Heat exchange element and battery assembly

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the field of batteries, specifically a heat exchanger and battery assembly. It overcomes the problem of excessive localized heat at the terminals of existing single-cell batteries, leading to thermal runaway. The heat exchanger consists of a metal body and n (n>1) electrical insulating components. Cooling channels are provided on the heat exchanger body for the flow of cooling water and other media. The n electrical insulating components are spaced along the length of the heat exchanger body on its outer wall, each connecting to the battery's polarity terminal. This utility model's electrical insulating components ensure a mechanical connection and efficient heat transfer between the polarity terminal and the heat exchanger, while preventing short circuits due to metal conductivity and electrification of the cooling water. The metal body, electrical insulating components, and cooling water work together, circulating the cooling medium to remove heat from the terminals, leveraging the thermal conductivity of metal while ensuring electrical safety and effectively solving the risk of thermal runaway.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of batteries, specifically a heat exchanger and a battery assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most common battery modules are composed of multiple batteries connected together electrically.

[0003] Temperature control of battery modules has always been a hot topic in this field. Most existing battery modules use air cooling or liquid cooling to control the temperature of the entire battery module. However, since the terminals of individual cells in the battery module are the parts with the most concentrated heat, if the local heat of the terminals is too high, it is very likely to cause thermal runaway of individual cells in the battery module, which will seriously affect the safety and performance of the battery module and the battery pack it constitutes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a heat exchanger and battery assembly that overcomes the problem of excessive local heat at the terminals of existing single-cell batteries, which leads to thermal runaway.

[0005] The first aspect of this utility model provides a heat exchanger, including a heat exchanger body and n electrically insulating components; where n is an integer greater than 1;

[0006] The heat exchanger body is made of metal and has at least one cooling channel. The cooling channel extends along the length of the heat exchanger body and passes through both ends of the heat exchanger body.

[0007] The above n electrical insulating components are spaced apart along the length of the heat exchanger body on the outer wall of the heat exchanger body, and each electrical insulating component is used to connect to the battery polarity terminal.

[0008] This invention fixes a heat exchange component on the polar terminal (the polar terminal can be a terminal post or an integral structure after connecting a terminal post extension component to the terminal post). The heat generated by the battery polar terminal is conducted to the heat exchange component in close contact with it and dissipated through heat exchange, thereby achieving efficient heat dissipation.

[0009] Based on the excellent thermal conductivity of metal, this invention selects metal as the body of the heat exchanger and sets a cooling channel in the body of the heat exchanger for the circulation of cooling medium, preferably cooling water, to achieve efficient heat dissipation.

[0010] However, the conductivity of metals can pose a short-circuit risk. Furthermore, to prevent the cooling water flowing through the cooling channels from becoming electrified and affecting the electrical safety of the battery system, this invention incorporates multiple electrically insulating components spaced along the length of the outer wall of the heat exchanger body. Each electrically insulating component not only ensures a reliable mechanical connection between the battery polarity terminals and the heat exchanger body, guaranteeing rapid and efficient heat transfer, but more importantly, it avoids short circuits caused by metal conductivity and prevents the cooling water from becoming electrified, successfully solving the insulation problem of using metal materials in heat exchangers and cooling water. Thus, the electrically insulating components, the metal heat exchanger body, and the cooling water work together to leverage the high thermal conductivity of metal while ensuring electrical safety. Through the circulation of cooling water within the cooling channels, heat from the polarity terminals is rapidly dissipated, effectively solving the problem of thermal runaway caused by excessive localized heat at the individual battery terminals.

[0011] Furthermore, the aforementioned metal material is aluminum. Compared to other metals, aluminum is lighter, which is beneficial for the lightweight design of battery systems.

[0012] Furthermore, the aforementioned electrical insulation component is a ceramic tube segment; n ceramic tube segments are spaced apart and sleeved on the outer wall of the heat exchanger body along the length of the heat exchanger body.

[0013] In the heat exchange system of this invention, the ceramic tube segments possess high thermal conductivity and insulation properties, undertaking the core functions of heat conduction and electrical isolation. Ceramic materials are brittle and easily fractured by external impacts. This invention employs a design where multiple ceramic tube segments are spaced apart on a metallic aluminum heat exchanger, effectively solving this problem.

[0014] On the one hand, the spacing of the ceramic tube segments can disperse stress. When the battery is subjected to vibration or compression, the spacing design avoids stress concentration in the ceramic tube segments, releasing and dispersing stress through the spacing areas, thus reducing the risk of breakage. On the other hand, this design reduces the amount of ceramic used, which not only further improves system reliability but also reduces production costs.

[0015] In addition, the aluminum heat exchanger body without ceramic tube sections has a certain degree of flexibility, which can adapt to installation errors during installation, reduce installation accuracy requirements, and improve installation efficiency.

[0016] It is evident that the synergistic design of the ceramic tube section and the aluminum heat exchange component in this utility model not only overcomes the brittleness of ceramics but also improves the ease of installation, enabling the heat exchange system to have higher structural reliability and installation applicability on the basis of electrical safety and efficient heat dissipation.

[0017] Furthermore, the aforementioned ceramic pipe section is a single ceramic pipe, which can achieve all-round insulation protection.

[0018] Furthermore, a thermally conductive adhesive layer is provided between the contact surfaces of each ceramic tube section and the heat exchanger body.

