Heat exchange plate, battery pack and vehicle with same

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of heat exchange plate and the battery pack and vehicle with it, heat exchange plate includes: flow channel plate, flow channel plate includes flow channel curved surface along thickness direction, flow channel curved surface includes protruding part and recessed part, recessed part is filled with foamed sealing material, recessed part after filling foamed sealing material with the protruding part is at least partially flush.This application can be filled with foamed sealing material in recessed part in flow channel curved surface, so that flow channel curved surface forms plane, it is favorable for heat exchange plate and battery closely adhere, improve cooling efficiency and sealing effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a heat exchange plate, a battery pack having the same, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Charging speed of new energy vehicles has always been a key performance indicator of concern for consumers. To meet the market demand for supercharging or fast charging, it is necessary to cool the battery pack and improve its temperature uniformity. Typically, cooling plates for the battery pack contain coolant pipes, which form uneven, curved flow channels. These curved surfaces make it difficult to achieve a sealed connection with the vehicle body using traditional flat die-cut foam. Alternatively, adding support components and sealing plates can create a larger flat surface for a sealed connection with the vehicle. While this achieves an effective seal, the structure is complex, the support components and sealing plates are expensive, and the metal sealing plates and support components increase the overall weight of the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0003] In a first aspect, this application proposes a heat exchange plate, including a flow channel plate 1, wherein the flow channel plate 1 includes a flow channel curved surface in the thickness direction, the flow channel curved surface includes a protrusion 2 and a recess 3; the recess 3 is filled with a foamed sealing material 4, and the recess 3 after being filled with the foamed sealing material 4 is at least partially flush with the protrusion 2.

[0004] Optionally, the foamed sealing material 4 is filled into the recess 3 using an online foaming technology.

[0005] Optionally, the foamed sealing material 4 includes component A and component B, wherein component A is a foaming agent and component B is a matrix material.

[0006] Optionally, the foamed sealing material 4 includes at least one of a polyurethane system, an epoxy system, and an organosilicon system.

[0007] Optionally, a primer is applied to the inner wall of the recess 3, the primer being used to enhance the adhesion strength between the foamed sealing material 4 and the flow channel surface.

[0008] Optionally, the flow channel surface of the flow channel plate 1 is located on both sides of the flow channel plate 1 along the thickness direction.

[0009] Optionally, the heat exchange plate further includes a side plate 5, the side plate 5 projecting onto the flow channel plate 1 to at least cover the protrusion 2.

[0010] Secondly, this application provides a battery pack, including the heat exchange plate described above and a battery assembly 6, wherein the heat exchange plate is located on the side of the battery assembly 6 and is used to cool the battery assembly 6.

[0011] Optionally, the battery pack also includes a heat exchanger 7, which is located on the side of the battery pack away from the heat exchange plate and is used to cool the battery pack.

[0012] Optionally, a structural adhesive 10 is provided between the heat exchange plate, and / or the heat spreader 7 and the battery assembly 6, the structural adhesive 10 being used to bond the heat exchange plate and the battery assembly 6, and / or the heat spreader 7 and the battery assembly 6.

[0013] Thirdly, this application provides a vehicle, including: a body structure, and the heat exchange plate or the battery pack described above.

[0014] Optionally, the vehicle also includes a side beam 8, the heat exchange plate, and / or the heat spreader 7 connected to the side beam 8; the side beam 8 is adapted to form a battery housing cavity for accommodating the battery assembly 6.

[0015] Optionally, the heat exchange plate, and / or the temperature distribution plate 7, is connected and fixed to the side beam 8 by a fastener.

[0016] Optionally, the heat exchange plate, and / or the temperature distribution plate 7, is sealed to the side beam 8 by a sealing element 9.

[0017] Optionally, the top of the battery pack is formed as at least a portion of the floor panel of the vehicle body.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the above solution are: by filling the recessed part 3 with foamed sealing material 4, the surfaces of the recessed part 3 and the raised part 2 tend to be consistent, thereby improving the overall flatness and sealing of the flow channel plate 1, which is conducive to improving heat exchange efficiency and reducing leakage risk. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the heat exchanger plate structure according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0021] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the heat exchanger plate structure according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack assembly according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0024] 1-Flow channel plate; 2-Protrusion; 3-Recess; 4-Foamed sealing material; 5-Side plate; 6-Battery assembly; 7-Heat spreader; 8-Side beam; 9-Seal; 10-Structural adhesive Detailed Implementation

[0025] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0027] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0028] Therefore, this solution has the following technical problems: 1) Traditional sealing structures are complex, increasing assembly difficulty and manufacturing costs; 2) Sealing materials are prone to aging and failure, leading to a decline in sealing performance; 3) The sealing structure limits the lightweight design of the battery pack; 4) Installation errors of the sealing component 9 can easily lead to uneven sealing or failure. To solve the above problems, there is an urgent need for a sealing technology solution that is simple in structure, reliable in process, lightweight, and has excellent sealing performance.

