Condensation device and battery pack

Abstract

The utility model provides a condensation device and battery pack, this condensation device is used in the condensation in battery pack, the battery pack includes the box, a part of condensation device exposes outside the box, another part of condensation device is located in the box, to realize the directional condensation in battery pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a condensation device and a battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] When the humidity inside the battery pack is too high, condensation will form in some areas of the electrical components, which can lead to insulation failures. Related technologies use porous materials inside the battery pack to absorb the condensation, but these materials are difficult to reuse. Utility Model Content

[0003] The present invention provides a condensation device and a battery pack, which can improve the technical problem of condensation in electrical components within the battery pack causing insulation failures.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a condensation device for condensing condensation inside a battery pack, the battery pack including a housing, a portion of the condensation device being exposed outside the housing, and another portion of the condensation device being located inside the housing.

[0005] In one embodiment, the condensation device includes a mounting component and a collecting component connected together, the mounting component being mounted on a housing, with a portion of the mounting component exposed outside the housing; and a collecting component disposed inside the housing for collecting the condensation.

[0006] In one embodiment, the collector is bowl-shaped and includes a sidewall with a top-opening receiving cavity configured to receive the condensate.

[0007] In one embodiment, the sidewall of the collector is inclined, and the angle between the tangent of the sidewall and the longitudinal axis of the collector is set to be not less than 70° and less than 90°.

[0008] In some embodiments, the collecting element is bowl-shaped, the maximum radius of the top opening of the receiving cavity is r, the height of the receiving cavity is h, and the ratio of r to h is 2 to 5.

[0009] In some embodiments, r ranges from 20 mm to 25 mm; and / or h ranges from 5 mm to 10 mm.

[0010] In one embodiment, the condensation device further includes a liquid-absorbing element, the collection member having opposing inner and outer surfaces, the liquid-absorbing element being disposed on the inner and / or outer surfaces of the collection member.

[0011] In one embodiment, the condensation device includes a connecting rod that connects the mounting member and the collecting member, a portion of which extends within the receiving cavity.

[0012] In one embodiment, one end of the connecting rod is connected to the center of the bottom end face of the mounting member, and the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the center of the bottom wall of the receiving cavity.

[0013] In one embodiment, the condensation device includes a connecting rod, a mounting component, and a collecting component. A portion of the connecting rod is used to connect the housing and the mounting component, and another portion of the connecting rod is used to connect the mounting component and the collecting component. A portion of the connecting rod is exposed outside the housing, and both the mounting component and the collecting component are disposed inside the housing.

[0014] In one embodiment, the condensation device further includes a sealing element, and the bottom end face of the mounting member is provided with a groove for accommodating the sealing element.

[0015] In one embodiment, the compression of the sealing element is 13% to 40%.

[0016] In one embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the material used to prepare the condensation device is greater than that of the housing.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a battery pack, the battery pack including a housing; a condensation device, the condensation device being installed in the housing, the condensation device being configured as described above.

[0018] In one embodiment, the housing includes a top cover or a side panel, and the condensation device is mounted on the top cover or the side panel.

[0019] In one embodiment, the enclosure includes an explosion-proof valve, and the condensation device is disposed close to the explosion-proof valve, allowing water vapor inside the enclosure to be discharged through the explosion-proof valve.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this utility model are as follows:

[0021] In this embodiment of the invention, by exposing a portion of the condensation device outside the housing and placing the other portion inside the housing, the entire condensation device spans both the inside and outside of the housing. Since battery packs experiencing condensation are often used in winter or low-temperature environments, a significant temperature difference exists between the inside and outside of the housing. The condensation device, spanning the inside and outside of the housing, forms a thermal bridge and becomes the lowest temperature point inside the housing, causing condensation to preferentially form within the condensation device. It is understood that because the internal space of the battery pack housing is limited, and the absolute amount of condensation inside the housing is also limited, condensation within the condensation device effectively reduces the risk of condensation occurring in other areas of the battery pack housing, thereby effectively reducing the risk of insulation failure in the entire battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the condensation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention from one perspective;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the condensation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a front view of the condensation device provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a condensation device provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the condensation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention installed in a battery pack.