[0019] From a thermal conductivity perspective, the contact thermal resistance generated by direct contact between ceramic and aluminum may affect heat transfer efficiency. A thermally conductive adhesive layer can fill gaps and eliminate air gaps between the two materials, and with its excellent thermal conductivity, it improves heat transfer efficiency and enhances heat dissipation at the battery polarity terminals.

[0020] In terms of structural stability, the adhesion of the thermally conductive adhesive layer can firmly bond the ceramic tube section to the heat exchanger body, improving the bonding stability between the two.

[0021] In terms of buffering performance, the thermally conductive adhesive layer has a certain degree of flexibility, which can buffer vibration stress and avoid damage to the ceramic tube section; its flexibility can also adapt to the thermal expansion of the component, relieve stress, ensure tight connection, and maintain heat conduction efficiency.

[0022] Furthermore, the aforementioned thermally conductive adhesive layer is at least one of a thermally conductive silicone grease layer, a thermally conductive epoxy resin adhesive layer, and a thermally conductive polyurethane adhesive layer.

[0023] Furthermore, the heat exchanger body and the n ceramic tube segments are integrated into one unit.

[0024] Compared to a split structure, the integrated design completely eliminates the assembly gap between the ceramic tube section and the heat exchanger body, avoiding the air insulation layer that would otherwise be present. This allows heat to be conducted more directly and efficiently between the metal and ceramic, significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency. Furthermore, the integrated structure reduces the number of assembly steps, lowering the risk of performance loss due to assembly errors. Moreover, during long-term use, it prevents the ceramic tube section and heat exchanger body from loosening due to vibration or other factors, ensuring the reliability and stability of the heat exchanger.

[0025] Furthermore, along the length of the heat exchanger body, the size of each electrical insulator is larger than the size of the corresponding polarity terminal.

[0026] Longer electrical insulation components can create a longer insulation path between the polarity terminal and the heat exchanger body, significantly increasing the creepage distance. When the battery system is under complex operating conditions such as high voltage and high humidity, the longer ceramic tube section can effectively resist the influence of the electric field, reduce the risk of surface discharge, and prevent current from being conducted from the polarity terminal to the heat exchanger body through the surface of the ceramic tube section, thereby improving the electrical safety of the battery system.

[0027] Furthermore, the aforementioned heat exchanger also includes a flexible thermally conductive layer disposed on the outer wall of the n electrical insulators. This flexible thermally conductive layer is made of a material with high thermal conductivity and flexibility, allowing it to closely adhere to the outer wall of the electrical insulators and fill the thermal resistance caused by uneven surfaces or installation gaps in the electrical insulators. On one hand, the flexible thermally conductive layer enhances the heat transfer efficiency between the battery polarity terminals, the electrical insulators, and the aluminum heat exchanger body, allowing heat to be transferred more smoothly from the polarity terminals through the electrical insulators to the aluminum heat exchanger body, and then carried away by the cooling medium within the cooling channels. On the other hand, the flexibility of the flexible thermally conductive layer can buffer external impacts and vibrations, further protecting the brittle electrical insulators, especially the ceramic tube sections. Simultaneously, during installation, it can effectively compensate for gaps caused by installation errors, ensuring close contact between components and enhancing the structural stability and reliability of the entire heat exchange system.

[0028] Furthermore, the aforementioned flexible thermal conductive layer is a silicone sleeve fitted onto the outer wall of the electrical insulating component.

[0029] In terms of materials, silicone has wide temperature stability and, compared to organic flexible materials, can withstand sudden temperature changes during battery charging and discharging, and is not prone to hardening or aging. Furthermore, its high insulation properties enhance the electrical isolation performance of electrical insulation components.

[0030] In terms of structure, its annular sleeve structure is tightly integrated with the electrical insulation components, ensuring a stable fit even when the battery vibrates or expands and contracts due to thermal expansion and contraction, thus ensuring a stable heat conduction path.

[0031] Meanwhile, the silicone sleeve utilizes the elastic properties of its material to provide all-around protection for brittle electrical insulation components. This avoids stress concentration and, compared to the single-sided protection of sheet-like thermal conductive layers, significantly reduces the risk of breakage of brittle electrical insulation components, ensuring the performance of the insulation components and the stable operation of the heat exchange system.

[0032] Furthermore, the aforementioned cooling channels consist of two separate channels, which are isolated from each other; one cooling channel is the liquid inlet channel, and the other is the liquid outlet channel.

[0033] The second aspect of this utility model provides a battery assembly, including a battery and two heat exchangers as described above;

[0034] The battery described above includes a casing and m electrode assemblies, where m is an integer greater than 1;

[0035] The above m electrode assemblies are arranged in the housing along the first direction. The top plate of the housing is provided with 2n polarity terminals corresponding to the electrode tabs of the electrode assemblies. The tabs of each electrode assembly are connected to the corresponding polarity terminals.

[0036] Two heat exchange components are arranged in parallel and extend along the first direction. In one heat exchange component, n electrical insulating components are connected one-to-one with n polarity terminals on one side, and in the other heat exchange component, n electrical insulating components are connected one-to-one with n polarity terminals on the other side.

[0037] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0038] This invention fixes a heat exchange component on the polar terminal (the polar terminal can be a terminal post or an integral structure after connecting a terminal post extension component to the terminal post). The heat generated by the battery polar terminal is conducted to the heat exchange component in close contact with it and dissipated through heat exchange, thereby achieving efficient heat dissipation.

