Battery module cooling mechanism as well as battery module and battery pack with battery module cooling mechanism

Abstract

The utility model discloses a battery module cooling mechanism and its battery module and battery pack, including busbar cooling member and battery cold plate, busbar cooling member is provided with cooling channel inside, battery cold plate and cooling channel are communicated through the two pipe orifice of multi-way pipeline, the pipe orifice of multi-way pipeline is communicated with the cooling channel, the pipe orifice of multi-way pipeline is communicated with the battery cold plate, and the pipe orifice of multi-way pipeline is communicated with the cooling channel. The other pipe orifice of the multi-way pipeline is connected to an external cold supply assembly; according to the application, the busbar cooling piece is arranged and is communicated with the existing battery cold plate on the battery module through the multi-way pipeline, and the busbar cooling piece and the existing battery cold plate are combined for use, so that a refrigerating medium can be simultaneously guided into the busbar cooling piece and the battery cold plate by utilizing the external cold supply assembly, and simultaneous heat exchange and integrated design of the busbar and the battery module are realized; and meanwhile, the heat exchange efficiency is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of busbar heat exchange technology, specifically to a battery module cooling mechanism and a battery module and battery pack having the same. Background Technology

[0002] As new energy vehicle power batteries develop towards higher energy density and high-power fast charging, the busbar, as a core component for high-current transmission between battery modules, has seen its thermal management become a key bottleneck restricting the safety and performance of battery systems. Traditional busbar cooling relies mainly on natural convection or air cooling, but under high-current conditions, it is prone to localized overheating, leading to thermal stress concentration in metal materials, increased contact resistance, and even the risk of melting. Especially in high-rate charge and discharge scenarios, the Joule heat accumulation in the welding area between the busbar and the cell terminals will exacerbate the temperature difference between the battery modules, causing battery life degradation and potential thermal runaway.

[0003] To address this issue, direct cooling technology has become a potential solution to the heat dissipation problem of busbars due to its advantages such as high efficiency in utilizing latent heat of phase change and compact system. However, existing direct cooling plates mostly focus on heat dissipation at the bottom or top of the battery cell, lacking directional heat flow path design for the busbar area, thus lacking comprehensive heat exchange for the battery module. Utility Model Content

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is: how to provide a comprehensive heat exchange and cooling mechanism for battery modules.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A battery module cooling mechanism includes a busbar cooling component and a battery cold plate. The battery cold plate and the busbar cooling component are connected through a multi-port pipe, one of the ports of which is connected to an external cooling component.

[0007] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the busbar cooling component includes a bracket that fits into the busbar, and a cooling channel is formed inside the bracket.

[0008] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the bracket is provided with a bracket outlet pipe and a bracket inlet pipe on one or both sides of the front and rear sides, which are connected to the cooling channel, and the bracket outlet pipe and the bracket inlet pipe are connected to the multi-channel pipeline.

[0009] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the multi-way pipeline includes a three-way liquid outlet pipeline and a three-way liquid inlet pipeline;

[0010] The multi-port liquid outlet pipeline includes a multi-port quick connector. The first port of the multi-port quick connector is connected to the liquid outlet pipe of the battery cold plate, the second port is connected to the liquid outlet pipe of the bracket through the liquid outlet pipe, and the third quick connector is connected to the external inlet and outlet water module.

[0011] The multi-port liquid inlet pipeline includes a multi-port quick-connect plug II. The first port of the multi-port quick-connect plug II is connected to the water inlet pipe of the battery cold plate, the second port is connected to the liquid inlet pipe of the bracket through the liquid inlet pipe, and the third quick-connect end is connected to the external water inlet / outlet module.

[0012] As a further embodiment of this utility model, both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are made of corrugated pipe.

[0013] As a further embodiment of this utility model, a heat-conducting pad is provided on the side of the bracket facing the busbar.

[0014] As a further embodiment of this invention, the cooling channel adopts a meandering or wave-shaped structure.

