Heat transfer piece and high-capacity battery

By increasing the heat exchange area on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube and setting a multi-layer insulation structure on the outer wall, the problem of heat accumulation in lithium-ion batteries during charging and discharging is solved, achieving uniform heat dissipation and reliable insulation of the battery, thereby improving the battery's safety and service life.

CN223871551UActive Publication Date: 2026-02-03D AUS ENERGY STORAGE TECH (XIAN) CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202423273381.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-12-30
Publication Date
2026-02-03
Estimated Expiration
2034-12-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The heat generated during the charging and discharging process of lithium-ion batteries cannot be effectively released, resulting in uneven temperature, which affects the battery's lifespan and poses safety hazards, especially the problem of heat concentration at the polarity terminals.

Method used

Design a heat transfer element, including setting a functional structure on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube to increase the heat exchange area, and setting a multi-layer insulation structure on the outer wall to ensure reliable insulation and heat exchange between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the single cell.

Benefits of technology

It achieves excellent heat exchange performance and reliable insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery, improves the heat dissipation effect and safety of the battery, and avoids performance degradation and safety accidents caused by uneven temperature.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The utility model provides a heat transfer piece and a high-capacity battery, which mainly realize reliable insulation and heat exchange between a heat transfer tube and a polar terminal of the battery. The heat transfer piece comprises a heat transfer pipe, a functional structure is arranged on the inner wall of the heat transfer pipe and used for increasing the heat exchange area of the heat transfer pipe and a heat exchange medium, compared with a heat transfer pipe without a functional structure, the heat transfer pipe and the heat exchange medium have the larger heat exchange area, and then the heat exchange effect of the heat transfer pipe is improved. Meanwhile, the insulation structure is arranged on the outer wall of the heat transfer pipe and can realize reliable insulation between the heat transfer pipe and the polar terminal of the single battery, so that the heat transfer piece has excellent heat exchange performance and reliable insulation performance after being mounted on the polar terminal of the single battery.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of battery temperature control, specifically relating to a heat transfer component and a large-capacity battery. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the further development of lithium-ion batteries, their safe use has also attracted attention. Due to the principle and structural characteristics of lithium-ion batteries, a large amount of heat is generated during charging and discharging, and this heat gradually increases. If the generated heat cannot be effectively released, it will accumulate in the battery, causing uneven battery temperature, thereby reducing battery life. In severe cases, the battery's thermal balance is disrupted, leading to battery safety accidents.

[0003] Research has shown that the temperature at the battery's polarity terminals is the highest during charging and discharging. Managing the heat at these terminals can effectively dissipate heat and achieve efficient temperature control. Currently, one method to manage this heat is to add heat transfer pipes to the terminals. These pipes conduct the heat away from the terminals, thus achieving effective temperature control. Reliable insulation and heat exchange between the heat transfer pipes and the battery terminals are essential during this process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To achieve reliable insulation and heat exchange between the heat transfer tube and the battery polarity terminals, this utility model provides a heat transfer element and a large-capacity battery.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows:

[0006] This utility model provides a heat transfer component, which includes a heat transfer tube. The inner wall of the heat transfer tube is provided with a functional structure, which is used to increase the heat transfer area between the heat transfer tube and the heat exchange medium. The outer wall of the heat transfer tube is provided with an insulating structure, which is used to achieve insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the single cell.

[0007] Furthermore, the functional structure consists of multiple heat dissipation racks disposed on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube, the multiple heat dissipation racks being evenly distributed circumferentially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube, and each heat dissipation rack extending axially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube.

[0008] Furthermore, the heat transfer tube is an aluminum extrusion tube, and the functional structure is integrally extruded with the heat transfer tube.

[0009] Furthermore, the insulating structure includes a second insulating layer; the second insulating layer includes a support structure and a thermally conductive insulating material, the support structure is made of insulating material and is disposed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, and the support structure is provided with at least one filling space; the thermally conductive insulating material fills the at least one filling space.

[0010] Furthermore, the second insulating layer is a sleeve structure, and the filling space is a hollow structure provided on the sleeve wall.

[0011] Furthermore, the second insulating layer is a plastic sleeve with multiple openings in its wall. The openings are located in the area where the plastic sleeve overlaps with the polarity terminal of the single battery. The size of each opening is 2mm to 5mm, and the distance between each opening is 0.3mm to 2mm.

[0012] Furthermore, the insulation structure also includes a first insulation layer disposed on the second insulation layer, wherein the first insulation layer is a flexible insulation layer.

[0013] Furthermore, the insulation structure also includes a third insulation layer attached to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, and the second insulation layer is disposed on the third insulation layer.

[0014] Furthermore, the third insulating layer is a hard oxide layer with a thickness of 10µm to 50µm.

[0015] Furthermore, the heat transfer tube is a U-shaped heat transfer tube, including a first tube, a second tube, and a connecting tube; the first tube is used for heat exchange with the positive terminal of each individual battery cell; the second tube is used for heat exchange with the negative terminal of each individual battery cell; the connecting tube is a flexible insulating tube, and both ends of the connecting tube are respectively connected to the ports of the first tube and the second tube located on the same side, and the insulating structure is provided on the first tube and the second tube.

[0016] This utility model also provides a large-capacity battery, which includes multiple individual cells arranged in sequence. The heat transfer element is fixed on the clamping part of the polarity terminal of each individual cell. The clamping part is a through groove or through hole opened on the polarity terminal of each individual cell.

[0017] Furthermore, it also includes a housing; multiple individual cells are arranged in the same direction in the inner cavity of the housing; the housing has at least one shared chamber, the inner cavity of the shared chamber is connected to the inner cavity of all individual cells; a clearance hole is provided on the top plate of the housing corresponding to the polarity terminal of each individual cell; the polarity terminal of each individual cell extends out of the clearance hole, the area of ​​the top plate of the housing corresponding to the clearance hole is fixedly sealed with the individual cell housing, and a clamping part is provided at the part of the polarity terminal of each individual cell extending out of the clearance hole.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0019] 1. This utility model provides a heat transfer component, which includes a heat transfer tube. The inner wall of the heat transfer tube has a functional structure, which increases the heat exchange area between the heat transfer tube and the heat exchange medium. Compared to a heat transfer tube without a functional structure, the heat transfer tube has a larger heat exchange area with the heat exchange medium, thus improving the heat exchange effect. Simultaneously, the outer wall of the heat transfer tube has an insulating structure, which ensures reliable insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery. When this heat transfer component is installed on the polarity terminal of the individual battery, it possesses both excellent heat exchange performance and reliable insulation performance.

[0020] 2. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the functional structure consists of multiple heat dissipation racks disposed on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube. These racks are evenly distributed circumferentially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube, and each rack extends axially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube. Compared to other functional structures, the heat dissipation racks are easier to manufacture. Simultaneously, the even distribution of multiple heat dissipation racks along the circumferentially of the inner wall of the heat transfer tube ensures good temperature uniformity across the tube. Furthermore, the axial extension of the heat dissipation racks along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube does not affect the flow of the heat exchange medium within the tube.