[0039] Based on the excellent thermal conductivity of metal, this invention selects metal as the body of the heat exchanger and sets a cooling channel in the body of the heat exchanger for the circulation of cooling medium, preferably cooling water, to achieve efficient heat dissipation.

[0040] However, the conductivity of metals can pose a short-circuit risk. Furthermore, to prevent the cooling water flowing through the cooling channels from becoming electrified and affecting the electrical safety of the battery system, this invention incorporates multiple electrically insulating components spaced along the length of the outer wall of the heat exchanger body. Each electrically insulating component not only ensures a reliable mechanical connection between the battery polarity terminals and the heat exchanger body, guaranteeing rapid and efficient heat transfer, but more importantly, it avoids short circuits caused by metal conductivity and prevents the cooling water from becoming electrified, successfully solving the insulation problem of using metal materials in heat exchangers and cooling water. Thus, the electrically insulating components, the metal heat exchanger body, and the cooling water work together to leverage the high thermal conductivity of metal while ensuring electrical safety. Through the circulation of cooling water within the cooling channels, heat from the polarity terminals is rapidly dissipated, effectively solving the problem of thermal runaway caused by excessive localized heat at the individual battery terminals. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heat exchanger in Example 1;

[0042] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of a heat exchanger according to Example 1;

[0043] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery assembly according to Example 1;

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another heat exchanger in Example 1;

[0045] Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of another heat exchanger in Example 1;

[0046] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of another battery assembly structure in Example 1;

[0047] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of another battery assembly in Example 1;

[0048] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the battery pack structure in Example 3;

[0049] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the battery assembly structure in Example 4;

[0050] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery assembly in Example 4.

[0051] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0052] 1. Heat exchanger; 11. Heat exchanger body; 12. Electrical insulation; 13. Cooling channel; 131. Liquid inlet channel; 132. Liquid outlet channel; 14. Flexible thermal conductive layer; 2. Battery module; 21. Single cell; 22. Polar terminal; 221. Through slot; 3. Electrical connector; 4. Housing. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0054] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0055] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "top," "bottom," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship 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, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0056] This invention provides a heat exchange component that connects to the polarity terminal of a battery and cools the polarity terminal through liquid cooling to ensure stable battery operation.

[0057] In liquid cooling technology for battery thermal management, the selection of heat exchanger materials is crucial. This invention, recognizing the superior thermal conductivity of metals compared to other materials, enabling rapid heat transfer and improved cooling efficiency, selects metal as the body material for the heat exchanger. Simultaneously, at least one cooling channel running through both ends is created on the heat exchanger body, forming a flow path for the cooling medium.

[0058] Meanwhile, considering safety, direct contact between the metal heat exchanger body and the polarized terminal could pose a short-circuit risk. Therefore, this invention incorporates multiple intermittently arranged electrical insulating components on the outer wall of the heat exchanger body, each connecting to the polarized terminal. These insulating components must possess both excellent electrical insulation and thermal conductivity, ensuring smooth heat transfer while isolating current, thus guaranteeing the proper functioning of the cooling system.

[0059] Water and insulating oil are commonly used as cooling media, relying on a circulation system for heat exchange. Among these, water has significant advantages over liquid cooling media such as insulating oil.

[0060] Regarding cooling efficiency: the specific heat capacity of water is 4.2 × 10⁻⁶. 3 The thermal conductivity is approximately 0.6 W / (m·K), while the specific heat capacity of insulating oil is 1.6 × 10⁻⁶ W / (kg·℃). 3 J / (kg·℃)-2.5×10 3 Its thermal conductivity is between 0.1 and 0.15 W / (m·K), with a J / (kg·℃) value. Therefore, compared to insulating oil, water can more efficiently remove heat from the battery's polarity terminals.

[0061] In terms of cost: insulating oil is relatively expensive; water is widely available and inexpensive.

[0062] In terms of environmental protection: Insulating oil leaks are difficult to degrade and pollute the environment; water leaks are harmless and produce no waste.

[0063] It is evident that water cooling has significant advantages over insulating oil cooling in meeting the cooling requirements of battery systems in terms of efficiency, economy, and environmental friendliness. Therefore, this utility model prioritizes water cooling.

[0064] It should be noted that:

[0065] 1. In this utility model, the electrical insulating component, with its excellent electrical insulation performance, blocks the path of current conduction to the cooling water from the source, ensuring that the cooling water remains uncharged throughout the entire heat exchange process, thus providing a reliable guarantee for the safe operation of the battery system.

[0066] 2. Although this utility model focuses on water cooling, it is not limited to this and does not exclude the use of non-cooling water as the cooling medium.

[0067] 3. The polar terminal described in this utility model can be a battery terminal post, or it can be an integral structure of a battery terminal post and a terminal post extension member connected thereto.

[0068] 4. The metal materials mentioned above can be copper, steel, aluminum, etc., and each material has its own advantages and disadvantages.

[0069] Among them, aluminum is the preferred material for the heat exchanger body of this utility model due to its low cost, good plasticity and low density, after comprehensively considering the requirements of cost, processing and lightweighting.

[0070] When extremely high heat dissipation performance is required and high cost and increased weight are acceptable, copper can be selected.

[0071] If the cost budget is limited and complex processing conditions are available, steel can be considered as an alternative.

[0072] 5. The materials of the above-mentioned electrical insulation components can be plastic, rubber, ceramic, etc.

