Battery pack structure

Abstract

The utility model discloses a battery pack structure which comprises a cover plate, a liquid cooling plate assembly, a pipeline connecting piece and a box body, the cover plate is arranged on the box body to form a closed space for accommodating the battery cell assembly, the liquid cooling plate assembly and the pipeline connecting piece; the liquid cooling plate assembly comprises a bottom liquid cooling plate and a side liquid cooling plate; when the battery cell assembly is assembled, the bottom liquid cooling plate is arranged at the bottom of the battery cell assembly; the side liquid cooling plate is arranged on the side edge of the battery cell assembly; and the pipeline connecting piece is arranged on the bottom liquid cooling plate, is communicated with the bottom liquid cooling plate and the side liquid cooling plate, and extends out of the box body. The heat dissipation efficiency of the battery can be improved, and the structural strength and the safety are enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery pack technology, and in particular to a battery pack structure. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, the heat dissipation problem of power battery packs has become increasingly prominent. Currently, commonly used battery pack heat dissipation methods include air cooling and liquid cooling. Compared with air cooling, liquid cooling has higher heat dissipation efficiency, but existing liquid cooling structures still have some problems.

[0003] Existing battery pack liquid cooling plates are usually only located at the bottom of the battery. Although they can cool the bottom of the battery, the heat dissipation on the sides of the battery is insufficient, resulting in uneven temperature distribution throughout the battery and affecting battery performance and lifespan.

[0004] Existing liquid cooling plates mostly employ simple straight or serpentine flow channels, resulting in uneven distribution of coolant velocity and pressure within the channels, failing to achieve complete coverage of the battery surface. Especially in side liquid cooling, traditional flow channel designs struggle to ensure adequate contact between the coolant and the battery surface, impacting heat dissipation.

[0005] Furthermore, existing liquid cooling piping systems generally suffer from disorganized piping layouts and numerous connection points. This not only increases assembly difficulty and the risk of leakage but also leads to significant system pressure loss and low cooling efficiency. The rational arrangement and effective connection of the piping become even more challenging when simultaneously cooling the bottom and sides. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to propose a battery pack structure that can improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery, enhance structural strength and safety.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a battery pack structure, including a cover plate, a liquid cooling plate assembly, pipe connectors, and a housing;

[0008] The cover plate is disposed on the housing to form a sealed space for accommodating the battery cell assembly, the liquid cooling plate assembly and the pipeline connectors;

[0009] The liquid cooling plate assembly includes a bottom liquid cooling plate and a side liquid cooling plate; when the battery cell assembly is assembled, the bottom liquid cooling plate is disposed at the bottom of the battery cell assembly; the side liquid cooling plate is disposed at the side of the battery cell assembly.

[0010] The pipe connector is disposed on the bottom liquid cooling plate and communicates with the bottom liquid cooling plate and the side liquid cooling plate, and extends to the outside of the housing.

[0011] Furthermore, the bottom liquid cooling plate includes a base plate and a serpentine flow channel disposed on the base plate; the serpentine flow channel is connected to the pipeline connector.

[0012] Furthermore, the serpentine flow channel includes multiple flow channel branches distributed along the base plate and U-shaped bends connecting adjacent flow channel branches, forming a continuous flow path from the inlet to the outlet; the flow channel branches form parallel channels in multiple regions on the base plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the flow channel branch and the U-shaped bend form a flow guide channel, and are symmetrically arranged in the serpentine flow channel with the distribution center of the battery cell assembly as the center.

[0014] Furthermore, the side liquid cooling plate includes a side plate and an annular guide groove and a guide channel disposed on the side plate; adjacent annular guide grooves are connected through the guide channel; the annular guide grooves are connected to the pipeline connector and are arranged in an array.

[0015] Furthermore, the pipe connection includes a first inlet pipe, a second inlet pipe, a first outlet pipe, a second outlet pipe, and multiple manifolds; the first inlet pipe connects to one side of the bottom liquid cooling plate; the first outlet pipe connects to the other side of the bottom liquid cooling plate and is connected to the second outlet pipe; a portion of the manifolds connects to one side of the side liquid cooling plate, and another portion of the manifolds connects to the other side of the side liquid cooling plate; the second inlet pipe connects to a portion of the manifolds; the second outlet pipe connects to another portion of the manifolds; the first outlet pipe and the second outlet pipe extend to the outside of the housing.

[0016] Furthermore, the battery cell assembly includes multiple battery cell modules arranged in a matrix along the length and width directions of the housing.

