Cold plate structure, battery pack and electric vehicle

Abstract

The utility model belongs to battery pack technical field field, propose a kind of cold plate structure, battery pack and electric car, wherein, cold plate structure, including cold strip, one end of the cold strip is fixedly connected with current collector, the upper surface of the cold strip is provided with cover plate, the cover plate is located the one end of cold strip close to current collector;The upper surface of the cover plate is provided with water nozzle, the water nozzle passes through cover plate and is communicated with flow channel in the cold strip;Water is realized in the Z direction of cold strip (i. e. water nozzle is located in the Z direction of cold strip) by being provided with water nozzle on the upper surface of cold strip, and the Z direction space is fully utilized, XY direction arrangement space is greatly reduced, the number of whole package battery cell is directly increased, energy density is improved, and the utilization of whole package space is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of battery pack technology, and specifically relates to a cold plate structure, a battery pack, and an electric vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Against the backdrop of the rapid development of new energy vehicles and energy storage systems, the thermal management efficiency of power battery packs has become one of the core factors affecting their safety, energy density, and cycle life. As a key component of the battery pack thermal management system, the water-cooled plate's core function is to remove the heat generated by the battery modules through the directional flow of coolant, maintain the cell operating temperature within a reasonable range (usually 20~40℃), and control the temperature difference between individual cells (generally required to be ≤5℃).

[0003] Currently, in large cylindrical PACK (packaging) designs, cold plate nozzles and piping occupy a large amount of space in the XY direction, making layout difficult. Specifically, the cold plate nozzles are arranged with a single inlet and a single outlet, resulting in uneven flow. Furthermore, the inlet and outlet are located at both ends of the battery pack, further increasing the space occupied in the XY direction. Because the inlet and outlet are located at both ends of the battery pack, there is a large temperature difference between the inlet and outlet ends, leading to a significant temperature difference between the cells at both ends of the battery pack. This results in significant differences in cell charging and discharging, and in severe cases, fires may occur.

[0004] Therefore, a cold plate structure is needed that occupies less space in the XY direction and minimizes the temperature difference between the cells in the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this utility model proposes a cold plate structure, including a cold strip, one end of which is fixedly connected to a current collector, and a cover plate is provided on the upper surface of the cold strip, the cover plate being located at the end of the cold strip closer to the current collector; a water nozzle is provided on the cover plate, the water nozzle passing through the cover plate and communicating with a flow channel in the cold strip.

[0006] Furthermore, the cold zone is a continuous wavy shape.

[0007] Furthermore, the water nozzle includes an inlet nozzle and an outlet nozzle. The inlet nozzle is connected to the inlet of the cold strip flow channel, and the outlet nozzle is connected to the outlet of the cold strip flow channel. The inlet nozzle is located on the side of the outlet nozzle closer to the collector.

[0008] Furthermore, the inlet of the flow channel is located in the middle of the cold zone, and the outlet of the flow channel is located on both sides of the cold zone.

[0009] Furthermore, the flow channel has several channels, and the ends of the several flow channels away from the collector are all connected.

[0010] A battery pack includes a housing, inside which the aforementioned cold plate structure and battery cells are installed, with battery cells installed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the cold plate structure; the outer surface of the housing is provided with a water inlet structure, which is connected to a water nozzle via a pipe, the pipe being located on the upper surface of the cold plate structure and on the side surface of the battery cells.

[0011] Furthermore, the cold plate structure is of several kinds, and the several cold plate structures are connected in sequence through pipelines.

[0012] Furthermore, the water inlet structure includes an inlet and an outlet, and the pipeline includes an outlet pipe and an inlet pipe; the inlet is connected to the inlet nozzle of the cold plate structure through the inlet pipe; the outlet is connected to the outlet nozzle of the cold plate structure through the outlet pipe.

[0013] Furthermore, the battery pack also includes bolts, and the cold plate structure is fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the housing by bolts.

