inner tube 223 between the inner tube 223 and the outer tube 224, and the thickness of the fins 227 is 0.6 mm-0.8 mm. In addition, the height of the base 230 is set to 5 mm-10 mm.

[0069] Example 2

[0070] The utility model also provides a battery pack, including a battery cell assembly 10 composed of a plurality of columnar battery cells arranged in an array provided in Example 1, and also including a thermal management device 20 for the battery cell assembly 10. Of course, the battery pack may also include a battery management system (BMS), an electrical system and structural parts, etc., and the battery pack may be applied to electric vehicles.

[0071] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the battery pack including the battery cell assembly 10, the thermal management device 20 and other structures, because the space occupied by the heat exchange pipe 220 of the thermal management device 20 in the battery pack is the vacant volume between the columnar battery cell monomers 100, thereby reducing the space occupied by the thermal management device 20 and improving the overall volume utilization of the battery pack, and because the heat exchange pipe 220 isolates the contact of all the columnar battery cell monomers 100 between the columnar battery cell monomers 100, zero possibility of heat diffusion can be achieved.

[0072] In a specific embodiment of a thermal management device 20 for a battery cell assembly provided by the utility model, which has an inner tube 223 and an outer tube 224 and at least one liquid inlet pipe 200 and a corresponding liquid outlet pipe 210 are arranged at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10, the use situation of the thermal management device 20 of the battery pack when it is working is as follows: when the thermal management device 20 cools the columnar battery cell monomer 100, the coolant first flows into the liquid inlet pipe 200 located at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 10, and flows upward into the inner tube 223 of the heat exchange pipe 220 through the liquid inlet port 221 of the liquid inlet pipe 200. When the coolant reaches the upper end of the inner tube 223, it flows into the annular flow channel 225 through the through hole 226, and then flows downward along the axial direction of the outer tube 224. In this process, the coolant absorbs the heat of the columnar battery cell monomer 100, and flows into the liquid outlet pipe 210 through the liquid outlet port 222 of the outer tube 224. At this point, the heat exchange of the columnar battery cell monomer 100 by the coolant is completed. It should be noted that this process can be repeated multiple times.

[0073] It should be noted that, in addition to the implementation methods of the utility model described in the above-mentioned specific specific embodiments, those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and functions of the utility model from the contents disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the utility model will be introduced in conjunction with the preferred embodiment, this does not mean that the features of this utility model are limited to this implementation method. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the utility model in conjunction with the implementation method is to cover other options or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the utility model. In order to provide a deep understanding of the utility model, the following description will include many specific details. The utility model can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion or blurring the focus of the utility model, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the utility model and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0074] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in the subsequent drawings.

[0075] In the description of this embodiment, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "bottom", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or are the orientations or positional relationships in which the utility model product is usually placed when in use. They are only for the convenience of describing the utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the utility model.

[0076] In the description of this embodiment, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it 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 it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this embodiment can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0077] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above contents are further detailed descriptions of the present invention in combination with specific embodiments, and it cannot be determined that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. Those skilled in the art may make various changes in form and details, including making several simple deductions or substitutions, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management device for a battery cell assembly, wherein the battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of columnar battery cells arranged in an array, wherein the battery cell assembly has a plurality of gaps, wherein each of the plurality of gaps is formed by surrounding at least two of the plurality of columnar battery cells and extends along the axial direction of the columnar battery cells; characterized in that: The thermal management device comprises at least one liquid inlet pipe, at least one liquid outlet pipe, and a plurality of heat exchange pipes; each of the plurality of heat exchange pipes is arranged in a gap, and the outer wall surface of each of the heat exchange pipes is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell monomer around the gap; Each of the heat exchange pipes has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The liquid inlet of each of the heat exchange pipes is connected to the at least one liquid inlet pipe, and the liquid outlet of each of the heat exchange pipes is connected to the at least one liquid outlet pipe.

2. The thermal management device for a battery cell assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The at least one liquid inlet pipe is arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the at least one liquid outlet pipe, and each of the at least one liquid inlet pipe is connected to a corresponding liquid outlet pipe and is arranged at the bottom of the battery core assembly; Each of the heat exchange pipes includes an inner tube and an outer tube, wherein the outer tube is arranged on the outer periphery of the inner tube and has an annular flow channel between the inner tube, wherein the inner tube extends along the axial direction of the columnar battery cell, and the liquid inlet is arranged at one end of the inner tube, and at least one through hole is arranged at the other end, and the at least one through hole is connected to the annular flow channel; the outer wall surface of the outer tube is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery cell around the gap, and one end of the outer tube has an opening, and the opening is the liquid outlet.

3. The thermal management device for a battery cell assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The at least one liquid inlet pipe is a plurality of liquid inlet pipes, and the at least one liquid outlet pipe is a plurality of liquid outlet pipes; each of the plurality of liquid inlet pipes and each of the plurality of liquid outlet pipes extend in a straight line, and one side of each of the liquid outlet pipes is arranged at the bottom end of the plurality of columnar battery cells arranged in a straight line, and the other side is connected to one side of the corresponding liquid inlet pipe; and two adjacent liquid inlet pipes are arranged at intervals; One end of the inner tube passes through the liquid outlet pipe.

4. The thermal management device for a battery cell assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: Each of the heat exchange pipes further comprises a plurality of fins, one end of each of the plurality of fins is connected to the outer wall of the inner tube, and the other end of each of the plurality of fins is connected to the inner wall of the outer tube.

5. The thermal management device for a battery cell assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The plurality of fins are spirally arranged along the axial direction of the inner tube.

6. The thermal management device for a battery cell assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal management device also includes a plurality of bases, and the plurality of bases correspond one-to-one to the plurality of heat exchange pipes. Each of the plurality of bases surrounds the outer circumference of one end of the corresponding heat exchange pipe connected to the liquid outlet pipe, and one end face of each of the bases is connected to one side of the liquid outlet pipe, and a portion of the bottom of the columnar battery cell monomer around the heat exchange pipe abuts against the other end face of the base.

7. The thermal management device for a battery core assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The outer wall surface of each heat exchange pipe is connected to the outer wall surface of the columnar battery core monomer around the gap by heat conductive glue.

8. The thermal management device for a battery cell assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: Each of the columnar battery cells is a cylindrical battery cell, and a plurality of the cylindrical battery cells are arranged in a staggered manner, and two adjacent cylindrical battery cells are spaced apart, and a gap is formed between three cylindrical battery cells.

9. The thermal management device for a battery cell assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The wall thickness of the inner tube and the outer tube of the heat exchange pipe is 0.3mm-0.5mm, and the inner tube and the outer tube are made of aluminum; The distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is 1mm-3mm; The number of the through holes is multiple, wherein the multiple through holes are evenly arranged along the circumference of the inner tube, or evenly arranged along the circumference and axial direction of the inner tube; and the distance between the at least two through holes evenly arranged along the axial direction of the inner tube is 3mm-6mm.

10. A battery pack, comprising a battery cell assembly composed of a plurality of columnar battery cells arranged in an array, characterized in that: The battery pack also includes a thermal management device for a battery cell assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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