Battery cell module

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of batteries, and provides a battery cell module. The battery cell module comprises a cold plate and a plurality of battery cells arranged on the cold plate, and the plurality of battery cells are sequentially arranged along the length direction of the cold plate; each battery cell comprises a shell of which the bottom wall is connected with the cold plate, a cover plate which is arranged on the shell and is opposite to the bottom wall, a pole column arranged on the cover plate, and a battery cell explosion-proof valve arranged on the bottom wall; the cold plate is provided with a groove arranged along the length direction of the cold plate, the groove is arranged corresponding to each cell explosion-proof valve, and an exhaust channel is formed between the groove and each shell. According to the battery cell module disclosed by the utility model, rapid exhaust and pressure relief treatment can be implemented during thermal runaway, and the problem of high-voltage arc discharge caused by the fact that thermal runaway gas is discharged to high-voltage flow passage components such as a pole, a busbar and the like is avoided, so that the safety performance of a battery pack is favorably improved, meanwhile, the flow passage area of the busbar and the welding area between the busbar and the pole are also favorably increased, and the service life of the battery pack is prolonged. And the over-current capability of the battery core is improved, so that the quick charging performance of the battery is improved.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Currently, battery packs not only need high energy density, but also better fast-charging performance and higher safety performance to meet market demands. However, the non-directional design of the venting channels for cell depressurization in traditional battery packs during thermal runaway can cause some of the thermal runaway gas (or thermal runaway material) to be released into the high-voltage arrangement space of the battery, easily causing high-voltage arcing and triggering secondary thermal runaway, which is detrimental to improving the safety performance of the battery pack. At the same time, as the battery charge and discharge rate increases, the high-voltage overcurrent requirements become increasingly stringent. However, the busbar arrangement space in traditional battery packs is small, making it difficult to meet the need for a larger overcurrent area to achieve greater fast-charging performance, which is not conducive to improving the fast-charging performance of the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a battery cell module that not only improves the safety performance of the battery pack, but also improves the fast charging performance of the battery pack.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is implemented as follows:

[0005] A battery cell module includes a cold plate and a plurality of battery cells disposed on the cold plate, wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged sequentially along the length direction of the cold plate.

[0006] Each of the battery cells includes a housing with its bottom wall connected to the cold plate, a cover plate disposed on the housing and arranged opposite to the bottom wall, an electrode post disposed on the cover plate, and a battery cell explosion-proof valve disposed on the bottom wall.

[0007] The cold plate is provided with grooves arranged along the length of the cold plate, the grooves are provided corresponding to the explosion-proof valves of each battery cell, and an exhaust channel is formed between the grooves and each housing.

[0008] Furthermore, the cold plate is provided with a plurality of first clearance holes located in the groove, and each of the first clearance holes is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the battery cell explosion-proof valves.

[0009] Furthermore, each of the first clearance holes is provided through the cold plate along the thickness direction of the cold plate; and / or, an insulating part is provided between the cold plate and each of the bottom walls, the insulating part is arranged corresponding to the groove, and the insulating part is provided with a second clearance hole corresponding to each of the cell explosion-proof valves.

[0010] Furthermore, along the width direction of the cold plate, the cold plate has connection areas disposed on both sides of the groove, and each connection area is connected to the corresponding battery cell through an adhesive portion.

[0011] Furthermore, each of the connecting areas is provided with limiting members on both sides along the width direction of the cold plate, and each of the limiting members is provided along the length direction of the cold plate; the exhaust channel is formed between the groove, each of the housings and the limiting members on both sides of the groove.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes side plates disposed on both sides of the cell module along the width direction of the cold plate, and end plates disposed at both ends of each cell module along the length direction of the cold plate, with each side plate and each end plate connected end to end.

[0013] Furthermore, each of the side plates has a mounting portion on its outer side, the mounting portion being used to install the battery cell module in the battery pack housing; and / or, each of the side plates is adhesively connected to the corresponding battery cell.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a CCS sampling structure disposed on the top of each of the battery cells, wherein the CCS sampling structure is connected to the terminal of each of the battery cells.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a module cover disposed on top of each of the battery cells, the module cover being connected to each of the end plates, and the CCS sampling structure being located between the module cover and each of the battery cells.

