Liquid cooling unit, battery module assembly, battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of vehicles, and discloses a liquid cooling unit, a battery module assembly, a battery pack and a vehicle, the liquid cooling unit comprises at least two liquid cooling parts and liquid cooling connecting parts, the liquid cooling parts are sequentially distributed along a first direction, the two adjacent liquid cooling parts are connected through the liquid cooling connecting parts, the liquid cooling connecting parts can deform when being extruded, and the liquid cooling connecting parts are connected with the battery module assembly. The liquid cooling unit can meet the requirement for release of expansive force when the battery cell monomers expand through the liquid cooling connecting parts capable of deforming, and the bar sheets can meet the requirement for release of the expansive force when the battery cell monomers expand through the electric connecting parts capable of deforming; according to the battery pack provided by the invention, not only can the connection between the sheet and the pole and the battery cell monomer be protected, but also the connection between the sheet and the liquid cooling unit can be protected to protect the battery cell monomer, so that the service life of the battery pack is prolonged, the safety performance of the battery pack is improved, the fault probability of a vehicle is reduced, and the safety performance of the vehicle is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a liquid cooling unit, a battery module assembly, a battery pack, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Power batteries generate heat during charging. The higher the current flowing through a single cell, the greater the heat generation and the higher the temperature, especially for high-power fast-charging batteries. Currently, to address charging time issues, the fast-charging current of power batteries has been increased to over 600A. To meet the charging needs of individual cells and ensure battery safety, there is an urgent need to improve battery cooling capacity. Current proposals suggest installing liquid cooling plates at the bottom and on the side of the top plate of the power battery facing away from the individual cells. The heat generated by the individual cells is dissipated through the circulating coolant within the liquid cooling plates.

[0003] During the cycle of a single battery cell, the cell will expand slightly with the increase of usage time or number of cycles, causing adjacent cells to squeeze each other. This pulls on the connecting plates at the top of the cells, and in severe cases, the connecting plates may tear the weld between the cell and the terminal or the cell itself, causing the connecting plates between two adjacent cells to fail, and may even lead to electrolyte leakage.

[0004] To address this, existing technologies propose using a flexible "U"-shaped structure for the battery pack. The battery pack has two connecting parts that correspond one-to-one with adjacent battery cells, and a bending section connecting the two connecting parts, utilizing the bending section to absorb the expansion force caused by the expansion of the battery cells. However, in practical applications, it has been found that because the liquid cooling plate is fixedly attached to the side of the battery pack facing away from the battery cells, the liquid cooling plate "reinforces" the two connecting parts of the battery pack. Since the liquid cooling plate is generally made of metal or high-strength plastic, it has high tensile deformation resistance. Therefore, during the cycle of battery cell use, the high tensile deformation resistance of the liquid cooling plate restricts the two adjacent connecting parts from getting close to each other, preventing the bending section from absorbing the expansion force caused by the expansion of the battery cells. Thus, the expansion of the battery cells may still cause the connection between the battery pack and the terminal post to fail; moreover, the expansion of the battery cells may also cause the connection between the liquid cooling plate and the battery pack to fail, reducing the heat dissipation effect of the liquid cooling plate on the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0005] The primary objective of this invention is to provide a liquid cooling unit that can meet the requirements for releasing expansion force when a single battery cell expands.

[0006] The second objective of this invention is to provide a battery module assembly that can meet the requirements for releasing expansion force when a single battery cell expands, thereby improving the safety performance of the battery module assembly.

[0007] The third objective of this invention is to propose a battery pack that optimizes the thermal management performance of the battery pack, extends the service life of the battery pack, and improves the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0008] The fourth objective of this utility model is to propose a vehicle that reduces the probability of vehicle malfunctions and improves vehicle safety performance.

[0009] To achieve this objective, firstly, the liquid cooling unit provided by this utility model includes:

[0010] Liquid cooling section, wherein at least two liquid cooling sections are provided and are distributed sequentially along a first direction;

[0011] A liquid-cooled connection portion is provided, through which two adjacent liquid-cooled portions are connected, and the liquid-cooled connection portion is deformable.

[0012] As one feasible technical solution for the above-mentioned liquid cooling unit, the liquid cooling connection part has at least one first deformation pit on at least one side surface in the second direction, the second direction being the thickness direction of the liquid cooling unit and perpendicular to the first direction.

[0013] As one feasible technical solution for the above-mentioned liquid cooling unit, the portion of the liquid cooling connection that faces away from the first deformation pit protrudes from the liquid cooling unit along the second direction.

[0014] As one feasible technical solution for the above-mentioned liquid cooling unit, along the second direction, the minimum distance between the highest point of the portion of the liquid cooling connection that protrudes from the liquid cooling part and the liquid cooling part is △L, where 1mm≤△L≤5mm.

[0015] Secondly, the battery module assembly provided by this utility model includes a cell group, multiple battery cells, and a liquid cooling unit as described in any of the above-described embodiments; the cell group includes multiple individual cells distributed sequentially along the first direction;

[0016] The barbiturate includes:

[0017] Two conductor portions are used to electrically connect the terminals of two adjacent cells in the same cell group in a one-to-one correspondence. The surface of the conductor portion facing away from the cell is covered with the liquid cooling portion along the second direction.