[0029] This application provides a heat exchange plate, such as... Figure 1As shown, the heat exchange plate includes: a flow channel plate 1, the flow channel plate 1 includes a flow channel curved surface in the thickness direction, the flow channel curved surface includes a protrusion 2 and a recess 3; the recess 3 is filled with a foamed sealing material 4, and the recess 3 after being filled with the foamed sealing material 4 is at least partially flush with the protrusion 2.

[0030] Specifically, in the above embodiments, by filling the recessed portion 3 of the flow channel surface with foamed sealing material 4, the step difference is eliminated, achieving flatness with the surface of the heat exchange plate. This ensures full contact between the heat exchange plate and the object to be cooled, reduces structural complexity, and improves the flatness and sealing performance of the heat exchange plate. Simultaneously, to achieve battery pack lightweighting, existing technologies place high demands on the weight reduction of structural components. However, traditional sealing structures often struggle to achieve lightweighting goals due to the addition of sealing elements 9 and support structures. Furthermore, the complexity of the sealing structure may affect the battery pack's ground clearance, increasing the risk of bottom impacts and thus affecting the battery pack's safety performance. Increasing the cooling force of the battery pack while reducing its occupation of the vehicle's Z-axis space increases the battery pack's ground clearance, improves vehicle versatility, and meets the needs of vehicle lightweighting development.

[0031] Normally, heat exchange plates are sealed by a support plate and a metal plate on the curved surface of the flow channel. In this application, the recessed part 3 of the curved surface of the flow channel is directly filled with foamed sealing material 4, which is beneficial to improving lightweight and sealing performance.

[0032] In some embodiments, the foamed sealing material 4 is filled into the recessed portion 3 using online foaming technology. This method involves applying the online foamed sealing material 4 using automated dispensing equipment, foaming it on the curved surface of the flow channel to obtain the corresponding sealing material, thereby achieving the required sealing level. This application fully utilizes the high automation and versatility of online foaming sealing, using chemical reactions to achieve in-situ foaming molding, reducing the cutting and positioning processes of traditional sealing strips, improving assembly accuracy, reducing assembly complexity, and eliminating the risk of dust contamination and foam deformation during transportation. High versatility is achieved through programming and dispensing speed and amount, enabling sealing of different sealing areas and foam lengths and widths, and eliminating the need for part numbers, thus reducing management difficulty. Optionally, the dispensing amount and speed are calculated based on information such as the vehicle body size chain design and the foaming ratio of the silicone foam material for applying adhesive to the curved surface of the cold-rolled plate flow channel, allowing for cooling and fixation at 20℃-85℃ for 15 minutes to 6 hours. For example, after applying the adhesive, it can be foamed at a high temperature of 85°C for 15 minutes or 20°C for 6 hours to achieve the required size of the sealing foam.

[0033] In one embodiment, the foamed sealing material 4 includes component A and component B, wherein component A is a foaming agent and component B is a matrix material.

[0034] like Figure 2As shown, the foamed sealing material 4 is mainly achieved through the dynamic reaction or physical phase change between the foaming agent and the matrix material. There are two possible pathways: 1. Expansion foaming based on chemical reactions, such as the cross-linking reaction that occurs after mixing two-component raw materials, simultaneously releasing gases such as carbon dioxide or hydrogen as foaming agents. 2. Expansion through physical phase changes, for example.

[0035] The foamed sealant 4 comprises component A and component B. The foaming ratio and curing time can be controlled by adjusting the ratio of components A and B (e.g., A:B = 1:1 to 1:1.5) to adapt to different sealing area requirements. Component A may also include catalysts, fillers, and stabilizers, while component B may include crosslinking agents, accelerators, and inhibitors, which help improve the foaming efficiency, dimensional stability, structural strength, electrical insulation, and temperature resistance of the foamed sealant.

[0036] Common foamed sealant materials 4 include polyurethane systems, epoxy systems, and silicone systems. The foamed sealant material 4 of this application may include at least one of the above.

[0037] Common foamed sealant materials include polyurethane (PU), epoxy, and silicone systems. Polyurethane (PU) systems offer good elasticity, adjustable foaming ratio, rapid curing at room temperature, high cost-effectiveness, and low raw material cost. However, PU systems have limited temperature resistance, moderate solvent resistance and weather resistance, and are prone to yellowing and aging outdoors. Epoxy (EP) systems have high structural strength, strong chemical corrosion resistance, are suitable for harsh environments, and have good dimensional stability. However, epoxy systems have poor elasticity and a low foaming ratio. Silicone (SI) systems have a wide temperature range, but poor elasticity at high and low temperatures. They offer excellent electrical insulation, good low-temperature flexibility, and are suitable for thermal cycling scenarios. However, silicone systems have high raw material cost, slow curing speed, and poor adhesion to some substrates, requiring pretreatment.