[0073] Plastics and rubber are both viable material choices, each with its own advantages: plastics are low-cost and easy to process, and can be fixed to the outer wall of the heat exchanger body through processes such as injection molding; rubber has good elasticity and can buffer external forces. However, conventional materials have problems such as poor thermal conductivity at high temperatures and easy aging. Their performance can be improved and their applicability enhanced by adding thermally conductive and high-temperature resistant substances.

[0074] In contrast, ceramics exhibit extremely high resistivity, excellent electrical insulation properties, and good thermal conductivity, ensuring efficient heat exchange. Furthermore, their chemical stability, high temperature resistance, and corrosion resistance allow them to maintain stable performance over long periods in complex battery operating environments. Therefore, considering electrical insulation, thermal conductivity, and weather resistance, this invention preferentially selects ceramics as the material for the electrical insulation component.

[0075] 6. The aforementioned electrical insulation components can be either a full-tube structure or a half-tube structure (where a half-tube structure is a tube structure cut along the axial direction of a full-tube structure, with a C-shaped or U-shaped cross-section, etc.). If a full-tube structure is selected, the heat exchanger body can be directly nested into each electrical insulation component. This structure provides all-around insulation protection for the heat exchanger body, ensuring the stability of insulation performance. If a half-tube structure is selected, the heat exchanger body can be embedded into the electrical insulation component from the open end of the half-tube. This structure facilitates installation and disassembly, and can also reduce the amount of insulation material used to a certain extent, thus reducing costs.

[0076] 7. The above-mentioned cooling channels can be two, one of which is a liquid inlet channel and the other is a liquid outlet channel; in the battery pack, multiple liquid inlet channels are connected in series to form a total liquid inlet path; multiple liquid outlet channels are connected in series to form a total liquid outlet path; the end of the total liquid inlet path is connected to the beginning of the total liquid outlet path through an external pipe section.

[0077] After the coolant enters the main inlet end of the main inlet path, it flows through one inlet channel of each heat exchanger in sequence, and then through the external pipe section, it flows through the outlet channel of each heat exchanger in sequence, and flows out from the main outlet end of the main outlet path.

[0078] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0079] Example 1

[0080] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the heat exchanger 1 in this embodiment includes a heat exchanger body 11, which is a long columnar structure. Its cross-section is usually designed as rectangular or circular, and the size can be customized according to actual needs.

[0081] In this embodiment, aluminum is selected as the material for the heat exchanger body 11. Aluminum has advantages such as low price, good plasticity, easy extrusion and stamping, and low density. It can not only effectively control costs and meet the requirements of complex structural designs, but also reduce the overall weight of the battery system and improve the portability of the equipment.

[0082] A cooling channel 13 is formed on the heat exchanger body 11, extending along the length of the heat exchanger body 11 and passing through both ends of the heat exchanger body 11, providing a path for the flow of the cooling medium. Simultaneously, 12 electrical insulating elements 12 are arranged at intervals along the length of the heat exchanger body 11 on its outer wall. The number of electrical insulating elements 12 is the same as the number of positive or negative terminals in the battery. In some other embodiments, the number of electrical insulating elements 12 can be adjusted according to the number of polarity terminals 22.

[0083] Among them, the electrical insulation component 12 can be either an electrical insulation tube or an electrical insulation coating. Both can achieve electrical isolation between the heat exchanger body 11 and the polar terminal 22, but each has its own advantages in performance and application scenarios.

[0084] From the perspective of fit, the electrical insulation coating can fit tightly against the heat exchanger body 11, and is especially suitable for components with irregular shapes or fine uneven structures. It can achieve seamless insulation coverage and reduce the risk of local thermal resistance and insulation failure caused by poor contact. In addition, the coating process can achieve precise control of insulation and thermal conductivity by adjusting the spraying parameters, such as coating thickness and material ratio. It has stronger adaptability in some customized scenarios with special requirements for the performance parameters of electrical insulation components 12.

[0085] However, compared to the coating structure, the tubular electrical insulation component 12 also has significant advantages. In terms of structural stability, the electrical insulation tube is a three-dimensional tubular structure, which can better withstand external forces and is not easily damaged by vibration or compression compared to the planar coating. Especially in the frequent vibration environment during battery operation, it can still maintain good insulation performance. In terms of installation convenience, the electrical insulation tube can be directly sleeved on the heat exchanger body 11, and the installation process is simple and quick. In contrast, the coating structure requires processes such as spraying and coating, which is not only complicated but may also have problems such as uneven coating thickness and local peeling.

[0086] Taking into account the requirements of battery operating environment for stability and ease of installation, this embodiment preferably uses an electrical insulating tube as the electrical insulating component 12.

[0087] The material of the electrical insulation tube can be plastic, rubber or ceramic, etc. Based on the excellent electrical insulation, high temperature resistance and good thermal conductivity of ceramic material, ceramic material is selected in this embodiment.

[0088] The structure of the electrically insulating tube can be either a whole tube or a half tube. The whole tube structure can achieve all-round insulation protection. In this embodiment, the whole tube structure is selected, which can be defined as a ceramic tube segment.

[0089] Despite the inherent brittleness and susceptibility to breakage from external impacts of ceramic materials, this invention employs a method of distributing ceramic tube segments at intervals along the length of the aluminum heat exchanger body 11. This effectively disperses the stress generated by vibration and compression during battery operation. When external forces are applied, the interval areas act as stress-relieving buffer zones, preventing stress concentration in the ceramic tube segments and significantly reducing the risk of breakage. Simultaneously, the interval distribution reduces the overall amount of ceramic material used, lowering production costs and reducing potential failure points, thus further improving system reliability. Furthermore, the areas of the aluminum heat exchanger body 11 without ceramic tube segments (i.e., the interval areas) retain a degree of flexibility, adapting to minor installation errors during installation without requiring stringent installation precision, significantly improving assembly efficiency.