[0028] Icon labels:

[0029] 100. Condensation device; 1. Mounting component; 11. Mounting hole; 12. Bottom end face; 13. Groove; 2. Collecting component; 21. Receiving cavity; 211. Bottom wall; 22. Side wall; 221. Inner surface; 222. Outer surface; 3. Connecting rod;

[0030] 4. Box body; 41. Top cover; 42. Side panels;

[0031] 5. Explosion-proof valve;

[0032] 6. Sealing elements; Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. In the present utility model, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" generally refer to the upper and lower positions of the device in actual use or operation, specifically the drawing directions in the accompanying drawings; while "inner" and "outer" refer to the outline of the device.

[0034] When the humidity inside the battery pack is too high, condensation will form on some parts of the electrical components inside the battery pack. This condensation can cause insulation failures in the electrical components. The reason for condensation is that when the humidity inside the battery pack is too high, the water vapor content inside the pack exceeds the saturation point, and when it comes into contact with electrical components with lower surface temperatures, condensation will form on the surface of the components.

[0035] In related technologies, porous materials are used inside the battery pack to absorb condensation, but these materials are difficult to reuse. Alternatively, insulating cotton, acetate sheet, or special insulating coatings can be applied inside the battery pack, but these methods are costly and complicate the battery pack assembly process.

[0036] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, a directional condensation device 100 for collecting condensation inside a battery pack is provided. The condensation device 100 can be used to directionally guide the formation of condensation in the battery pack and collect it inside the condensation device 100, thereby achieving directional condensation and effectively improving the insulation abnormality fault problem of electrical components in the battery pack caused by condensation.

[0037] A portion of the condensation device 100 is located within the battery pack housing 4 (e.g., Figure 5 Apart from the one shown, another part of the condensation device 100 is located inside the battery pack housing 4.

[0038] By placing a portion of the condensation device 100 outside the battery pack housing 4 and another portion inside the housing 4, the condensation device 100 spans the entire length of the housing 4. Since battery packs experiencing condensation are often used in winter or low-temperature environments, a significant temperature difference exists between the inside and outside of the housing 4. The condensation device 100, spanning the housing 4, forms a thermal bridge and becomes the lowest temperature point inside the housing 4, causing condensation to preferentially form within the condensation device 100. Understandably, given the limited internal space and absolute condensation volume within the housing 4, condensation within the condensation device 100 effectively reduces the risk of condensation occurring in other areas of the housing 4, thereby significantly reducing the risk of insulation failure in the entire battery pack.

[0039] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The condensation device includes a mounting component 1 and a collecting component 2, wherein the mounting component 1 is used for mounting on the battery pack housing 4 (e.g., Figure 5 As shown, the mounting component 1 is partially exposed outside the housing 4. The collection component 2 is connected to the mounting component 1 and is disposed inside the housing 4.

[0040] Understandably, by configuring the mounting component 1, which is installed on the housing 4 and exposed outside the housing 4, to contact with the cold air outside and reduce the overall temperature of the condensation device 100 through heat conduction, and by collecting the condensation on the collecting component 2 set inside the housing 4, the condensation device 100 can collect the condensation formed on the condensation device 100 while realizing the directional condensation of the battery pack.

[0041] In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the material used to prepare the condensation device 100 is greater than that of the battery pack housing 4.

[0042] Understandably, since the thermal conductivity of the material used to manufacture the condensation device 100 is greater than that of the battery pack housing 4, when the external ambient temperature of the battery pack is low, the heat exchange rate between the condensation device 100 and the external environment is higher than that between the housing 4 and the external environment. As a result, the temperature of the condensation device 100 is lower than that of the housing 4, and thus the condensation device 100 is at the lowest temperature point inside the battery pack. Therefore, condensation will preferentially condense on the condensation device 100.

[0043] For example, the materials used to manufacture the condensation device 100 include metallic materials, such as aluminum, copper, and silver. In a preferred embodiment, the condensation device 100 is made of aluminum, which gives the condensation device 100 excellent thermal conductivity and makes it lighter and less expensive.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the mounting part 1 is configured as a cover, and two mounting holes 11 are provided on both sides of the mounting part 1. The mounting holes 11 are countersunk holes, which facilitates the placement of sealing rings in the mounting holes 11 and the mounting part 1 is installed on the housing 4 by bolts.