[0038] In battery pack cooling scenarios, temperature changes are frequent and significant, constituting a thermal cycling environment. Therefore, the foamed sealing material 4 needs a wide temperature resistance range and excellent electrical insulation properties for sealing the battery. Thus, this application preferably uses an organosilicon system. While organosilicon has poor adhesion to some substrates, pretreatment can be performed on the areas to be coated.

[0039] In one embodiment, a primer is provided on the inner wall of the recess 3, which is used to provide the bonding strength between the foamed sealing material 4 and the flow channel surface.

[0040] To enhance the connection strength between the foamed sealant 4 and the flow channel surface and reduce the risk of the foamed sealant 4 detaching, pretreatment can be performed on the flow channel surface. The core function of the primer is to solve the interfacial bonding problem between the substrate and the adhesive, bridging the differences in their chemical properties and physical structures, and ultimately improving the overall adhesion strength and durability. Transforming the substrate and adhesive from "difficult to bond" to "strongly bonded" is a key pretreatment material for improving the durability of products or projects.

[0041] In one embodiment, the flow channel plate 1 includes a flow channel and a substrate. The flow channel can be disposed on the substrate. In this case, one side of the flow channel plate 1 is a flat surface of the substrate, and the other side is a curved surface of the flow channel. A foamed sealant 4 is needed to fill the curved surface of the flow channel, so that after being filled with the foamed sealant 4, the curved surface of the flow channel forms a flat surface, which better conforms to the object waiting to be cooled (e.g., the battery), improving cooling efficiency. Optionally, the flow channel can also be disposed in the middle of the substrate, with the curved surface of the flow channel located on both sides of the flow channel plate 1 along its thickness direction. This solution uses a stamping process to form mirror-symmetrical protrusions 2 and recesses 3, achieving double-sided sealing and reducing additional sealing structure installation steps.

[0042] The substrate serves as a supporting structure, with the flow channel embedded within it. The flow channel plate 1 includes curved surfaces on both sides along its thickness, and foamed sealing material 4 is used to fill these curved surfaces. Since foamed sealing material 4 also possesses a wide temperature resistance and good electrical insulation properties, coating both sides with foamed sealing material 4 further enhances its electrical insulation and sealing performance. Optionally, side plates 5 are provided on the curved surface of the flow channel, with the orthographic projection of the side plates 5 on the curved surface at least covering the protrusions 2 on the flow channel plate 1. It is understandable that after filling the curved surface of the flow channel with foamed sealing material 4, some of the foamed sealing material 4 system exhibits poor weather resistance and is prone to aging, while some of the foamed sealing material 4 system lacks sufficient structural strength. Therefore, side plates 5 can be provided on the curved surface of the flow channel filled with foamed sealing material 4 to improve the structural strength of the heat exchange plate. Separating the foamed sealing material 4 from the battery through the side plates 5 helps to slow down the aging of the foamed sealing material 4.

[0043] Secondly, this application provides a battery pack, which includes a battery assembly 6 and a heat exchange plate located on the side of the battery assembly 6 for cooling the battery assembly 6.

[0044] like Figure 3As shown, the upper and lower areas of the battery pack are typically larger. Placing heat exchange plates above or below the battery pack is more conducive to achieving uniform temperature distribution. Optionally, the heat exchange plate can be positioned above the battery pack, with a heat spreader 7 located on the side of the battery pack facing away from the heat exchange plate. The structure of the heat spreader 7 can be the same as or different from the heat exchange plate. The specific structure of the heat spreader 7 can be determined by considering factors such as structural strength and cooling efficiency. Generally, the height dimension of the battery is relatively small; placing cooling structures at both the top and bottom can reduce the temperature difference within the battery pack and improve uniform temperature distribution.

[0045] To ensure a more stable connection between the heat exchange plate, the heat spreader 7 and the battery assembly 6, structural adhesive 10 can be applied between the heat exchange plate and the battery assembly 6, and between the heat spreader 7 and the battery assembly 6. The structural adhesive 10 is used to bond the heat exchange plate and the battery assembly 6, and / or the heat spreader 7 and the battery assembly 6, to ensure reliable bonding.

[0046] Foamed sealing materials can improve the overall sealing performance of the battery pack, reducing electro-corrosion and other issues caused by contact between the battery and external air or moisture. This contributes to improved battery safety and durability.