[0016] Furthermore, the cold plate includes a substrate connected to each of the battery cells, a flow channel plate disposed on the side of the substrate away from each of the battery cells, and a flow channel formed between the substrate and the flow channel plate; the flow channel is distributed on both sides of the groove along the width direction of the cold plate, and / or, the substrate is provided with an inlet connector and an outlet connector communicating with the flow channel.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following advantages:

[0018] The battery cell module described in this utility model separates the cell explosion-proof valve from high-voltage overcurrent components such as terminals and busbars. This allows for rapid venting and pressure relief during thermal runaway, preventing thermal runaway gases from being discharged to high-voltage overcurrent components such as terminals and busbars and causing high-voltage arcing. This improves the safety performance of the battery pack. Furthermore, separating the cell explosion-proof valve from the busbars increases the overcurrent area of ​​the busbars and the welding area between them and the terminals, thereby enhancing the cell's overcurrent capacity, reducing temperature rise, and improving fast-charging performance.

[0019] Furthermore, by providing the first clearance holes, interference between the cold plate and the cell explosion-proof valve can be avoided, preventing it from affecting the assembly between the cold plate and each cell, and ensuring the normal operation of each cell explosion-proof valve. Each first clearance hole penetrates the cold plate along its thickness direction, allowing thermal runaway gases to escape through these holes in addition to the exhaust channels, thus improving exhaust and pressure relief performance during thermal runaway. The inclusion of insulating parts prevents exposed cold plate metal from causing arcing, improving overall package safety. Simultaneously, the provision of second clearance holes ensures the normal operation of each cell explosion-proof valve.

[0020] Furthermore, each connection area is connected to its corresponding battery cell via adhesive, simplifying operation and reducing costs. Limiting components prevent adhesive from overflowing into the cell's explosion-proof valve area during bonding, thus preventing valve failure. Side and end plates help maintain the cell stacking configuration and ensure the structural stability of connecting components such as busbars. Mounting sections facilitate cell module assembly and disassembly, reducing the difficulty of later battery pack maintenance and preventing damage to individual cells that could render the entire battery pack unusable. Attached Figure Description

[0021] 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:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell module described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the structure shown;

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A bottom view of the structure shown;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell structure described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure shown in the image from another perspective;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the limiting part, insulating part, adhesive part and cold plate during assembly according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Exploded view of the structure shown;

[0029] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

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

[0031] 100. Exhaust passage;

[0032] 1. Cold plate; 10. First clearance hole; 11. Substrate; 110. Groove; 12. Flow channel plate; 120. Flow channel; 13. Liquid inlet connector; 14. Liquid outlet connector;

[0033] 2. Battery cell; 21. Bottom wall; 211. Battery cell explosion-proof valve; 22. Side wall; 23. Cover plate; 24. Terminal post; 25. Busbar;

[0034] 3. Insulation part; 30. Second clearance hole;

[0035] 4. Adhesive parts; 5. Limiting components;

[0036] 6. Side panel; 61. Mounting part;

[0037] 7. End plate; 8. CCS sampling structure; 9. Module top cover. Detailed Implementation

[0038] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0043] This embodiment relates to a battery cell module that helps to solve the problems of poor safety performance and difficulty in achieving better fast charging performance in traditional battery packs, thereby improving the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0044] In terms of overall structure, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the battery cell module of this embodiment includes a cold plate 1 and a plurality of battery cells 2 disposed on the cold plate 1, the plurality of battery cells 2 being arranged sequentially along the length direction of the cold plate 1. Each battery cell 2 includes a housing with a bottom wall 21 connected to the cold plate 1, a cover plate 23 disposed on the housing and arranged opposite to the bottom wall 21, an electrode post 24 disposed on the cover plate 23, and a battery cell explosion-proof valve 211 disposed on the bottom wall 21. Furthermore, the cold plate 1 is provided with a groove 110 arranged along the length direction of the cold plate 1, the groove 110 being provided corresponding to each battery cell explosion-proof valve 211, and an exhaust channel 100 being formed between the groove 110 and each housing.

[0045] With the above configuration, by separating the cell explosion-proof valve 211 from high-voltage overcurrent components such as the terminal post 24 and busbar 25, rapid venting and pressure relief can be implemented through the venting channel 100 during thermal runaway. This avoids the problem of high-voltage arcing caused by thermal runaway gas being discharged to high-voltage overcurrent components such as the terminal post 24 and busbar 25, thus improving the safety performance of the battery pack. At the same time, separating the cell explosion-proof valve 211 from the busbar 25 also helps to increase the overcurrent area of ​​the busbar 25 and the welding area between it and the terminal post 24, thereby improving the overcurrent capacity of the cell 2, helping to reduce temperature rise, and improving the fast charging performance of the battery, which in turn helps to improve the quality of the battery pack.