[0017] Furthermore, each of the battery cell modules has a corresponding side liquid cooling plate on its outer side, and adjacent battery cell modules share one side liquid cooling plate.

[0018] Furthermore, thermally conductive adhesive is provided between the battery cell module and the side liquid cooling plate.

[0019] Furthermore, the battery cell module includes multiple battery cells arranged along the length of the housing; a heat insulation pad is provided between adjacent battery cells.

[0020] Through the above technical solution, this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] By employing a liquid cooling plate assembly that combines a bottom liquid cooling plate and side liquid cooling plates, the liquid cooling system provides more comprehensive cooling to the battery pack, cooling it not only from the bottom but also from the sides. This effectively increases the liquid flow area and improves heat dissipation efficiency. Simultaneously, because the pipe connections are integrated with the bottom and side liquid cooling plates and extend outside the casing, it facilitates the circulation of coolant, forming a complete and efficient cooling system that improves the temperature stability of the battery during charging and discharging.

[0022] Furthermore, the serpentine flow channel design of the bottom liquid cooling plate and the annular guide groove array of the side liquid cooling plates ensure more uniform and efficient liquid cooling. Simultaneously, the side liquid cooling plates also serve as side plates for the battery modules, enhancing the overall structural strength of the battery pack and improving its vibration, impact, and drop resistance. Additionally, the heat insulation pads between the cell modules and the thermally conductive adhesive between the cell modules and the side liquid cooling plates effectively conduct heat while preventing unnecessary heat dissipation, further optimizing the battery pack's thermal management performance. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the battery pack in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a partial exploded view of the battery pack structure in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the battery pack structure in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom liquid cooling plate in a battery pack structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the side liquid cooling plate, thermally conductive adhesive, and battery cell assembly in a battery pack structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the side liquid cooling plate in a battery pack structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the pipeline connector in the battery pack structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is an assembly diagram of the battery cell and heat insulation pad in a battery pack structure according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] In the diagram, 1. Cover plate;

[0032] 2. Battery cell assembly; 21. Battery cell module; 210. Battery cell;

[0033] 3. Liquid cooling plate assembly; 31. Bottom liquid cooling plate; 311. Base plate; 312. Serpentine flow channel; 3121. Flow channel branch; 3122. U-shaped bend; 32. Side liquid cooling plate; 321. Side plate; 322. Circular guide groove; 323. Guide channel; 324. Guide port;

[0034] 4. Pipe connectors; 41. First inlet pipe; 42. Second inlet pipe; 43. First outlet pipe; 44. Second outlet pipe; 45. Manifold;

[0035] 5. Housing; 6. Thermal conductive adhesive; 7. Thermal insulation pad; 8. Baffle plate. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The following is a more detailed description of a battery pack structure according to the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can modify the present invention described herein while still achieving its advantageous effects. Therefore, the following description should be understood as being of general knowledge to those skilled in the art and is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0037] The present invention will be described in more detail below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] like Figures 1-3 As shown, this utility model embodiment proposes a simple and practical battery pack structure, including a cover plate 1, a liquid cooling plate assembly 3, a pipeline connector 4, and a housing 5.

[0039] Specifically, the cover plate 1 is disposed on the housing 5 to form a sealed space for accommodating the battery cell assembly 2, the liquid cooling plate assembly 3, and the pipe connector 4; the liquid cooling plate assembly 3 includes a bottom liquid cooling plate 31 and a side liquid cooling plate 32; when the battery cell assembly 2 is assembled, the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 is disposed at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 2; the side liquid cooling plate 32 is disposed on the side of the battery cell assembly 2; the pipe connector 4 is disposed on the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 and communicates with the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 and the side liquid cooling plate 32, and extends outside the housing 5. This arrangement of the liquid cooling plate assembly 3 allows for simultaneous cooling from the bottom and sides of the battery cell assembly 2, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency and making the temperature distribution of the battery cell assembly 2 more uniform.

[0040] In this embodiment, as Figure 4As shown, the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 includes a base plate 311 and a serpentine flow channel 312 disposed on the base plate 311. Specifically, the serpentine flow channel 312 is connected to the pipe connector 4. The serpentine flow channel 312 can increase the contact area between the coolant and the base plate 311, improve the heat transfer efficiency, and allow the heat at the bottom of the battery cell assembly 2 to be carried away more effectively.

[0041] In one embodiment, the serpentine flow channel 312 includes multiple flow channel branches 3121 distributed along the base plate 311 and U-shaped bends 3122 connecting adjacent flow channel branches 3121, forming a continuous flow path from inlet to outlet; the flow channel branches 3121 form multiple parallel channels in the base plate 311. This allows the coolant to form a continuous flow path along the serpentine flow channel 312 on the base plate 311, enhancing the cooling effect of the bottom liquid cooling plate 31, while the parallel arrangement of the flow channel branches 3121 improves the flow efficiency of the coolant.