[0090] To further enhance heat transfer efficiency, this embodiment may also provide a thermally conductive adhesive layer between each ceramic tube section and the heat exchanger body 11.

[0091] This thermally conductive adhesive layer can tightly adhere to the heat exchanger body 11 and each ceramic tube segment, significantly optimizing thermal conductivity. Unlike traditional direct solid-to-solid contact methods, the thermally conductive adhesive layer can better adapt to different surface shapes and roughnesses. At the microscopic scale, even if there are minute unevennesses on the outer wall of the heat exchanger body 11 and the inner wall of the ceramic tube segments, the adhesive layer can fill these gaps through its own fluidity, forming an efficient thermal conduction path. This effectively avoids hotspot problems caused by local thermal resistance differences, further improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat exchanger 1. At the same time, the thermally conductive adhesive layer also serves to fix the ceramic tube segments, greatly improving the structural stability of the heat exchanger 1. In addition, the thermally conductive adhesive layer also has a certain degree of flexibility, which can buffer vibration stress and prevent damage to the ceramic tube segments; its flexibility can also adapt to the thermal expansion of the components, relieve stress, ensure tight connections, and maintain heat conduction efficiency.

[0092] The thermally conductive adhesive can be one of the commonly used thermally conductive adhesives in the battery field, such as at least one of thermally conductive silicone grease, thermally conductive epoxy resin, and thermally conductive polyurethane. Among these, the thermally conductive silicone grease has excellent thermal conductivity and insulation properties, effectively reducing the thermal resistance between the ceramic tube segment and the heat exchanger body; the thermally conductive epoxy resin has high bonding strength, effectively improving the stability of the ceramic tube segment on the heat exchanger body; and the thermally conductive polyurethane has the advantage of good flexibility and weather resistance, making it suitable for handling battery deformation and heat dissipation requirements under different environments.

[0093] The thickness of the thermally conductive adhesive layer is generally controlled between 0.01-1mm. If the thickness is too thin, it may not be able to fully fill the gap between the ceramic tube section and the heat exchanger body 11, affecting the heat conduction and insulation effect; if the thickness is too thick, it will increase the thermal resistance, reduce the heat transfer efficiency, and may also affect the installation accuracy and stability of the ceramic tube section.

[0094] The installation process is as follows: First, clean the outer wall of the heat exchanger body 11 to ensure that there is no oil or impurities; then, install multiple ceramic tube segments in sequence, adjusting them to be evenly distributed along the heat exchanger body 11 to ensure that the spacing meets the standard; then, pour thermally conductive adhesive into the gap between the heat exchanger body and the ceramic tube segments, controlling the adhesive layer thickness to be consistent and avoiding air bubbles; finally, let it stand to cure, avoiding external interference during the process, to ensure that the thermally conductive adhesive is tightly bonded to both.

[0095] If a ceramic half-tube is used, installation is more flexible. During installation, the heat exchanger body 11 can be smoothly inserted into the open end of the ceramic half-tube first, and then thermally conductive adhesive can be poured into the gap between the two through the open end of the ceramic half-tube. Alternatively, a layer of thermally conductive adhesive can be evenly applied to the inner wall of the ceramic half-tube first, and then the heat exchanger body 11 can be smoothly inserted into the open end of the ceramic half-tube. The pressure will then allow the thermally conductive adhesive to fully fill the tiny gaps, forming a thermally conductive layer.

[0096] This installation method eliminates the need for the traditional sleeve installation required for a complete tube, reducing installation difficulties arising from the mismatch between the inner diameter of the ceramic tube segment and the outer diameter of the heat exchanger 1. Furthermore, the open nature of the ceramic half-tube facilitates adhesive application from the open end, allowing installers to more directly observe the distribution of the thermally conductive adhesive and adjust the adhesive layer thickness promptly. This ensures a tight fit between the ceramic half-tube and the heat exchanger body 11, effectively reducing installation difficulty and time costs, and providing more convenient and efficient options for practical applications.

[0097] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the battery module structure and an exploded view of this embodiment, including the battery module 2 and two heat exchangers 1 mentioned above.

[0098] As shown in the figure, the battery module 2 in this embodiment includes 12 individual battery cells 21 arranged along the x-direction. In this embodiment, the individual battery cells 21 are prismatic cells, and the internal cavity of each individual battery cell 21 includes an electrolyte region and a gas region. In other embodiments, the number of individual battery cells 21 can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the shape of the individual battery cells 21 can also be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0099] Each individual cell 21 has a terminal extension piece connected to its terminal post as a polarity terminal 22.

[0100] Each pole extension is provided with a heat exchanger 1 mounting structure to fix the heat exchanger 1, and the heat exchange of the battery module 2 is realized based on the heat exchanger 1.

[0101] from Figure 4 As can be seen from the diagram, in this embodiment, a through groove 221 is formed on the pole extension as a mounting structure for the heat exchanger 1. The through groove 221 extends along the x-direction, that is, the length direction of the through groove 221 is parallel to the x-axis. The inner cavity shape of the through groove 221 is adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the electrical insulation component 12, and it is necessary to ensure that the electrical insulation component 12 is tightly clamped in it, so as to ensure installation stability and heat transfer effect between the heat exchanger 1 and the pole extension.