[0018] An electrical connection portion is provided, which is deformable. Two conductor portions are connected through the electrical connection portion. The electrical connection portion is spaced apart from and opposite to the liquid-cooled connection portion along a second direction, which is the thickness direction of the plate and perpendicular to the first direction.

[0019] As one feasible technical solution for the aforementioned battery module assembly, the electrical connection portion has at least one second deformation recess formed on at least one side surface in the second direction.

[0020] The opening direction of the first deformation recess of the liquid-cooled connection is the same as or opposite to the opening direction of the second deformation recess.

[0021] As one feasible technical solution for the above-mentioned battery module assembly, the portion of the electrical connection part facing away from the second deformation pit protrudes from the conductor part along the second direction;

[0022] The opening direction of the first deformation recess of the liquid-cooled connection is set towards the plate along the second direction.

[0023] As one feasible technical solution for the aforementioned battery module assembly, the battery module assembly further includes a liquid cooling plate, which is disposed on the bottom surface of the individual battery cell.

[0024] Thirdly, the battery pack provided by this utility model includes a battery box and a battery module assembly as described in any of the above-described embodiments. The battery module assembly is disposed inside the battery box, and the side of the liquid-cooled connection portion away from the battery cell assembly is spaced apart from the inner top wall of the battery box.

[0025] Fourthly, the vehicle provided by this utility model includes the aforementioned battery pack.

[0026] This utility model has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The liquid cooling unit provided by this utility model includes a liquid cooling section and a liquid cooling connection section. There are at least two liquid cooling sections and they are distributed sequentially along a first direction. Two adjacent liquid cooling sections are connected by the liquid cooling connection section. The liquid cooling connection section can deform when squeezed to meet the demand for the release of expansion force when the battery cell expands.

[0028] The battery module assembly provided by this utility model includes the aforementioned liquid cooling unit, with the electrical connection portion positioned directly opposite the liquid cooling connection portion along the second direction. When a single battery cell undergoes slight expansion due to increased usage time or cycle count, adjacent cells compress against each other. This causes the two conductor portions of the same battery plate to generate a force pulling them closer together along the first direction under the influence of the connected cells. This force causes the electrical connection portion to undergo flexible deformation, allowing the two conductor portions connected to the electrical connection portion to move closer together along the first direction. Similarly, the two liquid cooling portions connected to the two conductor portions of the same battery plate will also generate a force pulling them closer together along the first direction. This force causes the liquid cooling connection portion to undergo flexible deformation, allowing the two liquid cooling portions connected to the liquid cooling connection portion to move closer together along the first direction, thereby achieving… Both the liquid cooling unit and the battery pack can meet the demand for expansion force release when the battery cell expands. This solves the problem in the prior art where the use of a liquid cooling unit with high deformation resistance restricts the two conductors of the battery pack from getting closer to each other in the first direction, causing the liquid cooling unit to be squeezed and pulled, which leads to the failure of the connection between the battery pack and the terminal. It also solves the problem that the liquid cooling unit being squeezed and pulled, which leads to the failure of the connection between the liquid cooling unit and the conductor, reduces the heat dissipation capacity of the liquid cooling unit for the battery pack. This liquid cooling unit can not only protect the connection between the battery pack and the terminal and the battery cell, but also protect the connection between the battery pack and the liquid cooling unit to protect the battery cell.

[0029] The battery pack provided by this utility model includes the above-mentioned battery module components, which can extend the service life of the battery pack and improve the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0030] The vehicle provided by this utility model, including the aforementioned battery pack, can reduce the probability of vehicle malfunctions and improve vehicle safety performance. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of this utility model and these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of multiple battery cell groups provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the positional relationship between multiple battery cell groups and multiple battery pads provided in this embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single battery cell provided in an embodiment of the present invention from a first-view perspective;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the plasmid provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the battery pack and the battery cell assembly from a third-party perspective in the battery pack provided by this embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a battery cell assembly and multiple battery cells provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the battery pack, the battery cell assembly, and the first type of liquid cooling unit in the battery pack provided by this embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a third-party perspective.

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure between the battery pack, the battery cell assembly, and the first type of liquid cooling unit in the battery pack provided by this embodiment of the utility model;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a battery module assembly using a second type of liquid cooling plate provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0041] Figure 10 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a battery module assembly using a first type of liquid cooling plate provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0042] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell provided in the embodiment of the present invention from a second perspective.

[0043] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell from a third-person perspective, provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0044] Figure 13 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the liquid cooling plate provided in this embodiment of the utility model.

[0045] In the picture:

[0046] 11. Liquid cooling unit; 111. Liquid cooling section; 112. Liquid cooling connection section; 1121. First deformation recess; 113. Overlapping edge; 12. Liquid cooling plate; 121. Heat exchange panel; 122. Flow channel panel; 123. Cooling flow channel;

[0047] 2. Plate; 21. Conductor portion; 22. Electrical connection portion; 221. Second deformation pit;

[0048] 3. First heat-conducting layer;

[0049] 4. Battery cell assembly; 41. Battery cell unit; 411. Terminal post; 412. Explosion-proof valve; 413. Bottom surface; 414. Top surface; 415. Shoulder. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, not the entire structure.