[0046] Based on the above description, in detail, in this embodiment, the housing includes multiple side walls 22 connected to the bottom wall 21. The multiple side walls 22 and the bottom wall 21 together form a receiving cavity for placing the electrode assembly. The cover plate 23 is connected to each side plate 6 to seal the receiving cavity. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cell module is disposed in the battery pack housing and cooperates with the electrical components in the battery pack housing to form the main body of the battery pack. As for the cell module and related structural parts in the battery pack not mentioned, they can all refer to battery pack products well known to those skilled in the art. For example, the battery pack housing is provided with a battery cavity and an electrical cavity, the cell module is disposed in the battery cavity, and electrical components such as BMS and BDU are disposed in the electrical cavity.

[0047] It should be noted that the thermal runaway gas in this embodiment typically contains substances such as electrolyte, electrode materials, and membrane materials, and can be discharged along with these substances. Furthermore, the directional descriptions in this embodiment are merely illustrative. In actual implementation, the directional descriptions in this embodiment vary depending on the orientation of the cold plate 1; that is, the directions in this embodiment refer to a relative coordinate system based on the cold plate 1. The length direction of the cold plate 1 is also the direction of the battery cell module, the width direction of the cold plate 1 is also the width direction of the battery cell module, and the thickness direction of the cold plate 1 is also the height direction of the battery cell module.

[0048] In this embodiment, as a preferred implementation, combined with Figure 3 , Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the cold plate 1 is provided with a plurality of first clearance holes 10 located in the groove 110, and each first clearance hole 10 is correspondingly arranged with each cell explosion-proof valve 211. This arrangement can avoid interference between the cold plate 1 and the cell explosion-proof valve 211, which would affect the assembly between the cold plate 1 and each cell 2, and ensure the normal use of each cell explosion-proof valve 211.

[0049] Specifically, in this embodiment, as a preferred implementation, each of the first clearance holes 10 is disposed through the cold plate 1 along the thickness direction of the cold plate 1. By distributing each of the first clearance holes 10 through the cold plate 1 along the thickness direction of the cold plate 1, thermal runaway gas can be discharged through each of the first clearance holes 10 in addition to being discharged through the exhaust channel 100, thereby improving the exhaust and pressure relief performance during thermal runaway.

[0050] It is worth mentioning that when each of the first clearance holes 10 is a blind hole, the exhaust and pressure relief during thermal runaway are carried out through the exhaust channel 100. When each of the first clearance holes 10 is a through hole, in addition to the exhaust channel 100 for exhaust and pressure relief, each of the first clearance holes 10 can also exhaust and relieve pressure (or in other words, each cell explosion-proof valve 211 can directly exhaust and relieve pressure to the outside of the cell module).

[0051] In this embodiment, as a preferred implementation, [the following is a continued participation] Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, an insulating part 3 is provided between the cold plate 1 and each bottom wall 21. The insulating part 3 is arranged in relation to the groove 110, and the insulating part 3 is provided with a second clearance hole 30 corresponding to each cell explosion-proof valve 211.

[0052] Understandably, by setting the insulation part 3, arcing caused by exposed metal of the cold plate 1 can be avoided, thus improving the overall safety of the package. Simultaneously, the setting of each second clearance hole 30 helps ensure the normal operation of the explosion-proof valve 211 of each cell. It is worth mentioning that the surface of the cold plate 1 is usually coated with insulating paint, but this is not fire-resistant. Exposed metal of the cold plate 1 may arc in the event of thermal runaway, damaging the cold plate 1. The setting of the insulation part 3 can reduce the risk of arcing, and in specific applications, the insulation part 3 can be made of mica sheet.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as a preferred implementation, see also [link to previous section]. Figure 6 As shown, along the width direction of the cold plate 1, the cold plate 1 has connection areas disposed on both sides of the groove 110, and each connection area is connected to the corresponding battery cell 2 through the adhesive part 4. Using the adhesive part 4 simplifies the assembly operation between the cold plate 1 and each battery cell 2, which helps to reduce costs. Of course, the adhesive part 4 in this embodiment can be any adhesive well known to those skilled in the art, such as thermally conductive structural adhesive.