[0102] In some other embodiments, additional snap-fit ​​structures can be fixed to the pole extension as mounting structures for the heat exchanger 1. However, compared to this embodiment, installing the heat exchanger 1 requires precise alignment of the snap-fit ​​structure and often necessitates the use of tools to snap the heat exchanger 1 in. Slight carelessness during this process can lead to deformation of the snap-fit ​​structure or improper installation of the heat exchanger 1. In this embodiment, however, the heat exchanger 1 can be initially positioned simply by placing it directly along the through groove 221, significantly reducing operational difficulty, greatly shortening installation time, and significantly improving production efficiency. From the perspective of thermal contact, snap-fit ​​structures, due to limitations in the shape of the snap-fit ​​opening and the installation method, are prone to gaps between the heat exchanger 1 and the pole extension, failing to guarantee tight thermal contact. In contrast, the through groove 221 achieves large-area surface contact between the heat exchanger 1 and the pole extension. For example, some clip-on mounting structures fix the heat exchanger 1 through only a few contact points, limiting heat transfer to these small areas and resulting in high thermal resistance. The large-area contact of the through groove 221 allows heat to be quickly and evenly conducted from the electrode extension to the heat exchanger 1, greatly improving the heat transfer rate and making the heat dissipation effect far superior to point and line contact structures, thus more effectively maintaining the battery's suitable operating temperature.

[0103] The specific installation process in this embodiment is as follows: First, connect each terminal extension to the corresponding terminal of the single cell 21. After all terminal extensions are fixed, fix the heat exchanger 1 along the x-direction into the through slots 221 of each terminal extension on the same side. Specifically, insert each electrical insulator 12 in each heat exchanger 1 into the through slot 221 of the corresponding polarity terminal 22. Figure 3 As can be seen from the diagram, in this embodiment, two heat exchange components 1 are provided on the top of the battery module 2. The two heat exchange components 1 can be connected in series at the port of the cooling channel 13 on the same side through an external connecting pipe segment. This external connecting pipe segment can be integrated with the heat exchange component body 11 of the two heat exchange components 1 to form a U-shaped pipeline. In some other embodiments, the two heat exchange components 1 can also be connected in parallel.

[0104] from Figure 3 As can be seen from the diagram, in this embodiment, the length of each segment of the electrical insulation component 12 in the x-direction is greater than the length of the corresponding terminal extension slot 221. After the electrical insulation component 12 is inserted into the corresponding terminal extension slot 221, both ends of the electrical insulation component extend out of the slot 221, effectively extending the insulation path between the polarity terminal and the heat exchanger body, significantly increasing the creepage distance, reducing the risk of surface discharge, avoiding insulation failure, and further improving the electrical safety performance of the battery system.

[0105] To optimize the thermal conductivity between heat exchanger 1 and polarity terminal 22, such as Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, a flexible thermally conductive layer 14 can also be provided between each electrical insulating component 12 and the through groove 221 of the polarity terminal 22. For example... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, this embodiment mainly takes the flexible thermal conductive layer 14 disposed on the outer surface of the electrical insulating component 12 as an example.

[0106] The flexible thermal conductive layer 14 can adopt at least the following two structures:

[0107] First structure:

[0108] The flexible thermally conductive layer 14 is a thermally conductive adhesive layer. This adhesive layer can tightly adhere to the electrical insulator 12 and the polar terminal 22. Unlike traditional direct contact with solids, the thermally conductive adhesive layer can better adapt to different surface shapes and roughnesses. At the microscopic scale, even if there are slight unevennesses on the outer wall of the electrical insulator 12 and the inner wall of the groove of the polar terminal 22, the adhesive layer can fill these gaps through its own fluidity, forming an efficient thermal conduction path. This effectively avoids hot spots caused by local thermal resistance differences, further improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat exchanger 1. Secondly, the thermally conductive adhesive layer can also fix the heat exchanger 1, greatly improving the structural stability of the heat exchanger 1 on the battery module 2.

[0109] The second structure:

[0110] The flexible thermal conductive layer 14 is a flexible thermal conductive sleeve sleeved on each electrical insulating component 12. For example, it can be a silicone sleeve, or a silicone rubber sleeve, a polyurethane thermal conductive sleeve, etc.

[0111] Silicone rubber sleeves combine the high elasticity and good thermal conductivity of silicone rubber, maintaining stable thermal conductivity and cushioning performance in complex vibration environments; polyurethane thermally conductive sleeves, on the other hand, have high strength and wear resistance, making them suitable for scenarios with high mechanical performance requirements.

[0112] Silicone sleeves also have good elasticity and thermal conductivity. At the same time, compared with silicone rubber sleeves and polyurethane thermal conductive sleeves, their manufacturing cost is lower, which helps to control the overall production cost.

[0113] In this embodiment, a silicone sleeve is used. Based on its good elasticity, the silicone sleeve can fill the tiny gap between the electrical insulation component 12 and the through groove 221. Through its own deformation, it tightly fits the surfaces of the two, eliminating the assembly gap caused by manufacturing tolerances, thereby enhancing the stability of the connection and preventing the heat exchange component 1 and the polar terminal 22 from becoming loose due to vibration, shaking or other factors during the operation of the battery system.