[0045] The mounting component 1 has an irregular flat plate structure. In some embodiments, both the top and bottom surfaces 12 of the mounting component 1 are planar, so that the mounting component 1 can be installed against the housing 4 without the need for large mounting holes. In other embodiments, the top surface of the mounting component 1 is planar, and the bottom surface 12 of the mounting component 1 has a hollow structure, which is beneficial for the lightweight design of the mounting component 1.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the collector 2 includes a sidewall 22, which encloses a receiving cavity 21 with an open top for collecting condensation.

[0047] By configuring the collection component 2 as a top-open receiving cavity 21 and collecting condensation through this receiving cavity 21, condensation formed on the condensation device 100 is prevented from dripping onto the electronic components inside the battery pack. The sidewall 22 of the collection component 2 includes an inner surface 211 and an outer surface 212. The outer surface 212 exchanges heat with the internal air of the housing 4, so condensation preferentially condenses on the inner surface 211 of the sidewall 22 of the collection component 2. Because it is top-open, the condensation flows into the receiving cavity 21 under gravity.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the collecting component 2 is bowl-shaped, and the side wall 22 of the collecting component 2 is inclined so that the included angle between the side wall 22 and the longitudinal axis of the collecting component 2 is set to α, where α is not less than 70° and less than 90°.

[0049] Understandably, if the angle α between the tangent of the side wall 22 of the collector 2 and the longitudinal axis of the collector 2 is set to less than 70°, it is not conducive to the rapid flow of condensation near the top opening of the collector 2 to the bottom of the receiving cavity 21 for collection. If the angle α between the tangent of the side wall 22 of the collector 2 and the longitudinal axis of the collector 2 is equal to or greater than 90°, it is difficult to form a closed receiving cavity 21.

[0050] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the height of the receiving cavity 21 is set to 5mm to 10mm. In specific implementations, the height of the collecting component 2 can be 5.0mm, 6.0mm, 7.0mm, 8.0mm, 9.0mm, 10.0mm, or any value between any two of the above, or a range between any two of the above values.

[0051] Understandably, if the height of the collecting component 2 is less than 5 mm, the volume of the receiving cavity 21 will be small, resulting in insufficient capacity for condensation to be contained. If the height of the collecting component 2 is greater than 10.0 mm, the condensation device 100 will occupy more space inside the battery pack, which is not conducive to improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0052] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the collecting component 2 is bowl-shaped, and the maximum radius of the top opening of the receiving cavity 21 is r. The maximum radius r of the top opening of the receiving cavity 21 is set to 20mm to 25mm. In a specific embodiment, the maximum radius r of the top opening of the receiving cavity 21 can be 20mm, 21mm, 22mm, 23mm, 24mm, 25mm, or any value between any two of the above values, or a range between any two of the above values.

[0053] The ratio between the maximum radius *r* of the top opening of the receiving cavity 21 and the height *h* of the receiving cavity 21 is 2 to 5. Understandably, if *r* / *h* is less than 2, the angle of inclination of the sidewall 22 of the collecting component 2 will be too small, which is not conducive to the flow of condensation inside the receiving cavity 21. If *r* / *h* is greater than 5, the diameter of the top opening of the receiving cavity 21 will be too large, while the height of the receiving cavity 21 will be too small. With the volume of the receiving cavity 21 remaining constant, when the condensation device 100 is fixed to the top cover of the box 4, the collecting component 2 will occupy too much space in the width or length direction inside the box 4, thus interfering with other structural components inside the box 4. In a specific embodiment, *r* / *h* can be 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, or any two of the above values, or a range between any two of the above values.

[0054] In some embodiments, the condensation device 100 further includes a liquid-absorbing element. The sidewall 22 of the collecting member 2 includes opposing inner surfaces 221 and outer surfaces 222. The liquid-absorbing element is disposed on the inner surface 221 or the outer surface 222, or both the inner surface 221 and the outer surface 222. By providing the liquid-absorbing element, the adsorption force of the inner surface 221 or the outer surface 222 of the sidewall 22 on the condensation is enhanced, thereby preventing the condensation collected by the collecting member 2 of the condensation device 100 from detaching from the inner surface 221 or the outer surface 222 of the collecting member 2 and splashing onto the electrical components inside the battery pack when the battery pack is in motion.