[0014] An electric vehicle includes a body, a motor, and the aforementioned battery pack, wherein both the battery pack and the motor are installed in the body, and the battery pack is electrically connected to the motor.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: 1. The cold plate structure of this utility model includes a cold strip, one end of which is fixedly connected to a current collector. A cover plate is provided on the upper surface of the cold strip, and the cover plate is located at the end of the cold strip near the current collector. A water nozzle is provided on the cover plate, and the water nozzle passes through the cover plate and communicates with the flow channel in the cold strip. By providing a water nozzle on the upper surface of the cold strip, water can enter and exit in the Z direction of the cold strip (i.e., the water nozzle is located in the Z direction of the cold strip), making full use of the Z direction space, greatly reducing the XY direction arrangement space, directly increasing the number of cells in the whole package, improving energy density, and improving the utilization rate of the whole package space.

[0016] 2. The cold strip of the cold plate structure of this utility model is a continuous wave shape. The size of the wave shape is just right for placing the battery cell. A layer of battery cell is set on both sides of the cold strip. The battery cell is tightly attached to the wave shape of the cold strip, which improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery cell and also plays a role in fixing the battery cell.

[0017] 3. The water nozzle of the cold plate structure of this utility model includes an inlet nozzle and an outlet nozzle. The inlet nozzle is connected to the inlet of the middle flow channel of the cold plate, and the outlet nozzle is connected to the outlet of the middle flow channel of the cold plate. The inlet nozzle is located on the side of the outlet nozzle closer to the collector. The coolant enters the flow channel of the cold plate through the inlet nozzle, flows back from the tail of the flow channel to the middle flow channel, and then flows out from the outlet nozzle, completing a complete cycle. Since the outlet and inlet are at the same end, the temperature is integrated, and there will be no situation where the cooling effect at the outlet end is poor and the cooling effect at the inlet end is good, thus achieving uniform cooling.

[0018] Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objectives and other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained through the structures pointed out in the description and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cold plate structure in Embodiment 1 of this utility model is shown.

[0021] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the coolant flow direction in the cold plate structure of Embodiment 1 of this utility model is shown.

[0022] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the battery pack structure in Embodiment 3 of this utility model is shown.

[0023] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a portion of the battery pack in Embodiment 3 of this utility model is shown.

[0024] In the diagram, 1 is the pipeline; 3 is the housing; 4 is the inlet; 5 is the outlet; 6 is the battery cell; 7 is the outlet pipe; 8 is the inlet pipe; 9 is the bolt; 10 is the cold plate structure; 11 is the current collector; 12 is the water tap; 13 is the cooling strip; 14 is the cover plate; 15 is the inlet tap; and 16 is the outlet tap. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0026] Example 1, refer to Figure 1A cold plate structure includes a cold strip 13, one end of which is fixedly connected to a current collector 11. A cover plate 14 is provided on the upper surface of the cold strip 13, located at the end of the cold strip 13 closest to the current collector 11. A water nozzle 12 is provided on the upper surface of the cover plate 14, passing through the cover plate 14 and communicating with a flow channel in the cold strip 13. This invention, by providing a water nozzle 12 on the upper surface of the cold strip 13, enables water to enter and exit in the Z-direction of the cold strip 13 (i.e., the water nozzle 12 is located in the Z-direction of the cold strip 13), fully utilizing the Z-direction space, greatly reducing the XY-direction arrangement space, directly increasing the number of cells in the entire battery pack 6, improving energy density, and enhancing the overall space utilization rate.

[0027] Furthermore, this utility model is designed with a current collector 11, which does not require module box fixing and can be directly fixed to the bottom plate of the box 3, making installation convenient and reducing the complexity of module design.