[0114] Meanwhile, the silicone sleeve has certain thermal conductivity, which significantly reduces thermal resistance compared to air, allowing heat to be transferred more efficiently from the heat exchanger 1 to the polarity terminal 22, thereby improving the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the battery module 2. It is necessary to ensure that the silicone sleeve 14 completely covers the contact area between the through slot 221 and the electrical insulation component 12.

[0115] Meanwhile, the silicone sleeve 14 can also wrap and protect the ceramic tube section with its own elasticity, reducing the risk of the ceramic tube section breaking due to external impact and ensuring the stable operation of the battery system.

[0116] In summary, this embodiment constructs a highly efficient heat dissipation system through the selection of materials for the heat exchanger body 11, the arrangement of intermittent ceramic tube sections, and the coordination of a water cooling system.

[0117] In terms of material selection for the heat exchanger body 11, aluminum metal, with its high thermal conductivity, can quickly conduct heat from the polar terminal 22 to the cooling channel 13. At the same time, it is inexpensive, has good plasticity and low density, which reduces costs, meets complex structural designs, and reduces battery weight, thus balancing heat dissipation performance and economy.

[0118] For electrical insulation, intermittently distributed ceramic tube sections are used. The excellent insulation and high-temperature resistance of ceramics can avoid the safety hazards caused by direct contact between the metal body and the polar terminal 22; although ceramics are brittle, the intermittent design can disperse stress, prevent vibration and compression from causing breakage, and ensure insulation and structural reliability.

[0119] In terms of heat dissipation, water's high specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity result in higher heat exchange efficiency compared to media such as insulating oil. Combined with metallic aluminum, it can quickly remove heat.

[0120] After the battery pack is constructed from the above-mentioned battery components, the heat exchangers 1 on each battery component are connected in a set manner to form a battery pack cooling system, which can realize temperature control at the entire battery pack level.

[0121] Example 2

[0122] Unlike Embodiment 1, in this embodiment, each electrical insulation component 12 and the heat exchanger body are integrated into one piece. Compared to the separate structure in Embodiment 1, the integrated structure completely eliminates the assembly gap between the electrical insulation component 12 and the heat exchanger body, thus avoiding the air insulation layer caused by the gap. Due to the gapless characteristic, heat can be conducted more directly and efficiently between the metal and ceramic, significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency. At the same time, the integrated structure reduces the number of component assembly steps, effectively reducing the risk of performance loss due to assembly errors; during long-term use, the electrical insulation component 12 will not loosen due to vibration or other factors, fully ensuring the reliability and stability of the heat exchanger. Furthermore, the integrated structure avoids the use of thermally conductive adhesive layers, eliminating the thermal resistance and aging problems that adhesive layers may cause. Compared to the adhesive layer solution in Embodiment 1, both heat dissipation performance and structural stability are significantly improved.

[0123] Specifically, this embodiment can be implemented through the following two processes:

[0124] Ceramic-coated metal pipe process: A metal pipe (preferably an aluminum metal pipe) is placed in a specific mold cavity, and liquid ceramic raw material is injected into the mold cavity to coat the outer wall of the metal pipe. After the ceramic raw material solidifies, multiple ceramic pipe segments are formed on the outer wall of the metal pipe.

[0125] The process of firing ceramic pipe segments on the outside of metal pipes: First, prepare a metal pipe (preferably an aluminum metal pipe) as the inner core, then coat the outer wall of the metal pipe with ceramic slurry at intervals, and after sintering, form multiple ceramic pipe segments distributed at intervals on the outside of the metal pipe.

[0126] Example 3

[0127] The heat exchanger 1 in this embodiment differs from the one in the above embodiment in that the heat exchanger body 11 in this embodiment is provided with two cooling channels 13, and the two cooling channels 13 are isolated from each other.

[0128] The structure of each cooling channel 13 is the same as in the above embodiment; it will not be described again here.

[0129] The only difference between the battery assembly adapted to the heat exchanger 1 and Embodiment 1 is the heat exchanger 1; the rest of the structure is the same and will not be described in detail here.

[0130] like Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of the battery pack in this embodiment from different perspectives. The battery pack includes three battery modules arranged along the y-direction. In practical applications, the number of battery modules can be flexibly adjusted according to specific needs.

[0131] In this embodiment, for ease of description, the two cooling channels on each heat exchanger 1 are defined as liquid inlet channel 131 and liquid outlet channel 132, respectively. The liquid inlet channels of the three battery modules are connected end to end in sequence to form a total liquid inlet path; similarly, the liquid outlet channels are connected in series to form a total liquid outlet path. The end of the total liquid inlet path is connected to the beginning of the total liquid outlet path through an external pipe section, thus constructing a complete cooling circulation loop.

[0132] The specific cooling process is as follows: the cooling medium enters from the inlet end of the main inlet path, flows sequentially through the inlet channel of each heat exchanger 1, then changes direction at the outer pipe section, and then flows sequentially through the outlet channel of each heat exchanger 1, finally exiting from the outlet end of the main outlet path. Within a single heat exchanger 1, the coolant achieves efficient heat exchange through adjacent inlet and outlet channels, ensuring uniform heat dissipation for each polarity terminal 22. For all heat exchangers 1 in the entire battery pack, the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet channels remains stable, effectively overcoming the problem of localized overheating or undercooling at both ends of the battery pack caused by the gradual temperature increase of the coolant during flow in traditional series cooling methods.

[0133] exist Figure 8In the process, electrical connector 3 is used to achieve parallel connection between individual cells 21, while also applying pressure to heat exchanger 1 to ensure full contact between heat exchanger 1 and polar terminal 22, further improving the heat exchange effect of heat exchanger 1.