[0015] As a further embodiment of this utility model: one or both ends of the bracket are provided with mounting plate one and mounting plate two for external connection.

[0016] This utility model also discloses a battery module, including a battery and a busbar, and a battery module cooling mechanism. The busbar cooling component is installed on one side of the busbar, and the battery cooling plate is installed on at least one of the three locations: above, below, or to the side of the battery.

[0017] This utility model also discloses a battery pack, including a housing and at least one battery module installed inside the housing. The housing has a liquid inlet quick connector and a liquid outlet quick connector that communicate with a multi-way quick connector one and a multi-way quick connector two.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0019] 1. This application sets up a busbar cooling component and connects it with the existing battery cold plate on the battery module through a multi-channel pipeline. By combining the two, the cooling medium can be introduced into the busbar cooling component and the battery cold plate simultaneously using an external cooling component, so as to achieve simultaneous heat exchange of the busbar and the battery module, increase the heat exchange area, and make the operation more convenient and the efficiency of comprehensive heat exchange higher.

[0020] 2. In this application, the bracket is installed on the outside of the manifold, the cooling mechanism is attached to the manifold, a cooling channel is set inside the bracket, and an external cooling component connected to it is set on the outside. By utilizing the circulation of the cooling medium in the cooling channel, targeted heat exchange is achieved on the equipment in contact with it (i.e., the manifold area), thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the manifold.

[0021] 3. This application also proposes a battery pack, which contains several battery modules. Each battery module corresponds to a cooling mechanism for heat exchange on the busbar. The layout is reasonable, and the bracket can be fixed to the beam or the module end plate by bolts to improve the stability of the cooling mechanism.

[0022] 4. This application provides a thermally conductive silicone pad on the side of the bracket that contacts the busbar. The thermally conductive silicone pad has good thermal conductivity and insulation. At the same time, the soft silicone pad can be compressed to fit against the outer surface of the busbar, thereby enhancing the heat exchange effect of the busbar.

[0023] 5. In this application, the coolant is introduced into the bracket from the battery pack inlet through a pipeline, and then the bracket cools the manifold before being discharged from the battery pack outlet. It can be directly installed into the battery pack and can provide heat exchange treatment for the manifold at any time. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the battery module cooling mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a top view of the battery module cooling mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the meandering cooling channel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a wave-shaped cooling channel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the battery pack structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial structural diagram;

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 1. Battery pack; 101. Quick-connect liquid outlet; 102. Quick-connect liquid inlet;

[0032] 2. Manifold cooling components; 201. Bracket; 202. Thermal pad; 203. Mounting component one; 204. Mounting plate one; 205. Mounting component two; 206. Bracket outlet pipe; 207. Bracket inlet pipe; 208. Connector one; 209. Connector two; 210. Outlet pipe; 211. Inlet pipe; 212. T-joint quick connector one; 213. T-joint quick connector two; 214. Cooling channel; 215. Mounting plate two;

[0033] 3. Battery module;

[0034] 4. Busbar. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments of this utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] A battery module cooling mechanism includes a battery cooling plate (not shown in the figure) and a busbar cooling component 2, wherein the busbar cooling component 2 is located on the front side of the battery module busbar and is in contact with it to achieve cooling of the busbar 4 (see reference). Figure 5 ( ) cooling.

[0038] One or more sets of battery cold plates can be connected to the busbar cooling component 2 through a three-way or multi-way pipe to achieve the supply and discharge of cooling medium together. The cooling medium used in this application is liquid cooling medium, but gaseous cooling medium can also be selected, depending on the actual needs. This application does not limit the choice.

[0039] If multiple sets of battery cold plates are set, such as two sets, they can be set at least two of the three locations above, below, or on the side of the battery module. In this case, a four-way pipe is used to connect the two sets of battery cold plates, a set of busbar cooling components 2, and a set of inlet and outlet water supply modules of the external cooling components. The four-way pipe uses a four-way quick connector.