[0028] Furthermore, designing the water nozzle 12 in the Z-direction maximizes the use of Z-direction space, increasing the water inlet from the conventional CQC10 to CQC18, significantly increasing the water inlet volume of the cooling zone 13. Additionally, the conventional cooling zone 13 has a very simple flow channel design, with single-sided inlet and single-sided outlet, resulting in a large temperature difference. In contrast, the inlet flow channel of the cooling zone 13 in this invention can be freely cut and designed based on simulation results. This invention abandons the traditional flow channel design, adopting a flow channel with inlet on both sides and outlet in the middle, resulting in uniform flow and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0029] refer to Figure 2 The water nozzle 12 includes an inlet nozzle 15 and an outlet nozzle 16. The inlet nozzle 15 and the outlet nozzle 16 are located on the same side of the cold zone 13 and arranged in the Z direction, making full use of the Z direction space and greatly reducing the XY direction arrangement space, directly increasing the number of cells 6 in the whole pack, improving energy density, and improving the overall space utilization rate.

[0030] In another embodiment, the cold plate structure 10 includes a current collector 11, a water nozzle 12, a cold strip 13, and a cover plate 14. The water nozzle 12 is provided on the cover plate 14 of the cold plate structure 10, realizing the Z-direction arrangement of the water nozzle 12, thereby increasing the space for the battery cell 6. At the same time, the water nozzle 12 can be designed to be larger in size and larger in diameter, effectively reducing flow resistance and increasing water flow rate. In addition, the flow channel direction can be controlled, adopting a flow channel with inlet at both sides and outlet in the middle, resulting in uniform flow rate and high heat exchange efficiency. The water inlet nozzle 15 and water outlet nozzle 16 on the existing cold strip 13 are designed at both ends of the cold strip 13, so space needs to be reserved on both sides for the water inlet nozzle 15 and water outlet nozzle 16. When the volume of the housing 3 remains unchanged, the number of battery cells 6 is reduced, thereby reducing the battery capacity of the battery pack.

[0031] refer to Figure 1The cooling strip 13 is a continuous wave shape. The size of the wave shape is just right for placing the battery cell 6. A layer of battery cell 6 is set on both sides of the cooling strip 13. The battery cell 6 is tightly attached to the wave shape of the cooling strip 13, which improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery cell 6 and also plays a role in helping to fix the battery cell 6.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 The water nozzle 12 includes an inlet nozzle 15 and an outlet nozzle 16. The inlet nozzle 15 is connected to the inlet of the flow channel in the cooling zone 13, and the outlet nozzle 16 is connected to the outlet of the flow channel in the cooling zone 13. The inlet nozzle 15 is located on the side of the outlet nozzle 16 closer to the collector 11. The coolant flows through the inlet nozzle 15, splitting into left and right streams into the flow channel of the cooling zone 13. It then flows back from the tail of the flow channel to the middle flow channel and flows out from the outlet nozzle 16, completing a complete cycle. Since the outlet and inlet are at the same end, the temperature is integrated, preventing a situation where the cooling effect is poor at the outlet end and good at the inlet end, thus achieving uniform cooling.

[0033] Furthermore, the inlet of the flow channel is located in the middle of the cold zone 13, and the outlet of the flow channel is located on both sides of the cold zone 13. This utility model abandons the traditional flow channel design and adopts a flow channel with inlet at both sides and outlet in the middle, resulting in uniform flow and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0034] refer to Figure 2 The flow channel has several channels, and the ends of the channels away from the collector 11 are all connected. The direction of the water inlet channel on the body of the cold strip 13 of this utility model can be cut and designed at will, and can be freely designed according to the simulation results. This utility model abandons the traditional flow channel design and adopts a flow channel with inlet on both sides and outlet in the middle, resulting in uniform flow and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0035] Installation steps for cold plate structure 10: First, the manifold 11 and the cold strip 13 are brazed together (mainly to fix the cold strip 13 and seal the opening of the flow channel at one end of the cold strip 13 to prevent water leakage). Then, two water nozzles 12 are welded to the cover plate 14. After completion, the cover plate 14 is integrated with the cold strip 13, and finally the entire cold plate structure 10 is integrated and formed. The cold plate structure 10 is fixed through the waist holes on the cover plate 14 using bolts 9. The fixing position can be adjusted according to the space.

