Liquid cooling plate and battery cell module

Abstract

The utility model provides a liquid cooling plate and a battery cell module, and relates to the technical field of power batteries, the liquid cooling plate comprises a liquid cooling plate body which is hollow inside and is provided with at least a first cavity along the length direction, and a second cavity and a third cavity which are positioned on two sides of the first cavity; the end cover is arranged at one end of the liquid cooling plate body in a covering mode, a liquid inlet is formed in the end, facing the end cover, of the first cavity, and a liquid outlet is formed in the end cover; cooling liquid flows into the first cavity from the liquid inlet, and then flows back to the liquid outlet from the second cavity and the third cavity after being shunted at the other end of the liquid cooling plate body. The liquid cooling device has the beneficial effects that the heat conversion efficiency is improved, the flow resistance is small, and the temperature control uniformity of the whole liquid cooling is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of power batteries, and in particular to a liquid cooling plate and a battery core module. Background Art

[0002] In the electric vehicle sector, as the energy source of electric vehicles, power batteries must possess high power, large capacity, long life, and reliable safety to meet the operational requirements of electric vehicles, such as efficient acceleration, sufficient range, long service life, and good environmental adaptability. However, batteries are highly sensitive to temperature. Excessively high or low temperatures, or uneven temperatures, can lead to performance degradation, accelerated aging, and even thermal runaway. Therefore, existing new energy vehicles often incorporate liquid cooling plates to cool the batteries through liquid or air cooling.

[0003] Existing liquid cooling plates generally adopt the following two designs:

[0004] The first design method is Figure 1 As shown, the interior of the liquid cooling plate is divided into multiple flow channels by multiple bars 100. The water inlet 200 and the water outlet 300 are set on the same side of the liquid cooling plate and are respectively located at the edges of the liquid cooling plate in the width direction. After the coolant enters through the water inlet 200, it goes back and forth through each flow channel in sequence until it reaches the water outlet 300. The two adjacent flow channels have opposite liquid flow directions. Since the flow channel near the water inlet 200 passes through the top of the battery cell 400 first, it can achieve good heat dissipation at the top of the battery cell 400. However, as the coolant continuously exchanges heat with the battery cell 400 during the flow process, the heat dissipation effect will become worse the closer it is to the bottom of the battery cell 400, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, darker shading indicates higher battery temperatures, ultimately concentrating the high-temperature area at the bottom of the battery cell 400, resulting in poor thermal uniformity. Furthermore, this design approach results in a small heat exchange area. To achieve a larger heat exchange area and improve heat conversion efficiency, multiple bars 100 are typically required, but this narrows the flow channel and significantly increases flow resistance, making it impossible to achieve both.

[0005] The second design method is Figure 3 As shown, multiple flow channels are provided inside the liquid cooling plate, with the water inlet 200 and the water outlet 300 respectively provided at both ends of the lengthwise direction of the liquid cooling plate. The liquid flows in the same direction in each flow channel, i.e., from the water inlet 200 to the water outlet 300. Since the area of ​​each flow channel near the water inlet 200 covers the battery cell 400 near the water inlet, the battery cell 400 as a whole achieves good heat dissipation. However, as the coolant flows toward the water outlet 300, it continuously exchanges heat with the battery cell 400, resulting in a poorer heat dissipation effect on the side of the battery cell 400 closer to the water outlet 300. Figure 4As shown, the heavier the shadow, the higher the battery temperature, which ultimately makes the battery cell 400 closer to the water outlet have a higher temperature, and the battery cell 400 closer to the water inlet 200 has a lower temperature, resulting in poor thermal uniformity.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a liquid cooling plate that can improve the thermal uniformity problem of the liquid cooling plate. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a liquid cooling plate, comprising:

[0008] The liquid cooling plate body is hollow inside and has at least a first cavity along its length, and a second cavity and a third cavity located on both sides of the first cavity;

[0009] An end cover is provided on one end of the liquid cooling plate body, a liquid inlet is provided on the end of the first cavity facing the end cover, and a liquid outlet is provided on the end cover;

[0010] The coolant flows into the first cavity from the liquid inlet, and then is divided at the other end of the liquid cooling plate body and flows back to the liquid outlet from the second cavity and the third cavity respectively.

