Heat exchange plate, battery pack and electric equipment

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of batteries, and provides a heat exchange plate, a battery pack and an electric equipment. The heat exchange plate comprises a shell and a cooling structure. A phase change circulating cavity is arranged in the shell. A phase change material is contained in the phase change circulating cavity. At least part of the phase change material can change phase in the phase change circulating cavity after absorbing heat. The cooling structure is used for driving the phase change material to realize phase change circulation in the phase change circulating cavity. The embodiment of the application can improve the temperature control effect, make the temperature distribution of the battery pack uniform, and thus improve the comprehensive performance of the battery pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a heat exchange plate, a battery pack, and an electrical device. Background Technology

[0002] The operating temperature range of a battery pack has a significant impact on its lifespan, cycle performance, and safety. Battery packs are typically equipped with thermal management devices to control their temperature.

[0003] Currently, battery thermal management devices typically control the temperature of the battery pack by the flow of liquid in a flow channel. However, the temperature control capability of the liquid changes along the path of the flow channel, and the arrangement of the flow channel cannot cover all parts of the cell assembly. Therefore, the temperature control method formed by liquid flow cannot achieve balanced heat dissipation of the battery pack, and the temperature distribution of the battery pack is difficult to be uniform, thus affecting the overall performance of the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a heat exchange plate, a battery pack, and an electrical device that can improve temperature control, make the temperature distribution of the battery pack more uniform, and thus improve the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0005] The first aspect of this application provides a heat exchange plate, comprising:

[0006] A housing, wherein a phase change circulation chamber is provided inside the housing, and the phase change circulation chamber contains a phase change material, at least a portion of which can undergo a phase change within the phase change circulation chamber after absorbing heat;

[0007] And a cooling structure, which is used to drive the phase change material to achieve phase change circulation within the phase change circulation chamber.

[0008] According to the heat exchange plate described in the first aspect of this application, the cooling structure can drive the phase change material contained in the phase change circulation chamber to undergo a phase change, so that the heat exchange plate can absorb the heat of the battery pack through the phase change of the phase change material. This heat absorption method through the change of state of the phase change material itself belongs to latent heat transfer. The temperature does not change during the phase change process, the thermal resistance is small, and the heat exchange plate can be improved to enhance the heat dissipation capacity, make the temperature distribution of the battery pack uniform, and thus improve the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the cooling structure is connected to the housing.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the cooling structure is disposed within the housing.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the cooling structure includes:

[0012] A cooling pipe having a refrigerant channel for refrigerant flow.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the cooling pipes are arranged in parallel and spaced apart within the housing.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the cooling pipe is a straight pipe or a bend.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the outer wall of the cooling pipe is provided with grooves along the horizontal and / or vertical directions for refrigerant to flow back to the phase change circulation chamber, or the outer wall of the cooling pipe is connected to a liquid suction core for refrigerant to flow back to the phase change circulation chamber.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the heat exchange plate further includes:

[0017] A first liquid-containing structure is connected to the inner wall of the shell and is used to contain at least a portion of the phase change material.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the first liquid-containing structure is a mesh structure.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the first liquid-containing structure is provided with grooves.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the first liquid-containing structure is formed with a spacer, and the cooling structure is connected to the inner wall of the housing and is at least partially located in the spacer.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the cooling structure divides the phase change circulation cavity into multiple sub-cavities.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the cooling structure includes:

[0023] A cooling element is attached to the inner wall of the housing.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the cooling structure is connected to the side of the first liquid-containing structure opposite to the housing.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the cooling structure includes:

[0026] A cooling box is attached to the outer wall of the housing and has a cooling cavity for containing a cooling medium.

[0027] In one possible implementation, a first support frame is provided inside the housing for supporting the housing.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the first support frame is multiple and is used to divide the phase change circulation cavity into multiple sub-cavities, and the first support frame is provided with a first through hole.

[0029] In one possible implementation, a second support frame is provided inside the cooling box to support the cooling box.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the second support frame is multiple and is used to divide the cooling cavity into multiple sub-cavities, and the second support frame is provided with a second through hole.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the first support frame and the second support frame are configured correspondingly.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the heat exchange plate further includes:

[0033] A second liquid-containing structure is connected to the inner wall of the shell and is used to contain at least a portion of the phase change material.

