Battery box and battery module
By embedding a heat pipe structure in the side panel of the battery box, the working fluid circulates in the vertical plane. Combined with the heat pipe structure of the bottom plate and the partition plate, a closed loop is formed, which solves the problem of longitudinal temperature gradient difference of the battery cell caused by the liquid cooling plate heat exchange method, and improves the service life and heat exchange efficiency of the battery cell.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ENERGY CONSTR TIMES (SHANGHAI) NEW ENERGY STORAGE TECH RES INST CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
Smart Images
Figure CN224554432U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, specifically providing a battery housing and a battery module. Background Technology
[0002] In the field of battery technology, the thermal management performance of a battery directly affects its safety, lifespan and efficiency. Currently, most mainstream battery thermal management methods rely on liquid cooling systems to achieve heat exchange between the battery cell and the outside environment.
[0003] For example, some related technologies use a liquid cooling plate at the bottom of the battery cell for heat exchange. However, in this case, a temperature gradient difference will be formed in the height direction of the battery cell. If the battery cell operates under this temperature gradient for a long time, its cycle life will be accelerated.
[0004] Accordingly, a new technical solution is needed in this field to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content
[0005] This application aims to solve the aforementioned technical problem, namely, to address the issue of reduced cycle life in existing battery modules due to the use of liquid cooling plate heat exchange.
[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery housing comprising a base plate and side plates disposed around the base plate, wherein a cavity for accommodating battery cells is formed between the base plate and the side plates;
[0007] The side plate is embedded with a first heat pipe structure, and at least one end of the side plate extends away from the chamber, so that the phase change working fluid in the first heat pipe structure can circulate in the vertical plane and exchange heat with the external environment.
[0008] In one technical solution of the aforementioned battery housing, the first heat pipe structure is an annular heat pipe connected end to end.
[0009] In one technical solution of the aforementioned battery housing, the first heat pipe structure includes multiple straight heat pipes arranged side by side, with different ends of the straight heat pipes having a height difference.
[0010] In one technical solution of the aforementioned battery housing, a second heat pipe structure is embedded in the base plate.
[0011] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned battery box, the bottom plate and the side plate are integrally formed, and the interior of the bottom plate and the interior of the side plate are interconnected. The second heat pipe structure and the first heat pipe structure are connected to each other to form a closed loop structure.
[0012] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned battery housing, the second heat pipe structure is an annular heat pipe connected end to end, and at least one end of the base plate extends away from the chamber so that the phase change working fluid in the second heat pipe structure can circulate in the horizontal plane and exchange heat with the external environment.
[0013] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned battery housing, the battery housing further includes: multiple partitions, which are spaced apart on the bottom plate to divide the chamber into multiple sub-chambers, and a third heat pipe structure is embedded in the partition.
[0014] In one technical solution of the aforementioned battery housing, the separator and the base plate are integrally formed, the interior of the separator and the interior of the base plate are interconnected, and the third heat pipe structure and the second heat pipe structure are connected to form a closed loop structure; or
[0015] The partition and the side plate are integrally formed, the interior of the partition and the interior of the side plate are interconnected, and the third heat pipe structure and the first heat pipe structure are connected to form a closed loop structure; or
[0016] The partition, the bottom plate, and the side plate are integrally formed, and the interiors of the partition, the bottom plate, and the side plate are interconnected. The third heat pipe structure, the second heat pipe structure, and the first heat pipe structure are connected to each other to form a closed loop structure.
[0017] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned battery box, the surface of the partition facing the chamber and / or the surface of the side plate facing the chamber and / or the surface of the bottom plate facing the chamber are coated with thermally conductive silicone grease.
[0018] In a second aspect, this application provides a battery module comprising a battery cell and a battery housing as described in any one of the first aspects, wherein the battery cell is disposed within the housing.
[0019] As described above, by embedding a first heat pipe structure within the side plate, the first heat pipe structure covers the vertical plane of the side plate. Thus, whether cooling or heating the battery cell, the working fluid has a vertical motion component during its circulation within the first heat pipe structure. That is, the working fluid can circulate in the vertical plane and exchange heat with the external environment. Therefore, the longitudinal temperature gradient difference of the battery cell can be reduced. While achieving the cooling or heating effect of the battery cell, the temperature uniformity of the battery cell in the longitudinal direction can be improved, thereby increasing the service life of the battery cell. Attached Figure Description
[0020] The preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0021] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a battery case according to an embodiment of this application;
[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of this application;
[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a first heat pipe structure and its arrangement in a side plate according to an embodiment of this application;
[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a first heat pipe structure and its arrangement in a side plate according to another embodiment of this application;
[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a first heat pipe structure and its arrangement in a side plate according to another embodiment of this application;
[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the third heat pipe structure and the second heat pipe structure according to an embodiment of this application.