[0021] 3. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the heat transfer tube is an aluminum extrusion tube, and the functional structure is integrally extruded with the heat transfer tube. This method makes the heat transfer tube easier to manufacture and has a lower manufacturing cost.

[0022] 4. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the insulating structure includes a second insulating layer disposed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube. This second insulating layer includes a supporting structure and a thermally conductive insulating material. The supporting structure is made of the insulating material and has a filling space. The second insulating layer fills the filling space with the thermally conductive insulating material to improve the heat conduction effect between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery. Simultaneously, the supporting structure can also support, position, and fix the thermally conductive insulating material, increasing its resistance to deformation. Under the support of the supporting structure, the thermally conductive insulating material will not shift or misalign, and can reliably adhere to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, protecting the heat transfer tube and maintaining reliable insulation. This prevents the thermally conductive insulating material from shifting or deforming during installation, thus avoiding insulation problems caused by direct contact between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal. Finally, the supporting structure, made of insulating material, and the insulating structure formed by the supporting structure and the thermally conductive insulating material can achieve reliable insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery, enabling the heat transfer component to have both excellent heat transfer performance and reliable insulation performance.

[0023] 5. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the supporting structure is a sleeve structure, and the filling space is a hollow structure provided on the sleeve wall. This type of supporting structure is easy to manufacture and has better supporting strength and insulation performance. At the same time, this supporting structure can also protect the heat transfer tube. During installation and other processes, if the thermally conductive insulating material is squeezed or scratched, it will prevent the heat transfer tube from directly contacting the polarity terminal and causing insulation problems.

[0024] 6. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the supporting structure is a plastic sleeve with multiple openings in its wall. The plastic sleeve has reliable insulation performance and also facilitates the making of the corresponding openings. Simultaneously, the wall thickness of the plastic sleeve is 0.1mm to 1mm, which provides reliable insulation and excellent thermal conductivity. The diameter of each opening is 2mm to 5mm, and the distance between each opening is 0.3mm to 2mm. This setting of opening size and spacing ensures insulation and heat transfer performance while also improving the supporting strength and deformation resistance of the plastic sleeve, and also facilitates the filling of thermally conductive insulating material.

[0025] 7. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the insulation structure further includes a first insulation layer disposed on the second insulation layer. The first insulation layer is a flexible insulation layer. The multi-layer insulation achieves reliable insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery. Simultaneously, the first insulation layer is a flexible insulation layer. Due to its flexibility and elastic deformation capability, it also has functions such as buffering, shock absorption, and compensating for assembly tolerances. Installing it between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery can protect both the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal. Furthermore, during the installation or use of the flexible insulation layer, there may be a risk of damage due to compression. In this case, the second insulation layer can protect and support the flexible insulation layer, improving the reliability of the flexible insulation layer during installation and use.

[0026] 8. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the insulation structure also includes a third insulation layer attached to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, so that the heat transfer tube has a multi-layer insulation structure. This multi-layer insulation setting allows the heat transfer tube and the single cell to maintain reliable insulation performance even if one of them is damaged when exchanging heat with the single cell, thereby improving the safety of the single cell during use.

[0027] 9. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the third insulating layer is a hard oxide layer with a thickness of 10um to 50um. The hard oxide layer is not easy to fall off and has relatively good insulation performance.

[0028] 10. In the heat transfer component of this utility model, the heat transfer tube is a spliced ​​pipeline assembled from a first tube, a second tube, and a connecting tube. This spliced ​​pipeline structure facilitates installation and improves the ease of heat transfer tube assembly. Furthermore, in this spliced ​​pipeline, the connecting tube can be a flexible insulating tube, which can achieve insulation between the first tube and the second tube, further improving the insulation performance of the heat transfer tube.

[0029] 11. This utility model provides a high-capacity battery comprising multiple individual cells, with heat transfer tubes installed on the polarity terminals of each individual cell, thereby improving the reliability of the high-capacity battery during operation. Simultaneously, the insulation structure on the heat transfer tubes ensures reliable insulation performance and excellent heat exchange capacity during heat exchange between each individual cell and the heat transfer tubes.

[0030] 12. In the large-capacity battery of this utility model, a clamping part is provided at the polar terminal of each individual cell. The heat transfer tube is fixed by the clamping part, so that the heat transfer tube is in direct contact with the polar terminal of the individual cell. The heat of the polar terminal where the heat is most concentrated is conducted to the outside for treatment. This heat dissipation method realizes balanced heat dissipation at the top of the large-capacity battery, especially at the polar terminal, and avoids performance and safety problems caused by excessively high or low temperature of the large-capacity battery. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat transfer tube with a second insulating layer in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0032] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer tube in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat transfer element (with a first insulating layer) in Embodiment 2 of this utility model. Figure 1 ;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat transfer element (with a first insulating layer) in Embodiment 2 of this utility model. Figure 2 ;

[0036] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the heat transfer component in Embodiment 2 of this utility model;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat transfer element (two-section spliced ​​heat transfer tube) in Embodiment 2 of this utility model;

[0038] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the heat transfer component in Embodiment 3 of this utility model;

[0039] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer component in Embodiment 3 of this utility model;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the large-capacity battery in Embodiment 4 of this utility model;

[0041] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the large-capacity battery (with terminal adapter) in Embodiment 5 of this utility model;

[0042] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a large-capacity battery (with terminal adapter) with a heat transfer component installed in Embodiment 5 of this utility model;

[0043] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat transfer component installed in the large-capacity battery in Embodiment 5 of this utility model;

[0044] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the large-capacity battery in Embodiment 5 of this utility model, which has an insulating sealant layer and an insulating protective cover.

[0045] Reference numerals: 1-Heat transfer element, 2-Single cell, 3-Shell, 4-Sealing connector, 5-Insulating sealant layer, 6-Insulating protective cover, 7-Electrical connector, 11-Heat transfer tube, 12-Insulating structure, 13-Functional structure, 111-First tube, 112-Second tube, 113-Connecting tube, 114-First tube segment, 115-Second tube segment, 116-Connector, 121-First insulating layer, 122-Second insulating layer, 123-Third insulating layer, 125-Thermal conductive insulating material, 21-Polar terminal, 211-Clamping part, 31-Electrolyte sharing chamber, 32-Gas sharing chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0047] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0048] The phrase "other embodiments" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that excludes other embodiments. In the description of this specification, 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 indicated technical features. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0049] In this specification, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the term "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, it can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can refer to a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate component, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0050] Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, 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.

[0051] During battery charging and discharging, a large amount of heat is generated. If the battery is not cooled in time, its performance will deteriorate. Currently, heat transfer pipes are generally used to exchange heat with the battery to control its temperature. These heat transfer pipes can be heat pipes containing a phase change medium, which handles the heat generated by the battery by changing the state of the phase change medium. Alternatively, they can be liquid-cooled pipes containing a heat exchange medium, which achieves heat exchange with individual battery cells by heating or cooling the medium. To ensure efficient heat exchange between the heat transfer pipe and the individual battery cells, when the heat transfer pipe contacts the polarity terminals of the individual battery for heat exchange, it is necessary to consider not only insulation and heat exchange performance but also manufacturing processes, ease of maintenance, and assemblability.