[0040] If a set of battery cold plates is installed, it can be installed at least one of the three locations: above, below, or to the side of the battery module. In this case, a T-shaped pipe is used to connect a set of battery cold plates, a set of busbar cooling components 2, and a set of inlet and outlet water supply modules of the external cooling components. The T-shaped pipe uses a T-shaped quick connector. This application uses a set of battery cold plates as an example for illustration.

[0041] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The manifold cooling component 2 includes a bracket 201, a thermal pad 202, a mounting plate 1 204, a mounting plate 215, a bracket outlet pipe 206, a bracket inlet pipe 207, a connector 1 208, a connector 209, an outlet pipe 210, an inlet pipe 211, a tee quick connector 1 212, a tee quick connector 2 213, and a cooling channel 214.

[0042] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The bracket 201 is integrally formed and has a stepped shape. The middle part is a plate structure. The front left side of the plate structure is provided with a second mounting plate 215, and the second mounting component 205 is provided inside the second mounting plate 215. The rear right side of the plate structure is provided with a first mounting plate 204, and the first mounting component 203 is provided inside the first mounting plate 204. It should be noted that both the first mounting component 203 and the second mounting component 205 can be installed using bolts or pins.

[0043] Mounting plate 1 204 and mounting plate 2 215 can be installed at different ends. When installed at both ends, they can simultaneously improve the module strength and increase the expansion force. When installed at the same end, the two mounting plates can prevent rotation.

[0044] For ease of understanding and description, Figure 1 Taking the front, back, left, and right directions marked in the document as an example, the other directions can be deduced from this. It should be understood that this direction setting is only for the convenience of description and understanding, and should not be construed as a limitation on this application.

[0045] Furthermore, a thermal pad 202 is provided on the side of the bracket 201 that connects to the busbar. The thermal pad 202 is a 2.5mm thick silicone pad. The dimensions of the bracket 201 are 436.8mm in length, 7mm in width, and 42.6mm in height. These thicknesses and dimensions are for illustrative purposes only and may vary depending on the actual situation. This application does not impose any limitations on these dimensions. The side of the bracket 201 with the thermal pad 202 is brought into contact with the busbar 4. When the bracket 201 is connected to the busbar 4, the silicone thermal pad adheres to the outer surface of the busbar 4 through compression.

[0046] It should be noted that the size of the bracket 201 is determined according to the actual size of the manifold. To facilitate installation and improve heat exchange efficiency, the size of the bracket 201 can be slightly larger than the size of the manifold. A specially designed manifold cooling component 2 allows it to make extensive contact with the manifold 4 (see reference). Figure 5 This greatly increases the cooling area of ​​busbar 4; the thermally conductive silicone pad has good thermal conductivity and insulation, and the soft silicone pad can fit against the outer surface of busbar 4 to enhance the heat exchange effect.

[0047] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 The bracket 201 has a cooling channel 214 inside, and coolant is injected into the cooling channel 214 (this application uses coolant as an example) so as to cool down the manifold 4 in contact with the bracket 201; the bracket 201 is provided with a bracket outlet pipe 206 and a bracket inlet pipe 207 that are connected to the cooling channel 214.

[0048] It should be noted that the stent outlet pipe 206 and the stent inlet pipe 207 can be located at one end or both ends on the same side; alternatively, they can be located on different sides. For ease of installation, this application places both the stent outlet pipe 206 and the stent inlet pipe 207 on the side opposite to the manifold (e.g., Figure 1 (As shown).

[0049] Reference Figure 3 The cooling channel 214 is designed in a meandering shape. Specifically, the cooling channel 214 extends horizontally from the inlet of the support liquid inlet pipe 207 toward the other end of the support 201, then bends downward toward the inlet of the support liquid inlet pipe 207, and then continues to bend upward toward the other end of the support 201, finally connecting with the support liquid outlet pipe 206. The design of the cooling channel allows the coolant entering the cooling channel 214 to first act on the middle position of the manifold for cooling, and then diffuse outwards in sequence to improve cooling efficiency.