[0027] In the figure, the reference numerals refer to the following:
[0028] 1. Base plate; 11. Second heat pipe structure; 2. Side plate; 21. First heat pipe structure; 3. Partition plate; 31. Third heat pipe structure;
[0029] 100, chamber; 200, battery cell; 300, thermal grease. Detailed Implementation
[0030] Preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific application scenarios.
[0031] It should be noted that in the description of this application, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationship, are based on the direction or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the relevant device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0032] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0033] In some related technologies, battery modules typically employ liquid cooling for heat exchange, relying on the circulation of cooling water to remove the heat generated by the battery cells. For example, the most common method is to place a liquid cooling plate at the bottom of the battery module housing, with the battery cells in direct contact with the plate, and the bottom surface of the cells serving as the heat dissipation interface. However, in this case, due to the limited heat exchange efficiency of the liquid cooling system, in order to ensure that the maximum temperature of the battery cells during operation does not exceed a set temperature threshold, the temperature of the liquid cooling plate itself usually needs to maintain a sufficiently large temperature difference (usually above 10°C) with the bottom surface of the battery cells. This results in a lower temperature at the bottom and a higher temperature at the top of the battery cells, creating a temperature gradient in the vertical direction. Such long-term operation will affect the cycle life of the battery cells.
[0034] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a battery case according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application. The battery housing includes a base plate 1 and a side plate 2. The side plate 2 is fixedly disposed on the base plate 1. In one embodiment of the present application, the battery housing is illustrated by way of a square structure. Based on this, the side plate 2 includes four flat plate structures connected end to end. A cavity 100 with an opening is formed between the side plate 2 and the base plate 1. The cavity 100 is used to accommodate the battery cell 200.
[0035] The side plate 2 is embedded with a first heat pipe structure 21. For example, in some implementations, the inside of the side plate 2 is machined to form a channel, which is filled with a phase change working fluid to form the first heat pipe structure 21. Alternatively, in other implementations, the first heat pipe structure 21 is an independently machined heat pipe. After the inside of the side plate 2 is machined to form a channel, the heat pipe is arranged along the extension direction of the channel and built into the channel.
[0036] At least one end of side plate 2 (e.g. Figure 1 The left end of the middle side plate 2 extends outward (to exchange heat with the external environment) and extends in a direction away from the chamber 100, serving as a condensing end or an evaporating end. Of course, other parts of the side plate 2 can also extend outward for heat exchange, and this application does not limit this.
[0037] Reference Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of a first heat pipe structure 21 and its arrangement in the side plate 2 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 The image shows a front view of side plate 2 (the dashed line indicates that the first heat pipe structure 21 is obscured). The first heat pipe structure 21 includes multiple straight heat pipes arranged side-by-side along the height direction of side plate 2, so that the first heat pipe structure 21 is evenly distributed in the vertical plane where side plate 2 is located. In this case, different ends of the first heat pipe structure 21 need to have a height difference. This allows the phase change working fluid inside the first heat pipe structure 21 to evaporate into a gaseous state and move upward along the first heat pipe structure 21, then condense into a liquid state and flow back, providing power for the circulation of the working fluid. It can be understood that when the first heat pipe structure 21 is used to cool the battery cell 200, the end of side plate 2 extending outward is the higher end of the first heat pipe structure 21; when the first heat pipe structure 21 is used to heat the battery cell 200, the end of side plate 2 extending outward is the lower end of the first heat pipe structure 21. Of course, both opposite ends of side plate 2 can also extend outward to simultaneously meet the cooling and heating requirements of the battery cell.
[0038] In other embodiments, the first heat pipe structure 21 is an annular heat pipe with its ends connected, forming a closed loop. It should be noted that the first heat pipe structure 21 has an internal capillary structure. After the working fluid undergoes a phase change, it circulates under the action of capillary force. For example, the capillary structure can be a petal-shaped capillary core, including a gas phase channel extending along the central axis of the first heat pipe structure 21 and a liquid phase channel surrounding the gas phase channel. After the working fluid evaporates at the hot end, it can move along the gas phase channel to the cold end and then loop back along the liquid phase channel. Of course, the specific construction of the internal capillary structure of the first heat pipe structure 21 is not limited to the above form, as long as it enables the working fluid to circulate under the action of capillary force. The specific principle of the heat pipe is well-known in the art, and will not be elaborated further here.
[0039] Reference Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a structural form of the first heat pipe structure 21 and its arrangement in the side plate 2 when the first heat pipe structure 21 adopts an annular heat pipe. The number of the first heat pipe structure 21 in the side plate 2 is one, and the first heat pipe structure 21 extends in a "snake" shape in the side plate 2 and finally connects end to end.