[0011] Preferably, a middle portion of one end of the liquid cooling plate body has a raised area facing the end cover, and the liquid inlet is provided in the raised area.

[0012] Preferably, the end cover is hollow inside and has a groove area adapted to the raised area, and a first blocking piece is provided between the groove area and the raised area.

[0013] Preferably, the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet are respectively provided with a liquid inlet joint and a liquid outlet joint, and the liquid inlet joint and the liquid outlet joint are respectively provided with an external card slot at both ends of the external area of ​​the liquid cooling body, and the liquid inlet joint is provided with a plurality of diversion circular holes in the internal area of ​​the liquid cooling plate body.

[0014] Preferably, a second blocking piece is further included, which is provided on an end of the liquid cooling plate body facing away from the end cover.

[0015] Preferably, the interior of the liquid cooling body is divided into the first cavity, the second cavity and the third cavity by at least two partitions, and the partitions are oblique ribs.

[0016] Preferably, at least one end of the oblique rib is provided with an arc-shaped rib extending toward the opposite inner side wall of the liquid cooling plate body.

[0017] Preferably, the top plate and the bottom plate of the liquid cooling plate body are connected at side surfaces along the length direction by an arc-shaped structural segment, and the thickness of the arc-shaped structural segment is smaller than the thickness of the top plate and the bottom plate.

[0018] The utility model also provides a battery cell module, comprising a plurality of battery cell units, wherein the above-mentioned liquid cooling plates are fixed on both sides of each battery cell unit, and the liquid inlets and liquid outlets of two adjacent liquid cooling plates are connected via liquid cooling pipe joints.

[0019] Preferably, it further includes an end plate fixed to the side of the liquid cooling plate located at the outermost side of the battery cell module facing away from the battery cell unit.

[0020] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0021] 1) The liquid inlet is located in the middle of one end of the liquid cooling plate, allowing the coolant to first pass through the core heating area of ​​the battery cell. This maximizes the temperature difference between the coolant and the battery cell, effectively improving heat conversion efficiency.

[0022] 2) The coolant flows along the first cavity to the second and third cavities, forming two bends. Due to the temperature difference between the coolant in adjacent and opposite flow channels, heat exchange occurs across the width of the liquid cooling plate, ultimately improving the temperature control uniformity of the entire liquid cooling system.

[0023] 3) By providing a first cavity, a second cavity, and a third cavity within the liquid cooling plate, the three flow channels formed have a larger cavity structure, thereby increasing the contact area between the cavity structure and the coolant, improving heat conversion efficiency while reducing flow resistance. This can improve the energy efficiency of hydraulic pumps in automotive applications, thereby reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

[0024] 4) By configuring the partitions as diagonal rib structures, when the battery cells on both sides of the liquid cooling plate expand, the extrusion force applied to the top and bottom plates of the liquid cooling plate acts on the diagonal ribs. The deformation of the diagonal ribs generates an elastic force opposite to the expansion force, achieving a new mechanical balance and preventing excessive expansion force on the battery cells from affecting their electrical performance.

[0025] 5) By providing an arc-shaped rib at at least one end of the oblique rib, when the expansion force generated by the battery cell excessively squeezes the liquid cooling plate, the arc-shaped rib can press against the inner wall of the liquid cooling plate, thereby preventing deformation of the liquid cooling plate caused by excessive squeezing, reducing the impact on the life of the battery cell and extending the life of the battery cell. At the same time, because the outer surface of the oblique rib and the arc-shaped rib has a large contact area with the coolant, the heat exchange area of ​​the liquid cooling plate cavity is further increased, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0026] 6) The liquid inlet and outlet are respectively provided with a liquid inlet connector and a liquid outlet connector. External card slots are provided at both ends of the liquid inlet connector and the liquid outlet connector to facilitate the series expansion of multiple groups of liquid cooling plates. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the internal flow channel of the liquid cooling plate of the first existing design;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell temperature of the existing first design;