[0034] A second aspect of this application provides a battery pack, comprising:

[0035] Battery cell assembly;

[0036] And a heat exchange plate, the housing of which is disposed on one side of the battery cell assembly.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the battery pack includes a first battery pack and a second battery pack, with the heat exchange plate disposed between the first battery pack and the second battery pack.

[0038] A third aspect of this application provides an electrical device, including a battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0039] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0040] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0041] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a heat exchange plate according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0042] Figure 3A schematic diagram of another battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0043] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another heat exchange plate provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0044] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0045] Figure 6 It shows Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the BB direction;

[0046] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another heat exchange plate provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0047] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of another battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0048] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of another heat exchange plate provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0049] Figure label:

[0050] 100 - Shell; 101 - Phase change circulation cavity; 102 - Sub-cavity; 102a - First sub-cavity; 102b - Second sub-cavity; 102c - Third sub-cavity; 102d - Fourth sub-cavity;

[0051] 200 - Cooling structure; 200a - First cooling structure; 200b - Second cooling structure; 200c - Third cooling structure; 210 - Cooling pipe; 220 - Cooling housing; 211 - Refrigerant passage; 221 - Cooling chamber; 222 - Refrigerant inlet; 223 - Refrigerant outlet;

[0052] 300 - First liquid-containing structure; 301 - Spacing section;

[0053] 400 - First support frame; 401 - First through hole;

[0054] 500 - Second support frame;

[0055] 600 - Second liquid-containing structure;

[0056] 700 - Thermally conductive structural adhesive;

[0057] 10-Battery cell assembly; 20-Heat exchange plate; 30-Refrigerant; 40-Phase change material; 11-Battery cell unit; 21-Cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0058] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0059] This application provides a battery pack and an electrical device including the battery pack. The electrical device includes an electrical appliance, and the battery pack can provide electrical energy to the electrical appliance. In this application embodiment, the electrical appliance can be a vehicle. Based on the design of the battery pack in this application embodiment, the vehicle has stronger power performance and smoother power delivery. The vehicle can be a new energy vehicle, such as a pure electric vehicle (PEV / BEV), a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), or a fuel cell electric vehicle. The vehicle can also be any vehicle with a battery.

[0060] With increasing demands for vehicle power performance and range, battery packs need to have high capacity and high charging rate, which makes them prone to overheating during use. Battery thermal management devices can cool down the battery cells in the battery pack by using the flow of phase change materials.

[0061] Currently, thermal management devices typically achieve heat dissipation of battery packs through forced convection between phase change materials and battery cells.

[0062] The aforementioned heat dissipation methods have relatively high thermal resistance, which affects the heat exchange efficiency between the media and thus the temperature control effect. During the forced convection process, the phase change material flows in a liquid state within the flow channel. Significant temperature changes occur along the flow path of the phase change material, causing variations in its temperature control capability. Furthermore, the flow channel arrangement cannot cover all areas of the battery pack. Consequently, the temperature control method achieved through forced convection cannot provide even heat dissipation for the battery pack, resulting in uneven temperature distribution and impacting the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0063] In view of the above-mentioned situation and problems, this application provides a heat exchange plate, which can be used as a battery thermal management device. The heat exchange plate changes the traditional flow channel structure and can form a cavity covering the battery cell assembly inside the heat exchange plate. At least part of the phase change material can undergo phase change in the cavity. The heat exchange plate can improve the temperature control effect, make the temperature distribution of the battery pack uniform, and thus improve the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0064] In the following embodiments of this application, the temperature control effect of the heat exchange plate on the battery cell assembly can be understood according to the different structures of the heat exchange plates. It is understood that in some heat exchange plates, the temperature control effect may include a cooling effect or a heating effect, while in other heat exchange plates, the temperature control effect may include a cooling effect but not a heating effect.

[0065] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a heat exchange plate according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another heat exchange plate provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0066] In the embodiments of this application, please refer to Figures 1 to 4 The battery pack may include at least one layer of cell assembly 10, and the heat exchange plate 20 is disposed on one side of the cell assembly 10.