[0052] This invention provides a heat transfer element, comprising a heat transfer tube. The inner wall of the heat transfer tube has a functional structure, which primarily increases the heat exchange area between the heat transfer tube and the heat exchange medium, thereby enhancing the heat exchange capacity of the heat transfer tube. The outer wall of the heat transfer tube has an insulating structure, which provides insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery cell. The functional and insulating structures ensure that when this heat transfer element is placed on the polarity terminal of the individual battery cell, it possesses both excellent heat exchange performance and reliable insulation performance. The heat transfer tube, functional structure, and insulating structure are described in detail below.

[0053] Example 1

[0054] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a heat transfer element 1, which includes a heat transfer tube 11; the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11 is provided with a functional structure 13, which is used to increase the heat transfer area between the heat transfer tube 11 and the heat exchange medium; the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 is provided with an insulating structure 12, which is used to achieve insulation between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polarity terminal of the single cell.

[0055] The heat transfer pipe 11 described above is a pipe with heat exchange function, mainly in contact with the polar terminals 21 of each individual battery 2, and exchanges heat with the polar terminals 21 of each individual battery 2. The cross-sectional shape of the heat transfer pipe 11 is not required, as long as it can contact the polar terminals 21 of the individual battery 2 for heat exchange; for example, a square pipe, an elliptical pipe, or a round pipe can be used. In this embodiment, the heat transfer pipe 11 is preferably a round pipe, as round pipes are easy to install and can be manufactured using existing metal pipes, resulting in relatively low cost.

[0056] In this embodiment, the heat transfer tube 11 is specifically made of a metal tube with good thermal conductivity, such as an aluminum tube or a copper tube. Preferably, the heat transfer tube 11 is made of aluminum tube, which has good thermal conductivity and relatively low cost. Ideally, it should be a circular aluminum tube, as circular aluminum tubes are aluminum extrusions, making them easy to manufacture. To ensure good thermal conductivity, the thinner the aluminum tube wall, the better. However, if the aluminum tube wall is too thin, it will be relatively soft and easily bent and damaged during installation. Therefore, in this embodiment, the aluminum tube wall thickness is preferably 0.5mm to 1mm. This wall thickness ensures good thermal conductivity while maintaining reliable installation, avoiding the risk of bending and damage that occurs with thinner walls. In practical use, the diameter of the heat transfer tube 11 is generally around 10mm to 20mm.

[0057] When the heat transfer tube 11 exchanges heat with the polarity terminals 21 of each individual battery cell 2, the following structure can be used in its fabrication:

[0058] First, the heat transfer tube 11 includes two independent metal tubes, each with an insulating structure 12. The two metal tubes are respectively fixed to the positive and negative terminals of each individual cell 2, and exchange heat with the positive and negative terminals of each individual cell 2.

[0059] Second, such as Figure 10 As shown, the heat transfer tube 11 is a U-shaped heat transfer tube, which is made of a whole tube by bending the entire aluminum tube into a U-shaped tube. The two straight tubes of the U-shaped tube are provided with an insulating structure 12, and the two straight tubes of the U-shaped tube are respectively fixed to the positive terminal and the negative terminal of each individual battery 2.

[0060] Third, such as Figure 7As shown, the heat transfer tube 11 is a U-shaped heat transfer tube and is a spliced ​​pipeline, mainly including an L-shaped first tube section 114 and a second tube section 115; the relatively longer tube sections of the first tube section 114 and the second tube section 115 are provided with an insulating structure 12. The first tube section 114 is fixed to the positive terminal of each individual cell 2; the second tube section 115 is fixed to the negative terminal of each individual cell 2. The relatively shorter tube sections of the first tube section 114 and the second tube section 115 are connected by a connector 116. The connector 116 can be an insulating connector to further increase the insulation performance of the heat transfer tube 11.

[0061] Fourth, such as Figure 6 As shown, the heat transfer tube 11 is a U-shaped heat transfer tube and is a spliced ​​pipeline, mainly including a first tube 111, a second tube 112 and a connecting tube 113; the first tube 111 is fixed on the positive terminal of each individual cell 2; the second tube 112 is fixed on the negative terminal of each individual cell 2, and the two ends of the connecting tube 113 are respectively connected to the ports of the first tube 111 and the second tube 112 located on the same side. The first tube 111 and the second tube 112 are provided with an insulating structure 12.

[0062] Among the heat transfer tubes 11 with the above-described structure, the fourth type of spliced ​​heat transfer tube 11 is relatively better. This spliced ​​pipe structure is easy to install and improves the ease of assembly of the heat transfer tube 11. At the same time, the connecting pipe 113 in this spliced ​​pipe can be a flexible insulating pipe, which can realize the insulation between the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112, further increasing the insulation performance of the heat transfer tube 11.

[0063] To optimize the heat exchange effect of the heat transfer tube 11, a structure for increasing the heat exchange area is provided on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. For ease of description, the structure that can increase the heat exchange area of ​​the heat transfer tube 11 is collectively referred to as functional structure 13. This functional structure 13 can increase the heat exchange area between the heat transfer tube 11 and the heat exchange medium. After the heat transfer tube 11 with functional structure 13 is installed on the polarity terminal of the single cell, the heat transfer tube 11 can quickly exchange heat with the heat exchange medium, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the heat transfer tube 11. The functional structure 13 can specifically adopt the following structure:

[0064] First, the functional structure 13 includes at least one annular groove or annular protrusion formed on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. Multiple annular grooves or annular protrusions are arranged axially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11, and each annular groove or annular protrusion extends circumferentially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. The number and size of the annular grooves or annular protrusions can be adjusted as needed, provided that the flow of the heat exchange medium is not affected. Compared to a heat transfer tube 11 with a smooth inner wall surface, the annular grooves or annular protrusions can increase the heat exchange area at this location of the heat transfer tube 11, thereby achieving a better heat exchange effect.

[0065] Second, the functional structure 13 includes dot-shaped pits and dot-shaped protrusions located on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. Compared with the heat transfer tube 11 with a smooth inner wall surface, the dot-shaped pits and protrusions can increase the heat exchange area of ​​this part of the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11, thereby improving the heat exchange effect of the heat transfer tube 11.

[0066] Third, such as Figure 3 As shown, the functional structure 13 includes multiple heat dissipation racks disposed on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. These racks are evenly distributed circumferentially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11, and each rack extends axially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. The number and arrangement of the heat dissipation racks can be adjusted according to the size of the heat transfer tube 11, without affecting the flow of the heat exchange medium. The heat dissipation racks increase the contact area between the heat exchange medium and the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11, thereby effectively improving the heat exchange effect of the heat transfer tube 11. Furthermore, the even distribution of multiple heat dissipation racks circumferentially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11 ensures good temperature uniformity across the heat transfer tube 11, and the axial extension of each rack along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11 does not affect the flow of the heat exchange medium within the heat transfer tube 11.