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the internal flow channel of the liquid cooling plate of the second existing design;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell temperature of the existing second design;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the liquid cooling plate in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal flow channel of the liquid cooling plate in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the liquid cooling plate in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of a liquid inlet connector in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of the end cover in a preferred embodiment of the present utility model;

[0036] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of a longitudinal section of an existing liquid cooling plate;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic longitudinal section of the liquid cooling plate body in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of a battery module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and other embodiments may also fall within the scope of the present invention as long as they conform to the main purpose of the present invention.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, based on the above problems existing in the prior art, a liquid cooling plate is provided. Figures 5 to 9 Shown, including:

[0041] The liquid cooling plate body 1 is hollow inside and has at least a first cavity 11 along its length, as well as a second cavity 12 and a third cavity 13 located on both sides of the first cavity 11;

[0042] The end cover 2 is provided on one end of the liquid cooling plate body 1. The end of the first cavity 11 facing the end cover 2 is provided with a liquid inlet 3, and the end cover 2 is provided with a liquid outlet 4;

[0043] The coolant flows into the first cavity 11 from the liquid inlet 3 and then splits at the other end of the liquid cooling plate body 1 and flows back to the liquid outlet 4 from the second cavity 12 and the third cavity 13 respectively.

[0044] Specifically, in this embodiment, there is preferably a certain pressure difference between the liquid inlet 3 and the liquid outlet 4, and the pressure of the liquid inlet 3 is relatively higher than the pressure of the liquid outlet 4, so that when the coolant flows into the liquid inlet 3, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, under the action of the pressure difference, the coolant passes through the first cavity 11 and is then divided into the second cavity 12 and the third cavity 13, and finally flows to the liquid outlet 4, completing a liquid cooling cycle. More preferably, in actual use, an external hydraulic pump can be connected between the liquid inlet 3 and the liquid outlet 4, so that after the coolant flows to the liquid outlet 4, it is driven by the hydraulic pump and flows back into the liquid inlet 3, achieving a continuous liquid cooling cycle.

[0045] Depend on Figure 6 As can be seen from the figure, the present invention sets the liquid inlet 3 in the middle of one end of the liquid cooling plate body 1, that is, one end of the first cavity 11. When the coolant enters the liquid cooling plate body 1 through the liquid inlet 3, it first passes through the core heating area of ​​the battery cell. The temperature difference between the coolant and the battery cell is maximized, which is beneficial to improve the heat conversion efficiency. At the same time, the coolant is divided along the first cavity 11 to form Figure 6 The "two bends" indicated by arrows of different shapes in the figure are adjacent to each other and flow in opposite directions. Due to the temperature difference, heat exchange will occur between them. That is, heat exchange also occurs in the width direction of the liquid cooling plate, ultimately achieving improved temperature control uniformity of the entire liquid cooling system.

[0046] The liquid cooling plate body 1 is preferably manufactured from aluminum alloy and machined. The end cap 2 is integrally formed using plastic injection molding or aluminum alloy die-casting. It has a semi-hollow cavity within, with a liquid outlet 4 provided. This outlet 4 is equipped with an external connector slot 6. This cavity is secured and sealed to the liquid cooling plate body 1 through gluing or welding, forming a sealed inner cavity.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a raised area 14 facing the end cover 2 is provided at the middle of one end of the liquid cooling plate body 1 , and the liquid inlet 3 is provided in the raised area 14 .

[0048] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the end cover 2 is hollow inside and has a groove area 21 adapted to the raised area 14 , and a first blocking piece 5 is provided between the groove area 21 and the raised area 14 .