[0042] Preferably, the flow channel branch 3121 and the U-shaped bend 3122 form a flow guide channel, and are symmetrically arranged in the serpentine flow channel 312 with the distribution center of the cell assembly 2 as the center. This symmetrical arrangement of the flow guide channel can make the cooling effect on each part of the cell assembly 2 more uniform, enhance the temperature uniformity of the battery pack, and help extend the battery's service life.

[0043] In this embodiment, combined with Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the side liquid cooling plate 32 includes a side plate 321 and an annular flow guide groove 322 and a flow guide channel 323 disposed on the side plate 321; adjacent annular flow guide grooves 322 are connected through the flow guide channel 323; the annular flow guide grooves 322 are connected to the pipeline connector 4 and are arranged in an array. The array arrangement facilitates uniform distribution of volumetric flow rate and ensures consistent liquid flow velocity. In this embodiment, the annular flow guide grooves 322 increase the flow channel coverage area, improve the performance of the overall battery pack liquid cooling system, and also enhance heat dissipation and temperature uniformity.

[0044] Preferably, the overall dimensions of the side liquid cooling plate 32 consist of length, height, and thickness, which can be set according to the specifications of the battery cell assembly 2 (i.e., actual requirements). In the battery pack, the side plates 321 on both sides of the battery cell module 21 can have different thicknesses than the cover plate 1; the side plates 321 in the middle part of the battery cell module 21 need to be close to the ends of the battery cell 210 on both sides, so the thickness ratio of the side plates 321 to the cover plate 1 can be adjusted. In order to ensure that the annular flow channel 322 and the flow channel 323 completely cover the battery cell 210, the design of the side liquid cooling plate 32 needs to appropriately overflow the battery cell 210. A certain distance is maintained between the bottom surface of the side liquid cooling plate 32 and the bottom surface of the battery cell 210, and the left, right, and top sides of the side liquid cooling plate 32 also exceed the battery cell 210 by a certain distance. This design allows the side liquid cooling plate 32 to more comprehensively cover the battery cell 210, enhancing the heat dissipation effect.

[0045] In one embodiment, the flow ports 324 of the side liquid cooling plate 32 are arranged in parallel on the upper and lower sides of the side plate 321 in a symmetrical manner, with the upper flow port 324 serving as the inlet and the lower flow port 324 serving as the outlet; the upper and lower sides are provided with the manifold 45 of the pipeline connector 4.

[0046] Preferably, thermally conductive adhesive 6 is provided between the cell module 21 and the side liquid cooling plate 32. The thermally conductive adhesive 6 effectively conducts heat between the cell module 21 and the side liquid cooling plate 32, fills the tiny gaps between the battery assembly and the heat sink, and improves thermal conductivity. Simultaneously, the thermally conductive adhesive 6 also possesses a certain degree of flexibility, which can absorb vibration to some extent, enhancing the safety and reliability of the battery pack.

[0047] In this embodiment, a shielding plate 8 is connected to the side of the side liquid cooling plate 32 away from the thermally conductive adhesive 6. Besides its heat dissipation function, the side liquid cooling plate 32 also serves as a side plate 321 of the battery cell module 21, providing structural support and protection for the battery cell 210. This multi-functional design not only improves the cooling effect of the battery pack but also enhances its overall mechanical strength, significantly strengthening its resistance to vibration, impact, and drops.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figure 7As shown, the pipe connection 4 includes a first inlet pipe 41, a second inlet pipe 42, a first outlet pipe 43, a second outlet pipe 44, and multiple manifolds 45. Specifically, the first inlet pipe 41 connects to one side of the bottom liquid cooling plate 31; the first outlet pipe 43 connects to the other side of the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 and is connected to the second outlet pipe 44; part of the manifolds 45 connects to one side of the side liquid cooling plate 32, and another part of the manifolds 45 connects to the other side of the side liquid cooling plate 32; the second inlet pipe 42 connects to part of the manifolds 45; the second outlet pipe 44 connects to another part of the manifolds 45; the first outlet pipe 43 and the second outlet pipe 44 extend to the outside of the housing 5. This H-2 type diversion structure can reduce the overall pressure drop of the battery pack and improve the flow efficiency of the coolant, thereby resulting in better cooling performance.