[0051] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0052] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0053] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0054] In embodiments of this utility model, such as Figures 1 to 13As shown, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other. The first direction is the distribution direction of multiple individual cells 41 in the same cell group 4, and it is also the width direction of the individual cell 41. The second direction is the height direction of the individual cell 41, and it is also the thickness direction of the liquid cooling unit 11, the liquid cooling plate 12, and the plate 2. The third direction is the length direction of the individual cell 41, and it is also the distribution direction of multiple cell groups 4.

[0055] like Figures 1 to 13 As shown, the embodiments of this utility model provide a liquid cooling unit, a battery module assembly including the liquid cooling unit, a battery pack including the battery module assembly, and a vehicle including the battery pack. The liquid cooling unit meets the demand for releasing the expansion force when the individual battery cells 41 expand, which can extend the service life of the battery pack, optimize the thermal management performance of the battery pack, and improve the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0056] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the battery module assembly also includes a battery strip 2 and multiple cell groups 4 arranged sequentially along a third direction. Each cell group 4 includes multiple individual cell units 41 arranged sequentially along a first direction. Multiple battery strips 2 are provided, and each battery strip 2 is electrically connected to the terminals 411 of two adjacent cell units 41 in the same cell group 4. Specifically, each cell unit 41 has two terminals 411. One end of each battery strip 2 is electrically connected to one terminal 411 of a cell unit 41, and the other end is electrically connected to one terminal 411 of an adjacent cell unit 41 in the same cell group 4, so that adjacent cell units 41 in the same cell group 4 can be connected in series or parallel through the battery strip 2. It should be noted that the terminals 411 of the cell unit 41 can be either double-riveted terminals 411 or single-riveted terminals 411.

[0057] For example, pole post 411 is a square pole post. As an alternative, pole post 411 can also be a cylindrical pole post.

[0058] As the usage time or number of cycles increases, the battery cell 41 will expand slightly, causing adjacent battery cells 41 to squeeze each other, which in turn pulls the tabs 2 that connect the top of the battery cells 41. In severe cases, the tabs 2 may tear the weld seam connecting them to the terminal post 411 or the battery cell 41 itself, causing the tabs 2 connection between two adjacent battery cells 41 to fail.

[0059] To solve the above technical problems, such as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, in the embodiment of this utility model, the plate 2 includes two conductor portions 21 and an electrical connection portion 22, which are used to electrically connect the pole posts 411 of two adjacent battery cells 41 in the same battery cell group 4 in a one-to-one correspondence. The two conductor portions 21 are connected through the electrical connection portion 22, and the electrical connection portion 22 can be deformed.

[0060] Specifically, one conductor portion 21 is electrically connected to a terminal 411 of a battery cell 41, and the other conductor portion 21 is electrically connected to a terminal 411 of an adjacent battery cell 41.

[0061] It should be noted that the electrical connection part 22 can be deformed when squeezed, so that the two conductor parts 21 connected to the electrical connection part 22 can move closer to each other in the first direction.

[0062] When the battery cell 41 expands slightly with the increase of usage time or number of cycles, adjacent battery cells 41 squeeze each other, causing the two conductor portions 21 of the same plate 2 to generate a force that moves closer to each other in the first direction under the action of the connected battery cells 41. Under this force, the electrical connection portion 22 undergoes flexible deformation, allowing the two conductor portions 21 connected to the electrical connection portion 22 to move closer to each other in the first direction. This enables the plate 2 to meet the demand for expansion force release when the battery cell 41 expands, preventing the plate 2 from being squeezed and pulling the conductor portion 21, which would cause the connection between the plate 2 and the terminal 411 to fail. This protects the connection between the plate 2 and the terminal 411 as well as the battery cell 41.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the electrical connection portion 22 has at least one second deformation recess 221 formed on at least one side surface in the second direction.

[0064] For example, the bar sheet 2 is a one-piece molded structure, which can be formed by processes such as stamping, machining or casting, simplifying the processing of the bar sheet 2 and reducing costs. Preferably, the bar sheet 2 is formed by stamping, and the portion of the electrical connection portion 22 facing away from the second deformation recess 221 protrudes from the conductor portion 21 in the second direction by stamping.

[0065] For example, the electrical connection portion 22 has a second deformation recess 221, which saves material and reduces the cost of the connector 2. The connector 2 can be made of copper alloy or aluminum alloy.

[0066] For example, the portion of the electrical connection 22 facing away from the second deformation recess 221 protrudes from the conductor portion 21 in the second direction. This arrangement allows the electrical connection 22 to protrude more from the conductor portion 21 on the side facing away from the second deformation recess 221 when it is compressed in the first direction, which is beneficial for guiding the electrical connection 22 to undergo flexible deformation.

[0067] Specifically, the second deformation pit 221 is located between two adjacent battery cells 41 connected to the plate 2 along the first direction. When the battery cell 41 expands, the electrical connection portion 22 with the second deformation pit 221 can undergo flexible deformation when squeezed, so that the opening of the second deformation pit 221 gradually decreases and the height of the conductor portion 21 protruding from the side of the electrical connection portion 22 opposite to the second deformation pit 221 is greater, so that the deformation of the electrical connection portion 22 with the second deformation pit 221 can adapt to the expansion force release requirements of the adjacent battery cell 41.