[0036] Example 2, refer to Figure 3A battery pack includes a housing 3. Inside the housing 3, a cold plate structure 10 (as described in Embodiment 1) and battery cells 6 are installed. Battery cells 6 are installed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the cold plate structure 10. A water inlet structure is provided on the outer surface of the housing 3. This water inlet structure is connected to a water nozzle 12 via a pipe 1. The pipe 1 is located on the upper surface of the cold plate structure 10 and is situated on the side surface of the battery cells 6. Further, the battery pack as a whole consists of a module, the housing 3, the cold plate structure 10, and the pipe 1. The module is made of double-layered battery cells 6, with the cells 6 arranged horizontally, forming one module from the upper and lower layers of cells 6. (Reference) Figure 3 In this embodiment, the housing 3 contains two large modules, with a cooling strip 13 sandwiched in the middle of each module. Thermally conductive structural adhesive is applied to the upper and lower surfaces of the cooling strip 13 to bond it to the battery cell 6. The cooling strip 13 cools / heats the battery cells 6 on both sides. The cover plate 14 of the cooling strip 13 is fixed to the bracket of the housing 3 by bolts 9.

[0037] Furthermore, there are several cold plate structures 10, and these several cold plate structures 10 are connected in sequence through pipes 1.

[0038] refer to Figure 3 The coolant structure includes an inlet 4 and an outlet 5, and the pipe 1 includes an outlet pipe 7 and an inlet pipe 8. The inlet 4 is connected to the inlet nozzle 15 of the cold plate structure 10 via the inlet pipe 8; the outlet 5 is connected to the outlet nozzle 16 of the cold plate structure 10 via the outlet pipe 7. Specifically, the coolant enters the inlet pipe 8 through the inlet 4 and then enters the inlet nozzle 15 of the cold plate structure 10. It then flows through the flow channel of the cold zone 13, thereby achieving heat dissipation. Finally, it exits through the outlet nozzle 16, enters the outlet pipe 7, and then flows out through the outlet 5, completing one liquid cooling cycle. Further, the coolant enters from the inlet nozzle 15 and is diverted through the cover plate 14 into the flow channel of the cold zone 13.

[0039] refer to Figure 4 The battery pack also includes bolts 9, and the cold plate structure 10 is fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the housing 3 by bolts 9. The cold plate structure 10 is fixed by bolts 9 through the waist holes on the cover plate 14, and the fixing position can be adjusted according to the space.

[0040] Another optional embodiment is a battery pack, including a housing 3. Three cold plate structures of Embodiment 1 are installed on the upper surface of the bottom plate inside the housing 3. Battery cells 6 are installed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the cold plate structures 10. A water inlet structure is provided on the outer surface of the housing 3, and the water inlet structure is connected to a water nozzle 12 via a pipe 1, which is located inside the housing 3. Further, the battery pack as a whole consists of modules, the housing 3, the cold plate structures 10, and the pipe 1. Each module is a double-layer battery cell 6, with the cells 6 arranged horizontally, the upper and lower layers of cells 6 forming one module. In this embodiment, the housing 3 contains three large modules, each module sandwiching a cold strip 13. The upper and lower surfaces of the cold strip 13 are coated with thermally conductive structural adhesive and bonded to the battery cells 6. The cold strip 13 cools / heats the upper and lower battery cells 6 on both sides. One end of the cold strip 13 is fixed to the bracket of the housing 3 by bolts 9. There are three cold plate structures 10, which are connected sequentially via pipes 1.

[0041] refer to Figure 3 The coolant structure includes an inlet 4 and an outlet 5, and the pipe 1 includes an outlet pipe 7 and an inlet pipe 8. The inlet 4 is connected to the inlet nozzles 15 of the three cold plate structures 10 via the inlet pipe 8; the outlet 5 is connected to the outlet nozzles 16 of the three cold plate structures 10 via the outlet pipe 7. Specifically, the coolant enters the inlet pipe 8 through the inlet 4 and then enters the inlet nozzles 15 of the cold plate structure 10. It then flows through the flow channels of the cold zone 13 to dissipate heat, and then exits through the outlet nozzles 16, enters the outlet pipe 7, and finally flows out through the outlet 5, completing one liquid cooling cycle. Further, the coolant enters from the inlet nozzle 15 and is diverted through the cover plate 14 into the flow channels of the cold zone 13.

