Cooling structure and battery pack

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of power batteries, and provides a cooling structure and a battery pack. The cooling structure comprises a liquid cooling plate, a bridging bar and a heat conduction piece. One side of the bridging bar is connected with the pole of the adjacent battery cell, and the other side of the bridging bar is provided with a concave-convex structure; and the heat conduction piece is provided with a shape-following concave-convex structure and a matching structure which is propped against the concave-convex structure. According to the cooling structure disclosed by the utility model, the heat conduction piece is connected between the bridging bar and the liquid cooling plate, and heat generated by the battery cell pole is taken away by utilizing heat exchange between the liquid cooling plate and the bridging bar, so that cooling and heat dissipation of the battery cell pole are realized. And the contact area between the bridging bar and the heat conduction piece is increased through the concave-convex structure on the bridging bar, so that the heat transfer efficiency is improved, the cooling and heat dissipation effects are ensured, and the working performance and the safety of the battery cell are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of power battery technology, and in particular to a cooling structure. This utility model also relates to a battery pack having the above-mentioned cooling structure. Background Technology

[0002] As the charging and discharging performance of battery packs improves, the heat generated by the cells within the pack also gradually increases. To ensure the working performance of the cells in the battery pack, cooling structures are typically installed within the pack to cool and dissipate heat from each cell.

[0003] In existing technologies, a liquid cooling plate is typically installed inside the battery pack to contact the battery cells. The heat generated by the battery cells is dissipated through heat exchange between the coolant inside the liquid cooling plate and the outer surface of the battery cells. However, the cooling effect on other parts of the battery cells is limited, which can easily lead to large temperature differences between different parts of the battery cells. This can result in a decrease in the performance of the battery cells and even cause safety accidents such as thermal runaway. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a cooling structure to achieve cooling and heat dissipation of the battery cell terminals.

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

[0006] A cooling structure includes a liquid cooling plate, a crossover bar, and a heat-conducting element connecting the liquid cooling plate and the crossover bar;

[0007] The liquid cooling plate is connected to an external coolant circulation pipeline;

[0008] One side of the jumper bar is connected to the terminal post of the adjacent battery cell, and the other side of the jumper bar is provided with a concave-convex structure;

[0009] The heat-conducting component is provided with a conformal concave-convex structure and a mating structure that abuts against the concave-convex structure.

[0010] Furthermore, the heat-conducting component is provided with a cavity, the cavity covers the crossover bar, and the mating structure is located inside the cavity.

[0011] Furthermore, the thermally conductive component and the liquid cooling plate, as well as the concave-convex structure and the mating structure, are bonded together by insulating thermally conductive adhesive, and / or the thermally conductive component is made of thermally conductive silicone.

[0012] Furthermore, the concave-convex structure includes a plurality of ribs, which are arranged at intervals along a first direction, and a groove is formed between two adjacent ribs.

[0013] Furthermore, the cross-section of the rib is triangular.

[0014] Furthermore, the bridging bar includes a plate connecting the two poles and a plurality of V-shaped fins disposed on the plate, the two ends of the fins being connected to the plate to form the ribs.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following advantages:

[0016] The cooling mechanism described in this invention uses a heat-conducting component connected between the jumper bar and the liquid cooling plate. Heat exchange between the liquid cooling plate and the jumper bar removes heat generated by the battery cell terminals, achieving cooling and heat dissipation. Furthermore, the uneven structure on the jumper bar increases the contact area between the jumper bar and the heat-conducting component, thereby improving the heat transfer efficiency and ensuring effective cooling. This enhances the battery cell's performance and safety.

[0017] In addition, the heat-conducting component has a recessed cavity that covers the jumper bar. While protecting the jumper bar and the electrode post, the cavity also serves a positioning function to ensure contact between the raised and recessed structures and the mating structure. The heat-conducting component and the liquid cooling plate, as well as the raised and recessed structures and the mating structure, are bonded together with insulating thermally conductive adhesive. This ensures effective heat transfer while improving the insulation performance and connection between the heat-conducting component and the jumper bar / liquid cooling plate.

[0018] In addition, the thermally conductive component is made of thermally conductive silicone to further improve the insulation between the thermally conductive component and the jumper bar and liquid cooling plate, preventing leakage. The concave-convex structure includes multiple ribs, which increases the contact area between the jumper bar and the thermally conductive component while also improving the structural strength of the jumper bar. Furthermore, the cross-section of the ribs is triangular, which guides the mating structure to embed into the grooves between adjacent ribs, facilitating the connection between the jumper bar and the thermally conductive component. The jumper bar includes a plate body and fins provided on the plate body. The fins and the plate body together form the aforementioned ribs, reducing the weight of the jumper bar.