[0067] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 The battery pack may include two layers of cell groups 10, and a heat exchange plate 20 is disposed between the cell groups 10. The heat exchange plate 20 can control the temperature of one of the cell groups 10 or both of the cell groups 10.

[0068] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 The battery pack may include a cell group 10, and a heat exchange plate 20 is disposed on one side of the cell group 10.

[0069] In the aforementioned battery pack, the interior of the heat exchange plate 20 forms a cavity 21 that covers the cell assembly 10. At least a portion of the phase change material 40 can undergo a phase change within this cavity 21, resulting in a uniform temperature distribution within the battery pack and improved overall performance.

[0070] In the above embodiments, the battery pack 10 includes a plurality of battery cells 11, which may be blade batteries or the like, and the plurality of battery cells 11 are arranged side by side.

[0071] by Figure 1 and Figure 3Taking the coordinate system shown as an example, first refer to Figure 1 Two layers of battery cells 10 are located on both sides of the heat exchange plate 20 in the Z direction, and multiple battery cell units 11 are arranged along the X direction. (The last sentence appears to be incomplete and possibly refers to a reference.) Figure 3 The heat exchange plate 20 is located on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 10 in the Z direction, and multiple battery cell units 11 are arranged along the X direction.

[0072] For ease of description and understanding, the heat exchange plate 20 disposed between the two layers of battery cell assembly 10 will be described in the first type of embodiment, while the heat exchange plate 20 disposed on one side of the single layer of battery cell assembly 10 will be described in the second type of embodiment and the third type of embodiment.

[0073] In the embodiments of this application, please refer to Figures 1 to 4 The heat exchange plate 20 includes a shell 100 and a cooling structure 200.

[0074] The shell 100 is the surrounding structure of the heat exchange plate 20. The shell 100 needs to have a certain structural strength. The shell 100 can be made of high-strength materials such as metal.

[0075] The housing 100 has a phase change circulation chamber 101, which stores a phase change material 40. At least a portion of the phase change material 40 can undergo a phase change in the phase change circulation chamber 101 after absorbing heat. For example, when the phase change material 40 is a liquid, the liquid can become a gas after the phase change.

[0076] The housing 100 serves as a transition structure between the battery cell assembly 10 and the phase change material 40. To improve heat transfer, in addition to ensuring its structural strength, the housing 100 can also be made of a material that facilitates heat transfer. For example, a heat-conducting structure formed by thermally conductive adhesive can be embedded in the housing 100, or the housing 100 can be made of a combination of metal and thermally conductive material.

[0077] The heat generated by the battery cell assembly 10 can be transferred through the casing 100 to the phase change material 40 in the circulating phase change chamber. A portion of the phase change material 40 can form a gas after absorbing heat. It is understood that this transition of the phase change material 40 from liquid to gas is basically not accompanied by a change in temperature. Therefore, the transition from liquid to gas does not create additional thermal resistance or the thermal resistance created is negligible.

[0078] In this embodiment, the phase change circulation cavity 101 is a cavity 21 formed in the housing 100. The cavity 21 can be designed according to the size of the cell assembly 10, and the cavity 21 can sufficiently cover the cell assembly 10.

[0079] This application does not limit the specific structure of the housing 100, and can make adaptability designs according to the structural type of the battery pack 10. For example, in Figure 1 and Figure 3 In the example shown, the battery cell assembly 10 is arranged in a cuboid structure. Correspondingly, the housing 100 can be designed as a cuboid structure, and the phase change circulation cavity 101 formed inside the housing 100 is a cuboid cavity 21.

[0080] The cooling structure 200 is connected to the housing 100 and is used to drive the phase change material to undergo phase change circulation in the phase change circulation chamber 101. For example, the cooling structure 200 is configured to drive the gaseous material to disperse in the phase change circulation chamber 101 and undergo phase change at the cooling structure 200, such as turning the gaseous material back into a liquid.

[0081] The cooling structure 200 is a structure that can provide cooling. The gaseous material formed in the phase change circulation chamber 101 tends to move towards the side with a lower temperature. It can be understood that by reasonably designing the structure and position of the cooling structure 200, the cooling structure 200 can generate a traction force on the gaseous material. Under the action of this traction force, the gaseous material can move towards the cooling structure 200 and disperse in the phase change circulation chamber 101, and finally condense into a liquid at the cooling structure 200.

