A heat pipe assembly and a battery assembly

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the battery field, concretely is a kind of heat pipe assembly and battery assembly.Solve the problem that the heat of the position of monomer battery pole in existing battery pack is too high to cause thermal runaway, heat pipe assembly includes heat pipe and with electric insulating piece;Heat pipe is metal pipe;Electric insulating piece includes the fixed part and support part of integrally arranged;Multiple electric insulating pieces are fixed on the outer wall of heat pipe along the length direction of heat pipe based on fixed part;The support part of each electric insulating piece is used to embed in the through slot of corresponding polarity terminal, and fixed part is located outside shell, ensure that between heat pipe and the top plate of shell in shell height direction, there is set distance.The utility model heat pipe assembly and the pole extension piece with through slot in battery component synergistic effect, realize external heat dissipation while taking into account electrical safety.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Currently, common battery packs consist of multiple individual batteries placed inside a casing and connected together electrically.

[0003] Temperature control of battery packs has always been a hot topic in this field. Most existing battery packs use air cooling or liquid cooling to control the temperature of the entire battery pack. However, since the terminals of individual cells in the battery pack are the most concentrated areas of heat, excessive local heat at the terminals can easily cause thermal runaway in individual cells, seriously affecting the safety and performance of the battery pack and the battery pack as a whole. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the issue of excessive heat at the terminal posts of individual cells in existing battery packs potentially causing thermal runaway, this invention provides a heat transfer pipe assembly and a battery assembly.

[0005] The concept of this utility model is:

[0006] To improve the heat dissipation effect of the battery pack terminals, this invention proposes to extend each individual battery terminal out of the battery pack casing, allowing direct heat dissipation from the outside of the casing. Specifically, this can be achieved by opening clearance holes in the casing to allow the terminals to extend and fixing heat transfer pipes on the terminals.

[0007] However, the existing single-cell battery terminals are too low in height, making it difficult for them to extend out of the casing and impossible to install heat transfer tube fixing structures on them.

[0008] Based on this, the present invention considers using an electrode extension component to extend the electrode height and setting a heat transfer tube fixing structure on the electrode extension component, so that the heat transfer tube fixing structure on each individual battery electrode extension component extends out of the outer shell to fix the heat transfer tube.

[0009] This plan needs to focus on the following two aspects:

[0010] The first aspect is how to achieve stable fixation of the heat transfer tube and efficient heat conduction between it and the pole extension;

[0011] To achieve stable fixation and efficient heat conduction of the heat transfer tube, this invention proposes to create a through groove on the pole extension, directly embedding the heat transfer tube into the through groove. The through groove structure provides initial positioning of the heat transfer tube while ensuring close contact between the two to improve heat conduction efficiency.

[0012] Meanwhile, this invention utilizes the superior thermal conductivity of metal compared to other materials, enabling rapid heat transfer and improved heat transfer efficiency, thus selecting metal as the material for the heat transfer tube. However, considering safety, direct contact between the metal heat transfer tube and the electrode extension could pose a short-circuit risk. Therefore, this invention incorporates multiple intermittently arranged electrical insulating components on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, each securing it to the electrode extension. These electrical insulating components must possess both excellent electrical insulation and thermal conductivity, ensuring smooth heat transfer while isolating current, thereby guaranteeing the proper functioning of the heat transfer system.

[0013] Secondly, how to achieve an effective connection between the pole extension and the pole;

[0014] The pole extension and the pole can be connected in a variety of ways: for example, they can be connected by screws at the bottom of the through slot; or they can be connected by welding at the bottom of the through slot, etc.

[0015] For electrical safety and insulation distance considerations, a set distance must be maintained between the heat transfer tube and the top plate of the outer shell. Therefore, after the pole extension is installed, the bottom of its through groove, which serves as the bearing surface in the height direction of the heat transfer tube, must be higher than the top plate of the outer shell.

[0016] Because the terminals of conventional single-cell batteries are relatively low and usually located inside the casing, the terminal extension needs to extend into the casing through the clearance hole to connect with the corresponding terminal. If the bottom of the through slot is required to be higher than the top plate of the casing, it will result in an excessively thick through slot bottom, which will lead to new problems: if screw connection is used, it will increase the drilling difficulty when screw connection is used; if welding is used, it will increase the thermal conduction resistance, which is not conducive to the conduction of heat from the terminal to the terminal extension.

[0017] To overcome the above problems, the following two solutions can be adopted:

[0018] Option 1: Machine blind holes at the bottom of the through-slot and connect the bottom of the blind holes to the poles. To overcome the heat conduction interruption problem caused by the blind hole cavity, after connection, fill the blind hole with a heat-conducting block to ensure close contact between the heat-conducting block and the heat transfer tube, thus optimizing heat conduction performance. Although this option avoids the problem caused by an excessively thick bottom of the slot, the blind hole machining requires additional processes, and the additional machining and assembly of the heat-conducting block increases the complexity of the process, resulting in higher processing costs.