[0067] All of the aforementioned functional structures 13 can increase the contact area between the heat exchange medium and the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. However, processing or forming annular grooves, annular protrusions, dotted pits, or dotted protrusions on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11 is quite difficult. Considering processing and manufacturing costs, the structure of the functional structure 13 as a heat dissipation rack is relatively better. Since the heat transfer tube 11 is generally made of aluminum extrusion tube, the heat dissipation rack can be integrally extruded with the heat transfer tube 11 during processing, which facilitates the processing of the functional structure 13 and also makes the heat transfer tube 11 have lower processing costs.

[0068] After processing the functional structure 13 on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11, to avoid insulation problems caused by direct contact between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminals of the individual cells, an insulating structure 12 is provided on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. This insulating structure 12 may include a single insulating layer or multiple insulating layers. The single insulating layer may be a plastic insulating sleeve, a rubber insulating sleeve, an oxide insulating layer, etc. To ensure insulation, multiple insulation is generally the best approach.

[0069] When the insulation structure 12 is provided on the heat transfer tube 11, it can be provided only on the side wall where the heat transfer tube 11 contacts the polarity terminal 21 of the single cell 2, or it can be provided on the entire outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. Providing the insulation structure 12 on the entire outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 not only facilitates the fabrication of the insulation structure 12, but also further improves the insulation performance between the heat transfer tubes 11.

[0070] The insulation structure in this embodiment includes a second insulation layer, which comprises a support structure and a thermally conductive insulating material 125. The support structure is made of the insulating material and has at least one filling space. The thermally conductive insulating material fills the at least one filling space. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive insulating material is superior to that of the support structure; that is, the thermal conductivity coefficient of the thermally conductive insulating material is greater than that of the support structure.

[0071] The aforementioned support structure can be implemented using various structures, as long as it meets at least the following requirements: the support structure can form a gap between the outer wall of the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal, avoiding direct contact between the outer wall of the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery. Simultaneously, the support structure supports and positions the thermally conductive insulating material 125, preventing its displacement or misalignment. The second insulating layer formed by the support structure and the thermally conductive insulating material enables reliable insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery, ensuring that the heat transfer element possesses both excellent heat exchange performance and reliable insulation performance.

[0072] The aforementioned support structure can be a tubular structure with a perforated structure to fill with thermally conductive and insulating material; or, the support structure can be a support mesh structure with thermally conductive and insulating material filling the mesh openings; or, the support structure can be a spiral structure with thermally conductive and insulating material filling the gaps in the spiral structure; or, the support structure can be a modular component with gaps or openings formed between adjacent modular components to fill with thermally conductive and insulating material. The support structure can be specifically implemented through the following structures.

[0073] First, the support structure includes multiple insulating support rings, each of which is sequentially fitted onto the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 along the axial direction. The filling space is an annular radial gap formed between adjacent insulating support rings, and thermally conductive insulating material is filled in the annular gap.

[0074] Second, the support structure includes multiple insulating support strips, each insulating support strip extends axially along the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, and the multiple insulating support strips are evenly distributed circumferentially along the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. The filling space is a strip-shaped gap formed between adjacent insulating support strips, and thermally conductive insulating material is filled in the strip gap.

[0075] Third, the support structure is a spiral structure, which is fitted on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. The filling space is the spiral gap on the spiral support frame, and the thermally conductive and insulating material is filled in the spiral gap.

[0076] Fourth, the supporting structure is a sleeve structure, and the filling space is a hollow structure on the sleeve wall, which is filled with thermally conductive and insulating material; the hollow structure can be multiple openings formed on the sleeve wall.

[0077] Compared to the first, second, and third types of support structures, the fourth type of support structure is easier to install and has more reliable support and insulation. The following description of the second insulation layer will take the sleeve structure as an example.

[0078] In this embodiment, the support structure can be fabricated as a sleeve structure. This sleeve structure can be a circular sleeve, a U-shaped sleeve, or a C-shaped sleeve. The specific shape depends on the shape of the metal tube and the shape of the area where the metal tube contacts the polar terminal of the individual battery. After fabrication, the second insulating layer 122 simply needs to be tightly attached to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 to achieve insulation and heat conduction.

[0079] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, theoretically, the thinner the second insulating layer 122, the better its thermal conductivity. However, while ensuring its thermal conductivity, it is also necessary to ensure its insulation performance. After balancing thermal conductivity and insulation performance, the thickness of the second insulating layer 122 in this embodiment is preferably 0.1mm to 1mm, and most preferably about 0.1mm to 0.2mm. This thickness can ensure good thermal conductivity while ensuring excellent insulation performance.

[0080] In this embodiment, the support structure is made of insulating material. Specifically, the support structure can be made of thin-walled plastic tubing, preferably heat-shrinkable plastic tubing, such as PTFE heat-shrinkable tubing. When using heat-shrinkable plastic tubing, holes are made first, then it is heat-shrinked. That is, holes are first made in the heat-shrinkable plastic tubing, and then it is heat-shrinkably fitted onto the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11, so that there is no heat conduction gap between the plastic tubing and the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11, resulting in better heat conduction. The material of the heat-shrinkable plastic tubing can be wear-resistant, high-temperature resistant, and insulating materials such as FEP, PEK, PTFE, PVDF, and PVC. Preferably, the material of the heat-shrinkable tubing is FEP. The wall thickness of the heat-shrinkable plastic tubing is 0.1mm to 0.5mm, preferably 0.1mm to 0.2mm, and the shrinkage rate of the heat-shrinkable plastic tubing is 1.2% to 1.5%, with 1.3% being optimal.

[0081] In other methods, the support structure can also be installed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 through thermal spraying, injection molding, etc. When the support structure is formed by thermal spraying, the thickness of the support structure is about 0.1mm to 0.2mm, and when the support structure is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the support structure is about 0.5mm to 1mm. When the support structure is formed by thermal spraying, injection molding, etc., the insulating material is first attached to the metal tube by thermal spraying or injection molding, and then holes are processed in the plastic layer formed by thermal spraying or injection molding to form a hollow structure.

[0082] In this embodiment, the supporting structure is a plastic sleeve with multiple openings in its wall. Specifically, the openings on the plastic sleeve are hollow holes or grooves, and their shape is not limited; the holes can be round, square, strip-shaped, triangular, or hexagonal, or even spiral-shaped. During processing, openings can be provided throughout the entire area of ​​the plastic sleeve, or only in certain areas. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, multiple openings are provided in the area where the plastic sleeve contacts the polarity terminal 21 of each individual battery 2. This arrangement can not only achieve good heat exchange between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polarity terminal 21 of each individual battery 2, but also improve the insulation reliability and strength of the support structure.

[0083] When multiple openings are machined on the plastic sleeve, these openings can be arranged as a group along the axial direction of the plastic sleeve, or as a group along the circumference of the plastic sleeve. Specifically, adjacent groups of openings can be staggered to ensure both thermal conductivity and the strength of the plastic sleeve. The preferred size of each opening is 2mm to 5mm, with an optimal size of 2mm to 3mm, and the distance between each opening is 0.3mm to 2mm. This arrangement further enhances the heat exchange effect of the heat transfer element 1 while ensuring the insulation of the supporting structure.