[0082] The heat generated by the battery cell assembly 10 can be transferred to the phase change material 40. After absorbing heat, a portion of the phase change material 40 can form a gas in the phase change circulation chamber 101. The gas can be condensed into a liquid by the cooling structure 200, thereby realizing the phase change circulation of the phase change material 40 in the phase change circulation chamber 101.

[0083] In this embodiment, the heat exchange plate 20 dissipates heat from the battery cell assembly 10 through a phase change cycle. Specifically, the phase change material 40 changes from liquid to gas and then back to liquid. This state change is caused by the inherent state change of the phase change material 40 itself, representing a latent heat transfer method. This method has virtually no thermal resistance or very low thermal resistance. Sufficient heat exchange area exists between the battery cell assembly 10 and the phase change material, significantly reducing thermal resistance. Overall, the phase change cycle method effectively reduces the thermal resistance between the battery cell assembly 10 and the phase change material 40 during the heat transfer process.

[0084] The cooling structure 200 can drive the phase change material contained in the phase change circulation chamber 101 to undergo a phase change, so that the heat exchange plate 20 can absorb the heat of the cell assembly 10 through the phase change of the phase change material. This heat absorption method through the change of state of the phase change material itself belongs to latent heat transfer. The temperature does not change during the phase change process, the thermal resistance is small, and the heat exchange plate 20 can be improved to enhance the heat dissipation capacity of the heat exchange plate 20, so that the temperature distribution of the battery pack is uniform, thereby improving the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0085] In the following embodiments, it can be understood that the cooling capacity provided by the cooling structure 200 enables the gaseous material to be transported toward the low-temperature side formed by the cooling structure 200. By reasonably setting the position of the cooling structure 200, the gaseous material formed after the liquid absorbs heat can be dispersed into the phase change circulation chamber 101 under the action of the cooling structure 200 and can become liquid again, realizing phase change circulation, making the temperature distribution of the battery pack uniform, thereby improving the overall performance of the battery pack.

[0086] During the aforementioned phase change cycle, latent heat transfer is increased throughout the heat exchange process, and the heat exchange area is significantly expanded, which greatly reduces thermal resistance and improves heat conduction efficiency, thereby enhancing the temperature control effect of the heat exchange plate. Furthermore, the latent heat transfer method of phase change possesses a strong heat reserve capacity, capable of handling extreme operating conditions of heat sources such as battery packs.

[0087] Furthermore, because the heat exchange plate adopts a shell-and-cooling structure, its structure is simple and highly adaptable to the battery cell assembly 10. This allows the phase change circulation chamber 101 to be configured according to the size of the shell 100, which can be adapted to the size of the battery cell assembly 10. The phase change circulation chamber 101 can cover the entire battery cell assembly 10. Since gaseous substances can be dispersed within the phase change circulation chamber 101, and the phase change circulation chamber 101 can cover the entire battery cell assembly 10,

[0088] In this embodiment, the phase change material 40 can be selected from liquid ammonia, methanol, water, etc., and can be selected according to the operating temperature of the battery cell assembly 10. For example, when the operating temperature of the battery cell assembly 10 is between 20°C and 30°C, the phase change material 40 can be liquid ammonia.

[0089] In this embodiment, the cooling structure 200 is connected to the housing 100. The two can be directly connected, or a structure that can transfer heat, such as thermally conductive adhesive, can be added between them.

[0090] In the first type of embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cooling structure 200 is installed inside the housing 100. When multiple cooling structures 200 are used, the multiple cooling structures 200 can divide the phase change circulation cavity 101 into multiple sub-cavities 102.