[0019] Option 2: Thinning of the bottom of the through-slot and extension of the electrical insulation components:

[0020] This solution addresses the issues of high drilling difficulty or high welding thermal resistance by thinning the bottom of the through-slot itself, allowing the thinned bottom to be directly connected to the electrode post via screws or welding. Simultaneously, the height of the electrical insulation component (in the direction of the individual cell height) is extended, with its end furthest from the heat transfer tube extending into the through-slot to fill the cavity within the outer casing. This avoids the heat conduction interruption problem caused by the cavity and also prevents potential contact issues between the heat transfer tube and the top plate of the outer casing caused by the thinning of the slot bottom.

[0021] This solution has low processing costs (the pole extension is integrally formed through extrusion) and high assembly efficiency (the heat exchanger assembly is assembled into the battery component as a whole), making it suitable for large-scale mass production.

[0022] Based on the above concept, this utility model adopts Scheme 2. Specifically, the first aspect of this utility model provides a heat transfer pipe assembly, which is applied to a battery component. The battery component includes a shell, multiple terminal extension members, and multiple individual batteries arranged inside the shell. The terminal extension members correspond one-to-one with the terminals of the individual batteries. The top plate of the shell has clearance holes corresponding to the terminals of each individual battery. The area of ​​the top plate of the shell corresponding to the clearance holes is sealed to the top cover of the individual batteries. The terminal extension members have through slots, and each terminal extension member extends into the clearance hole and is connected to the corresponding terminal based on the bottom of the through slot. The inner surface of the bottom of the through slot is located inside the shell.

[0023] The aforementioned heat transfer tube assembly includes heat transfer tubes and electrical insulation components corresponding to the electrode extension;

[0024] The heat transfer tubes mentioned above are metal tubes;

[0025] The aforementioned electrical insulating component includes an integrally formed fixing part and a supporting part; multiple electrical insulating components are fixed at intervals along the length direction of the heat transfer tube based on the fixing part; the supporting part of each electrical insulating component is used to be embedded in the through groove of the corresponding polarity terminal, the bottom end of the supporting part is in contact with the bottom of the through groove, and the fixing part is located outside the outer shell, ensuring that there is a set distance between the heat transfer tube and the top plate of the outer shell in the height direction of the outer shell.

[0026] This utility model's heat transfer pipe assembly works synergistically with the slotted pole extension in the battery component. It solves the problem of insufficient pole height and difficulty in external heat dissipation in conventional single-cell batteries. Furthermore, through the structure of "thinning of the bottom of the slot + extension of the electrical insulation component", it takes into account electrical safety (set distance between the heat transfer pipe and the top plate of the outer shell), thermal conductivity (no cavity thermal break) and mass production feasibility, forming a highly efficient and low-cost battery pole heat dissipation solution.

[0027] The heat transfer tube assembly is installed onto the battery component. The heat generated by the battery terminal is first conducted to the terminal extension that is tightly connected to it. Because the two are closely fitted and both are high thermal conductivity structures, the heat is transferred efficiently. The support part of the electrical insulation component is embedded in the through groove of the terminal extension component. The electrical insulation component also has good thermal conductivity. The heat can be further transferred through the support part to the metal heat transfer tube that is tightly connected to the fixing part of the electrical insulation component. The metal heat transfer tube can quickly dissipate heat, ultimately achieving directional and efficient heat dissipation of the battery component terminal, and preventing the terminal from affecting the battery performance due to high temperature.

[0028] Meanwhile, this invention has significant advantages in terms of process and assembly: the electrode extension is integrally formed through extrusion, resulting in strong structural stability and high production efficiency; the heat transfer tube assembly is assembled into the battery component as a single unit, greatly simplifying the processing flow. It avoids the complex processes of blind hole processing and heat-conducting block assembly found in Scheme 1, fully meeting the needs of large-scale mass production of battery components.

[0029] Furthermore, a first through hole is provided on the aforementioned fixing part, and multiple electrical insulating components are spaced along the length of the heat transfer tube based on the first through hole and sleeved on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube, thereby achieving all-round insulation protection between the heat transfer tube and the polarity terminal.

[0030] Furthermore, the aforementioned metal tube is an aluminum tube. Compared to other metals, aluminum is lighter, which is beneficial for the lightweight design of battery components.

[0031] Furthermore, the aforementioned electrical insulation component is a ceramic tube segment.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] In addition, the area of ​​the metal aluminum heat transfer tube without ceramic tube sections has a certain degree of flexibility, which can adapt to installation errors during the installation process, reduce the installation accuracy requirements, and improve installation efficiency.

[0035] 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.

[0036] Furthermore, a thermally conductive adhesive layer is provided between the contact surfaces of each ceramic tube segment and the heat transfer tube.

[0037] 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.

[0038] In terms of structural stability, the adhesion of the thermally conductive adhesive layer can firmly bond the ceramic tube segment and the heat transfer tube, improving the bonding stability between the two.

[0039] 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.

[0040] A second aspect of the present invention provides a battery assembly, including a battery component and two heat transfer tube assemblies as described above.

