Battery module

Abstract

The utility model provides a battery module which comprises a plurality of battery units which are arranged in parallel, a heat conduction module is arranged between every two adjacent battery units, each heat conduction module is of a hollow structure, and the heat conduction modules are filled with heat conduction oil; the heat conduction module is in an inverted T shape and comprises a heat conduction part and a heat conduction oil storage part which are sequentially arranged from top to bottom. The heat conduction part is a hollow plate and is tightly attached to the battery unit, and the surface area of the heat conduction part is smaller than or equal to that of the battery unit; the heat conduction oil storage part is positioned below the battery unit, and the heat conduction part and the heat conduction oil storage part are communicated with each other; the heat conduction module further comprises an oil guide pipe, and the oil guide pipe is arranged on the side face of the heat conduction part. One end of the oil conduit is communicated with the top end of the heat conduction part, and the other end is communicated with the heat conduction oil storage part; the oil guide pipe is used for backflow and heat dissipation of heat conduction oil. In the working process of the battery module, the battery units can generate a large amount of heat, and the temperature of the heat-conducting oil in the heat-conducting part rises, so that the heat-conducting oil in the heat-conducting part flows upwards and flows back to the heat-conducting oil storage part through the oil guide pipe to form a heat dissipation circulation loop.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of new energy batteries, and in particular to a battery module for cooling or heating the battery module. Background Art

[0002] Secondary batteries, also known as rechargeable batteries or storage batteries, are batteries that can be recharged to activate the active materials after discharge and continue to be used; while battery modules refer to the packaging, encapsulation and assembly of multiple secondary batteries to form a battery pack of a specific shape.

[0003] The charge and discharge capacity of a battery is closely linked to temperature. However, the process generates a significant amount of heat, which, if not dissipated promptly, can shorten the battery's lifespan. To improve battery module performance, effective cooling is required when temperatures are too high to ensure proper function. Thermal management methods, such as thermal oil or air cooling, are commonly used to dissipate heat from the battery module. However, heat cannot be dissipated promptly in areas where batteries are densely packed, resulting in low battery charge and discharge efficiency, reduced battery life, and impacting safety. Furthermore, uneven battery temperature distribution leads to inconsistent battery capacity decay, shortening the overall lifespan of the battery module and impacting the service life and range of electric vehicles.

[0004] CN 201620790432.1 discloses a battery pack that uses thermal oil for thermal management, comprising an oil pipe, a rectangular battery pack case, and several battery cells arranged horizontally and closely within the battery pack case; the battery cells comprise rectangular batteries and a rectangular fixing plate fixed to the upper portion of the batteries; the fixing plate is provided with several semicircular fixing plate through-holes at both edges of the fixing plate, and a battery through-hole extending horizontally through the lower portion of the batteries; the upper portion of the oil pipe is handle-shaped, one end of which is connected to the top side of the battery pack case, and the other end is connected to the bottom of the other side of the battery pack case; the space within the battery pack case and the oil pipe is filled with thermal oil. Because batteries expand and contract during circulation, their sealing is poor, and thermal oil can easily enter the interior of the batteries, causing safety issues and reducing the service life of the battery module. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a battery module to solve the problems of "short service life of battery modules, low charging and discharging efficiency, inconsistent battery capacity attenuation and poor safety" in the existing technology.

[0006] The utility model provides a battery module, comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged in parallel, a heat conduction module being provided between two adjacent battery cells, the heat conduction module being a hollow structure and filled with heat conduction oil;

[0007] The heat transfer module is in an inverted T-shape and includes a heat transfer portion and a heat transfer oil storage portion arranged in sequence from top to bottom; the heat transfer portion is a hollow plate, which is tightly attached to the battery cell, and the surface area of ​​the heat transfer portion is less than or equal to the surface area of ​​the battery cell; the heat transfer oil storage portion is located below the battery cell, and the heat transfer portion and the heat transfer oil storage portion are interconnected;

[0008] The heat transfer module further includes an oil pipe, which is arranged on the side of the heat transfer part; one end of the oil pipe is connected to the top of the heat transfer part, and the other end is connected to the heat transfer oil storage part; the oil pipe is used for the return and heat dissipation of the heat transfer oil;

[0009] During the operation of the battery module, the battery cells generate a large amount of heat, and the temperature of the thermal oil inside the heat conduction part rises, causing the thermal oil in the heat conduction part to flow upward and return to the thermal oil storage part through the oil pipe, forming a heat dissipation circulation loop.

[0010] In a possible embodiment, a heating module is provided at the bottom of the thermal oil storage portion for heating the thermal oil, which is beneficial to improving the low-temperature discharge performance of the battery module.

[0011] In a possible embodiment, the oil conducting pipes are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the heat conducting part. By providing two symmetrical oil conducting pipes, it is beneficial for the heated heat conducting oil to quickly flow back, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0012] In a possible embodiment, a one-way valve is provided on the oil guide pipe, and the above-mentioned arrangement can prevent the heat transfer oil from flowing back.

[0013] In a possible embodiment, a cooling mechanism is provided on the outside of the oil guide pipe, preferably a fan cooling mechanism. By setting the above method, the cooling rate of the heat transfer oil is further improved.