[0055] For example, by providing a liquid-absorbing element on the outer surface 222 of the collector 2, it can be effectively prevented that when condensation forms on the outer surface 222 of the collector 2, it will drip down along the outer surface 222 of the collector 2 to other areas inside the battery pack.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the condensation device 100 also includes a connecting rod 3, one end of which is connected to the bottom end face of the mounting member 1, and the other end of which is connected to the bottom wall of the receiving cavity 21 of the collecting member 2, wherein a portion of the connecting rod 3 extends within the receiving cavity 21.

[0057] By connecting the mounting component 1 and the collecting component 2 with the connecting rod 3, the overall structure of the condensation device 100 is simplified. A portion of the connecting rod 3 extends within the receiving cavity 21, allowing the condensation formed on the connecting rod 3 to flow along the connecting rod 3 into the receiving cavity 21.

[0058] In some embodiments, one end of the connecting rod 3 is connected to the center of the bottom end face 12 of the mounting member 1, and the other end of the connecting rod 3 is connected to the center of the bottom wall 211 where the receiving cavity 21 is located, so that the overall structure of the condensation device 100 is centrally symmetrical, which is beneficial to maintaining the balance and stability of the condensation device 100.

[0059] By connecting the mounting part 1 and the collecting part 2 with the connecting rod 3, the need to set a large mounting hole in the box 4 to install the condensation device 100 can be reduced, so that the heat exchange interface between the condensation device 100 and the box 4 is smaller, thereby promoting the thermal bridge effect of the condensation device 100.

[0060] In a specific embodiment, the connecting rod 3 can be integrally formed with the mounting part 1 or the collecting part 2, and the connection method between the connecting rod 3 and the mounting part 1 is a threaded connection or a snap-fit ​​connection. The connection method between the connecting rod 3 and the collecting part 2 is a threaded connection or a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the bottom surface of the mounting component 1 is provided with a groove 13, which is configured to accommodate the sealing element 6. By providing the sealing element 6, the mounting component 1 is sealed and installed on the battery pack housing 4, thereby improving the sealing protection of the housing 4 and enhancing the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0062] The sealing element 6 is configured as a sealing ring. The material used to manufacture the sealing element 6 includes a high-hardness elastic material; suitable materials for the sealing element 6 include rubber, silicone, or polyurethane.

[0063] In a specific embodiment, the compression of the sealing element 6 is 13% to 40%. Compression is defined as the degree of compression deformation of the sealing element 6 after it is installed inside the groove 13 of the mounting member 1 and the condensation device 100 is installed on the housing 4, typically expressed as a percentage of its original height (or thickness). Understandably, if the compression of the sealing element 6 is less than 13%, it will fail to adequately fill the gap between the mounting member 1 and the housing 4, making it difficult to effectively prevent liquid leakage into the housing 4. If the compression of the sealing element 6 is greater than 40%, it will cause the sealing element 6 to be extruded, cracked, or permanently deformed, resulting in poor durability.

[0064] In another embodiment provided in this application, the condensation device 100 is installed inside the housing 4. Specifically, the connecting rod 3 of the condensation device 100 includes two parts: one part of the connecting rod 3 is used to connect the housing 4 and the mounting component 1, and the other part of the connecting rod 3 is used to connect the mounting component 1 and the collecting component 2. A portion of the connecting rod 3 protrudes outside the housing, while the mounting component 1 and the collecting component 2 are both disposed inside the housing 4, thereby causing the condensation device 100 to form a thermal bridge. The one part and the other part of the connecting rod 3 can be connected by a sleeve connection.

[0065] In some embodiments, in order to further increase the collection capacity of the collector 2 for condensation, a water absorption groove can be provided on the inner surface 221 of the side wall 22 of the collector 2, or a liquid absorption element can be provided in the water absorption groove, thereby enhancing the liquid collection capacity of the collector 2.