[0049] In a specific example, the side plate 321 of the side liquid cooling plate 32 is provided with a plurality of flow ports 324 that communicate with the annular flow guide groove 322 and the flow guide channel 323, for communicating with the manifold 45, so that the annular flow guide groove 322 and the flow guide channel 323 can communicate with the manifold 45.

[0050] Preferred, such as Figure 8 As shown, the battery cell assembly 2 includes multiple battery cell modules 21 arranged in a matrix along the length and width directions of the housing 5, that is, the battery cell modules 21 form an X-row, Y-column matrix structure in the housing 5. This matrix arrangement enhances the space utilization of the battery cell assembly 2 and improves the energy density of the battery pack.

[0051] In this embodiment, each of the battery cell modules 21 has a corresponding side liquid cooling plate 32 on its outer side, and adjacent battery cell modules 21 share one side liquid cooling plate 32. This arrangement not only improves cooling efficiency but also reduces the number of side liquid cooling plates 32 used, thereby reducing overall cost and weight.

[0052] In one embodiment, the cell module 21 includes a plurality of cells 210 arranged along the length of the housing 5; a heat insulation pad 7 is provided between adjacent cells 210. The heat insulation pad 7 can effectively prevent heat transfer between adjacent cells 210, avoid local overheating, and improve the temperature uniformity and safety of the battery pack.

[0053] In a specific example, the cell assembly 2 is divided into two main modules, upper and lower, based on the liquid coolant inlet. Each module consists of three cell modules 21, and each cell module 21 is composed of six cells 210 connected in series. Figure 8 As shown, this layout enhances the overall structural strength of the battery pack and improves its safety performance.

[0054] As those skilled in the art will know, the dimensions and parameters involved in the battery cell assembly 2, the bottom liquid cooling plate 31, the side liquid cooling plate 32, and the pipeline connector 4 in this embodiment can be set according to actual needs.

[0055] In this embodiment, the coolant first enters the battery pack through the pipe connector 4 outside the housing 5. Specifically, the coolant enters the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 and the side liquid cooling plate 32 system through the first inlet pipe 41 and the second inlet pipe 42, respectively. Under the action of the H-2 type flow distribution structure, the coolant is evenly distributed into each flow channel and the annular guide groove 322, ensuring the balance of the entire cooling system.

[0056] Continue to refer to Figure 4 As shown, for the bottom liquid cooling plate 31, coolant flows into the serpentine flow channel 312 from the first inlet pipe 41. The coolant flows along the flow channel branch 3121 within the serpentine flow channel 312 and changes direction through the U-shaped bend 3122. That is, within the serpentine flow channel 312, the coolant flows along the continuous path formed by the flow channel branch 3121 and the U-shaped bend 3122, absorbing heat from the bottom of the battery cell assembly 2. Due to the arrangement of the serpentine flow channel 312, the coolant can fully contact the bottom of the battery cell 210, achieving efficient heat dissipation. The symmetrical arrangement of the flow channel branch 3121 and the U-shaped bend 3122 makes the temperature distribution of each part of the battery cell assembly 2 more uniform. After heat exchange, the coolant finally flows out of the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 through the first outlet pipe 43.

[0057] At the same time, continue to refer to, such as Figure 6 As shown, for the side liquid cooling plates 32, coolant flows from the second inlet pipe 42 through the manifold 45 into the annular guide grooves 322 of each side liquid cooling plate 32. The coolant flows in annular patterns within the annular guide grooves 322 and circulates between adjacent annular guide grooves 322 through the guide channels 323. This design allows the coolant to fully contact the sides of the battery cell 210, absorbing the heat generated by the battery cell 210 from the sides. The heat dissipation effect of the side liquid cooling plates 32 is particularly significant in the high-temperature areas of the battery cell 210. After heat exchange, the coolant is collected through the manifold 45 into the second outlet pipe 44, and finally merges with the coolant in the bottom liquid cooling plate 31 before flowing out of the battery pack.

[0058] During heat dissipation, the thermally conductive adhesive 6 between the battery cell 210 and the side liquid cooling plate 32 plays an important role in heat transfer, significantly improving heat conduction efficiency. At the same time, the heat insulation pad 7 between adjacent battery cells 210 prevents lateral heat transfer, avoids thermal interference between battery cells 210, and helps maintain the uniformity of temperature inside the battery pack.

[0059] The entire cooling system forms a closed-loop cycle. After releasing the absorbed heat in the external radiator, the coolant re-enters the battery pack for further cooling. This combined bottom and side cooling method improves the heat dissipation efficiency and temperature uniformity of the battery pack, effectively handling the large amount of heat generated by the battery during high-power operation and ensuring that the battery operates within its ideal temperature range.