[0041] The aforementioned battery components include a housing, multiple terminal extension members, and multiple individual cells arranged within the housing; wherein, each terminal extension member corresponds one-to-one with a terminal of an individual cell; the top plate of the housing has clearance holes corresponding to the polarity terminals of each individual cell; the area of ​​the top plate of the housing corresponding to the clearance holes is sealed to the top cover of the individual cells; through slots are formed on the aforementioned terminal extension members, each terminal extension member extends into the clearance hole, and is connected to the corresponding terminal based on the bottom of the through slot, and the inner surface of the bottom of the through slot is located inside the housing;

[0042] Both heat transfer pipe assemblies extend along the arrangement direction of the individual cells. In one heat transfer pipe assembly, the support parts of multiple electrical insulating components are embedded in the through slots of the corresponding electrode extension parts on one side of each individual cell. In the other heat transfer pipe assembly, the support parts of multiple electrical insulating components are embedded in the through slots of the corresponding electrode extension parts on the other side of each individual cell. Furthermore, in the height direction of the outer shell, there is a set distance between the heat transfer pipe and the top plate of the outer shell.

[0043] Furthermore, the bottom of the aforementioned through groove is welded to the corresponding pole post.

[0044] From the perspective of connection stability, welding enables the electrode extension to form a stable bond with the single battery electrode, greatly enhancing the connection strength between the two.

[0045] In terms of conductivity, welding effectively reduces contact resistance. Because welding eliminates gaps at the connection points, current can flow more smoothly through the connection point between the terminal extension and the individual cell terminal, greatly improving the conductivity of the polar terminal (the overall structure of the terminal and terminal extension is defined as the polar terminal).

[0046] Furthermore, a flexible heat-conducting layer is provided between the outer wall of the aforementioned electrical insulation component and the inner wall of the through groove.

[0047] This flexible thermally conductive layer is made of a high thermal conductivity and flexible material, which can closely fit the outer wall of the electrical insulation component and fill the thermal resistance caused by unevenness of the outer wall of the electrical insulation component and the inner wall of the through groove or installation gaps. On the one hand, the flexible thermally conductive layer can enhance the heat transfer efficiency between the battery polarity terminal, the electrical insulation component and the metal aluminum heat transfer tube, so that heat can be transferred more smoothly from the polarity terminal through the electrical insulation component to the metal aluminum heat transfer tube. On the other hand, the flexibility of the flexible thermally conductive layer can buffer external impacts and vibrations, further protecting the brittle electrical insulation component, especially the ceramic tube section. At the same time, during the installation process, it can effectively make up for the gaps caused by installation errors, ensure close contact between the components, and enhance the structural stability and reliability of the entire heat exchange system.

[0048] Furthermore, within the casing, the internal cavities of each individual battery cell are interconnected, and the electrolytes and / or gases within each individual battery cell are interconnected, ensuring that the electrolytes and / or gases of all individual batteries are in the same system. This reduces the differences between individual batteries and improves the consistency between individual batteries to a certain extent, thereby improving the cycle life of the battery components to a certain extent.

[0049] Furthermore, the outer casing is provided with explosion venting channels extending along the arrangement direction of the individual battery cells, which cover the explosion vents of each individual battery cell. When the explosion venting membrane at any individual battery cell's explosion vent is ruptured by internal flue gas, the internal flue gas is discharged through the explosion venting channels, improving the safety of the battery component.

[0050] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0051] Effectively solves the problem of external heat dissipation caused by insufficient pole height: By connecting pole extension components to the pole of a single cell and opening corresponding clearance holes on the top plate of the battery component casing, combined with the structural design of "thinning of the bottom of the through groove + extension of the electrical insulation component", the pole extension component and the electrical insulation component work together to support the metal heat transfer tube. This not only solves the problem of low pole height of conventional single cells and difficulty in achieving external heat dissipation, but also reliably ensures the set distance between the metal heat transfer tube and the top plate of the casing, taking into account both electrical safety and the feasibility of external heat dissipation.

[0052] The heat generated by the battery terminals is first conducted to the terminal extension that is closely connected to them. Because the two are closely fitted and both are high thermal conductivity structures, the heat can be efficiently transferred to the terminal extension. Then, the heat is conducted through the terminal extension to the electrical insulation support embedded in the through slot, and then transferred by the electrical insulation with good thermal conductivity to the metal heat transfer tube. The metal heat transfer tube can quickly dissipate the heat, ultimately achieving directional and efficient heat dissipation of the battery terminal, and preventing the terminal from affecting the battery performance due to high temperature.