[0019] Another objective of this invention is to provide a battery pack, including a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing, and a cooling structure as described above.

[0020] Furthermore, the liquid cooling plate is provided on at least one side of the battery cell, and the side of the battery cell facing the liquid cooling plate abuts against the liquid cooling plate.

[0021] Furthermore, the housing includes a frame, and a top plate and a bottom plate fastened to the upper and lower ends of the frame; the top plate and / or the bottom plate are formed by the liquid cooling plate.

[0022] Furthermore, the liquid cooling plate has an extension portion extending to the outside of the frame, and the extension portion is provided with a connector assembly for connecting the coolant circulation pipeline.

[0023] The battery pack described in this utility model, through the above-mentioned cooling structure, can achieve cooling and heat dissipation for each cell and the upper electrode post of the cell, which helps to reduce the temperature difference between different parts of the cell, improve the working performance of the cell, and thus improve the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0024] In addition, at least one side of the battery cell is provided with a liquid cooling plate, and the corresponding side of the battery cell abuts against the corresponding side, which enables the liquid cooling plate to cool and dissipate heat from the entire battery cell, further improving the working performance of the battery cell. The housing includes a frame, and a top plate and a bottom plate fastened to the upper and lower ends of the frame. One or both of the top plate and the bottom plate are made of liquid cooling plates, which can improve the internal space utilization of the battery pack and enhance the compactness of the battery pack.

[0025] Finally, the liquid cooling plate has an extension portion that extends to the outside of the frame. By placing the connector assembly on the extension portion, leakage at the connector assembly is prevented from causing coolant to leak into the battery pack, thereby improving the safety of the battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this utility model, are used to provide a further understanding of the utility model. The illustrative embodiments of the utility model and their descriptions are used to explain the utility model and do not constitute an undue limitation of the utility model. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the cooling structure described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling structure described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model from another perspective;

[0029] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The enlarged view of position A in the middle;

[0030] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of the heat-conducting component described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the crossover bar structure described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the battery pack described in Embodiment 2 of this utility model;

[0033] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the battery pack described in Embodiment 2 of this utility model;

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0035] 1. Liquid cooling plate; 101. Extended portion; 102. Connector assembly;

[0036] 2. Bridging bar; 2a. Rib; 201. Plate; 202. Fin;

[0037] 3. Thermal conductive component; 301. Mating structure; 302. Cavity;

[0038] 4. Battery cell; 401; Terminal post;

[0039] 5. Shell; 501. Frame; 502. Top plate; 503. Bottom plate. Detailed Implementation

[0040] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0041] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0042] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" appear, indicating orientation or positional relationship, they are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, if terms such as "first" or "second" appear, they are also used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0043] Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "connector" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in light of the specific circumstances.

[0044] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0045] Example 1

[0046] This embodiment relates to a cooling structure for cooling the terminal post 401 of the battery cell 4. In terms of overall structure, as follows... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment includes a liquid cooling plate 1, a jumper bar 2, and a heat-conducting component 3. The heat-conducting component 3 connects the liquid cooling plate 1 and the jumper bar 2. The liquid cooling plate 1 is connected to an external coolant circulation pipeline. One side of the jumper bar 2 connects to the terminal post 401 of an adjacent battery cell 4, and the other side of the jumper bar 2 has a concave-convex structure. The heat-conducting component 3 has a conformal concave-convex structure, and a mating structure 301 abuts against the concave-convex structure.

[0047] As configured above, since the jumper bar 2 is connected to the terminal post 401 of the battery cell 4, and the jumper bar 2 is connected to the liquid cooling plate 1 through the heat-conducting component 3, heat transfer between the jumper bar 2, i.e., the terminal post 401, and the liquid cooling plate 1 can be achieved through the heat-conducting component 3. This allows the coolant circulating in the liquid cooling plate 1 to carry away the heat generated by the terminal post 401. Furthermore, the concave and convex structure on the jumper bar 2 and the mating structure 301 on the heat-conducting component 3 can increase the contact area between the jumper bar 2 and the heat-conducting component 3, thereby improving the heat transfer efficiency between the jumper bar 2 and the heat-conducting component 3. This achieves cooling and heat dissipation of the terminal post 401 of the battery cell 4, thereby improving the working performance and safety of the battery cell 4.

