Box structure, battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a kind of box structure, battery pack and vehicle, the box structure includes: box, with the accommodation cavity for accommodating single battery, the box includes crossbeam, the crossbeam includes main beam and the convex part connected to the main beam, the convex part is longitudinally outwardly protruding from the main beam, to have the installation cavity communicated with the accommodation cavity;And heat exchange structure, including longitudinally extending liquid inlet pipe and liquid outlet pipe, at least one of the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe is connected to the convex part, and at least partially disposed in the installation cavity, the box structure facilitates to improve the energy density of battery pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of battery pack technology, and more specifically, to a housing structure, a battery pack, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, the energy density of the battery pack affects the vehicle's range; therefore, it is urgent to improve the energy density of the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a housing structure, a battery pack, and a vehicle, which facilitates an increase in the energy density of the battery pack.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a housing structure, comprising: a housing having a receiving cavity for accommodating a single battery cell, the housing including a crossbeam, the crossbeam including a main beam and a protrusion connected to the main beam, the protrusion protruding longitudinally outward from the main beam to have a mounting cavity communicating with the receiving cavity; and a heat exchange structure including a longitudinally extending inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, at least one of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe being connected to the protrusion and at least partially disposed in the mounting cavity.

[0005] Through the above technical solution, when setting a heat exchange structure to exchange heat with the individual batteries inside the box, this disclosure provides a protruding part that protrudes longitudinally from the main beam, so that the protruding part has a mounting cavity communicating with the receiving cavity. In this way, the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe can be accommodated by the additional mounting cavity. Thus, at least a part of the inlet pipe can be arranged in the mounting cavity, thereby reducing or even avoiding the space occupied by the inlet pipe in the receiving cavity. Thus, the receiving space saved by arranging the inlet pipe can be used to accommodate the individual batteries. Similarly, at least a part of the outlet pipe can be arranged in the mounting cavity, thereby reducing or even avoiding the space occupied by the outlet pipe in the receiving cavity. Thus, the receiving space saved by arranging the outlet pipe can be used to accommodate the individual batteries. Therefore, the above arrangement makes the box structure of this disclosure suitable for improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0006] In other words, the mounting cavity can form an auxiliary space outside the receiving cavity to partially place at least one of the liquid inlet pipe and / or liquid outlet pipe within the mounting cavity, reducing or even eliminating the space occupied by the liquid inlet and liquid outlet pipes in the receiving cavity. This facilitates increasing the number of individual cells and improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0007] In some possible implementations, the housing includes a partition beam extending longitudinally and dividing the receiving cavity into a first receiving cavity and a second receiving cavity; pairs of inlet and outlet pipes are provided on both transverse sides of the partition beam. Thus, the housing structure is suitable as a housing structure for a dual-compartment battery pack, where each pair of inlet and outlet pipes can independently cool the individual battery cells within the corresponding receiving cavity.

[0008] In some possible implementations, both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the protrusion, and the paired inlet and outlet pipes are arranged at vertical intervals. This reduces the occupation of lateral space and avoids pipeline congestion caused by the limited lateral space when the inlet and outlet pipes are arranged side by side, which would affect the inlet and outlet flow rates.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the partition beam is also connected to the protrusion. This allows for independent heat exchange between the battery modules in the first and second accommodating cavities, ensuring that if water enters one of the cavities due to damage to the heat exchange structure, the other remains unaffected, thus improving the safety of the battery pack.

[0010] In some possible implementations, mounting arms are connected to both sides of the protrusion, and these mounting arms are used to connect to the vehicle body. This design utilizes the redundant space between the mounting arms to create the protrusion, avoiding the need for the protrusion to increase the space occupied by the battery pack and facilitating full utilization of the vehicle body space.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the end of the protrusion furthest longitudinally from the partition beam is flush with the end of the hook arm furthest longitudinally from the partition beam. This ensures full utilization of the longitudinal space of the box structure.

[0012] In some possible implementations, the protrusion is connected to an explosion-proof structure, which includes a first explosion-proof valve communicating with a first receiving cavity and a second explosion-proof valve communicating with a second receiving cavity. In this way, the first and second explosion-proof valves can respectively depressurize the first and second receiving cavities, which helps to shorten the gas flow path and improve depressurization efficiency.