[0053] Furthermore, this invention can significantly reduce processing costs and is suitable for large-scale mass production: the electrode extension in this invention is integrally formed through an extrusion process, requiring no additional processing; at the same time, the heat transfer pipe assembly is assembled with the battery component as a whole, greatly simplifying the production process. This design completely avoids the complex processes of blind hole processing and heat-conducting block assembly in Scheme 1, significantly reducing the overall processing difficulty and cost while ensuring heat dissipation performance, making it suitable for large-scale mass production of battery components. Attached Figure Description

[0054] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the heat transfer pipe assembly in Example 1;

[0055] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the heat transfer pipe assembly in Example 1;

[0056] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the battery assembly in Example 1;

[0057] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery assembly in Example 1;

[0058] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery assembly in Example 1;

[0059] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pole extension component in Example 1;

[0060] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of another battery assembly in Example 1.

[0061] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0062] 1. Heat transfer tube; 2. Electrical insulation component; 21. Fixing part; 22. Support part; 3. Electrode extension component; 31. Through groove; 32. Second through hole; 4. Outer shell; 41. Clearance hole; 5. Single cell; 51. Electrode; 6. Electrolyte sharing chamber; 7. Gas sharing chamber; 8. Explosion relief channel; 9. Support component. Detailed Implementation

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] This utility model discloses a heat transfer pipe assembly and a battery assembly having such a heat transfer pipe assembly. It aims to solve the external heat dissipation problem caused by insufficient height of the terminals in conventional single-cell batteries, while also considering electrical safety and mass production compatibility.

[0067] The battery assembly includes battery components and heat transfer pipe assemblies. The battery components can include at least three types. The heat transfer pipe assemblies achieve efficient heat exchange for the battery components by being adapted and assembled with various types of battery components.

[0068] First type of battery components:

[0069] The first type of battery component includes a casing, multiple individual cells located inside the casing, and multiple terminal extensions corresponding to the terminals of each individual cell.

[0070] For ease of description, in this utility model, the arrangement direction of the individual battery cells is defined as the x-direction (the x-direction is the first direction); the height direction of the individual battery cells is defined as the z-direction (the z-direction is the second direction); and the direction perpendicular to both the x and z directions is defined as the y-direction (the y-direction is the third direction).

[0071] This utility model does not specifically limit the above-mentioned shell structure, but at least the following two structures can be adopted:

[0072] The first structure includes a cylindrical body with open ends (i.e., the port parallel to the yz plane is the open end) and end plates fixed to the two open ends of the cylindrical body (i.e., the end plates are parallel to the yz plane).

[0073] The second structure includes a cylindrical body with open ends at the top and bottom (i.e., the port parallel to the xy plane is the open end) and a top plate and a bottom plate fixed to the open ends at the top and bottom of the cylindrical body respectively (i.e., the top plate and the bottom plate are both parallel to the xy plane, and the bottom plate or the top plate can be an integral structure with the cylindrical body).

[0074] A clearance hole is made on the top plate of the casing corresponding to each individual battery terminal; the area of ​​the top plate of the casing corresponding to the clearance hole is fixedly sealed to the individual battery casing, so that the clearance hole part of the top plate of the casing is sealed.

[0075] The area on the top plate of the housing corresponding to the clearance hole can be the area around the clearance hole on the top plate of the housing, or it can be the wall of the clearance hole.

[0076] The pole extension is integrally formed by extrusion process, which has strong structural stability and does not require additional processing, making it suitable for mass production. It has a block or columnar structure with through slots opened on the pole extension. After each pole extension is inserted into the clearance hole, it is connected to the corresponding pole located inside the shell based on the bottom of the through slot. The plane of the inner surface of the bottom of the through slot is lower than the plane of the top plate of the shell, that is, the inner surface of the bottom of the through slot is located inside the shell.

[0077] Second type of battery components:

[0078] The second type of battery component, based on the first type of battery component, has a venting channel in the outer shell. The venting channel extends along the x-direction and covers the venting ports of each individual battery cell. When the venting membrane at the venting port of any individual battery cell is ruptured by the internal smoke, the internal smoke is discharged through the venting channel, thereby improving the safety of the battery component.

[0079] Category III battery components:

[0080] The third type of battery component, based on the first type of battery component, has a shared chamber inside the outer casing, which enables the connection of the internal cavities of each individual battery cell.

[0081] It should be noted that:

[0082] The aforementioned shared chamber can be an electrolyte sharing chamber, with its inner cavity connected to the inner cavities of each individual battery cell. This shared chamber ensures that each individual battery cell is in a uniform electrolyte environment, guaranteeing electrolyte homogeneity and improving battery component performance and charge-discharge cycle life. The electrolyte sharing chamber described here is a liquid channel extending along the length of the casing between the casing's bottom plate and each individual battery cell. This liquid channel can be integrally formed with the casing's bottom plate or formed by a support structure between the individual battery's lower cover and the casing's bottom plate. It should be noted that in the first type of casing structure, the casing's bottom plate here is a cylindrical bottom plate; in the second type of casing structure, the casing's bottom plate here is a base plate.

[0083] The aforementioned shared chamber can also be a gas-sharing chamber located on the top plate of the outer casing, which covers the gas ports on the top of each individual cell in the battery assembly.

[0084] It should be noted that in the first type of shell, the top plate of the shell here is the top plate of the cylinder; in the second type of shell, the top plate of the shell here is the top plate.