[0040] Reference Figure 5 This diagram illustrates another structural form of the first heat pipe structure 21 and its arrangement within the side plate 2 when the first heat pipe structure 21 uses a ring-shaped heat pipe. The side plate 2 contains multiple first heat pipe structures 21, each of which is an independent ring-shaped heat pipe. This method, compared to... Figure 4 In terms of method, the shorter circulation path of the working fluid is more conducive to establishing rapid circulation of the working fluid.
[0041] As described above, this application embeds a first heat pipe structure 21 within the side plate 2, making the first heat pipe structure 21 cover the vertical plane where the side plate 2 is located. In this way, whether in the cooling or heating of the battery cell, the working fluid has a vertical motion component during the circulation process within the first heat pipe structure 21. That is, the working fluid can circulate in the vertical plane and exchange heat with the external environment. Therefore, it can reduce the longitudinal temperature gradient difference of the battery cell. While achieving the cooling or heating effect of the battery cell, it can improve the temperature uniformity of the battery cell in the longitudinal direction, thereby improving the service life of the battery cell.
[0042] On the other hand, this application relies on the self-circulation of phase change working fluid to achieve heat exchange with the external environment, which is safer than liquid cooling cycle.
[0043] It should be noted that the types of phase change working fluid in the first heat pipe structure 21 in this application include, but are not limited to, liquid ammonia, acetone, fluorinated refrigerant (e.g., Freon), alkanes, etc.
[0044] Furthermore, when the first heat pipe structure 21 adopts a ring-shaped heat pipe, this application does not restrict its arrangement within the side plate 2, as long as the first heat pipe structure 21 can extend in both the horizontal and vertical directions to fill the plane of the side plate 2. This is because when the first heat pipe structure 21 adopts a ring-shaped heat pipe, when a local hot spot is formed at any position of the battery cell, the position in the first heat pipe structure 21 corresponding to that local hot spot is the evaporation end, and the working fluid can establish circulation based on this ring loop, thereby achieving a uniform temperature effect.
[0045] In addition, for the battery box with a square structure, the four side plates 2 can be set as one piece, and the first heat pipe structure 21 in each side plate 2 can be connected to each other to form a circulation loop. Of course, one or more annular heat pipes can also be set in each side plate 2. This application does not limit this. Those skilled in the art can make adaptive adjustments to the specific form of the side plate 2 and the first heat pipe structure 21 according to actual needs.
[0046] Reference Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, a second heat pipe structure 11 is embedded in the base plate 1. The second heat pipe structure 11 can also be a linear heat pipe or an annular heat pipe as described in the above embodiments. The second heat pipe structure 11 is mainly used to cool or heat the bottom surface of the battery cell.
[0047] Alternatively, in one implementation, the base plate 1 and the side plate 2 are integrally formed, and the interior of the base plate 1 and the interior of the side plate 2 are interconnected, so that the second heat pipe structure 11 and the first heat pipe structure 21 are connected to each other to form a closed loop structure. When this method is adopted, the second heat pipe structure 11 exchanges heat with the external environment by relying on the evaporation end or condensation section of the side plate 2.
[0048] Alternatively, in another implementation, the second heat pipe structure 11 is independent of the first heat pipe structure 21. The second heat pipe structure 11 is an annular heat pipe connected end to end. In this case, at least one end of the base plate 1 extends away from the chamber 100, that is, at least one end of the base plate 1 extends out of the chamber 100 beyond the orthographic projection of the base plate 1. Thus, the outwardly extending end of the base plate 1 serves as the condensing end or evaporating end of the second heat pipe structure 11. The phase change working fluid in the second heat pipe structure 11 can circulate in the horizontal plane to exchange heat with the external environment.
[0049] Reference Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the battery housing further includes a plurality of partitions 3 disposed in the chamber 100. The partitions 3 are fixedly disposed on the bottom plate 1, dividing the chamber 100 into a plurality of independent sub-chambers. Each sub-chamber is used to accommodate a battery cell 200. A third heat pipe structure 31 is embedded in the partition 3, thereby cooling or heating the side surface of each battery cell 200, thereby further reducing the longitudinal temperature gradient difference of the battery cell.
[0050] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions between the third heat pipe structure 31 and the second heat pipe structure 11 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 (This is a top view of the battery casing, with side panel 2 hidden). In this configuration, partition 3 is integrally formed with bottom plate 1, and the interior of partition 3 is connected to the interior of bottom plate 1, thereby connecting the third heat pipe structure 31 and the second heat pipe structure 11 to form a closed loop structure. Thus, after the working fluid in the third heat pipe structure 31 undergoes a phase change, it flows into the second heat pipe structure 11 and exchanges heat with the external environment through the condenser or evaporator end of bottom plate 1.