[0054] In a specific implementation, as a preferred embodiment, each connecting area is provided with a limiting member 5 on both sides along the width direction of the cold plate 1, and each limiting member 5 is provided along the length direction of the cold plate 1. At the same time, the exhaust channel 100 is formed between the groove 110, each shell, and the limiting members 5 on both sides of the groove 110.

[0055] By setting the limiting member 5, the adhesive part 4 can be prevented from overflowing into the area of ​​the cell explosion-proof valve 211 during the bonding process between the cold plate 1 and each cell 2, thus preventing the cell explosion-proof valve 211 from malfunctioning. Furthermore, the exhaust channel 100 is formed between the groove 110, each housing, and the limiting members 5 on both sides of the groove 110, resulting in a more rational structural arrangement. The limiting member 5 here can be made of foam.

[0056] In addition, in this embodiment, as a preferred implementation, see [reference needed]. Figure 2 As shown, the battery cell module also includes side plates 6 disposed on both sides of the battery cell module along the width direction of the cold plate 1, and end plates 7 disposed at both ends of each battery cell module along the length direction of the cold plate 1. The side plates 6 and the end plates 7 are connected end to end. By setting the side plates 6 and the end plates 7, it is beneficial to maintain the stacking state of the battery cells 2 and the structural stability of the busbar 25 and other connecting components with the battery cells 2.

[0057] To elaborate, in this embodiment, as a preferred implementation, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, each side plate 6 has a mounting part 61 on its outer side, which is used to install the cell module in the battery pack housing. By providing the mounting part 61, the cell module can be easily disassembled and assembled, reducing the difficulty of later maintenance of the battery pack and avoiding the occurrence of damage to some cells 2 leading to the scrapping of the entire battery pack.

[0058] In specific implementation, the mounting part 61 of this embodiment can preferably include a plurality of bushings provided on the side plate 6. Each bushing is provided with a connection hole. When assembling the battery pack, the cell module can be hoisted into the battery pack housing through each bushing, and then screwed into the battery pack housing by passing bolts through the connection holes to realize the installation of the cell module, so as to facilitate the convenient disassembly and assembly of the cell module and improve the maintainability of the cell module and the battery pack.

[0059] Meanwhile, as a preferred embodiment, in this example, each side plate 6 is adhesively bonded to its corresponding battery cell 2. Specifically, each side plate 6 can be connected to its corresponding battery cell 2 using thermally conductive structural adhesive. Furthermore, each end plate 7 is also preferably connected to its corresponding battery cell 2 using thermally conductive structural adhesive to ensure the overall stability of the battery cell module structure.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as a preferred implementation, see below. Figure 2 As shown, the battery cell module also includes a CCS sampling structure 8 located on top of each battery cell 2. The CCS sampling structure 8 is connected to the terminal post 24 of each battery cell 2. Specifically, the battery cells 2 can be connected to each other via busbars 25, and the CCS sampling structure 8 can be connected to each battery cell 2 via each busbar 25 to collect the status of each battery cell 2.

[0061] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the battery cell module of this embodiment also includes a module cover 9 disposed on the top of each battery cell 2. The module cover 9 is connected to each end plate 7, and the CCS sampling structure 8 is located between the module cover 9 and each battery cell 2, so as to protect the CCS sampling structure 8 and the welding area between the CCS sampling structure 8 and the electrode post 24.

[0062] In addition, see also Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the cold plate 1 includes a substrate 11 connected to each battery cell 2, a flow channel plate 12 disposed on the side of the substrate 11 away from each battery cell 2, and a flow channel 120 formed between the substrate 11 and the flow channel plate 12. As a preferred embodiment, the flow channel 120 is distributed on both sides of the groove 110 along the width direction of the cold plate 1, and the substrate 11 is provided with an inlet connector 13 and an outlet connector 14 communicating with the flow channel 120.