[0050] Reference Figure 1 The bracket outlet pipe 206 is connected to the outlet pipe 210 via connector 208. The other end of the outlet pipe 210 is connected to the three-way quick connector 212. The water inlet pipe of the battery cold plate is connected to one of the sockets of the three-way quick connector 212. The last socket of the three-way quick connector 212 is reserved for connecting the inlet and outlet modules of the external cooling component. The external cooling component can be a water injection cylinder or a liquid injection cylinder, etc. Therefore, the cooling medium can be injected into the battery cold plate and the cooling channel 214 through the three-way quick connector 212 through the external cooling component, so as to achieve heat exchange between the battery cell and the busbar. The outlet pipe 210 is made of existing high-temperature resistant pipe. Both connector 208 and three-way quick connector 212 are made of existing high-temperature resistant materials.

[0051] Reference Figure 1 The support inlet pipe 207 is connected to the inlet pipe 211 via connector 209, and the other end of the inlet pipe 211 is connected to the three-way quick connector 213. The outlet pipe of the battery cold plate is connected to one of the sockets of the three-way quick connector 213. The last socket of the three-way quick connector 213 is reserved for connecting the inlet and outlet modules of the external cooling component. The external cooling component can be a water injection cylinder or a liquid injection cylinder, etc. After the heat exchange between the battery cell and the busbar is completed, the cooling medium in the battery cold plate and the cooling channel 214 can flow back into the external cooling component through the three-way quick connector 212. The inlet pipe 211 uses an existing high-temperature resistant pipe. Both connector 209 and three-way quick connector 213 are made of existing high-temperature resistant materials.

[0052] It should be noted that, for ease of installation and organization, the liquid outlet pipe and liquid inlet pipe connecting the battery cold plate and the bracket 201 are both designed as corrugated pipes. The length of the liquid outlet pipe and liquid inlet pipe can be adjusted according to the required installation interface to adapt to different installation positions.

[0053] Example 2

[0054] Reference Figure 4 The rest is the same as in Embodiment 1, except that the cooling channel 214 can also be designed in a wave shape. Specifically, the cooling channel 214 bends in a wave shape from the opening of the liquid inlet pipe 207 of the support towards the other end of the support 201, and finally connects with the liquid outlet pipe 206 of the support.

[0055] Example 3

[0056] A battery module includes a battery and a busbar. A busbar cooling component 2 is installed on one side of the busbar. A battery cooling plate is installed above, below, or to the side of the battery (not shown in the figure). The position and number of battery cooling plates are not limited in this application. One or more sets of battery cooling plates can be set. When the cooling plate is not working in winter, the bracket 201 can transfer the heat of the busbar assembly to the battery cooling plate through a multi-channel pipe, which can provide heat to the battery pack.

[0057] Example 4

[0058] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 This embodiment discloses a battery pack. The battery pack 1 includes a housing and a plurality of battery modules 3 installed in the housing. The plurality of battery modules 3 are separated by module end plates in the housing. The module end plates are reserved with mounting grooves for connecting to the busbar cooling component 2, and are also reserved with overlapping grooves for overlapping bracket liquid outlet pipe 206 and bracket liquid inlet pipe 207.

[0059] Mounting plate 215 on the manifold cooling component 2 fits perfectly into the mounting groove on the module end plate closest to it, and is connected to the module end plate via mounting component 205; while the bracket outlet pipe 206 and bracket inlet pipe 207 overlap in the overlap groove, and the outlet pipe 210 and inlet pipe 211 are neatly placed inside the housing. The three-way quick connector 1 212 and the three-way quick connector 213 are respectively connected to the outlet quick connector 101 and the inlet quick connector 102 opened on the housing, and the outlet quick connector 101 and the inlet quick connector 102 are then connected to the external cooling component.