[0068] For example, the pad 2 adopts an "I"-shaped structure. It should be noted that the pad 2 is relatively thin, and the second deformation pit 221 is very small; therefore, the pad 2 is roughly "I"-shaped. As an alternative, the pad 2 can also adopt an "L"-shaped structure as in the prior art, or a two- or multi-layer structure formed by bending as in the prior art. These are all existing pad 2 structures in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0069] During operation, the electrode post 411 generates a large amount of heat. In order to ensure that the heat on the electrode post 411 can be dissipated in time and that the battery cell 41 can work normally, the liquid cooling unit 11 is covered on the side of the plate 2 facing away from the battery cell 41.

[0070] During battery pack operation, the heat generated by the terminal 411 is dissipated quickly and promptly through the liquid cooling unit 11, preventing heat from accumulating at the terminal 411 and causing the temperature of the individual cell 41 to be too high, thus limiting the charging current. This improves the liquid cooling capacity of the liquid cooling unit 11 for the battery pack, which is especially suitable for fast-charging batteries, thereby enhancing the fast-charging capability and safety of the battery pack.

[0071] However, existing liquid cooling plates generally use metal structures or high-strength plastic structures with high resistance to deformation. During the cycle of use, the liquid cooling plate with high resistance to tensile deformation will restrict the two adjacent connection parts connected to it from getting close to each other, so that the bending part cannot absorb the expansion force brought by the expansion of the battery cell 41. Therefore, the expansion of the battery cell 41 may still cause the connection between the electrode 2 and the pole 411 to fail. Moreover, the expansion of the battery cell 41 may also cause the connection between the liquid cooling plate and the electrode 2 to fail, thereby reducing the heat dissipation effect of the liquid cooling plate on the electrode 2.

[0072] To solve the above technical problems, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the liquid cooling unit 11 provided in this embodiment of the present invention includes a liquid cooling section 111 and a liquid cooling connection section 112. The liquid cooling connection section 112 is deformable. At least two liquid cooling sections 111 are provided and are distributed sequentially along a first direction. The surface of the conductor section 21 facing away from the battery cell 41 along a second direction is covered with the liquid cooling section 111. Two adjacent liquid cooling sections 111 are connected through the liquid cooling connection section 112. The electrical connection section 22 is spaced apart from and opposite to the liquid cooling connection section 112 along the second direction. It should be noted that the liquid cooling connection section 112 can be deformed when squeezed, so that the two liquid cooling sections 111 connected to the liquid cooling connection section 112 can move closer to each other along the first direction.

[0073] When the battery cell 41 expands slightly with increased usage time or cycle count, adjacent battery cells 41 compress each other, causing the two conductor portions 21 of the same plate 2 to exert a force towards each other along the first direction under the action of the connected battery cells 41. This force causes the electrical connection portion 22 to undergo flexible deformation, allowing the two conductor portions 21 connected to the electrical connection portion 22 to move closer together along the first direction. Similarly, the two liquid cooling portions 111 connected to the two conductor portions 21 of the same plate 2 will also exert a force towards each other along the first direction, causing the liquid cooling connection portion 112 to undergo flexible deformation under this force. This force allows the two liquid cooling portions 111 connected to the liquid cooling connection portion 112 to move closer together along the first direction, thus ensuring that both the liquid cooling unit 11 and the plate 2 can meet the requirements of the battery cell 41. The requirement for releasing expansion force during expansion is addressed; this solves the problem in the prior art where the use of a liquid cooling unit 11 with high deformation resistance restricts the two conductor portions 21 of the battery cell 2 from approaching each other in the first direction, causing the liquid cooling unit 11 to be squeezed and pulled, thus breaking the connection between the conductor portion 21 connected to the terminal post 411 and causing the connection between the liquid cooling unit 111 and the conductor portion 21 to break, thereby reducing the heat dissipation capacity of the liquid cooling unit 111 for the battery cell 2; this liquid cooling unit 11 can not only protect the connection between the battery cell 2 and the terminal post 411 and the battery cell 41, but also protect the connection between the battery cell 2 and the liquid cooling unit 11 to protect the battery cell 41.

[0074] The battery pack provided in the embodiments of this utility model, by adopting the above-described battery module components, can extend the service life of the battery pack and improve its safety performance.

[0075] The vehicle provided by the embodiments of this utility model, by adopting the above-mentioned battery pack, can reduce the probability of vehicle failure and improve vehicle safety performance.

[0076] For example, the conductor portion 21 is a flat plate structure, and the liquid cooling portion 111 is a flat plate structure. The liquid cooling portion 111 is covered on the surface of the conductor portion 21 facing away from the battery cell 41 along the second direction. Specifically, the projection of the conductor portion 21 in the plane perpendicular to the second direction is directly opposite to the projection of the connected liquid cooling portion 111 in the plane perpendicular to the second direction, thereby increasing the contact area between the liquid cooling portion 111 and the conductor portion 21 and improving the heat dissipation effect of the liquid cooling unit 11 in dissipating heat from the electrode post 411.