[0084] The opening of the aforementioned support structure is filled with thermally conductive insulating material 125. The filling thickness of the thermally conductive insulating material 125 is less than or equal to the depth of the opening on the support structure. That is, after the thermally conductive insulating material 125 is filled into the opening of the support structure, it should preferably not protrude from the support structure, so that no installation gap will be generated when it comes into contact with the polarity terminal of the individual battery, thereby ensuring the heat transfer effect.

[0085] The aforementioned thermally conductive and insulating material 125 is a paste or adhesive material with excellent thermal conductivity and insulation properties. In this embodiment, the thermally conductive and insulating material 125 is thermally conductive silicone grease. Thermally conductive silicone grease has both excellent electrical insulation and excellent thermal conductivity, and can be used for a long time at temperatures ranging from -50℃ to +230℃, making it an excellent gap-filling thermally conductive medium. Simultaneously, this thermally conductive silicone grease also has certain adhesive properties, fixing the support structure to the heat transfer pipe 11 and preventing problems such as misalignment or detachment of the support structure after installation.

[0086] Since the aforementioned thermally conductive insulating material 125 is a paste or adhesive material that is easily deformed, it may experience displacement or compression deformation when attached to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. In this embodiment, it is filled in the filling space of the support structure. The support structure supports, positions, and fixes the thermally conductive insulating material, increasing its resistance to deformation. Under the support of the support structure, the thermally conductive insulating material will not shift or misalign, and can reliably adhere to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, protecting the heat transfer tube and maintaining reliable insulation. This prevents the thermally conductive insulating material from shifting or deforming during the installation process, which could cause the heat transfer tube to directly contact the polarity terminal and cause insulation problems.

[0087] Example 2

[0088] like Figures 4 to 8 As shown, this embodiment provides a heat transfer component, which is similar to the heat transfer component in Embodiment 1. The difference is that the insulation structure 12 in this embodiment further includes a first insulation layer 121, which is a flexible insulation layer. During installation, a second insulation layer 122 and a first insulation layer 121 are sequentially disposed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 from the inside out. That is, the second insulation layer 122 is disposed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11, and the first insulation layer 121 is disposed on the second insulation layer 122. This insulation structure 12 maintains reliable insulation performance when the heat transfer tube 11 contacts the polar terminals 21 of each individual cell 2 in the large-capacity battery for heat exchange, thereby improving the safety of each individual cell 2 during use.

[0089] In other embodiments, the openings of the second insulating layer 122 may not be filled with thermally conductive insulating material 125. In this case, after the first insulating layer 121 is wrapped around the second insulating layer 122, part of the flexible insulating layer can be embedded in the space filled by the support structure and contact the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11, so as to achieve a good heat conduction effect between the heat transfer tube 11 and the first insulating layer, so that the insulating structure 12 can ensure reliable insulation performance and also have excellent heat exchange performance.

[0090] When the second insulating layer 122 and the first insulating layer 121 are provided on the heat transfer tube 11, they can be provided only on the side wall of the heat transfer tube 11 where it contacts the polarity terminal 21 of the single cell 2, or they can be provided on the entire outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. The following description uses the heat transfer tube 11 as a circular tube to illustrate the arrangement of the insulating structure 12:

[0091] First, the insulating structure 12 provided on the side wall of the heat transfer tube 11 that contacts the polarity terminal 21 of the single cell 2 may include the following methods:

[0092] like Figure 4 and Figure 7As shown, the second insulating layer 122 is provided on the outer wall area of ​​the entire heat transfer tube 11, and the first insulating layer 121 is provided in the area where the heat transfer tube 11 contacts the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2.

[0093] The second insulating layer 122 is provided only in the area where the heat transfer tube 11 contacts the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2, and the first insulating layer 121 is provided on the entire outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11.

[0094] The second insulating layer 122 and the first insulating layer 121 are provided only in the area where the heat transfer tube 11 contacts the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2;

[0095] 2) An insulating structure 12 is provided on the side wall of the entire heat transfer tube 11;

[0096] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, a first insulating layer 121 and a second insulating layer 122 are provided on the outer wall of the entire heat transfer tube 11.

[0097] In the above-mentioned configuration, preferably, a first insulating layer 121 and a second insulating layer 122 are provided on the side wall of the entire heat transfer tube 11. This configuration not only simplifies the forming and installation of the first insulating layer 121 and the second insulating layer 122, but also eliminates the need to consider the installation error between the insulating structure 12 on the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2 when installing the heat transfer tube 11 with this structure. This makes the on-site installation of the heat transfer tube 11 more convenient.

[0098] In this embodiment, the first insulating layer 121 is a flexible insulating layer. This flexible insulating layer is disposed on the outside of the heat transfer tube 11 with the second insulating layer 122 to form a multi-layer insulating structure 12 on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. When installing this flexible insulating layer, it can also be made into a sleeve structure. The cross-sectional shape of this sleeve structure can be circular, U-shaped, or C-shaped, as long as it can fit onto the heat transfer tube 11 with the second insulating layer 122 to achieve insulation at the contact point between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2. Because this flexible insulating layer has flexibility and elastic deformation capabilities, it also has functions such as buffering, shock absorption, and compensating for assembly tolerances. Installing it between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21 can protect both the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2.

[0099] In this embodiment, the flexible insulating layer can be made of an insulating material with good thermal conductivity, so that it has both excellent thermal conductivity and good insulation properties. For example, it can be a thermally conductive rubber layer or a thermally conductive silicone pad. Preferably, the flexible insulating layer uses a thermally conductive silicone pad, which has both good insulation and thermal conductivity. Thermally conductive silicone pads are low in cost, have good softness, compressibility, and flexibility, and can be easily installed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11.

[0100] Theoretically, the thinner the flexible insulating layer, the better its thermal conductivity. However, while ensuring its thermal conductivity, its insulation performance must also be guaranteed. The thicker the flexible insulating layer, the more reliable its insulation performance. After balancing thermal conductivity and insulation performance, the thickness of the flexible insulating layer in this embodiment is preferably 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and most preferably 1 mm. This thickness can ensure good thermal conductivity while guaranteeing excellent insulation performance.

[0101] After the first insulating layer 121 and the second insulating layer 122 are provided on the heat transfer tube 11, the first insulating layer 121, being a flexible insulating layer, possesses flexibility and elastic deformation capabilities, and also serves to buffer, dampen shocks, and compensate for assembly tolerances. Installing it between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polarity terminal of the individual battery provides protection for both. Furthermore, during installation or use, the flexible insulating layer may be scratched or compressed, resulting in damage. In such cases, the second insulating layer 122 can protect and support the flexible insulating layer, improving its reliability during installation and use.

[0102] Based on the heat transfer tube 11 and insulation structure 12 described above, the manufacturing method of the heat transfer element 1 in this embodiment includes the following process:

[0103] S1. Fabricate heat transfer tube 11;

[0104] If the heat transfer tube 11 is made of a single metal tube, the entire metal tube is bent into a U-shaped tube; if the heat transfer tube 11 is a spliced ​​pipeline, the first tube 111, the second tube 112 and the connecting tube 113 are processed separately.