[0042] refer to Figure 4 The battery pack also includes bolts 9, and the cold plate structure 10 is fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the housing 3 by bolts 9. The cold plate structure 10 is fixed by bolts 9 through the waist holes on the cover plate 14, and the fixing position can be adjusted according to the space.

[0043] The battery pack installation steps are as follows: First, attach the battery cells 6 to the upper and lower surfaces of the cold strip 13 of the cold plate structure 10 in sequence using structural adhesive. Then, place the installed battery cells 6 and cold plate structure 10 in the housing 3. Next, install the water inlet 4 and water outlet 5 on the outside of the housing 3. Connect the three water inlets 15 on the cold plate structure 10 in series by installing the water inlet pipe 8, and then connect the water inlet pipe 8 to the water inlet 4. Connect the three water outlets 16 on the cold plate structure 10 in series by installing the water outlet pipe 7, and then connect the water outlet pipe 7 to the water outlet 5.

[0044] Example 3, An electric vehicle includes a body, a motor, and a battery pack as described in Embodiment 2. Both the battery pack and the motor are installed in the body, and the battery pack is electrically connected to the motor.

[0045] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cold-rolled plate structure, characterized in that, Includes a cold strip (13), one end of which is fixedly connected to a collector (11), and a cover plate (14) is provided on the upper surface of the cold strip (13), the cover plate (14) being located at one end of the cold strip (13) near the collector (11); a water nozzle (12) is provided on the cover plate (14), the water nozzle (12) passing through the cover plate (14) and communicating with the flow channel in the cold strip (13).

2. The cold-plate structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cold zone (13) is a continuous wave shape.

3. A cold-plate structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The water nozzle (12) includes an inlet nozzle (15) and an outlet nozzle (16). The inlet nozzle (15) is connected to the inlet of the flow channel in the cold zone (13), and the outlet nozzle (16) is connected to the outlet of the flow channel in the cold zone (13). The inlet nozzle (15) is located on the side of the outlet nozzle (16) close to the collector (11).

4. A cold-plate structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inlet of the flow channel is located in the middle of the cold zone (13), and the outlet of the flow channel is located on both sides of the cold zone (13).

5. A cold-plate structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The flow channel has several channels, and the ends of the several channels away from the collector (11) are all connected.

6. A battery pack, characterized in that, The device includes a housing (3), inside which a cold plate structure and a battery cell (6) as described in any one of claims 1-5 are installed. The upper and lower surfaces of the cold plate structure (10) are both equipped with battery cells (6). The outer surface of the housing (3) is provided with a water inlet structure, which is connected to a water nozzle (12) through a pipe (1). The pipe (1) is located on the upper surface of the cold plate structure (10) and on the side surface of the battery cell (6).

7. A battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cold plate structure (10) is a plurality of such structures, and the plurality of such cold plate structures (10) are connected in sequence through a pipeline (1).

8. A battery pack according to claim 7, characterized in that, The water inlet structure includes an inlet (4) and an outlet (5), and the pipeline (1) includes an outlet pipe (7) and an inlet pipe (8); the inlet (4) is connected to the inlet nozzle (15) of the cold plate structure (10) through the inlet pipe (8); the outlet (5) is connected to the outlet nozzle (16) of the cold plate structure (10) through the outlet pipe (7).

9. A battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes bolts (9), and the cold plate structure (10) is fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the housing (3) by bolts (9).

10. A tram, characterized in that, The device includes a vehicle body, a motor, and a battery pack as described in any one of claims 6-9, wherein the battery pack and the motor are both installed in the vehicle body, and the battery pack is electrically connected to the motor.

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