[0077] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the liquid-cooled connection portion 112 has at least one first deformation recess 1121 on at least one side surface in the second direction.

[0078] When the battery cell 41 expands, the liquid-cooled connection portion 112 with the first deformation pit 1121 can be squeezed and undergo flexible deformation to adapt to the expansion force release requirements of the adjacent battery cell 41.

[0079] For example, a first deformation recess 1121 is arranged between two adjacent battery cells 41 to simplify the processing of the liquid cooling unit 11, save materials, and reduce processing costs. Each battery cell 41 has two terminals 411 located at the same end of the battery cell 41 in a second direction, one terminal 411 being the positive terminal and the other being the negative terminal. Each battery cell group 4 is equipped with two liquid cooling units 11, and the number of liquid cooling units 11 is twice the number of battery cell groups 4. The number of liquid cooling parts 111 on a liquid cooling unit 11 is the same as the number of battery cells 41 included in the corresponding battery cell group 4. This reduces the number of liquid cooling units 11, simplifies the processing of the liquid cooling units 11, and reduces costs. It should be noted that the two terminals 411 of each battery cell 41 can also be arranged on opposite sides of the battery cell 41. A battery cell 41 can also have two or more positive terminals, and the number of negative terminals on each battery cell 41 is the same as the number of positive terminals.

[0080] In some embodiments, the portion of the liquid-cooled connector 112 facing away from the first deformation recess 1121 protrudes from the liquid-cooled portion 111 along a second direction. This arrangement ensures that when the liquid-cooled connector 112 is compressed along a first direction, the side of the liquid-cooled connector 112 facing away from the first deformation recess 1121 protrudes more from the liquid-cooled portion 111, which is beneficial for guiding the liquid-cooled connector 112 to undergo flexible deformation.

[0081] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling unit 11 is provided with a cooling channel for circulating cooling medium. By controlling the flow path of the cooling medium, the time for the cooling medium to flow in the liquid cooling unit 11 is extended, thereby improving the cooling effect of the liquid cooling unit 11.

[0082] Specifically, the liquid cooling unit 11 includes a heat exchange plate and a flow channel plate, with a cooling channel formed between the heat exchange plate and the flow channel plate. It should be noted that the flow direction of the cooling medium in the cooling channel within the liquid cooling unit 11 is a first direction.

[0083] For example, the heat exchange plate is a flat plate, and the flow channel plate is a corrugated structure plate. The heat exchange plate and the flow channel plate can be manufactured by stamping, brazing, and blowing to form the liquid cooling unit 11. The liquid cooling unit 11 can also be a harmonica tube or an aluminum profile tube. It should be noted that the liquid cooling unit 11 provided in the embodiment of this utility model can form the first deformation pit 1121 by processing grooves and protrusions on the heat exchange plate and the flow channel plate, and the portion of the liquid cooling connection part 112 facing away from the first deformation pit 1121 protrudes from the liquid cooling part 111 in the second direction, while avoiding the setting of the liquid cooling connection part 112 from affecting the cooling flow channel 123 in the liquid cooling unit 11.

[0084] In some embodiments, the opening direction of the first deformation recess 1121 is opposite to the opening direction of the second deformation recess 221. Specifically, as shown in the figure... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the opening direction of the first deformation recess 1121 is disposed towards the plate 2 along the second direction, and the opening direction of the second deformation recess 221 is disposed towards the liquid cooling unit 11 along the second direction. In other words, the openings of the first deformation recess 1121 and the second deformation recess 221 are disposed opposite to each other. Exemplarily, the projection of the electrical connection portion 22 in a plane perpendicular to the second direction is directly opposite to the projection of the corresponding liquid cooling connection portion 112 in a plane perpendicular to the second direction. The electrical connection portion 22 and the liquid cooling connection portion 112 connected thereto are symmetrically disposed about the same preset plane, which is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0085] Specifically, the opening of the second deformation recess 221 is formed on the side of the electrical connection portion 22 facing away from the battery cell 41 along the second direction, and the opening of the first deformation recess 1121 is formed on the side of the liquid cooling connection portion 112 facing the battery cell 41 along the second direction. This arrangement ensures that when the electrical connection portion 22 is deformed by compression, the portion protruding from the conductor portion 21 is positioned between the terminals 411 of the adjacent battery cell 41 connected to the plate 2, fully utilizing the space between the terminals 411 of the adjacent battery cell 41 connected to the plate 2, eliminating the need for additional space for the electrical connection portion 22. Conversely, when the liquid cooling connection portion 112 is deformed by compression, the portion protruding from the liquid cooling portion 111 is located on the side of the liquid cooling unit 11 facing away from the battery cell 41, utilizing the space on the side of the liquid cooling unit 11 facing away from the battery cell 41, preventing interference between the electrical connection portion 22 and the liquid cooling connection portion 112.