[0091] There can be multiple cooling structures 200, and the specific number can be set according to the size of the housing 100. For example, in... Figure 2In the example shown, three cooling structures 200 are provided within the housing 100, dividing the phase change circulation chamber 101 into four sub-cavities 102. For ease of description, the three cooling structures 200 are designated as the first cooling structure 200a, the second cooling structure 200b, and the third cooling structure 200c, and the four sub-cavities 102 are designated as the first sub-cavity 102a, the second sub-cavity 102b, the third sub-cavity 102c, and the fourth sub-cavity 102d. It can be understood that by dividing the phase change circulation chamber 101 into multiple sub-cavities 102 through the cooling structures 200, the phase change material 40 can form a phase change cycle within each sub-cavity 102. This prevents insufficient circulation caused by an excessively large phase change circulation chamber 101. Dividing the single phase change circulation chamber 101 into multiple sub-cavities 102 ensures sufficient phase change circulation of the phase change material 40 within each sub-cavity 102, which is beneficial for improving temperature control.

[0092] In addition, when the size of the housing 100 is large, the cooling structure 200 set inside the housing 100 can play a role in strength support. The cooling structure 200 not only provides cooling capacity but also enhances the strength of the housing 100, making the heat exchange plate 20 more compact in structure.

[0093] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The cooling structure 200 includes a cooling pipe 210, which has a cooling channel 211 for the flow of a cooling medium. The cooling medium can be a liquid, cold air, etc., and can be made of the same material as the cooling medium mentioned below, or can be made of a different material.

[0094] When the refrigerant 30 flows in the cooling pipe 210, the cooling pipe 210 can provide cooling capacity, so that the gaseous material can move toward the cooling pipe 210 and condense into liquid on the cooling pipe 210.

[0095] The refrigerant 30 can be the same as or different from the aforementioned phase change material 40. The refrigerant 30 can be selected according to actual needs.

[0096] In conjunction with the foregoing and references Figure 2 Taking the first sub-cavity 102a and the second sub-cavity 102b as examples, the first cooling structure 200a is located on one side of the first sub-cavity 102a, and the first cooling structure 200a and the second cooling structure 200b are located on both sides of the second sub-cavity 102b. Therefore, the gaseous material formed in the first sub-cavity 102a can move towards the first cooling structure 200a along the U direction, and the gaseous material formed in the second sub-cavity 102b can move towards the second cooling structure 200b and the first cooling structure 200a along the U direction and the V direction, respectively.

[0097] The movement paths of the gaseous substances in the third sub-cavity 102c and the fourth sub-cavity 102d can be referenced from those in the first sub-cavity 102a and the second sub-cavity 102b, and will not be described again.

[0098] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The cooling pipes 210 are arranged in parallel and at intervals within the casing 100.

[0099] It is understandable that the distance between the cooling pipes 210 can be the same or different, and the distance between the cooling pipes 210 can be reasonably set according to the heating characteristics of the battery cell assembly 10. For example, the heat generation is generally more concentrated at the end of the battery cell assembly 10 because structures such as tabs need to be installed. Therefore, the cooling pipes 210 at the end of the battery cell assembly 10 can be relatively concentrated, while the cooling pipes 210 at the middle position of the battery cell assembly 10 can be relatively dispersed.

[0100] In some embodiments, the cooling pipe 210 is a straight pipe or a bend, and this application does not impose any special restrictions on the specific structure of the cooling pipe 210.

[0101] In some embodiments, the outer wall surface of the cooling pipe 210 is provided with a groove (not shown in the figure). The groove can be arranged vertically (Z direction) or horizontally (X direction or Y direction). The groove is conducive to the uniform distribution of the phase change material 40 condensed on the cooling pipe 210, and can realize the uniform return of the phase change material 40 to the phase change circulation chamber 101.

[0102] In some specific embodiments, the cooling pipe 210 can be connected to the inner wall of the housing 100 by welding.

[0103] In some embodiments, the outer wall of the cooling pipe 210 is connected to a liquid wick, which is a structural part of the heat pipe and can provide capillary force to help the phase change material 40 achieve reflux.

[0104] In addition to using a cooling pipe 210 to form the cooling structure 200 described above, in some embodiments, the cooling structure 200 may include a cooling plate connected to the inner wall of the housing 100. The cooling plate may be able to provide cooling capacity so that gaseous substances can move toward the cooling plate and condense into liquid on the cooling plate.

[0105] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The heat exchange plate 20 also includes a first liquid-containing structure 300, which is connected to the inner wall surface of the housing 100 and is used to contain at least a portion of the phase change material.