[0063] In this embodiment, after thermal runaway occurs in cell 2, the cell explosion-proof valve 211 opens, and exhaust gas is discharged along the exhaust channel 100 formed between the cold plate 1 and the bottom wall 21 of the shell in each cell 2, the limiting members 5 on both sides of the groove 110, and the groove 110, as well as each first clearance hole 10. In this way, the exhaust channel 100 separates the exhaust area from the high-voltage areas of high-voltage overcurrent components such as the terminal post 24 and the busbar 25, which helps to reduce the occurrence of thermal runaway caused by the discharge of cell 2 and arcing of high-voltage overcurrent components, and is beneficial to thermal protection. On the other hand, since the cell 2 terminal post 24 is placed on the top cover plate 23 of cell 2 and the cover plate 23 does not have a cell explosion-proof valve 211, it is beneficial to the design of the busbar 25 and FPC with large size requirements in some scenarios with high high-voltage overcurrent requirements and a large number of cell 2 series, which leads to a large number of data acquisition lines. This helps to reduce temperature rise and improve battery charging and discharging capabilities.

[0064] In addition, the cold plate 1 is integrated into the cell module, and the cell module is bolted to the battery pack housing through the bushing on the side plate 6. Compared with the traditional battery pack solution where the cell module is glued to the battery pack housing, the advantage of this is that it is convenient to directly replace the cell module when the entire pack fails due to the failure of components such as cell 2 and CCS sampling structure 8. This avoids the scenario of scrapping the entire pack due to the failure of a single component. Moreover, at the end of the cycle of cell 2, only the cell module needs to be replaced, avoiding the need to replace the entire pack and greatly reducing the maintenance cost of the battery pack.

[0065] The cell module in this embodiment can perform rapid venting and pressure relief in the event of thermal runaway, and prevent thermal runaway gas from being discharged to high-voltage overcurrent components such as the terminal post 24 and busbar 25, which could cause high-voltage arcing. This is beneficial to improving the safety performance of the battery pack. At the same time, it also helps to increase the overcurrent area of ​​the busbar 25 and the welding area between it and the terminal post 24, thereby improving the overcurrent capacity of the cell 2, which helps to reduce temperature rise and improve the fast charging performance of the battery. This can improve the quality of the battery pack and its market competitiveness.

[0066] 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 battery cell module, characterized in that: It includes a cold plate and a plurality of battery cells disposed on the cold plate, wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged sequentially along the length direction of the cold plate; Each of the battery cells includes a housing with its bottom wall connected to the cold plate, a cover plate disposed on the housing and arranged opposite to the bottom wall, an electrode post disposed on the cover plate, and a battery cell explosion-proof valve disposed on the bottom wall. The cold plate is provided with grooves arranged along the length of the cold plate, the grooves are provided corresponding to the explosion-proof valves of each battery cell, and an exhaust channel is formed between the grooves and each housing.

2. The cell module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cold plate is provided with a plurality of first clearance holes located in the groove, and each of the first clearance holes is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the cell explosion-proof valves.

3. The cell module according to claim 2, characterized in that: Each of the first clearance holes is provided to penetrate the cold plate along the thickness direction of the cold plate; and / or, An insulating portion is provided between the cold plate and each of the bottom walls. The insulating portion is arranged corresponding to the groove, and the insulating portion is provided with a second clearance hole corresponding to each of the cell explosion-proof valves.

4. The cell module according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along the width direction of the cold plate, the cold plate has connection areas disposed on both sides of the groove, and each connection area is connected to the corresponding battery cell through an adhesive part.

5. The cell module according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each of the connecting areas is provided with limiting members on both sides along the width direction of the cold plate, and each of the limiting members is provided along the length direction of the cold plate; The exhaust channel is formed between the groove, each of the housings, and the limiting members on both sides of the groove.

6. The cell module according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes side plates disposed on both sides of the cell module along the width direction of the cold plate, and end plates disposed at both ends of each cell module along the length direction of the cold plate, with each side plate and each end plate connected end to end.

7. The cell module according to claim 6, characterized in that: Each of the side plates has a mounting portion on its outer side, the mounting portion being used to install the cell module in the battery pack housing; and / or, Each of the side plates is glued to the corresponding battery cell.

8. The cell module according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a CCS sampling structure disposed on the top of each of the battery cells, wherein the CCS sampling structure is connected to the terminal of each of the battery cells.

9. The cell module according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes a module cover disposed on top of each of the battery cells, the module cover being connected to each of the end plates, and the CCS sampling structure being located between the module cover and each of the battery cells.

10. The cell module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The cold plate includes a substrate connected to each of the battery cells, a flow channel plate disposed on the side of the substrate away from each of the battery cells, and a flow channel formed between the substrate and the flow channel plate. The flow channels are distributed on both sides of the groove along the width direction of the cold plate, and / or, the substrate is provided with an inlet connector and an outlet connector that communicate with the flow channels.

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