[0060] Furthermore, the bracket 201 is designed as a plate structure in the middle. During subsequent installation, the front and rear surfaces of the plate structure are horizontal. The plate structure is located between the busbar and the module end plate inside the battery pack, which facilitates a more comprehensive fit with the busbar.

[0061] The specific operating principle of this application is as follows:

[0062] Before use, install the busbar cooling component 2 into the battery pack 1; specifically, place the bracket 201 in front of the busbar 4, and detachably install the mounting plate 204 and the mounting plate 215 to the module end plate inside the battery pack housing using bolts or pins, and connect the three quick-connect plugs 212 and 213 to the liquid outlet quick-connect port 101 and the liquid inlet quick-connect port 102. Connect the liquid outlet quick-connect port 101 and the liquid inlet quick-connect port 102 to the external cooling components. After all the battery pack equipment is installed, seal the housing.

[0063] When cooling of the busbar is required, the external cooling system introduces coolant through the quick-connect inlet 102. The coolant then passes sequentially through the second quick-connect 213, the inlet pipe 211, and the bracket inlet pipe 207 before entering the cooling channel 214. Simultaneously, the coolant also enters the battery cold plate through the second quick-connect 213. During this process, the cooling effect of the coolant acts on the battery cells through the battery cold plate and also on the busbar 4 through the thermal pad 202, thus cooling the busbar. After cooling is complete, the coolant in the cooling channel 214 flows out of the cooling channel 214 and exits sequentially through the bracket outlet pipe 206, the outlet pipe 210, the first quick-connect 212, and the quick-connect outlet 101. The coolant in the battery cold plate exits through the first quick-connect 212 and the quick-connect outlet 101, thus completing the entire cooling process.

[0064] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A battery module cooling mechanism, comprising a battery cold plate, characterized in that, It also includes a busbar cooling component, and the battery cold plate is connected to the busbar cooling component through a multi-port pipe, one of the ports of which is connected to an external cooling component.

2. The battery module cooling mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The busbar cooling component includes a bracket that fits into the busbar, and a cooling channel is formed inside the bracket.

3. The battery module cooling mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bracket is provided with a bracket outlet pipe and a bracket inlet pipe on one or both sides of the front and rear sides, which are connected to the cooling channel. The bracket outlet pipe and the bracket inlet pipe are connected to a multi-way pipeline.

4. The battery module cooling mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The multi-port pipeline includes a multi-port outlet pipeline and a multi-port inlet pipeline; The multi-port liquid outlet pipeline includes a multi-port quick connector. The first port of the multi-port quick connector is connected to the liquid outlet pipe of the battery cold plate, the second port is connected to the liquid outlet pipe of the bracket through the liquid outlet pipe, and the third quick connector is connected to the external inlet and outlet water module. The multi-port liquid inlet pipeline includes a multi-port quick-connect plug II. The first port of the multi-port quick-connect plug II is connected to the water inlet pipe of the battery cold plate, the second port is connected to the liquid inlet pipe of the bracket through the liquid inlet pipe, and the third quick-connect end is connected to the external water inlet / outlet module.

5. A battery module cooling mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: Both the inlet and outlet pipes are made of corrugated pipes.

6. A battery module cooling mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bracket has a heat-conducting pad on the side facing the manifold.

7. A battery module cooling mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cooling channel adopts a meandering or wave-shaped structure.

8. A battery module cooling mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: One or both ends of the bracket are provided with mounting plate one and mounting plate two for external connection.

9. A battery module, comprising a battery and a busbar, characterized in that: It also includes the battery module cooling mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-8, wherein the busbar cooling component is installed on one side of the busbar, and the battery cold plate is installed at least one of the three locations: above, below, or to the side of the battery.

10. A battery pack, comprising a housing, characterized in that: It also includes at least one battery module as described in claim 9 installed inside the housing, wherein the housing has an outlet quick connector and an inlet quick connector that communicate with the multi-way quick connector one and the multi-way quick connector two.

Images