[0106] Here, by providing a first liquid-containing structure 300 on the inner wall of the housing 100, the phase change material 40 can be absorbed by the first liquid-containing structure 300. Depending on the structure and location of the first liquid-containing structure 300, heat dissipation parts for heat dissipation of the battery cell assembly 10 can be formed at different parts of the housing 100.

[0107] For example, in some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The first liquid-containing structure 300 is arranged circumferentially on the inner wall surface of the housing 100. After the first liquid-containing structure 300 absorbs sufficient phase change material 40, all parts of the housing 100 can dissipate heat for the battery cell assembly 10. The battery cell assembly 10 can be arranged on both sides of the housing 100, and its structure can be referred to Figure 1 .

[0108] In some specific embodiments, the first liquid-containing structure 300 is a mesh structure, which can be formed by weaving a wire mesh. The mesh structure of the first liquid-containing structure 300 can absorb more phase change material and make the distribution of phase change material more uniform.

[0109] In some specific embodiments, the first liquid-containing structure 300 may also be a liquid-absorbing core, the function of which is the same as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0110] In some specific embodiments, protrusions or grooves may be provided on the first liquid-containing structure 300 to increase the liquid absorption capacity of the first liquid-containing structure 300.

[0111] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The first liquid-containing structure 300 has a spacer 301, and the cooling structure 200 is connected to the inner wall surface of the housing 100 and is at least partially located in the spacer 301. In other embodiments, the cooling structure 200 may be connected to the first liquid-containing structure 300, for example, the cooling structure 200 may be connected to the side of the first liquid-containing structure 300 opposite to the housing 100.

[0112] The design of the cooling structure 200 and the partition 301 makes the heat exchange plate 20 more compact in structure and maintains the cooling capacity of the cooling structure 200.

[0113] When the battery cell assembly 10 is in charge-discharge cycle, the heat generated by the battery cell assembly 10 can be transferred from both sides to the housing 100. The heat can cause the phase change material 40 on the first liquid-containing structure 300 to become gaseous. The gaseous state then diffuses towards the cooling structure 200 and condenses into liquid on the cooling structure 200 before flowing back into the first liquid-containing structure 300, thereby realizing the phase change cycle of the phase change material 40. In this phase change cycle, the battery cell assembly 10 can be cooled.

[0114] In the first type of embodiment described above, it is understood that the heat exchange plate 20, having a first liquid-containing structure 300 inside, can control the temperature of the battery cell assembly 10 on both sides. The battery cell assembly 10 can be cooled down by the state change of the phase change material 40. It is also understood that by changing the phase change material 40 and replacing the refrigerant 30 with a heat transfer medium, the heat exchange plate 20 can also heat up the battery cell assembly 10 through phase change cycle.

[0115] In the second type of embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The cooling structure 200 is located on one side of the housing 100.

[0116] Compared to the first type of embodiment mentioned above, in this second type of embodiment, the cooling structure 200 can be disposed on the outside of the housing 100, which can simplify the structure of the heat exchange plate 20 and reduce the production difficulty.

[0117] In some embodiments, the cooling structure 200 includes a cooling box 220 attached to the outer wall of the housing 100. The cooling box 220 has a cooling cavity 221 for containing a cooling medium, which may be a liquid refrigerant (Freon), water, etc.

[0118] The cooling box 220 is located on one side of the housing 100, and the battery cell assembly 10 can be located on the other side of the housing 100. When the phase change material 40 inside the housing 100 absorbs the heat of the battery cell assembly 10 and forms a gaseous state, the cooling box 220 can provide cooling to the phase change material 40, so that the gaseous state can be converted back into a liquid state.

[0119] by Figure 4 Taking the orientation shown as an example, the housing 100 is located between the battery cell assembly 10 and the cooling box 220, with the battery cell assembly 10 at the bottom and the cooling box 220 at the top. The phase change material 40 stored inside the housing 100 settles to the bottom of the housing 100 under the influence of gravity. The small distance between the phase change material 40 and the battery cell assembly 10 allows it to quickly absorb heat from the battery cell assembly 10. After absorbing heat, the phase change material 40 forms a gaseous state and diffuses from bottom to top into the cooling box 220. Finally, the gaseous state condenses into a liquid state at the top of the housing 100 and falls back to the bottom of the housing 100 under the influence of gravity.