[0086] As an alternative, the opening direction of the first deformation recess 1121 can be the same as the opening direction of the second deformation recess 221. Specifically, since the thickness of the plate 2 is relatively thin, the height of the portion of the electrical connection 22 protruding from the plate 2 opposite to the second deformation recess 221 is small. Therefore, the opening direction of the first deformation recess 1121 is set towards the plate 2 along the second direction, while the opening of the second deformation recess 221 can be set away from the liquid cooling unit 11 along the second direction. It should be noted that since the thickness of the liquid cooling unit 11 is relatively large compared to the plate 2, the height of the portion of the liquid cooling connection 112 protruding from the plate 2 opposite to the first deformation recess 1121 is large, and the space between the liquid cooling unit 11 along the second direction and the top surface 414 of the battery cell 41 is insufficient. Therefore, it is not convenient to set the opening direction of the first deformation recess 1121 away from the plate 2 along the second direction.

[0087] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, along the second direction, the minimum distance between the highest point of the portion of the liquid-cooled connection 112 protruding from the liquid-cooled unit 11 and the liquid-cooled unit 11 is ΔL, where 1mm ≤ ΔL ≤ 5mm. By limiting the range of ΔL, it is possible to avoid ΔL being too large, such as exceeding 5mm, which would increase the height of the battery pack along the second direction, and to avoid ΔL being too small, such as less than 1mm, which would prevent the deformation of the liquid-cooled connection 112 from failing to meet the requirements for releasing the expansion force when the battery cell 41 expands.

[0088] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, a first thermally conductive layer 3 is provided between the conductor portion 21 and the liquid-cooled portion 111. The conductor portion 21 and the liquid-cooled portion 111 can be connected using various thermally conductive media such as thermally conductive structural adhesive, thermally conductive gel, thermally conductive silicone grease, or thermally conductive double-sided adhesive, thus forming the first thermally conductive layer 3 between them. Alternatively, a thermally conductive pad can be provided between the conductor portion 21 and the liquid-cooled portion 111, with both sides of the pad in the thickness direction adhered to the conductor portion 21 and the liquid-cooled portion 111 using thermally conductive adhesive to form the first thermally conductive layer 3. By providing the first thermally conductive layer 3, the heat generated by the electrode post 411 can be promptly transferred to the liquid-cooled portion 111 through the pad 2 and the first thermally conductive layer 3.

[0089] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, the width of the liquid cooling section 111 in the first direction is W1, and the width of the conductor section 21 in the first direction is W2, where 0.5 ≤ W1 / W2 ≤ 1. By limiting the range of the ratio of W1 to W2, it is possible to avoid the ratio being too small (less than 0.5), resulting in an insufficient contact area between the liquid cooling section 111 and the conductor section 21, thus failing to meet the heat dissipation requirements of the electrode 411. It is also possible to avoid the ratio being too large (greater than 1), resulting in waste of material in the liquid cooling section 111. Preferably, W1 / W2 = 1, so as to ensure that the cooling effect of the liquid cooling unit 11 on the electrode 411 meets the requirements while reducing costs.

[0090] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, the battery pack also includes a battery case, with the battery module assembly housed inside the battery case. The side of the liquid-cooled connection portion 112 away from the cell assembly 4 is spaced apart from the inner wall of the battery case. Specifically, the portion of the liquid-cooled connection portion 112 protruding from the liquid-cooled portion 111 is spaced apart from the inner wall of the battery case along a second direction. Since the portion of the liquid-cooled connection portion 112 protruding from the liquid-cooled portion 111 is taller when the liquid-cooled connection portion 112 is compressed, this gap provides deformation space for the subsequent deformation of the liquid-cooled connection portion 112, preventing the battery case from interfering with the deformation of the liquid-cooled connection portion 112.

[0091] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the liquid cooling unit 11 also includes an overlapping edge 113. The liquid cooling part 111 and the liquid cooling connection part 112 are both connected to the overlapping edge 113 on the third-direction side. The overlapping edge 113 is used to be disposed on the shoulder 415 of the cell 41.

[0092] Specifically, the overlap edge 113 covers the shoulder 415 of the battery cell 41. While the heat generated by the terminal post 411 is transferred to the liquid cooling section 111 in a timely manner through the conductor section 21, the heat inside the battery cell 41 can also be transferred to the overlap edge 113 through the shoulder 415. The overlap edge 113 dissipates heat from the shoulder 415 of the battery cell 41, which helps to reduce or even eliminate the temperature difference between the shoulder 415 and the terminal post 411, thereby improving the overall cooling capacity of the battery pack.

[0093] It should be noted that each battery cell 41 has a shoulder 415. When the positive and negative terminals of the battery cell 41 are both located on the top surface 414 of the battery cell 41, if the positive and negative terminals are located near the middle of the battery cell 41, the shoulder 415 is formed on the top surface 414 of the battery cell 41 and is located on the side of each terminal 411 facing away from the other terminal 411 in a third direction; if the positive and negative terminals are located near the edge of the battery cell 41, the shoulder 415 is formed on the top surface 414 of the battery cell 41 and is formed between the explosion-proof valve 412 and the positive terminal, and between the explosion-proof valve 412 and the negative terminal. When the positive and negative terminals of a single cell 41 are positioned opposite each other at the top and bottom of the single cell 41, for example, when the terminal 411 is located in the middle region of the top surface 414 of the single cell 41, a shoulder 415 can be formed on the top surface 414 of the single cell 41, and shoulders 415 can be formed on both sides of the positive terminal in a third direction, such as in a blade cell. Specifically, for a single cell 41 where the two terminals 411 are located on the same side, the surface where the terminals 411 are located is the top surface 414 of the single cell 41, and the surface of the single cell 41 away from its top surface 414 is the bottom surface 413.