[0049] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first baffle 5 is provided to seal the first cavity 11 where the liquid inlet 3 is located, effectively isolating the first cavity 11 from the end cap 2, preventing communication between the two at one end of the liquid cooling plate body 1. The end cap 2 is preferably formed by plastic injection molding or aluminum alloy die-casting and secured to the liquid cooling plate body 1 by gluing or welding. The first baffle 5 is preferably formed by plastic injection molding or aluminum plate stamping and secured to the liquid cooling plate body 1 by gluing or welding.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a liquid inlet joint 31 and a liquid outlet joint 41 are respectively provided on the liquid inlet 3 and the liquid outlet 4. The liquid inlet joint 31 and the liquid outlet joint 41 are respectively provided with an external card slot 6 at both ends of the external area of ​​the liquid cooling body 1, and a plurality of diversion circular holes 311 are opened in the internal area of ​​the liquid cooling plate body 1 of the liquid inlet joint 31.

[0051] Specifically, in this embodiment, the liquid inlet connector 31 is preferably made of plastic injection molding or aluminum plate stamping (or machining), passes through the through hole (i.e., liquid inlet 3) on the liquid cooling plate body 1, and is fixed and sealed thereto by gluing or welding. Figure 8 As shown, the liquid inlet connector 31 is hollow inside, with through-holes at both ends forming a main channel. After the coolant flows in through the through-holes, it is diverted through the various diverter holes 311 and enters the first cavity 11 of the liquid cooling body 1. By providing the diverter holes 311, the size and number of the diverter holes 311 can be adjusted as needed, thereby achieving control over the amount of coolant flowing into the liquid cooling plate body 1 from the main channel.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second blocking piece 7 is further included, which is provided on an end of the liquid cooling plate body 1 away from the end cover 2 .

[0053] Specifically, in this embodiment, the second baffle 7 is preferably made of plastic injection molding or aluminum plate stamping, and is combined with the liquid cooling plate body 1 through gluing or welding technology. By setting the second baffle 7, the sealing of the end of the liquid cooling plate body 1 away from the end cover 2 is achieved.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the interior of the liquid cooling body 1 is divided by at least two partitions 8 to form a first cavity 11, a second cavity 12 and a third cavity 13, and the partitions 8 are oblique ribs.

[0055] Specifically, in this embodiment, the interior of the liquid cooling plate body 1 can be divided into three cavities by two partitions 8, and more preferably, by setting Figure 10 In the four-partition method shown, the rigidity of the liquid cooling body 1 is further improved by setting two partitions 8 at the outermost edges, and the cavity formed by the partitions and the side surfaces of the liquid cooling plate body 1 is smaller, and the influence on the size of the three originally formed cavities can be ignored.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one end of the oblique rib is provided with an arc-shaped rib 9 extending toward the opposite inner side wall of the liquid cooling plate body 1 .

[0057] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top plate and the bottom plate of the liquid cooling plate body 1 are connected along the longitudinal side by an arcuate structural segment 10, and the thickness of the arcuate structural segment 10 is smaller than that of the top plate and the bottom plate.

[0058] Specifically, the liquid cooling plate is usually set on one side of the battery cell or between two battery cells when in use. When the battery cell expands, the top plate and / or bottom plate of the liquid cooling plate will be squeezed. Figure 10 The harmonica tube structure shown in the figure has a straight cross-section, which prevents the expansion force of the battery cell from being released. This will cause a large stress squeeze on the battery cell, thereby affecting the battery life and even causing a short circuit, posing a safety hazard. Based on this, the utility model provides oblique ribs, which are deformed by external forces during the squeezing process. Figure 11 In the arrangement shown (not limited to this), the diagonal ribs will tilt and displace to the right, while the arc-shaped structural segments 10 on both sides undergo creeping deformation. During this deformation process, the inherent mechanical properties of the material generate an elastic force opposite to the expansion force, thereby achieving a new mechanical balance and preventing the electrical performance of the battery cell from being affected by excessive expansion force.