[0120] In the above process, the refrigerant 30 in the cooling box 220 can provide cooling for the phase change material 40 to change from a gaseous state to a liquid state. The refrigerant 30 can flow in the refrigerant 30 cavity 221 or it can not flow.

[0121] As an example, when the refrigerant 30 flows, a refrigerant inlet 222 and a refrigerant outlet 223 can be provided on the cooling box 220. A power mechanism such as a circulation pump can be provided between the refrigerant inlet 222 and the refrigerant outlet 223. More cooling capacity can be provided through the circulation of the refrigerant 30 in the cooling chamber 221.

[0122] It is understandable that when the refrigerant 30 does not flow in the cooling chamber 221, the cooling box 220 can be designed as a closed structure.

[0123] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 A first support frame 400 is provided inside the shell 100 to support the shell 100 and to improve the structural strength of the shell 100.

[0124] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction; Figure 6 It shows Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the BB direction.

[0125] In some specific embodiments, please refer to Figures 4 to 6 The first support frame 400 is multiple and is used to divide the phase change circulation cavity 101 into multiple sub-cavities. The first support frame 400 is provided with a first through hole 401.

[0126] The shape of the first through hole 401 is not limited; it can be a circular through hole or a square through hole, etc. The setting of the first through hole 401 can realize the flow of gaseous substances in the housing 100, which can improve the uniformity of temperature control of the heat exchange plate 20 and help to achieve uniform temperature distribution of the battery pack.

[0127] In some specific embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 The first support frame 400 can be arranged in a crisscross pattern within the shell 100, which can improve the structural strength of the shell 100 in all directions.

[0128] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 The cooling box 220 is also provided with a second support frame 500, which is used to support the cooling box 220. The second support frame 500 is provided with a second through hole, and the first support frame 400 is provided in correspondence with the second support frame 500.

[0129] It is understandable that the function of the second support frame 500 is to improve the structural strength of the cooling box 220. By setting the first support frame 400 and the second support frame 500 in a corresponding manner, the structural strength of the cooling box 220 and the shell 100 as a whole can be improved.

[0130] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another heat exchange plate provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0131] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 7 The heat exchange plate 20 is also provided with a second liquid-containing structure 600 inside the shell 100. The second liquid-containing structure 600 is connected to the inner wall surface of the shell 100 and is used to contain at least part of the phase change material.

[0132] The second liquid-containing structure 600 can be disposed at the bottom of the housing 100, which can achieve uniform distribution of the phase change material 40, thereby improving the temperature uniformity of the battery pack.

[0133] In the second type of embodiment described above, the cooling box 220 and the shell 100 can form an integrated structure.

[0134] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of another battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of another heat exchange plate provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0135] In the third type of embodiment, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 The cooling structure 200 is disposed inside the housing 100, and the cooling structure 200 divides the phase change circulation chamber 101 into multiple sub-cavities 102.

[0136] The third type of embodiment is similar in structure and principle to the first type of embodiment described above. The difference is that in the third type of embodiment, the first liquid-containing structure 300 may not be provided inside the shell 100.

[0137] Specifically, with Figure 9 Taking the orientation shown as an example, the heat exchange plate 20 is set above the battery cell assembly 10. The phase change material 40 inside the housing 100 is located at the bottom of the housing 100 under the action of gravity. After the battery cell assembly 10 generates heat, the phase change material 40 can absorb heat and form a gaseous substance. This gaseous substance can diffuse along the W direction to the cooling structure 200. The gaseous substance will condense at the cooling structure 200 to form a liquid state. Finally, under the action of gravity, it falls back to the bottom of the housing 100 along the H direction of the cooling structure 200.

[0138] In the three types of embodiments listed above in this application, it should be noted that, in order to improve heat transfer, please refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 9 Thermally conductive structural adhesive 700 can be provided between the housing 100 and the battery cell assembly 10.

[0139] Furthermore, the embodiments of this application are based on heat exchange under phase change cycle. Since the heat exchange area is increased, the thermal resistance is greatly reduced, thus improving the heat dissipation capacity. In some applications, the heat exchange plate 20 can be designed to be thinner.