[0085] It should also be noted that the gas port here has the following two meanings:

[0086] 1) The gas port is a through hole directly opened on the top cover of the single cell and penetrating the inner cavity of the single cell;

[0087] At this time, the gas-sharing chamber is connected to the gas region of each individual cell through the gas port. Based on the gas-sharing chamber, the gas regions of each individual cell can be connected to achieve gas balance, so that the gas of each individual cell is shared to ensure the consistency of each individual cell and improve the cycle life of the battery component to a certain extent. When any individual cell experiences thermal runaway, the flue gas in the inner cavity of that individual cell enters the gas-sharing chamber and is discharged through the gas-sharing chamber, thereby improving the safety of the battery component.

[0088] 2) The gas port is a vent or explosion-proof port installed on the top cover of the individual battery, and a vent membrane is provided at the vent or explosion-proof port.

[0089] At this time, the gas sharing chamber is used as a venting channel. When the venting membrane at the gas port of any single cell is ruptured by the flue gas in the inner cavity, the inner cavity of that single cell is connected to the gas sharing chamber, and the flue gas inside is discharged through the gas sharing chamber, thereby improving the safety of the battery component.

[0090] It should be noted that the gas-sharing chamber and electrolyte-sharing chamber mentioned above can be set up simultaneously or independently. When the third type of battery component is only set up as a gas-sharing chamber serving as an explosion relief channel, its structure is the same as that of the second type of battery component.

[0091] The aforementioned shared chamber can also be a gas-liquid shared chamber. Through a gas-liquid shared chamber, each individual battery cell can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment and gas environment, thereby improving the performance of the battery components and the charge-discharge cycle life.

[0092] The heat transfer tube assembly includes a metal heat transfer tube (metal can quickly dissipate heat and improve heat conduction efficiency) and multiple electrically insulating components fixed at intervals on its outer wall;

[0093] When assembling heat transfer pipe assemblies on the above three types of battery components, each electrical insulating component in the heat transfer pipe assembly needs to be embedded into the through groove of the corresponding electrode extension component to exchange heat with the battery component based on the heat transfer pipe.

[0094] The electrical insulation component can not only isolate the current between the metal heat transfer tube and the polar terminals of each individual battery cell in the battery component (in this utility model, the overall structure of the terminal post and the terminal post extension is defined as the polar terminal), thus avoiding the risk of short circuit, but also support the heat transfer tube to maintain a set distance between it and the top plate of the battery component shell; it can also fill the through slot of the polar terminal to ensure smooth heat transfer and guarantee the heat transfer function; and the heat transfer tube assembly is assembled into the battery component as a whole, which greatly simplifies the production process.

[0095] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0096] Example 1

[0097] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the heat transfer tube assembly in this embodiment includes a heat transfer tube 1 and multiple electrical insulating components 2. The heat transfer tube 1 is a tubular structure, and its cross-section is usually designed to be rectangular or circular, with dimensions that can be customized according to actual needs.

[0098] In this embodiment, aluminum is selected as the material for heat transfer tube 1. 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 device.

[0099] There are 12 electrical insulating components 2, which are spaced apart along the length of the heat transfer tube 1 on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube 1. The number of electrical insulating components 2 is the same as the number of positive or negative terminals in the battery component. In some other embodiments, the number of electrical insulating components 2 can be adjusted according to the number of polarity terminals.

[0100] The shape of the electrical insulating component 2 is adapted to the shape of the through groove 31 on the polarity terminal. In this embodiment, the electrical insulating component 2 is a rectangular block.

[0101] Based on the functions of different parts of the electrical insulation component 2, such as Figure 2 As shown, the electrical insulating component 2 can be divided into a fixing part 21 and a supporting part 22;

[0102] The fixing part 21 is used to connect with the heat transfer tube 1 and isolate the metal heat transfer tube 1 from the polarity terminals of each individual battery cell 5 in the battery component. It can be used with the heat transfer tube in the following two structures:

[0103] The first structure: A first through hole is opened on the fixing part, and each electrical insulating component is sleeved on the heat transfer tube through the first through hole. The electrical insulating component can wrap the outer wall of the heat transfer tube in all directions to achieve circumferential gapless insulation, completely isolate the contact between the metal heat transfer tube and the polar terminal, and further reduce the risk of short circuit.

[0104] The second structure: A through groove is opened on the fixing part, and the heat transfer tube is directly embedded in the through groove of each electrical insulation component. On the one hand, the groove wall forms a preliminary limit on the heat transfer tube to prevent the heat transfer tube from deviating; on the other hand, the contact area between the groove wall and the outer wall of the heat transfer tube achieves local insulation, avoiding direct contact between the metal heat transfer tube and the polar terminal, thus meeting the basic insulation requirements.

[0105] In this embodiment, a first through-hole structure is preferably adopted. Compared with the partial insulation of the through groove, the all-round wrapping of the first through-hole can cover the outer wall of the heat transfer tube to the greatest extent, eliminate the insulation blind spot, give full play to its all-round insulation advantage, and more reliably ensure electrical safety.