[0066] Embodiments of this application also provide a battery pack, such as Figure 5 As shown, the battery pack includes a housing 4 and a condensation device 100 as described in the above embodiment, with the condensation device 100 installed in the housing 4. The housing 4 includes a top cover 41 and multiple side panels 42, with the condensation device 100 installed on either the top cover 41 or the side panels 42. The condensation device 100 has a relatively small overall volume, thus occupying less space inside the battery pack housing 4.

[0067] In some embodiments, the housing 4 is further provided with an explosion-proof valve 5, which is configured to discharge high-pressure gas inside the housing 4. A condensation device 100 is positioned close to the explosion-proof valve 5, allowing water vapor inside the housing 4 to be discharged through the explosion-proof valve 5.

[0068] On the one hand, by setting the condensation device 100 close to the explosion-proof valve 5, when the temperature inside the battery pack housing 4 is high and the humidity is low, the condensation collected by the condensation device 100 and the water vapor formed by the moisture inside the housing 4 can be discharged outside the housing 4 through the explosion-proof valve 5, so that the condensation device 100 can be used repeatedly.

[0069] On the other hand, the explosion-proof valve 5 is usually set close to the edge of the housing 4, and the condensation device 100 is set close to the explosion-proof valve 5 so that the condensation device 100 is set away from the electrical components inside the battery pack. Therefore, even if the condensation drips in the condensation device 100, it will not have a significant impact on the insulation performance of the battery pack.

[0070] The embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this utility model. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this utility model. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this utility model. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. A condensation device for condensing condensation inside a battery pack, the battery pack comprising a housing, characterized in that, A portion of the condensation device is exposed outside the housing, while the other portion is located inside the housing.

2. The condensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The condensation device includes a mounting component and a collecting component connected to each other. The mounting component is used to install itself on the housing, and a portion of the mounting component is exposed outside the housing. The collecting component is disposed inside the housing and is used to collect the condensation.

3. The condensation device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The collection component includes a sidewall with a top-opening receiving cavity configured to receive the condensation.

4. The condensation device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sidewall of the collecting device is inclined, and the angle between the tangent of the sidewall and the axis of the collecting device is set to be not less than 70° and less than 90°.

5. The condensation device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The collecting component is bowl-shaped, the maximum radius of the top opening of the receiving cavity is r, the height of the receiving cavity is h, and the ratio of r to h is 2 to 5.

6. The condensation device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The range of r is 20mm to 25mm; and / or, the range of h is 5mm to 10mm.

7. The condensation device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The condensation device further includes a liquid-absorbing element, and the collecting element includes opposing inner and outer surfaces, with the liquid-absorbing element disposed on the inner and / or outer surfaces of the collecting element.

8. The condensation device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The condensation device includes a connecting rod that connects the mounting member and the collecting member, a portion of which extends within the receiving cavity.

9. The condensation device according to claim 8, characterized in that, One end of the connecting rod is connected to the center of the bottom end face of the mounting component, and the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the center of the bottom wall of the receiving cavity.

10. The condensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The condensation device includes a connecting rod, a mounting component, and a collecting component. A portion of the connecting rod is used to connect the housing and the mounting component, and another portion of the connecting rod is used to connect the mounting component and the collecting component. A portion of the connecting rod is exposed outside the housing, and both the mounting component and the collecting component are disposed inside the housing.

11. The condensation device according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that, The condensation device also includes a sealing element, and the bottom end face of the mounting component is provided with a groove for accommodating the sealing element.

12. The condensation device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The compression of the sealing element is 13% to 40%.

13. The condensation device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The thermal conductivity of the material of the condensation device is greater than that of the housing.

14. A battery pack, characterized in that, The battery pack includes: Box; A condensation device, which is installed in the housing, and the condensation device includes the condensation device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

15. The battery pack according to claim 14, characterized in that, The enclosure includes a top cover or a side panel, and the condensation device is installed on the top cover or the side panel.

16. The battery pack according to claim 14, characterized in that, The enclosure is equipped with an explosion-proof valve, and the condensation device is located close to the explosion-proof valve, allowing water vapor inside the enclosure to be discharged through the explosion-proof valve.

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