[0140] In addition, based on the phase change cycle of the phase change material 40, the phase change material 40 does not need to be guided by pumps or other means to flow, thus reducing the design components of the battery pack and lowering the manufacturing cost of the battery pack.

[0141] In addition, taking water as an example of phase change material 40, the latent heat of vaporization at 0.1 MPa is about 2257 kJ / kg, and the specific heat capacity of water (100℃) is 4.2 kJ / (kg*K). This shows that the instantaneous heat carrying capacity of water during phase change is much higher than that during non-phase change. Therefore, the heat exchange plate 20 in this embodiment has a strong heat storage capacity, which can cope with the extreme working conditions of the battery pack and prevent the battery pack from thermal runaway and other phenomena.

[0142] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application 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 application.

[0143] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof used in the embodiments of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such process, method, product, or device.

[0144] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the connection within two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0145] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application 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 or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A heat exchange plate, characterized in that, include: A housing, wherein a phase change circulation chamber is provided inside the housing, and the phase change circulation chamber contains a phase change material, at least a portion of which can undergo a phase change within the phase change circulation chamber after absorbing heat; And a cooling structure, which is used to drive the phase change material to achieve phase change cycle within the phase change cycle chamber.

2. The heat exchange plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling structure is connected to the housing.

3. The heat exchange plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cooling structure is located inside the housing.

4. The heat exchange plate according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cooling structure includes: A cooling pipe having a refrigerant channel for refrigerant flow.

5. The heat exchange plate according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cooling pipes are arranged in parallel and spaced apart within the housing.

6. The heat exchange plate according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cooling pipe can be a straight pipe or a bent pipe.

7. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that, The outer wall of the cooling pipe is provided with grooves along the horizontal and / or vertical directions for refrigerant to flow back to the phase change circulation chamber, or the outer wall of the cooling pipe is connected with a liquid suction core for refrigerant to flow back to the phase change circulation chamber.

8. The heat exchange plate according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heat exchange plate also includes: A first liquid-containing structure is connected to the inner wall of the shell and is used to contain at least a portion of the phase change material.

9. The heat exchange plate according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first liquid-containing structure is a network structure.

10. The heat exchange plate according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first liquid-containing structure includes a liquid-absorbing core.

11. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The first liquid-containing structure has a spacer, and the cooling structure is connected to the inner wall of the housing and is at least partially located in the spacer.

12. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The cooling structure is connected to the side of the first liquid-containing structure opposite to the housing.

13. The heat exchange plate according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cooling structure divides the phase change circulation cavity into multiple sub-cavities.

14. The heat exchange plate according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cooling structure includes: A cooling element is attached to the inner wall of the housing.

15. The heat exchange plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cooling structure is located on one side of the housing.

16. The heat exchange plate according to claim 15, characterized in that, The cooling structure includes: A cooling box is attached to the outer wall of the housing and has a cooling cavity for containing a cooling medium.

17. The heat exchange plate according to claim 16, characterized in that, The housing is provided with a first support frame for supporting the housing.

18. The heat exchange plate according to claim 17, characterized in that, The first support frame is multiple and is used to divide the phase change circulation cavity into multiple sub-cavities. The first support frame is provided with a first through hole.

19. The heat exchange plate according to claim 17, characterized in that, The cooling box is equipped with a second support frame for supporting the cooling box.

20. The heat exchange plate according to claim 19, characterized in that, The second support frame is multiple and is used to divide the cooling cavity into multiple sub-cavities. The second support frame is provided with a second through hole.

21. The heat exchange plate according to claim 20, characterized in that, The first support frame and the second support frame are respectively arranged.

22. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that, The heat exchange plate also includes: A second liquid-containing structure is connected to the inner wall of the shell and is used to contain at least a portion of the phase change material.

23. A battery pack, characterized in that, include: Battery cell assembly; And the heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the housing of the heat exchange plate is disposed on one side of the battery cell assembly.

24. The battery pack according to claim 23, characterized in that, The battery cell assembly includes a first battery cell assembly and a second battery cell assembly, and the heat exchange plate is disposed between the first battery cell assembly and the second battery cell assembly.

25. An electrical appliance, characterized in that, Includes the battery pack as described in claim 23 or 24.

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