[0106] The support part 22 supports the heat transfer tube 1, maintaining a set distance between it and the top plate of the battery component housing 4 (this set distance is the safe distance to prevent electrical conduction between the two). Therefore, the height dimension (z-direction) of the support part 22 needs to be greater than the vertical distance between the inner surface of the bottom of the through groove 31 and the outer surface of the top plate of the housing 4. This ensures that after the support part is embedded in the polar terminal through groove 31, the fixing part 21 of the electrical insulation component and the connected heat transfer tube are located outside the housing, ensuring a safe distance between the heat transfer tube 1 and the top plate of the battery component housing 4. The embedding of the support part 22 into the polar terminal through groove 31 also ensures that heat can be smoothly transferred from the polar terminal (terminal post + terminal post extension) to the support part 22, and then through the support part 22 to the fixing part 21 and the heat transfer tube 1, ensuring the continuity of the overall heat transfer function and avoiding heat conduction interruptions caused by cavities.

[0107] The material of the electrical insulation component 2 can be plastic, rubber or ceramic. Since ceramic material has excellent electrical insulation, high temperature resistance and good thermal conductivity, ceramic material is selected in this embodiment. The electrical insulation component made of ceramic material can be defined as a ceramic pipe segment.

[0108] This invention employs a method of distributing ceramic tube segments at intervals along the length of the aluminum heat transfer tube 1, which effectively disperses the stress generated by vibration and compression during battery operation. When external forces are applied, the interval areas act as stress release buffers, preventing stress concentration on 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, further improving system reliability. Furthermore, the areas of the aluminum heat transfer tube 1 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.

[0109] like Figure 3 The diagram shows a schematic of a battery component with the aforementioned heat transfer pipe assembly. In this embodiment, the battery component with the heat transfer pipe assembly is defined as a battery component. Examples are the second and third types of battery components described above.

[0110] Combination Figure 4 and Figure 5 The second type of battery component includes a housing 4 and 12 individual battery cells 5 located inside the housing 4 and arranged along the x-direction.

[0111] In this embodiment, the individual battery 5 is a prismatic battery, and the internal cavity of each individual battery 5 includes an electrolyte region and a gas region. In other embodiments, the number of individual batteries 5 can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the shape of the individual battery 5 can also be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0112] An explosion venting channel 8 is provided in the outer casing 4. The explosion venting channel 8 extends along the x-direction and covers the explosion venting ports of each individual battery 5. When the explosion venting membrane at the explosion venting port of any individual battery 5 is broken by the internal smoke, the smoke inside is discharged through the explosion venting channel 8, thereby improving the safety of the battery component.

[0113] An avoidance hole 41 is provided on the top plate of the outer casing 4 corresponding to the terminal post 51 of each individual battery 5; the area of ​​the top plate of the outer casing 4 corresponding to the avoidance hole 41 is fixedly sealed with the outer casing of the individual battery 5, so that the area of ​​the avoidance hole 41 on the top plate of the outer casing 4 is sealed.

[0114] Each individual cell 5 has a terminal extension 3 connected to its terminal post 51.

[0115] The structure of pole extension 3 is as follows Figure 6 As shown, it is a block or columnar structure with a through groove 31 formed on the pole extension 3. The inner shape of the through groove 31 is adapted to the shape of the electrical insulation component 2, and it is necessary to ensure that the electrical insulation component 2 is tightly clamped in it to ensure installation stability while also ensuring the heat transfer effect between the heat transfer tube assembly and the pole extension 3.

[0116] The pole extension 3 is integrally formed by extrusion process, requiring no additional processing and suitable for large-scale mass production.

[0117] After each pole extension 3 extends into the clearance hole 41, it is connected to the corresponding pole 51 located inside the outer shell 4 based on the bottom of the through groove 31. The plane of the inner surface of the bottom of the through groove 31 is lower than the plane of the top plate of the outer shell 4, that is, the inner surface of the bottom of the through groove 31 is located inside the outer shell 4.

[0118] In this embodiment, the bottom of the through groove 31 is connected to the terminal post 51 of the single cell 5 by welding. The specific installation process is as follows: First, each terminal post extension 3 is inserted into the corresponding clearance hole 41 on the top plate of the outer casing 4 and aligned with the terminal post 51 of the single cell 5 to ensure that the two are in contact. Then, the bottom of the through groove 31 and the terminal post 51 are connected by through welding.

[0119] To eliminate welding stress and achieve reference positioning, a second through hole 32 is formed at the bottom of the through groove 31. This second through hole 32 extends through the bottom of the through groove 31 along the z-direction (second direction), and its diameter is determined based on the dimensions of the pole post 51 and the specific welding process. The second through hole 32 effectively releases the stress generated during welding, preventing weld cracking or deformation of the connection due to stress concentration, thus improving the reliability and stability of the connection. Furthermore, this second through hole 32 serves as a reference positioning hole, cooperating with the positioning structure on the pole post 51 during assembly to ensure that the pole post extension 3 is coaxial with the corresponding pole post 51, guaranteeing the stability of the current conduction path.