[0060] In summary, the battery pack structure proposed in this utility model has the following advantages:

[0061] By employing a liquid cooling plate assembly that combines a bottom liquid cooling plate and side liquid cooling plates, the liquid cooling system provides more comprehensive cooling to the battery pack, cooling it not only from the bottom but also from the sides. This effectively increases the liquid flow area and improves heat dissipation efficiency. Simultaneously, because the pipe connections are integrated with the bottom and side liquid cooling plates and extend outside the casing, it facilitates the circulation of coolant, forming a complete and efficient cooling system that improves the temperature stability of the battery during charging and discharging.

[0062] Furthermore, the serpentine flow channel design of the bottom liquid cooling plate and the annular guide groove array of the side liquid cooling plates ensure more uniform and efficient liquid cooling. Simultaneously, the side liquid cooling plates also serve as side plates for the battery modules, enhancing the overall structural strength of the battery pack and improving its vibration, impact, and drop resistance. Additionally, the heat insulation pads between the cell modules and the thermally conductive adhesive between the cell modules and the side liquid cooling plates effectively conduct heat while preventing unnecessary heat dissipation, further optimizing the battery pack's thermal management performance.

[0063] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this utility model and their equivalents, this utility model also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A battery pack structure, characterized by, The application relates to a liquid-cooled battery pack, which comprises a cover plate, a liquid-cooled plate assembly, a pipeline connecting piece and a box body. The cover plate is arranged on the box body to form a closed space for accommodating an electric core assembly, the liquid-cooled plate assembly and the pipeline connecting piece. The liquid-cooled plate assembly comprises a bottom liquid-cooled plate and a side liquid-cooled plate; when the electric core assembly is assembled, the bottom liquid-cooled plate is arranged at the bottom of the electric core assembly, and the side liquid-cooled plate is arranged at the side of the electric core assembly. The pipeline connecting piece is arranged on the bottom liquid-cooled plate and communicates with the bottom liquid-cooled plate and the side liquid-cooled plate and extends out of the box body.

2. The battery pack structure of claim 1, wherein, The bottom liquid-cooled plate comprises a bottom plate and a serpentine flow channel arranged on the bottom plate; the serpentine flow channel communicates with the pipeline connecting piece.

3. The battery pack structure of claim 2, wherein, The serpentine flow channel comprises a plurality of flow channel branches distributed on the bottom plate and U-shaped bends for communicating adjacent flow channel branches to form a continuous flow path from an inlet to an outlet; the flow channel branches form parallel channels in a plurality of regions on the bottom plate.

4. The battery pack structure of claim 3, wherein, The flow channel branches and the U-shaped bends form a flow guide flow channel and are symmetrically arranged in the serpentine flow channel with the distribution center of the electric core assembly as the center.

5. The battery pack structure of claim 1, wherein, The side liquid-cooled plate comprises a side plate, a circular ring-shaped flow guide groove arranged on the side plate and a flow guide channel; adjacent circular ring-shaped flow guide grooves communicate through the flow guide channel; the circular ring-shaped flow guide grooves communicate with the pipeline connecting piece and are arranged in an array.

6. The battery pack structure of claim 1, wherein, The pipeline connecting piece comprises a first water inlet pipeline, a second water inlet pipeline, a first water outlet pipeline, a second water outlet pipeline and a plurality of busbars; the first water inlet pipeline communicates with one side of the bottom liquid-cooled plate; the first water outlet pipeline communicates with the other side of the bottom liquid-cooled plate and communicates with the second water outlet pipeline; part of the busbars communicate with one side of the side liquid-cooled plate, and the other part of the busbars communicates with the other side of the side liquid-cooled plate; the second water inlet pipeline communicates with part of the busbars; the second water outlet pipeline communicates with the other part of the busbars; the first water outlet pipeline and the second water outlet pipeline extend out of the box body.

7. The battery pack structure of claim 1, wherein, The electric core assembly comprises a plurality of electric core modules arranged in a matrix along the length direction and the width direction of the box body.

8. The battery pack structure of claim 7, wherein, The outer side of each electric core module corresponds to one side liquid-cooled plate, and adjacent electric core modules share one side liquid-cooled plate.

9. The battery pack structure of claim 7, wherein, Thermal conductive glue is arranged between the electric core module and the side liquid-cooled plate.

10. The battery pack structure of claim 7, wherein, The electric core module comprises a plurality of electric cores arranged along the length direction of the box body; and a heat insulation pad is arranged between adjacent electric cores.

Images