[0014] In a possible embodiment, a plurality of guide tubes are provided in the heat conducting portion, and the guide tubes are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. By arranging in the above manner, the uniform flow of the heat conducting oil is promoted and the heat dissipation effect is improved.

[0015] In a possible embodiment, a thermally conductive adhesive layer is provided between the battery unit and the thermally conductive module. By providing the above-mentioned manner, the heat transfer coefficient between the battery unit and the thermally conductive module is improved, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0016] In a possible embodiment, the battery cells on opposite sides are connected to the inner side of the housing via an insulating plate. By setting the above-mentioned manner, the insulation performance of the battery module is improved.

[0017] In a possible embodiment, the heat conducting part is made of a metal material with good elasticity, preferably stainless steel, titanium alloy, or nickel-based alloy. The above materials have good elasticity and fatigue resistance, thereby improving the resilience of the heat conducting part.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the oil guide pipe is made of copper-nickel alloy, a material with good heat dissipation performance, which is conducive to improving the heat dissipation effect of the oil guide pipe.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0020] 1. The module is provided with a heat conduction module between two adjacent battery cells. The heat conduction module is a hollow structure and is filled with heat conduction oil. The heat conduction module includes a heat conduction part, a heat conduction oil storage part and an oil conduction pipe. The heat conduction part is tightly fitted with the battery cell, and the heat conduction oil storage part is located below the battery cell. The oil conduction pipe is arranged on the side of the heat conduction part. One end of the oil conduction pipe is connected to the top of the heat conduction part, and the other end is connected to the heat conduction oil storage part. The utility model completely isolates the heat conduction oil and the battery cell, and there is no contact between the two, which effectively improves the safety performance of the battery module. The heat conduction modules are not connected and dissipate heat independently, which greatly improves the service life and reduces subsequent maintenance costs.

[0021] 2. During the charging and discharging process of the module, the battery cells will generate a large amount of heat. The heat generated by the battery cells is transferred to the surface of the heat transfer part. There is a certain temperature difference between the surface temperature of the heat transfer part and the heat transfer oil. Due to the effects of convection and radiation, the heat will be transferred to the nearby heat transfer oil, thereby gradually increasing the temperature of the heat transfer oil and increasing the flow rate of the high-temperature heat transfer oil, so that the heat transfer oil in the heat transfer part flows upward and returns to the heat transfer oil storage part through the oil pipe, thereby achieving a cooling effect (the storage part has a large amount of heat transfer oil and a lower initial temperature); at the same time, the heat is dissipated outward through the oil pipe, and the temperature of the heat transfer oil is further reduced after the heat is transferred. The low-temperature heat transfer oil fills the vacancy of the high-temperature heat transfer oil, so that no external force is needed to form a heat dissipation cycle and continuously cool the battery module.

[0022] 3. The module is provided with a one-way valve on the oil guide pipe. By setting the above method, the backflow of the heat transfer oil is avoided. In addition, a number of guide pipes are provided in the heat transfer part. The guide pipes are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. By setting the above method, the heat transfer oil is promoted to flow evenly, which greatly improves the heat dissipation effect.

[0023] 4. By setting a heating module at the bottom of the thermal oil storage part to heat the thermal oil, it is beneficial to improve the low-temperature discharge performance of the battery module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the positions of the battery unit and the thermal conductive module is shown;

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the positions of the battery cells and thermal modules in the module is shown;

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a heat conduction module is shown;

[0028] Figure 4 Another structural schematic diagram of the heat conduction module is shown;

[0029] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a thermally conductive adhesive layer provided between the battery unit and the thermally conductive module is shown;

[0030] Figure 6 A structural schematic diagram of a battery module is shown;

[0031] Figure 7 Another structural schematic diagram of a battery module is shown;

[0032] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the positions of the heat conduction module and the heating module in the module is shown;

[0033] Description of main component symbols:

[0034] 100, battery cell; 200, heat conduction module; 201, heat conduction part; 202, heat conduction oil storage part; 203, oil guide pipe; 204, one-way valve; 205, guide pipe; 300, cooling fan; 400, heat conduction adhesive layer; 500, insulation board; 600, housing; 700, heating module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention 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 should not be understood as a limitation to the present invention.

[0037] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of this utility model, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0038] In this utility model, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection; direct connection, indirect connection through an intermediate medium, internal communication between two components, or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on specific circumstances.

[0039] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0040] Example 1

[0041] See also Figures 1 to 3 A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells 100 arranged in parallel, a heat conduction module 200 is provided between two adjacent battery cells 100, and the heat conduction module 200 is a hollow structure filled with heat conduction oil;

[0042] The heat transfer module 200 is in an inverted T-shape and includes a heat transfer portion 201 and a heat transfer oil storage portion 202 arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The heat transfer portion 201 is a hollow plate that fits tightly against the battery cell 100, and the surface area of ​​the heat transfer portion 201 is less than or equal to the surface area of ​​the battery cell 100. The heat transfer oil storage portion 202 is located below the battery cell 100 and is interconnected.