[0120] In some other embodiments, the bottom of the through-slot 31 can be connected to the terminal 51 of the individual battery using screws. However, this method has certain disadvantages compared to the welding connection in this embodiment. Screw connections require machining threaded holes at the corresponding positions of the bottom of the through-slot 31 and the terminal 51 of the individual battery. This increases the machining process and complexity, and requires high thread precision. Any deviation in the thread machining will affect the tightness of the connection. Welding, on the other hand, directly fuses the two together, eliminating the need for additional complex thread machining. From a conductivity perspective, the contact area of ​​a screw connection has gaps, which can easily create contact resistance and affect current transmission efficiency. Welding eliminates these gaps, achieving efficient current conduction. In a vibration environment, screw connections are affected by vibration, and the screws may loosen, leading to connection failure. Welding effectively resists vibration, ensuring a stable connection.

[0121] In this embodiment, the heat transfer tube assembly is assembled to the battery component through the following process: After all the terminal extensions 3 are fixed, the heat transfer tube assembly is fixed along the x-direction into the through slots 31 of each terminal extension 3 located on the same side. Specifically, each electrical insulator 2 in each heat transfer tube assembly is embedded into the through slot 31 of the corresponding polarity terminal. Figure 5 As can be seen, the bottom end of the support part 22 in the electrical insulation component 2 is in contact with the bottom of the through groove 31, and the fixing part 21 is located outside the outer shell 4, ensuring that there is a set distance between the heat transfer tube 1 and the top plate of the outer shell 4.

[0122] In this embodiment, two heat transfer pipe assemblies are provided on the top of the battery component. The two heat transfer pipe assemblies can be connected in series at the same port through an external connecting pipe segment. This external connecting pipe segment can be integrated with the heat transfer pipe 1 of the two heat transfer pipe assemblies to form a U-shaped pipeline. In some other embodiments, the two heat transfer pipe assemblies can also be connected in parallel.

[0123] Combination Figure 7 The third type of battery component in this embodiment differs from the second type of battery component mentioned above in that it also has a support member 9 extending in the x direction between the bottom plate of the outer casing 4 and each individual battery cell 5 to form a liquid channel, which serves as a shared electrolyte chamber 6.

[0124] On the top plate of the outer casing 4, a boss extending in the x direction may also be provided, and a gas channel is opened on the boss, which serves as a gas sharing chamber 7.

[0125] Example 2

[0126] To further enhance heat transfer efficiency, this embodiment, based on embodiment 1, provides a thermally conductive adhesive layer between each electrical insulating component 2 and the heat transfer tube 1.

[0127] This thermally conductive adhesive layer can tightly adhere to the heat transfer tube 1 and each electrical insulation component 2, significantly optimizing thermal conductivity. Unlike traditional direct solid-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 transfer tube 1 and the inner wall of the electrical insulation component 2, 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 transfer tube assembly. Simultaneously, the thermally conductive adhesive layer also serves to fix the various electrical insulation components, greatly improving the structural stability of the heat transfer tube assembly. Furthermore, the thermally conductive adhesive layer also possesses a certain degree of flexibility, which can buffer vibration stress and prevent damage to the electrical insulation components; its flexibility can also adapt to the thermal expansion of components, relieving stress, ensuring a tight connection, and maintaining thermal conduction efficiency.

[0128] The thermally conductive adhesive can be one of the commonly used thermally conductive adhesives in the battery industry, such as at least one of thermally conductive silicone grease, thermally conductive epoxy resin, and thermally conductive polyurethane. Thermally conductive silicone grease has excellent thermal conductivity and insulation properties, effectively reducing the thermal resistance between the contact surface of the electrical insulation component and the heat exchanger body. Thermally conductive epoxy resin has high bonding strength, effectively improving the stability of the electrical insulation component on the heat exchanger body. Thermally conductive polyurethane has the advantage of good flexibility and weather resistance, making it suitable for handling the deformation and heat dissipation requirements of batteries in different environments.

[0129] 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 electrical insulation component and the heat transfer tube 1, affecting heat conduction and insulation performance; if the thickness is too thick, it will increase thermal resistance, reduce heat transfer efficiency, and may also affect the installation accuracy and stability of the electrical insulation component.

[0130] Example 3

[0131] To optimize the thermal conductivity between the heat transfer tube assembly and the polarity terminal, this embodiment, based on the above embodiment, provides a flexible thermally conductive layer between each electrical insulating component 2 and the through-slot 31 of the polarity terminal. The flexible thermally conductive layer can be disposed on the inner wall of the through-slot 31, or on the outer surface of the electrical insulating component 2; it can also be a flexible thermally conductive pad independent of the electrical insulating component 2 and the through-slot 31. This embodiment primarily uses the example of the flexible thermally conductive layer being disposed on the outer surface of the electrical insulating component 2.