[0105] S2. An insulating structure 12 is provided on the heat transfer tube 11;

[0106] First, a second insulating layer 122, which is made of insulating material and has multiple filling spaces, is wrapped on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. Second, a flexible insulating layer is wrapped on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 with the second insulating layer 122, and a first insulating layer 121 is formed on the heat transfer tube 11.

[0107] Alternatively, a second insulating layer made of insulating material and having multiple filled spaces is laid inside the flexible insulating layer to assemble the first insulating layer 121 and the second insulating layer 122 together. Then, the side of the first insulating layer 121 with the second insulating layer 122 is covered on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 to form an insulating structure 12.

[0108] Example 3

[0109] This embodiment provides a heat transfer element, which is similar to the heat transfer element in Embodiment 2, except that, as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, in this embodiment, the insulation structure 12 on the heat transfer tube 11 further includes a third insulating layer 123; the third insulating layer 123 is attached to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. At this time, the second insulating layer 122 and the first insulating layer 121 are disposed on the heat transfer tube 11 having the third insulating layer 123. This arrangement ensures that the sidewall of the heat transfer tube 11 in contact with the polar terminal 21 of the individual battery 2 has three insulating layers. When the heat transfer tube 11 contacts the polar terminal 21 of the individual battery 2 for heat exchange, even if one of the insulating layers is damaged, reliable insulation can still be maintained between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21 of the individual battery 2.

[0110] In some other embodiments, the first insulating layer 121 may be omitted. The insulating structure 12 includes a second insulating layer 122 and a third insulating layer 123. The third insulating layer 123 is formed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11, and the second insulating layer 122 is disposed on the third insulating layer 123. This arrangement ensures that the sidewall of the heat transfer tube 11 in contact with the polar terminal 21 of the individual battery 2 has two insulating layers. When the heat transfer tube 11 contacts the polar terminal 21 of the individual battery 2 for heat exchange, even if one of the insulating layers is damaged, reliable insulation can still be maintained between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21 of the individual battery 2.

[0111] In some other embodiments, the second insulating layer 122 may not be provided. The insulating structure 12 includes a third insulating layer 123 and a first insulating layer 121. The third insulating layer 123 is attached to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11, and the first insulating layer 121 is disposed on the third insulating layer 123. Both the third insulating layer 123 and the first insulating layer 121 are made of insulating material. The two insulating layers achieve reliable insulation between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polarity terminal of the single cell.

[0112] In some other embodiments, the second insulating layer 122 and the first insulating layer 121 may not be provided, and the insulating structure 12 may only include the third insulating layer 123. In this case, the third insulating layer 123 needs to have a certain thickness to ensure reliable insulation between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal of the single cell.

[0113] In this embodiment, the third insulating layer 123 is formed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11. Specifically, it can be formed by at least one of spraying, coating, chemical vapor deposition, and physical vapor deposition. The following are several ways to implement the third insulating layer 123:

[0114] First, a ceramic coating is formed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 as the third insulating layer 123, namely a high-temperature electrical insulating coating, to form an insulating layer. The ceramic coating can be boron nitride or aluminum oxide or copper fluoride coating. However, the insulating layer formed in this way is easy to fall off and the processing cost is high.

[0115] Second, an insulating material is coated on the outer wall surface of the heat transfer tube 11 to form a third insulating layer 123, such as spraying insulating paint, coating insulating glue, using a powder coating process to uniformly place powder insulating thermally conductive material on the surface of the heat transfer tube 11, or using a printing process to uniformly place powder insulating thermally conductive material on the surface of the heat transfer tube 11.

[0116] Third, an enamel insulating layer is formed on the outer wall surface of the heat transfer tube 11 as the third insulating layer 123. When forming the enamel insulating layer on the heat transfer tube 11, an inorganic glassy material can be fused onto the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 using a high-temperature melting technique, and firmly bonded to the outer wall. After forming the enamel insulating layer on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11, the heat transfer tube 11 exhibits excellent properties such as high hardness, high temperature resistance, wear resistance, and insulation. The thickness of the aforementioned enamel insulating layer is preferably 100µm to 300µm. This thickness of enamel insulating layer ensures insulation performance while also giving the sidewall of the aluminum tube better thermal conductivity. Simultaneously, this enamel insulating layer is not easily detached and has better wear resistance.

[0117] Fourth, the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 is oxidized to form a third insulating layer 123. The oxidation process utilizes the chemical reaction between the metal surface and oxygen to form an oxide film, thereby improving the insulation performance of the metal surface. For example, electrochemical oxidation methods. Specifically, the heat transfer tube 11 is oxidized to form a hard oxide layer.

[0118] Among the various methods described above, a hard oxide layer as the third insulating layer is a relatively preferred method. The insulating layer formed by this method is less prone to peeling and has relatively good insulation performance. The thicker the hard oxide layer formed by oxidation treatment, the better the insulation performance; however, its thermal conductivity will decrease. In this embodiment, the thickness of the hard oxide layer is preferably 10µm to 50µm. This thickness of hard oxide layer ensures insulation performance while also giving the sidewall of the heat transfer tube 11 good thermal conductivity.

[0119] In this embodiment, a fourth insulating layer may also be provided on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11. This fourth insulating layer can be formed in the same way as the third insulating layer 123, for example, by oxidizing the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11 to form a hard oxide layer. The fourth insulating layer provides insulation between the heat transfer tube 11 and the heat exchange medium, preventing short circuits between adjacent large-capacity batteries or between the positive and negative terminals of the large-capacity batteries due to the heat exchange medium becoming charged, thus further improving the safety of the heat transfer component 1. It should be noted that if a fourth insulating layer is formed on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube 11, a corresponding fourth insulating layer is also attached to the functional structure 13.

[0120] Example 4

[0121] like Figure 10 As shown, this embodiment provides a large-capacity battery, which includes multiple individual cells 2 arranged in the same direction. The number of individual cells 2 can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the shape of the individual cells 2 can also be adjusted according to actual needs. A clamping part 211 is provided on the polarity terminal 21 of each individual cell 2, and the heat transfer element 1 in the above embodiment is fixed in the clamping part 211, so that the heat transfer tube 11 is in direct contact with the polarity terminal 21 of each individual cell 2. When the temperature of the large-capacity battery is higher than a set threshold, a lower-temperature heat exchange medium is introduced into the heat transfer tube 11 to cool the large-capacity battery; when the temperature of the large-capacity battery is lower than the set threshold, a higher-temperature heat exchange medium is introduced into the heat transfer tube 11 to heat the large-capacity battery. By controlling the temperature of the heat exchange medium, it can be ensured that the large-capacity battery always operates at its normal operating temperature.

[0122] like Figure 10 As shown, during the specific installation of the heat transfer tube 11, a through groove or through hole is opened on the polarity terminal 21 of the single cell 2 as a clamping part 211. Compared with through holes, through grooves are easier to install on site and have relatively lower installation requirements. When the through groove is set, the cross-section is C-shaped. The opening width of the C-shaped through groove is smaller than the widest part of the through groove. This design is conducive to the heat transfer tube 11 being interference-fitted into the through groove. At the same time, the curvature formed at both ends of the C-shaped through groove has natural tension, which is conducive to tightly clamping the heat transfer tube 11 into the through groove.