[0051] Of course, in some other implementations of this application, the partition 3 can also be integrally formed with the side plate 2, so that the interiors of the partition 3 and the side plate 2 are connected to each other. In this way, the third heat pipe structure 31 and the first heat pipe structure 21 can be connected to each other to form a closed loop structure. After the working fluid in the third heat pipe structure 31 undergoes a phase change, it flows into the first heat pipe structure 21 and exchanges heat with the external environment through the condensing end or evaporating end of the bottom plate 1.
[0052] Alternatively, the partition 3, the bottom plate 1, and the side plate 2 can be integrally formed, with the interiors of the partition 3, the bottom plate 1, and the side plate 2 interconnected. The third heat pipe structure 31, the second heat pipe structure 11, and the first heat pipe structure 21 can be connected to form a closed loop structure. Thus, after the working fluid in the third heat pipe structure 31 undergoes a phase change, it can flow into the first heat pipe structure 21 and exchange heat with the external environment through the condensing end or evaporating end of the side plate 2, or flow into the second heat pipe structure 11 and exchange heat with the external environment through the condensing end or evaporating end of the bottom plate 1.
[0053] As stated above, this application does not limit the connection form between the first heat pipe structure 21, the second heat pipe structure 11 and the third heat pipe structure 31, as long as the working fluid can circulate in each heat pipe structure and exchange heat with the external environment.
[0054] This application also discloses a battery module, such as Figure 2 As shown, it includes a battery cell 200 and a battery housing in any of the above embodiments, with the battery cell 200 disposed within the chamber 100 of the battery housing.
[0055] The surfaces of the partition 3, the bottom plate 1, and the side plate 2 facing the battery cell 200 are respectively coated with thermally conductive silicone grease 300, thereby further reducing the contact thermal resistance between the partition 3, the bottom plate 1, and the side plate 2 and the battery cell 200 and improving the heat exchange efficiency.
[0056] The technical solutions of this application have been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of this application is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of this application, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A battery housing, characterized in that, It includes a base plate (1) and a side plate (2) disposed around the base plate (1), and a cavity (100) for accommodating a battery cell (200) is formed between the base plate (1) and the side plate (2); The side plate (2) is embedded with a first heat pipe structure (21), and at least one end of the side plate (2) extends away from the chamber (100) so that the phase change working fluid in the first heat pipe structure (21) can circulate in the vertical plane and exchange heat with the external environment.
2. The battery housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first heat pipe structure (21) is a ring-shaped heat pipe connected end to end.
3. The battery housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first heat pipe structure (21) includes multiple straight heat pipes arranged side by side, with different ends of the straight heat pipes having a height difference.
4. The battery housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base plate (1) is embedded with a second heat pipe structure (11).
5. The battery housing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The base plate (1) and the side plate (2) are integrally formed, and the interior of the base plate (1) and the interior of the side plate (2) are connected to each other. The second heat pipe structure (11) and the first heat pipe structure (21) are connected to each other to form a closed loop structure.
6. The battery housing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second heat pipe structure (11) is an annular heat pipe connected end to end. At least one end of the base plate (1) extends away from the chamber (100) so that the phase change working fluid in the second heat pipe structure (11) can circulate in the horizontal plane and exchange heat with the external environment.
7. The battery housing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The battery housing also includes: Multiple partitions (3) are spaced apart on the base plate (1) to divide the chamber (100) into multiple sub-chambers (100), and a third heat pipe structure (31) is embedded in the partition (3).
8. The battery housing according to claim 7, characterized in that, The partition (3) is integrally formed with the base plate (1), the interior of the partition (3) is connected to the interior of the base plate (1), and the third heat pipe structure (31) is connected to the second heat pipe structure (11) to form a closed loop structure; or The partition (3) and the side plate (2) are integrally formed, the interior of the partition (3) and the interior of the side plate (2) are interconnected, and the third heat pipe structure (31) and the first heat pipe structure (21) are connected to each other to form a closed loop structure; or The partition (3), the bottom plate (1) and the side plate (2) are integrally formed, and the interiors of the partition (3), the bottom plate (1) and the side plate (2) are interconnected. The third heat pipe structure (31), the second heat pipe structure (11) and the first heat pipe structure (21) are connected to each other to form a closed loop structure.
9. The battery housing according to claim 7, characterized in that, The surface of the partition (3) facing the chamber (100) and / or the surface of the side plate (2) facing the chamber (100) and / or the surface of the bottom plate (1) facing the chamber (100) are coated with thermally conductive silicone grease (300).
10. A battery module, characterized in that, The battery includes a battery cell (200) and a battery housing according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the battery cell (200) is disposed within the chamber (100).