[0094] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 As shown, the length of the liquid cooling section 111 in the third direction is L1, and the length of the conductor section 21 in the third direction is L2, where 0.1 ≤ L1 / L2 ≤ 2. By limiting the range of the ratio of L1 to L2, it is possible to avoid the ratio being too small (less than 0.1), resulting in an insufficient contact area between the liquid cooling section 111 and the conductor section 21, thus failing to meet the heat dissipation requirements of the electrode 411. It is also possible to avoid the ratio being too large (greater than 2), resulting in waste of material in the liquid cooling section 111. Preferably, L1 / L2 = 1, so as to ensure that the cooling effect of the liquid cooling unit 11 on the electrode 411 meets the requirements while reducing costs.

[0095] In some embodiments, such as Figure 11 As shown, the length of the electrode plate 2 in the third direction is L2, and the length of the terminal post 411 of the battery cell 41 in the third direction is L3, where 0.1 ≤ L2 / L3 ≤ 5. By limiting the range of the ratio of L2 to L3, it is possible to avoid the problem of installation interference of the electrode plate 2 due to an excessively large ratio of L2 to L3 (greater than 5), and to avoid the problem of the ratio of L2 to L3 being too small (less than 0.1), which would result in an insufficient contact area between the electrode plate 2 and the terminal post 411, leading to poor connection stability between the terminal post 411 and the electrode plate 2, and also to avoid a small contact area between the terminal post 411 and the electrode plate 2, resulting in poor heat exchange efficiency between the terminal post 411 and the electrode plate 2.

[0096] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 11As shown, an explosion-proof valve 412 is provided on the top surface 414 of the battery cell 41, and the explosion-proof valve 412 is located between the two terminals 411 along the third direction. The length of the terminal 411 in the third direction is L3, and the length of the top surface 414 of the battery cell 41 in the third direction is L4; the ratio of L3 to L4 satisfies 0.1≤L3 / L4≤0.4. By limiting the range of L3 / L4, it is possible to avoid the ratio of L3 to L4 being too large, such as exceeding 0.4, which would result in the electrical safety distance between the positive and negative terminals of the battery cell 41 failing to meet the requirements and causing poor safety; it is also possible to avoid the ratio of L3 to L4 being too small, which would result in a small contact area between the terminal 411 and the liquid cooling part 111, thus leading to poor heat dissipation at the top of the battery cell 41.

[0097] The width of the terminal post 411 in the first direction is W3, and the width of the top surface 414 of the cell 41 in the first direction is W4. The ratio of W3 to W4 satisfies 0.1 ≤ W3 / W4 ≤ 0.99. This avoids the problem of poor cooling effect caused by a ratio of W3 to W4 that is too small (less than 0.1), and also avoids the problem of installation interference of the liquid cooling unit 11 caused by a ratio of W3 to W4 that is too large (greater than 0.99).

[0098] In some embodiments, the conductor portion 21 may be welded, screwed, riveted, snapped, or bonded to the terminal post 411 of the battery cell 41 by means of conductive adhesive, so as to electrically connect the strip 2 to the terminal post 411, and the connection between the strip 2 and the terminal post 411 is relatively convenient.

[0099] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the battery module assembly also includes a liquid cooling plate 12, which is disposed on the bottom surface 413 of the battery cell 41. During operation, the liquid cooling plate 12 removes the heat generated inside the battery cell 41, thus dissipating heat. The simultaneous use of the liquid cooling unit 11 and the liquid cooling plate 12 to cool the battery cell 41 improves the liquid cooling capacity of the liquid cooling unit, making it particularly suitable for fast-charging batteries, thereby enhancing the fast-charging capability and safety of the battery pack.

[0100] Multiple liquid cooling units 11 can be connected in parallel and / or in series before being connected in parallel or in series with the liquid cooling plate 12. The liquid cooling plate 12 can be a single plate structure with a liquid cavity, having an outlet and an inlet. This configuration allows the liquid cooling unit to be equipped with only one power source, such as a cooling pump. Insulation layers can be provided on the surfaces of the liquid cooling units 11 and the liquid cooling plate 12, or they can be left uninsulated.

[0101] In some embodiments, such as Figure 13As shown, the liquid cooling plate 12 has a cooling channel 123 for the flow of cooling medium. By controlling the flow path of the cooling medium, the flow time of the cooling medium in the liquid cooling plate 12 is extended, thereby improving the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate 12. Specifically, the liquid cooling plate 12 includes a heat exchange panel 121 and a channel panel 122, with the cooling channel 123 formed between the heat exchange panel 121 and the channel panel 122. It should be noted that the flow direction of the cooling medium in the cooling channel 123 within the liquid cooling plate 12 can be a first direction or a third direction, which is not specifically limited here.