[0123] In this embodiment, the polarity terminal 21 of the single cell 2 is cylindrical. In this case, the through-slot can be set on the side wall or end face of the cylinder. By opening the through-slot or through-hole on the side wall, compared to opening the through-slot on the end face, the heat transfer tube 11 has a larger contact area with the inner wall of the through-slot or through-hole, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency. Furthermore, when the through-slot or through-hole is located on the side wall, the entire area of ​​the end face can serve as an electrical connection area. In addition, two through-slots or through-holes can be simultaneously provided on the side wall of the polarity terminal 21 to increase the number of heat transfer tubes 11 and further improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0124] After the heat transfer tube 11 is fixed in the through groove or through hole of the polar terminal 21 of the large-capacity battery, the first insulating layer 121 on the heat transfer tube 11 is squeezed between the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21 of each individual battery 2, so as to achieve close contact between the heat transfer tube 11 and the polar terminal 21, and achieve good insulation performance and heat exchange effect.

[0125] This embodiment may also include an electrolyte sharing chamber at the bottom of the large-capacity battery, connecting the electrolyte areas within the cavities of all individual battery cells 2 to achieve electrolyte sharing. This electrolyte sharing chamber can be a hollow component located at the bottom of the large-capacity battery, with through-holes in the hollow component, allowing multiple individual battery cells 2 to share electrolyte. This embodiment may also include a gas sharing chamber at the top of the large-capacity battery, connecting the gas areas within the cavities of all individual battery cells to achieve gas balance. The structures of the electrolyte sharing chamber and gas sharing chamber can be found in the first and second hollow components in Chinese Patent CN117477186A, and the electrolyte sharing channel in CN115275453A.

[0126] Example 5

[0127] like Figures 11 to 14 As shown, this embodiment provides another type of high-capacity battery. Unlike embodiment 4, the high-capacity battery in this embodiment also has a casing 3.

[0128] This embodiment adds a casing 3 to the large-capacity battery of Embodiment 4. Multiple individual batteries 2 are arranged in the same direction and placed inside the casing 3. The top plate of the casing 3 has clearance holes corresponding to the polarity terminals 21 of each individual battery 2. Each individual battery 2's polarity terminal 21 extends out of the corresponding clearance hole as the polarity terminal 21 of the large-capacity battery (all individual battery 2 polarity terminals 21 on one side serve as the positive polarity terminal of the large-capacity battery, and all individual battery 2 polarity terminals 21 on the other side serve as the negative polarity terminal). The area of ​​the top plate of the casing 3 corresponding to the clearance hole is fixedly sealed to the casing of the individual battery 2, sealing the gap between the polarity terminal 21 and the clearance hole. Typically, a sealing connector 4 can be used to achieve this fixed sealing between the top plate of the casing 3 and the casing of the individual battery 2. The sealing connector 4 is a hollow tube, sleeved on the outside of the polarity terminal 21 of the individual battery 2. The bottom of the sealing connector 4 is sealed to the area around the polarity terminal 21 on the top cover of the individual battery 2, and the top of the sealing connector 4 is sealed to the area of ​​the top plate of the casing 3 corresponding to the clearance hole. Welding can be used to achieve a sealed connection.

[0129] It should be noted that the polarity terminal 21 of the single cell 2 here can be the terminal post of the single cell 2, such as... Figure 13As shown. To prevent the terminal of the single cell 2 from not being able to smoothly extend out of the clearance hole as the polarity terminal 21, a terminal adapter can be connected to the terminal of the single cell 2, and the overall structure of the terminal of the single cell 2 and the terminal adapter can be used as the polarity terminal 21 of the single cell 2, as shown. Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown.

[0130] like Figure 11 As shown, the aforementioned casing 3 has a shared chamber, the inner cavity of which is connected to the inner cavities of all individual battery cells 2. By placing multiple individual battery cells 2 within a casing 3 that has a shared chamber, and utilizing this shared chamber's connection to the inner cavities of each individual battery cell 2 within the casing 3, the differences between the individual battery cells 2 are reduced, improving the consistency among them to some extent, thereby enhancing the cycle life of the high-capacity battery. The shared chamber specifically includes the following types:

[0131] The shared chamber within the outer casing 3 can be an electrolyte sharing chamber 31. The inner cavity of the electrolyte sharing chamber 31 is connected to the electrolyte area of ​​all individual battery cells 2. Through the electrolyte sharing chamber 31, each individual battery cell 2 is placed in a uniform electrolyte environment, ensuring the uniformity of the electrolyte within each individual battery cell 2 and improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the large-capacity battery. It should be noted that the electrolyte sharing chamber 31 is an electrolyte containing chamber. After it is connected to the electrolyte area of ​​each individual battery cell 2, it is necessary to ensure that the electrolyte in the entire large-capacity battery does not come into contact with the external environment.

[0132] The shared chamber within the aforementioned outer casing 3 can be a gas-sharing chamber 32. The inner cavity of the gas-sharing chamber 32 is connected to the gas regions of all individual battery cells 2. Gas balance among the individual battery cells 2 is achieved through the gas-sharing chamber 32, which also improves the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the large-capacity battery. In this structure, the upper cover of the individual battery cell 2 has a gas port that communicates with the inner cavity of the individual battery cell 2. The inner cavity of the gas-sharing chamber 32 is connected to the gas regions of each individual battery cell 2 through this gas port. Based on the gas-sharing chamber 32, the gas regions of each individual battery cell 2 can be connected, achieving gas balance.

[0133] The aforementioned shared chamber can be a gas-liquid shared chamber. The inner cavity of the gas-liquid shared chamber is connected to the electrolyte and gas regions of all individual battery cells 2. Through a gas-liquid shared chamber, each individual battery cell 2 can be placed in a unified electrolyte and gas environment, improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the large-capacity battery. In a specific configuration, the side plate of the outer casing 3 has a protrusion extending along the arrangement direction of the individual battery cells 2, forming a gas-liquid shared chamber at the protrusion. This gas-liquid shared chamber is connected to the electrolyte and gas regions of each individual battery cell 2.

[0134] The aforementioned shared chamber may also include an electrolyte shared chamber 31 and a gas shared chamber 32. The inner cavity of the electrolyte shared chamber 31 is connected to the electrolyte region of all individual battery cells 2, and the inner cavity of the gas shared chamber 32 is connected to the gas region of all individual battery cells 2. This high-capacity battery places multiple individual battery cells 2 inside a housing 3 with a shared chamber. By utilizing this shared chamber and the inner cavity of each individual battery cell 2 located within the housing 3, the electrolyte and gas of each individual battery cell 2 are shared, ensuring the consistency of each individual battery cell 2. That is, by connecting the electrolyte and gas of each individual battery cell 2, the electrolyte and gas of all individual battery cells 2 are in the same system, reducing the differences between individual battery cells 2 and improving the consistency between individual battery cells 2 to a certain extent, thereby improving the cycle life of the high-capacity battery to a certain extent.