[0047] Thirdly, this application provides a vehicle that includes the heat exchange plate provided in any of the above embodiments, or the battery pack provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0048] The sealing between the cold plate flow channel surface and the vehicle body is a critical aspect. Current technologies primarily employ mechanical seals (such as O-rings and gaskets) or traditional adhesive sealing methods to achieve the battery pack's waterproof and dustproof performance (IP67 rating). However, these traditional sealing methods often require complex structural fits on the cold plate or vehicle body, such as grooves and flanges, to ensure the installation and sealing effect of the seals. This not only increases structural complexity but also leads to cumbersome assembly processes, increasing manufacturing costs and the risk of assembly errors. Furthermore, traditional seals are prone to failure during long-term use due to aging, permanent compression deformation, or condensation buildup, affecting the battery pack's sealing performance and lifespan.

[0049] In some embodiments, the device further includes a side beam 8, a heat exchange plate, and / or a heat spreader 7 connected to the side beam 8; the side beam 8 is adapted to form a battery receiving cavity for accommodating the battery assembly 6. It is understood that if a battery tray is present, the side beam 8 can be a tray side beam 8; if no battery tray is present, it can be a vehicle side beam 8. The side beam 8 forms the battery receiving cavity for accommodating the battery assembly 6. Optionally, grooves can be provided in the extruded aluminum profile side beam 8 to accommodate sealing material, forming a double-sealing structure and improving the protection level.

[0050] In some embodiments, the heat exchange plate and / or the heat spreader 7 is connected and fixed to the side beam 8 by fasteners. To ensure the maximization of the overall structural performance and space utilization of the battery pack and the vehicle body, the heat exchange plate and / or the heat spreader 7 can be connected and fixed to the side beam 8. Fasteners such as glue, bolts, or nylon clips can be used to enhance the connection strength.

[0051] In one embodiment, in order to ensure the overall sealing performance of the battery pack, after the battery is connected and fixed to the side beam 8, some sealing components 9 can be added, such as foam sealing strips and elastic sealant, to improve the sealing performance between the battery pack and the side beam 8.

[0052] In some embodiments, the top of the battery pack is formed as at least a portion of the vehicle's floor panel. This approach, by using a heat exchange plate directly as the vehicle's floor panel, facilitates lightweight vehicle design.

[0053] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0054] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

[0055] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A heat exchange plate, characterized in that, include: The flow channel plate (1) includes a flow channel surface in the thickness direction, and the flow channel surface includes a protrusion (2) and a recess (3); The recess (3) is filled with foamed sealant (4), and the recess (3) after being filled with foamed sealant (4) is at least partially flush with the protrusion (2).

2. The heat exchange plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The foamed sealing material (4) is filled into the recess (3) using online foaming technology.

3. The heat exchange plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The foamed sealing material (4) includes component A and component B, wherein component A is a foaming agent and component B is a matrix material.

4. The heat exchange plate according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The foamed sealing material (4) includes at least one of polyurethane system, epoxy system, and silicone system.

5. The heat exchange plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the recess (3) has a primer, which is used to enhance the bonding strength between the foamed sealing material (4) and the flow channel surface.

6. The heat exchange plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow channel plate (1) has a flow channel surface located on both sides of the flow channel plate (1) along the thickness direction.

7. The heat exchange plate according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heat exchange plate also includes a side plate (5), which, when projected onto the flow channel plate (1), at least covers the protrusion (2).

8. A battery pack, characterized in that, Includes the heat exchange plate as described in claims 1-7 and the battery assembly (6), the heat exchange plate being located on the side of the battery assembly (6) for cooling the battery assembly (6).

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a heat exchange plate (7), which is located on the side of the battery pack away from the heat exchange plate and is used to cool the battery pack.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, characterized in that, Structural adhesive (10) is provided between the heat exchange plate and / or the heat spreader (7) and the battery assembly (6), the structural adhesive (10) being used to bond the heat exchange plate and the battery assembly (6), and / or the heat spreader (7) and the battery assembly (6).

11. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: The vehicle body structure and the heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 1-7, or the battery pack according to claims 8-10.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that, It also includes a side beam (8), the heat exchange plate, and / or, the temperature equalization plate (7) is connected to the side beam (8); The side beam (8) is adapted to form a battery receiving cavity for accommodating the battery assembly (6).

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, characterized in that, The heat exchange plate, and / or the temperature equalization plate (7) is connected and fixed to the side beam (8) by a fastener.

14. The vehicle according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The heat exchange plate, and / or the temperature distribution plate (7) and the side beam (8) are sealed together by a sealing element (9).

15. The vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that, The top of the battery pack is formed as at least a portion of the floor panel of the vehicle body.

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