[0132] The flexible thermal conductive layer can adopt at least the following two structures:

[0133] First structure:

[0134] The flexible thermally conductive layer is a thermally conductive adhesive layer. This adhesive layer can tightly adhere to the electrical insulator 2 and the polar terminal. 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 minute unevennesses on the outer wall of the electrical insulator 2 and the inner wall of the polar terminal groove, 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 transfer tube assembly. Secondly, the thermally conductive adhesive layer can also fix the heat transfer tube assembly, greatly improving the structural stability of the heat transfer tube assembly on the battery component.

[0135] The second structure:

[0136] The flexible thermal conductive layer is a flexible thermal conductive sleeve sleeved on each electrical insulating component 2. For example, it can be a silicone sleeve, or a silicone rubber sleeve, a polyurethane thermal conductive sleeve, etc.

[0137] 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.

[0138] 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.

[0139] In this embodiment, a silicone sleeve is used. Due to its good elasticity, the silicone sleeve can fill the tiny gap between the electrical insulation component 2 and the through groove 31. 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 transfer tube assembly from becoming loose between the heat transfer tube assembly and the polarity terminal due to vibration, shaking, or other factors during the operation of the battery system.

[0140] Meanwhile, the silicone sleeve possesses certain thermal conductivity, significantly reducing thermal resistance compared to air. This allows heat to be transferred more efficiently from the heat transfer tube assembly to the polarity terminal, thereby improving the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the battery component. It is essential to ensure that the silicone sleeve completely covers the contact area between the through-slot 31 and the electrical insulation component 2.

[0141] At the same time, the silicone sleeve can also wrap and protect the electrical insulation component 2 with its own elasticity, reducing the risk of the electrical insulation component 2 breaking due to external impact and ensuring the stable operation of the battery system.

Claims

1. A heat transfer tube assembly, characterized in that: This invention is applied to battery components, which include a housing, multiple terminal extension members, and multiple individual cells arranged within the housing. Each terminal extension member corresponds one-to-one with a terminal cell terminal. The top plate of the housing has clearance holes corresponding to the individual cell terminals, and the area of ​​the top plate corresponding to the clearance holes is sealed to the top cover of the individual cells. Each terminal extension member has a through-slot, and each extension member extends into the clearance hole, connecting to the corresponding terminal cell based on the bottom of the through-slot. The inner surface of the through-slot bottom is located inside the housing. The heat transfer tube assembly includes heat transfer tubes and electrical insulation components corresponding to the pole extension; The heat transfer tube is a metal tube; The electrical insulation component includes an integrally formed fixing part and a supporting part; multiple electrical insulation components are fixed at intervals along the length direction of the heat transfer tube based on the fixing part; the supporting part of each electrical insulation component is used to be embedded in the through groove of the corresponding pole extension component, the bottom end of the supporting part is in contact with the bottom of the through groove, and the fixing part is located outside the shell to ensure that there is a set distance between the heat transfer tube and the top plate of the shell in the height direction of the shell.

2. The heat transfer tube assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first through hole is provided on the fixing part, and multiple electrical insulating components are spaced apart on the outer wall of the heat transfer tube along the length of the heat transfer tube based on the first through hole.

3. The heat transfer tube assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal tube is an aluminum tube.

4. The heat transfer tube assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The electrical insulation component is a ceramic tube segment.

5. The heat transfer tube assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: A thermally conductive adhesive layer is provided between the contact surfaces of each ceramic tube segment and the heat transfer tube.

6. A battery assembly, characterized in that: Includes battery components and heat transfer tube assemblies as described in any one of claims 1 to 5; The battery component includes a housing, multiple terminal extension members, and multiple individual batteries arranged inside the housing; wherein, each terminal extension member corresponds to a terminal of an individual battery; the top plate of the housing has clearance holes corresponding to the polarity terminals of each individual battery; the area of ​​the top plate of the housing corresponding to the clearance holes is sealed to the top cover of the individual batteries; each terminal extension member has a through groove, each terminal extension member extends into the clearance hole, and is connected to the corresponding terminal based on the bottom of the through groove, and the inner surface of the bottom of the through groove is located inside the housing; Both heat transfer pipe assemblies extend along the arrangement direction of the individual cells. In one heat transfer pipe assembly, the support parts of multiple electrical insulating components are embedded in the through slots of the corresponding electrode extension parts on one side of each individual cell. In the other heat transfer pipe assembly, the support parts of multiple electrical insulating components are embedded in the through slots of the corresponding electrode extension parts on the other side of each individual cell. Furthermore, in the height direction of the outer shell, there is a set distance between the heat transfer pipe and the top plate of the outer shell.

7. The battery assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the through groove is welded to the corresponding pole post.

8. The battery assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: A flexible heat-conducting layer is provided between the outer wall of the electrical insulation component and the inner wall of the through groove.

9. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that: Inside the outer casing, the internal cavities of each individual battery cell are interconnected.

10. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that: The outer casing is provided with a venting channel extending along the arrangement direction of the individual cells, and the venting channel covers the venting port of each individual cell.

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