[0135] The aforementioned shared chamber may also include an electrolyte shared chamber 31 and a gas shared chamber 32. The inner cavity of the electrolyte shared chamber 31 is connected to the electrolyte area of ​​all individual battery cells 2. The gas shared chamber 32 is a gas channel located between the top plate of the outer casing 3 and each individual battery cell 2. This gas channel covers the explosion-proof membrane on the top of each individual battery cell 2. When the explosion-proof membrane of any individual battery cell 2 is ruptured by the thermal runaway flue gas in the inner cavity, the gas area of ​​that individual battery cell 2 is connected to the inner cavity of the gas shared chamber. The gas shared chamber 32 is used as an explosion-proof channel. That is, during the normal operation of the large-capacity battery, the inner cavity of each individual battery cell 2 is not connected to the explosion-proof channel. When any individual battery cell 2 experiences thermal runaway, the explosion-proof membrane on the top of that individual battery cell 2 is opened by the flue gas in the inner cavity, and the inner cavity of that individual battery cell 2 is connected to the explosion-proof channel. The thermal runaway flue gas is discharged through the explosion-proof channel, improving the safety of the large-capacity battery.

[0136] like Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, after the polar terminal 21 of each individual battery 2 extends out of the clearance hole, a clamping part 211 is provided. The heat transfer element 1 in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 3 is fixed in the clamping part 211, so that the heat transfer tube 11 is directly connected to the polar terminal 21 of each individual battery 2. When the temperature of the large-capacity battery is higher than the set threshold, the large-capacity battery is cooled by introducing a heat exchange medium with a lower temperature into the heat transfer tube 11. When the temperature of the large-capacity battery is lower than the set threshold, the large-capacity battery is heated by introducing a heat exchange medium with a higher temperature into the heat transfer tube 11. By controlling the temperature of the heat exchange medium, it can be ensured that the large-capacity battery always operates at the normal operating temperature.

[0137] During long-term use, the large-capacity battery will condense on the surface due to the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the heat transfer tube 11. When the condensation accumulates to a certain amount, it will seep into the gap between the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2 and the clearance hole, causing the polar terminal 21 of the single cell 2 to be electrically connected to the outer casing 3, which may lead to a short circuit of the same single cell 2.

[0138] like Figure 14 As shown, in this embodiment, an insulating sealant layer 5 is laid on the top plate of the outer casing 3. The end face of the polarity terminal 21 of each individual battery 2 extends out of the insulating sealant layer 5 and is connected to the electrical connector 7. The liquid inlet and outlet ends of the heat transfer tube 11 extend out of the insulating sealant layer 5. When condensation occurs on the surface of the heat transfer tube 11 on the polarity terminal, the condensation cannot penetrate into the gap between the polarity terminal and the clearance hole due to the obstruction of the insulating sealant layer, thereby preventing the battery from short-circuiting. The electrical connector 7 is a connection device for connecting two large-capacity batteries in series, or it can be a connection device for connecting the large-capacity battery to an external load.

[0139] like Figure 14 As shown, based on the above structure, this embodiment also provides an insulating protective cover 6 on the top of the large-capacity battery, thereby providing insulation protection for the polarity terminal 21. This avoids potential safety hazards caused by the exposure of the polarity terminal 21 during the operation of the large-capacity battery, and also prevents foreign objects from falling into the polarity terminal 21 and causing a short circuit, thus improving the safety of the large-capacity battery. It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 6 completely covers the polarity terminal 21, it would make electrical connection of this type of large-capacity battery more difficult. Therefore, this embodiment opens a slit on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 6, through which the electrical connector 7 can be connected to the polarity terminal 21 of the individual battery 2, thereby achieving electrical connection. It should also be noted that channels for the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the heat transfer tube 11 to extend are also opened on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 6.

Claims

1. A heat transfer element, characterized in that, Including heat transfer tubes; The inner wall of the heat transfer tube is provided with a functional structure, which is used to increase the heat exchange area between the heat transfer tube and the heat exchange medium. The heat transfer tube has an insulating structure on its outer wall, which is used to achieve insulation between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal of the individual battery.

2. The heat transfer element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional structure consists of multiple heat dissipation racks on the inner wall of the heat transfer tube. The multiple heat dissipation racks are evenly distributed circumferentially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube, and each heat dissipation rack extends axially along the inner wall of the heat transfer tube.

3. The heat transfer element according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat transfer tube is an aluminum extrusion tube, and the functional structure is integrally extruded with the heat transfer tube.

4. The heat transfer element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The insulation structure includes a second insulation layer; the second insulation layer includes a support structure and a thermally conductive insulating material, the support structure is made of insulating material and is disposed on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, and the support structure is provided with at least one filling space; the thermally conductive insulating material is filled in the at least one filling space.

5. The heat transfer element according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second insulating layer is a sleeve structure, and the filling space is a hollow structure provided on the sleeve wall.

6. The heat transfer element according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second insulating layer is a plastic sleeve with multiple openings in its wall. The openings are located in the area where the plastic sleeve overlaps with the polarity terminal of the single battery. The size of each opening is 2mm to 5mm, and the distance between each opening is 0.3mm to 2mm.

7. The heat transfer element according to claim 4, characterized in that, The insulation structure further includes a first insulation layer disposed on the second insulation layer, wherein the first insulation layer is a flexible insulation layer.

8. The heat transfer element according to claim 4, characterized in that, The insulation structure also includes a third insulation layer attached to the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, and the second insulation layer is disposed on the third insulation layer.

9. The heat transfer element according to claim 8, characterized in that, The third insulating layer is a hard oxide layer with a thickness of 10um to 50um.

10. The heat transfer element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The heat transfer tube is a U-shaped heat transfer tube, including a first tube, a second tube, and a connecting tube; the first tube is used for heat exchange with the positive terminal of each individual battery cell; the second tube is used for heat exchange with the negative terminal of each individual battery cell. The connecting tube is a flexible insulating tube, and both ends of the connecting tube are respectively connected to the ports of the first tube and the second tube located on the same side. The insulating structure is provided on the first tube and the second tube.

11. A high-capacity battery, characterized in that, It includes multiple individual cells arranged in sequence, and a heat transfer element as described in any one of claims 1 to 10 is fixed on the clamping part of the polarity terminal of each individual cell, wherein the clamping part is a through groove or through hole formed on the polarity terminal of each individual cell.

12. The high-capacity battery according to claim 11, characterized in that, It also includes a housing; multiple individual cells are arranged in the same direction in the inner cavity of the housing; the housing has at least one shared chamber, the inner cavity of the shared chamber is connected to the inner cavity of all individual cells; the top plate of the housing has clearance holes corresponding to the polarity terminals of each individual cell; the polarity terminals of each individual cell extend out of the clearance holes, the area of ​​the top plate of the housing corresponding to the clearance holes is fixedly sealed to the individual cell housing, and the part of each individual cell polarity terminal extending out of the clearance holes is provided with a clamping part.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Battery cell shell, battery cell and high-capacity battery

    CN115275453A

  • High-capacity battery

    CN117477186A