[0048] Based on the above overview, specifically, in this embodiment, the jumper bus 2 is an electrical connection structure, such as a copper busbar or aluminum busbar, used to electrically connect the terminals 401 of the battery cell 4, and to transmit the electrical energy input or output by the battery cell 4. In this embodiment, as... Figure 4 As shown, the heat-conducting component 3 has a recess 302, which covers and fastens onto the jumper bar 2, and the mating structure 301 is located within the recess 302. The recess 302 allows the heat-conducting component 3 to cover and fasten the jumper bar 2, thus protecting both the jumper bar 2 and the electrode post 401. Simultaneously, the recess 302 on the heat-conducting component 3 serves a positioning function; whether the recess 302 is properly engaged on the jumper bar 2 indicates whether the concave-convex structure and the mating structure 301 are in complete contact, thereby facilitating the assembly and connection of the heat-conducting component 3 and the jumper bar 2.

[0049] Since the jumper bar 2 is electrically connected to the electrode post 401, to prevent leakage of current from the jumper bar 2 to the outside through the heat-conducting component 3 and the liquid cooling plate 1, in this embodiment, the heat-conducting component 3 and the liquid cooling plate 1, as well as the concave-convex structure and the mating structure 301, are bonded together with insulating thermally conductive adhesive. By using insulating thermally conductive adhesive for bonding, the connection strength and thermal conductivity between the heat-conducting component 3 and the jumper bar 2 and the liquid cooling plate 1 can be guaranteed, while the insulation between the heat-conducting component 3 and the jumper bar 2 and the liquid cooling plate 1 can be guaranteed, avoiding leakage. Based on this, the heat-conducting component 3 in this embodiment can be made of metal to utilize the good thermal conductivity of metal to improve the cooling efficiency of the electrode post 401.

[0050] Alternatively, as an implementation, the heat-conducting component 3 in this embodiment can be made of thermally conductive silicone. Thermally conductive silicone itself has good thermal conductivity and insulation properties, ensuring the cooling effect of the liquid cooling plate 1 on the electrode 401 while preventing leakage. Simultaneously, the thermally conductive silicone has a certain degree of elasticity to fully abut against the uneven structure of the liquid cooling plate 1 and the jumper bar 2, ensuring the connection effect between the heat-conducting component 3 and the liquid cooling plate 1 and the jumper bar 2. In specific implementations, the insulating thermally conductive adhesive in this embodiment can be a conventional insulating thermally conductive adhesive well-known to those skilled in the art, such as a one-component room-temperature vulcanizing silicone adhesive, a one-component de-alcoholized silicone thermally conductive adhesive, etc., as long as insulation, thermal conductivity, and a certain connection strength are guaranteed.

[0051] In addition, in this embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the concave-convex structure includes multiple ribs 2a, which are spaced apart along a first direction, and a groove is formed between adjacent ribs 2a. By setting the ribs 2a, the contact area between the bridging pad 2 and the heat-conducting element 3 is increased, while the structural strength of the bridging pad 2 is also improved.

[0052] The cross-section of the rib 2a in this embodiment can take various shapes, such as rectangular or circular. However, as a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the rib 2a in this embodiment is triangular. It can be understood that, since the grooves formed between the ribs 2a on the crossbar 2 are arranged alternately, the mating structure 301 is also constructed to have an alternating arrangement of ribs 2a and grooves. When the cross-section of the rib 2a is triangular, two inclined surfaces are formed on the rib 2a to guide the mating structure 301 to be embedded in the grooves between the ribs 2a, so as to ensure that the recessed structure and the mating structure 301 fully abut against each other, thereby further facilitating the connection between the crossbar 2 and the heat-conducting component 3.

[0053] In addition, using a triangular cross-section rib 2a can save material to a certain extent and reduce the overall weight of the cross-connector 2 compared to other cross-sectional shapes of rib 2a, such as rectangular or circular ones, for the same surface area.

[0054] Based on this, the jumper bar 2 of this embodiment includes a plate 201 connecting two pole posts 401, and a plurality of V-shaped fins 202 disposed on the plate 201. The two ends of the fins 202 are connected to the plate 201 to form ribs 2a. By forming the aforementioned ribs 2a by the fins 202 and the plate 201, the weight of the jumper bar 2 can be reduced. In specific implementation, the jumper bar 2 of this embodiment can be manufactured using an extrusion molding process.

[0055] In summary, the cooling structure of this embodiment, by setting a heat-conducting element 3 between the jumper bar 2 and the liquid cooling plate 1, utilizes the heat exchange between the liquid cooling plate 1 and the jumper bar 2 to remove the heat generated by the terminal 401 of the battery cell 4, thereby achieving cooling and heat dissipation of the terminal 401 of the battery cell 4. Furthermore, the jumper bar 2 has a concave-convex structure, which can increase the contact area between the jumper bar 2 and the heat-conducting element 3, thereby improving the heat transfer efficiency between the jumper bar 2 and the heat-conducting element 3, ensuring the cooling and heat dissipation effect, and thus improving the working performance and safety of the battery cell 4.