[0059] Furthermore, when the aforementioned expansion force over-extends the cooling plate, the curved ribs 9 contact the inner wall of the cooling plate, preventing instability (i.e., flattening of the internal cavity) caused by excessive compression and deformation. Furthermore, the large contact area between the outer surfaces of the diagonal ribs and the curved ribs 9 and the coolant increases the heat exchange area within the cooling plate's internal cavity, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0060] The present invention also provides a battery module, such as Figure 12 As shown, it includes multiple battery cell units 40, and the above-mentioned liquid cooling plates 41 are fixed on both sides of each battery cell unit 40. The liquid inlets 3 and the liquid outlets 4 of two adjacent liquid cooling plates 41 are connected through liquid cooling pipe joints 42.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an end plate 43 is further included, which is fixed to a side of the liquid cooling plate 41 located at the outermost side of the battery cell module and away from the battery cell unit 40 .

[0062] Specifically, in this embodiment, since the liquid inlet 3 and the liquid outlet 4 are through holes penetrating the liquid cooling plate body 1, it is equivalent to each liquid cooling plate having two liquid inlets 3 and liquid outlets 4, and the liquid inlets 3 of two adjacent liquid cooling plates 41 and the liquid outlets 4 can be connected through the liquid cooling pipe joint 42, thereby realizing the series expansion of multiple groups of liquid cooling plates.

[0063] The battery cell 40, liquid cooling plate 41, and end plate 43 are secured together using adhesive or glue. The end plate 43 is manufactured using a profile process and is provided with several screw mounting points. The liquid cooling pipe connector 42 is preferably made of rubber and secured with a clip to the liquid inlet 3 and outlet 4 of the liquid cooling plate 31.

[0064] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the implementation method and protection scope of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, it should be aware that all solutions obtained by equivalent substitutions and obvious changes made using the content of this specification and illustrations should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid cooling plate, characterized in that: include: The liquid cooling plate body is hollow inside and has at least a first cavity along its length, and a second cavity and a third cavity located on both sides of the first cavity; An end cover is provided on one end of the liquid cooling plate body, a liquid inlet is provided on the end of the first cavity facing the end cover, and a liquid outlet is provided on the end cover; The coolant flows into the first cavity from the liquid inlet, and then is divided at the other end of the liquid cooling plate body and flows back to the liquid outlet from the second cavity and the third cavity respectively.

2. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein: A raised area facing the end cover is provided at the middle portion of one end of the liquid cooling plate body, and the liquid inlet is arranged in the raised area.

3. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 2, wherein: The end cover is hollow inside and has a groove area adapted to the raised area, and a first blocking piece is provided between the groove area and the raised area.

4. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein: The liquid inlet and the liquid outlet are respectively provided with a liquid inlet joint and a liquid outlet joint. An external card slot is respectively provided at both ends of the liquid inlet joint and the liquid outlet joint located in the external area of ​​the liquid cooling body. The liquid inlet joint is located in the internal area of ​​the liquid cooling plate body and has multiple diversion circular holes.

5. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes a second blocking piece, which is covered on the end of the liquid cooling plate body away from the end cover.

6. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein: The interior of the liquid cooling body is divided into the first cavity, the second cavity and the third cavity by at least two partitions, and the partitions are oblique ribs.

7. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 6, wherein: At least one end of the oblique rib is provided with an arc-shaped rib extending toward the opposite inner side wall of the liquid cooling plate body.

8. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein: The top plate and the bottom plate of the liquid cooling plate body are connected at side surfaces along the length direction by an arc-shaped structural segment, and the thickness of the arc-shaped structural segment is smaller than the thickness of the top plate and the bottom plate.

9. A battery cell module, characterized in that: It comprises a plurality of battery cell units, each of which is fixed with a liquid cooling plate as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 on both sides, and the liquid inlets and liquid outlets of two adjacent liquid cooling plates are connected via liquid cooling pipe joints.

10. The battery cell module according to claim 9, characterized in that: It also includes an end plate fixed to a side of the liquid cooling plate located at the outermost side of the battery cell module that is away from the battery cell unit.

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