[0043] The heat transfer module 200 further includes an oil pipe 203, which is disposed on the side of the heat transfer unit 201. One end of the oil pipe 203 is connected to the top of the heat transfer unit 201, and the other end is connected to the heat transfer oil storage unit 202. The oil pipe 203 is used for the return and heat dissipation of the heat transfer oil.

[0044] During the operation of the battery module, the battery cell 100 generates a large amount of heat, and the temperature of the thermal oil inside the heat conducting part 201 rises, causing the thermal oil in the heat conducting part 201 to flow upward and return to the thermal oil storage part 202 through the oil conducting pipe 203, forming a heat dissipation circulation loop.

[0045] In some embodiments, the oil conducting pipes 203 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the heat conducting portion 201. By providing two symmetrical oil conducting pipes 203, the heated heat conducting oil can be quickly refluxed, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0046] In some embodiments, a one-way valve 204 is provided on the oil pipe 203 to prevent the heat transfer oil from flowing back.

[0047] In other optional embodiments, a liquid cooling mechanism or other cooling methods are provided on the outside of the oil guide pipe 203 .

[0048] See also Figure 4 In some embodiments, a plurality of guide tubes 205 are provided in the heat conducting portion 201 , and the guide tubes 205 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. By arranging in the above manner, the heat conducting oil is promoted to flow evenly and the heat dissipation effect is improved.

[0049] See also Figure 5 In some embodiments, a thermally conductive adhesive layer 400 is provided between the battery cell 100 and the thermally conductive module 200. By setting the above manner, the heat transfer coefficient between the battery cell 100 and the thermally conductive module 200 is improved, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0050] In some preferred embodiments, the thermal conductive adhesive is made of organic silica gel, and is added with fillers, thermal conductive materials and other polymer materials, and has good thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties.

[0051] See also Figure 6In some embodiments, the battery cells 100 on opposite sides are connected to the inner side of the housing 600 through the insulating plate 500. By setting the above method, the insulation performance of the battery module is improved.

[0052] See also Figure 7 In some embodiments, a heat dissipation fan 300 is provided on the outside of the oil pipe 203. By setting the above-mentioned method, the cooling rate of the heat transfer oil is further improved.

[0053] In some embodiments, the heat conducting portion 201 is made of a metal material with good elasticity, preferably stainless steel, titanium alloy, or nickel-based alloy. The above materials have good elasticity and fatigue resistance, thereby improving the resilience of the heat conducting portion 201 .

[0054] In some embodiments, the oil guide tube 203 is made of copper-nickel alloy, which is a material with good heat dissipation performance, which is beneficial to improving the heat dissipation effect of the oil guide tube 203.

[0055] In some embodiments, the thermal oil is not easy to burn, not easy to cause electronic short circuits, sparks, and ensures good heat transfer properties of the thermal oil.

[0056] Example 2

[0057] See also Figure 8 The bottom of the thermal oil storage unit 202 is provided with a heating module 700 for heating the thermal oil, which is beneficial for improving the low-temperature discharge performance of the battery module. The heating module 700 is a mature existing technology and can be made of resistance wire, heating plate, infrared heating, etc.

[0058] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0059] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention. Ordinary technicians in this field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells (100) arranged in parallel, characterized in that: A heat conduction module (200) is provided between two adjacent battery cells (100), wherein the heat conduction module (200) is a hollow structure and is filled with heat conduction oil. The heat conduction module (200) is in an inverted "T-shape" and comprises a heat conduction portion (201) and a heat conduction oil storage portion (202) arranged sequentially from top to bottom; the heat conduction portion (201) is a hollow plate, the heat conduction portion (201) is tightly fitted with the battery unit (100), and the surface area of ​​the heat conduction portion (201) is less than or equal to the surface area of ​​the battery unit (100); the heat conduction oil storage portion (202) is located below the battery unit (100), and the heat conduction portion (201) and the heat conduction oil storage portion (202) are interconnected; The heat conduction module (200) further comprises an oil guide pipe (203), which is arranged on the side of the heat conduction part (201); one end of the oil guide pipe (203) is connected to the top of the heat conduction part (201), and the other end is connected to the heat conduction oil storage part (202); the oil guide pipe (203) is used for the reflux and heat dissipation of the heat conduction oil; During the operation of the battery module, the battery unit (100) generates a large amount of heat, and the temperature of the heat-conducting oil inside the heat-conducting part (201) rises, causing the heat-conducting oil in the heat-conducting part (201) to flow upward and flow back to the heat-conducting oil storage part (202) through the oil pipe (203), forming a heat dissipation circulation loop.

2. A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: A heating module (700) is provided at the bottom of the thermal oil storage portion (202) for heating the thermal oil.

3. A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil guide pipes (203) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the heat conducting portion (201).

4. A battery module according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: A one-way valve (204) is provided on the oil guide pipe (203).

5. A battery module according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: A cooling mechanism is provided on the outside of the oil guide pipe (203).

6. A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of guide tubes (205) are provided in the heat conducting portion (201), and the guide tubes (205) are arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

7. A battery module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cooling mechanism adopts a heat dissipation fan (300).

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