[0056] Example 2

[0057] This embodiment relates to a battery pack, the overall structure of which is as follows: Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, it includes a housing 5, a plurality of battery cells 4 disposed within the housing 5, and a cooling structure as described in Embodiment 1.

[0058] The battery pack of this embodiment, through the above-mentioned cooling structure, can achieve cooling and heat dissipation of the terminals 401 of each cell 4, which helps to reduce the temperature difference between different parts of the cell 4, improve the temperature consistency of the cell 4, enhance the working performance of the cell 4, and thus ensure the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0059] Based on the above overview, in this embodiment, the battery cells 4 are arranged along a first direction, with the length direction of the battery cells 4 being the same as the first direction, and the terminals 401 are respectively located at both ends of the length direction of the battery cells 4. In this embodiment, at least one side of the battery cells 4 is provided with a liquid cooling plate 1, and the side of the battery cells 4 facing the liquid cooling plate abuts against the liquid cooling plate 1. Thus, while the liquid cooling plate 1 cools the terminals 401 through the heat-conducting element 3 and the jumper bar 2, it can also cool and dissipate heat from the main body of the battery cells 4, thereby further improving the working performance of the battery cells 4.

[0060] Furthermore, the housing 5 in this embodiment includes a frame 501, and a top plate 502 and a bottom plate 503 fastened to the upper and lower ends of the frame 501. One or both of the top plate 502 and the bottom plate 503 are composed of a liquid cooling plate 1. By using the liquid cooling plate 1 as both the top plate 502 and the bottom plate 503 in the housing 5, the cooling effect on the battery cell 4 is ensured while improving the internal space utilization of the battery pack and enhancing its compactness. In this embodiment, only the bottom plate 503 is composed of the liquid cooling plate 1.

[0061] Furthermore, the liquid cooling plate 1 in this embodiment has an extension portion 101 extending to the outside of the frame 501, and a connector assembly 102 for connecting the coolant circulation pipeline is provided on the extension portion 101. By providing the connector assembly 102 on the extension portion 101, the connector assembly 102 is disposed outside the housing 5, preventing leakage at the connector assembly 102 from causing coolant to leak into the battery pack and affecting the normal operation of the battery pack, thereby improving the safety of the battery pack.

[0062] In summary, the battery pack of this embodiment, through the above-mentioned cooling structure, can achieve cooling and heat dissipation for each cell 4 and the upper electrode post 401 of the cell 4, which helps to reduce the temperature difference between different parts of the cell 4, improve the working performance of the cell 4, and thus improve the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0063] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A cooling structure for cooling the terminals of a battery cell, characterized in that: It includes a liquid cooling plate, a jumper bar, and a heat-conducting component connecting the liquid cooling plate and the jumper bar; The liquid cooling plate is connected to an external coolant circulation pipeline; One side of the jumper bar is connected to the terminal post of the adjacent battery cell, and the other side of the jumper bar is provided with a concave-convex structure; The heat-conducting component is provided with a conformal concave-convex structure and a mating structure that abuts against the concave-convex structure.

2. The cooling structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat-conducting component has a recessed cavity, which is covered and fastened to the crossover bar, and the mating structure is located inside the recessed cavity.

3. The cooling structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermally conductive component and the liquid cooling plate, as well as the concave-convex structure and the mating structure, are bonded together with insulating thermally conductive adhesive, and / or, The thermally conductive component is made of thermally conductive silicone.

4. The cooling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The concave-convex structure includes multiple ribs, which are arranged at intervals along a first direction, and a groove is formed between two adjacent ribs.

5. The cooling structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cross-section of the rib is triangular.

6. The cooling structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bridging bar includes a plate connecting the two poles and a plurality of V-shaped fins disposed on the plate, the two ends of which are connected to the plate to form the ribs.

7. A battery pack, characterized in that: It includes a housing, a plurality of said battery cells disposed within said housing, and a cooling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, characterized in that: The liquid cooling plate is provided on at least one side of the battery cell, and the side of the battery cell facing the liquid cooling plate abuts against the liquid cooling plate.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, characterized in that: The housing includes a frame, and a top plate and a bottom plate that are fastened to the upper and lower ends of the frame; The top plate and / or the bottom plate are formed by the liquid cooling plate.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, characterized in that: The liquid cooling plate has an extension portion extending to the outside of the frame, and the extension portion is provided with a connector assembly for connecting the coolant circulation pipeline.

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