[0102] For example, the heat exchange panel 121 is a flat plate, and the flow channel panel 122 is a corrugated structural plate. The heat exchange panel 121 and the flow channel panel 122 can be manufactured by stamping, brazing, and blowing to form a liquid cooling plate 12. The liquid cooling plate 12 can also be a harmonica tube or an aluminum profile tube.

[0103] To further enhance the cooling effect between the liquid cooling plate 12 and the battery cell assembly 4, a second thermally conductive layer is provided between the liquid cooling plate 12 and the bottom surface 413 of the battery cell 41. For example, the liquid cooling plate 12 and the bottom surface 413 of the battery cell 41 can be connected using various thermally conductive media such as thermally conductive structural adhesive, thermally conductive gel, thermally conductive silicone grease, or thermally conductive double-sided adhesive, forming a second thermally conductive layer between them. The thermally conductive adhesive also serves to connect the liquid cooling plate 12 and the battery cell 41. Alternatively, a thermally conductive pad can be provided between the liquid cooling plate 12 and the battery cell 41. The two sides of the thermally conductive pad in the thickness direction are adhered to the bottom surface 413 of the liquid cooling plate 12 and the battery cell 41 using thermally conductive adhesive to form the second thermally conductive layer. By providing the second thermally conductive layer, the heat generated by the battery cell 41 can be transferred to the liquid cooling plate 12 in a timely manner.

[0104] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 and Figure 12 As shown, the heat exchange panel 121 has a liquid-cooled surface for attaching the bottom surface 413 of the battery cell 41. The area of ​​the liquid-cooled surface is S1, and the area of ​​the bottom surface 413 of the battery cell 41 is S2, where 0.1 ≤ S1 / S2 ≤ 1. For example, S1 / S2 = 1.

[0105] This configuration avoids both the poor cooling effect caused by the small heat exchange area of ​​the liquid cooling plate 12 and the excessive size of the heat exchange panel 121 which encroaches on the internal space of the battery pack.

[0106] In some embodiments, such as Figure 13As shown, the thickness of the heat exchange panel 121 is D1, and the width of the cooling channel 123 along the second direction is H1, where 0.02≤D1 / H1≤5; the thickness of the channel panel 122 is D2, where 0.02≤D2 / H1≤5. This liquid cooling unit avoids the problem of poor cooling effect caused by excessively thick heat exchange panels 121 and channel panels 122 encroaching on the space of the second cooling channel 123, while also avoiding the problem of weak structural strength caused by excessively thin heat exchange panels 121 and channel panels 122.

[0107] Furthermore, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Many other equivalent embodiments may be included without departing from the concept of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A liquid cooling unit, characterized in that, include: Liquid cooling section (111), wherein at least two liquid cooling sections (111) are provided and are distributed sequentially along a first direction; The liquid cooling connection part (112) connects two adjacent liquid cooling parts (111) through the liquid cooling connection part (112), and the liquid cooling connection part (112) is deformable.

2. The liquid cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid cooling connection portion (112) has at least one first deformation recess (1121) on at least one side surface in the second direction, the second direction being the thickness direction of the liquid cooling unit and perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The liquid cooling unit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The portion of the liquid-cooled connection (112) opposite to the first deformation recess (1121) protrudes from the liquid-cooled part (111) along the second direction.

4. The liquid cooling unit according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along the second direction, the minimum distance between the highest point of the portion of the liquid cooling connection (112) protruding from the liquid cooling part (111) and the liquid cooling part (111) is ΔL, where 1mm≤ΔL≤5mm.

5. A battery module assembly, characterized in that, It includes a battery cell assembly (4), a plurality of battery pads (2) and a liquid cooling unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the battery cell assembly (4) includes a plurality of battery cell units (41) sequentially distributed along the first direction; The barbiturate (2) includes: Two conductor portions (21) are used to electrically connect the terminals (411) of two adjacent battery cells (41) in the same battery cell group (4) in a one-to-one correspondence. The surface of the conductor portion (21) facing away from the battery cell (41) along the second direction is covered with the liquid cooling portion (111). Electrical connection part (22) is deformable, and two conductor parts (21) are connected through the electrical connection part (22). The electrical connection part (22) is spaced apart from and opposite to the liquid cooling connection part (112) along the second direction, which is the thickness direction of the plate (2) and perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The battery module assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The electrical connection portion (22) has at least one second deformation recess (221) on at least one side surface in the second direction; The opening direction of the first deformation recess (1121) of the liquid-cooled connection part (112) is the same as or opposite to the opening direction of the second deformation recess (221).

7. The battery module assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The portion of the electrical connection part (22) facing away from the second deformation pit (221) protrudes from the conductor part (21) along the second direction; The opening direction of the first deformation recess (1121) of the liquid cooling connection part (112) is provided towards the plate (2) along the second direction.

8. The battery module assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that, The battery module assembly also includes a liquid cooling plate (12), which is disposed on the bottom surface (413) of the battery cell (41).

9. A battery pack, characterized in that, The battery includes a battery box and a battery module assembly as described in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the battery module assembly is disposed inside the battery box, and the side of the liquid cooling connection (112) away from the battery cell assembly (4) is spaced apart from the inner wall of the battery box.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the battery pack as described in claim 9.

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