[0134] Example 4

[0135] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, this embodiment discloses a battery assembly, which differs from the battery assembly in the above embodiments in that the battery assembly in this embodiment includes a battery and the two heat exchange components mentioned above.

[0136] The battery includes a casing 4 and m electrode assemblies disposed in the inner cavity of the casing. In this embodiment, m equals 12, but in other embodiments, the number of electrodes can be selected according to actual needs.

[0137] It should be noted that the electrode assembly here refers to the battery cell, a component inside the casing of a single battery cell, and should not be understood as the single battery cell itself. Furthermore, it can be a wound core or a cell manufactured by stacking. Generally, the electrode assembly includes at least a positive electrode, a separator, a negative electrode, and tabs connected to the positive and negative electrode respectively. For ease of description, this embodiment refers to the tab on the positive electrode as the positive electrode tab and the tab on the negative electrode as the negative electrode tab.

[0138] In this embodiment, the top plate of the outer casing is provided with 2n polarity terminals, where n equals 12. 12 of these terminals serve as the positive polarity terminals of the battery assembly, and the other 12 serve as the negative polarity terminals of the battery assembly.

[0139] Twelve electrode assemblies are arranged in the housing along the first direction, and the positive and negative tabs of each electrode assembly are respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals on the top plate of the housing.

[0140] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the number of polarity terminals is consistent with the number of tabs, that is, n and m are the same, and each tab is connected to the corresponding polarity terminal. In some other embodiments, the number of polarity terminals may be less than the number of tabs, that is, n is less than m. In this case, multiple electrode assembly tabs can be connected in parallel using a copper busbar, and then the copper busbar can be connected to the polarity terminals of the corresponding polarity.

[0141] from Figure 10As can be seen from the figure, in this embodiment, the 24 polar terminals are divided into two groups. One group of 12 polar terminals is arranged at intervals along the length of the top plate of the outer casing on one side of the width of the top plate of the outer casing, and the other group of 12 polar terminals is arranged at intervals along the length of the top plate of the outer casing on the other side of the width of the top plate of the outer casing. The way the polar terminals are installed on the outer casing is the same as the way the upper pole and the upper cover plate of the existing square lithium battery upper cover assembly are installed.

[0142] Two heat exchangers are connected to terminals on different sides, and the heat is conducted to the outside of the terminals where the heat is most concentrated on each electrode assembly for heat dissipation. Specifically, n electrical insulating parts in one heat exchanger are connected one-to-one with n polar terminals on one side, and n electrical insulating parts in the other heat exchanger are connected one-to-one with n polar terminals on the other side.

[0143] The specific heat exchanger structure, the polarity terminal and the heat exchanger mounting structure, and the connection method of the two heat exchangers are all the same as those in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

Claims

1. A heat exchange member, characterized by: It includes the heat exchanger body and n electrical insulation components; where n is an integer greater than 1. The heat exchanger body is made of metal and has at least one cooling channel. The cooling channel extends along the length of the heat exchanger body and passes through both ends of the heat exchanger body. The n electrical insulating components are spaced apart along the length of the heat exchanger body on the outer wall of the heat exchanger body, and each electrical insulating component is used to connect to the battery polarity terminal.

2. The heat exchange member according to claim 1, characterized by: The metal material is aluminum.

3. The heat exchange member according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electrical insulation component is a ceramic tube segment; n ceramic tube segments are spaced apart and sleeved on the outer wall of the heat exchanger body along the length of the heat exchanger body.

4. The heat exchange member according to claim 3, characterized in that: The ceramic pipe section is a single, continuous ceramic pipe.

5. The heat exchange member according to claim 3, characterized by: A thermally conductive adhesive layer is provided between the contact surfaces of each ceramic tube section and the heat exchanger body.

6. The heat exchange member according to claim 5, characterized in that: The thermally conductive adhesive layer is at least one of the following: thermally conductive silicone grease layer, thermally conductive epoxy resin adhesive layer, and thermally conductive polyurethane adhesive layer.

7. The heat exchange member of claim 3, wherein: The heat exchanger body and the n ceramic tube segments are integrated into one piece.

8. The heat exchange member of claim 1, wherein: Along the length of the heat exchanger body, the size of each electrical insulator is larger than the size of the corresponding polarity terminal.

9. The heat exchange member according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: It also includes a flexible heat-conducting layer disposed on the outer wall of n electrical insulating components.

10. The heat exchange member of claim 9, wherein: The flexible thermally conductive layer is a silicone sleeve fitted onto the outer wall of the electrical insulating component.

11. The heat exchange member of claim 1, wherein: The cooling channel consists of two channels, which are isolated from each other; one cooling channel is the liquid inlet channel, and the other cooling channel is the liquid outlet channel.

12. A battery assembly, characterized in that: Includes the battery and the heat exchanger as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; The battery includes a casing and m electrode assemblies, where m is an integer greater than 1; The m electrode assemblies are arranged in the housing along the first direction. The top plate of the housing is provided with 2n polarity terminals corresponding to the electrode tabs of the electrode assemblies. The tabs of each electrode assembly are connected to the corresponding polarity terminals. Two heat exchange components are arranged in parallel and extend along the first direction. In one heat exchange component, n electrical insulating components are connected one-to-one with n polarity terminals on one side, and in the other heat exchange component, n electrical insulating components are connected one-to-one with n polarity terminals on the other side.

Images