[0013] In some possible implementations, the heat exchange structure includes a connecting pipe and a cold plate. The connecting pipe extends laterally, and both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the connecting pipe, which is also connected to the cold plate. The incoming heat exchange medium can be evenly distributed laterally, which helps ensure effective heat exchange for individual cells.

[0014] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided, including the housing structure described above.

[0015] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including the battery pack described above.

[0016] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the subsequent detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the box structure provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the crossbeam of the box structure provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1-Box body, 11-Receiving cavity, 111-First receiving cavity, 112-Second receiving cavity, 2-Crossbeam, 21-Main beam, 22-Protrusion, 221-Mounting cavity, 3-Heat exchange structure, 31-Inlet pipe, 32-Outlet pipe, 33-Connecting pipe, 34-Inlet nozzle, 35-Outlet nozzle, 4-Separating beam, 5-Hanging arm, 6-First explosion-proof valve, 7-Second explosion-proof valve. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0020] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, "horizontal" and "vertical" may be referred to in the appendix respectively. Figure 2 In this context, "L1" and "L2" refer to the directions: "Least" refers to the left-right direction of the vehicle, specifically the width direction; "Longest" refers to the front-back direction, specifically the length direction; and "Vertical" refers to the height or gravity direction. The directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to their relative to the contour of the corresponding component. Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" is for distinguishing different components and does not indicate sequence or importance. Additionally, in the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same element. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above definitions are for explanation and illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0021] In related technologies, the inlet and outlet pipes on the battery pack housing extend laterally and are arranged in the housing cavity. In this case, the housing cavity cannot fully accommodate the battery cells in the corresponding space of the inlet and outlet pipes, resulting in low energy density of the battery pack.

[0022] To solve the above technical problems, refer to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this disclosure provides a housing structure, including: a housing 1 having a receiving cavity 11 for accommodating a single battery cell, the housing 1 including a crossbeam 2, the crossbeam 2 including a main beam 21 and a protrusion 22 connected to the main beam 21, the protrusion 22 protruding outward along the longitudinal direction from the main beam 21, the protrusion 22 having a mounting cavity 221 communicating with the receiving cavity 11; and a heat exchange structure 3 including a liquid inlet pipe 31 and a liquid outlet pipe 32 extending along the longitudinal direction, at least one of the liquid inlet pipe 31 and the liquid outlet pipe 32 being connected to the protrusion 22 and at least partially disposed in the mounting cavity 221.

[0023] Through the above technical solution, when the heat exchange structure 3 is set to exchange heat with the individual batteries in the housing 1, this disclosure provides a protrusion 22 that protrudes longitudinally from the main beam 21, so that the protrusion 22 has a mounting cavity 221 communicating with the receiving cavity. This additional mounting cavity can accommodate the inlet pipe 31 and the outlet pipe 32. Therefore, at least a portion of the inlet pipe 31 can be arranged in the mounting cavity 221, thereby reducing or even avoiding the inlet pipe 31 occupying the receiving space of the receiving cavity 11. Thus, the receiving space saved from arranging the inlet pipe 31 can be used to accommodate the individual batteries. Similarly, at least a portion of the outlet pipe 32 can be arranged in the mounting cavity 221, thereby reducing or even avoiding the outlet pipe 32 occupying the receiving space of the receiving cavity 11. Thus, the receiving space saved from arranging the outlet pipe 32 can be used to accommodate the individual batteries. Therefore, the above arrangement makes the housing structure of this disclosure suitable for improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0024] In other words, the mounting cavity can form an auxiliary space outside the receiving cavity 11 so that at least one of the liquid inlet pipe 31 and / or liquid outlet pipe 32 can be partially placed inside the mounting cavity 221, reducing or even eliminating the space occupied by the liquid inlet pipe 31 and liquid outlet / or liquid outlet pipe 32 in the receiving cavity 11. This facilitates increasing the number of individual cells and improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0025] The end of the protrusion 22 facing away from the receiving cavity 11 can be used to arrange the inlet nozzle 34 and the outlet nozzle 35. The inlet nozzle 34 and the outlet nozzle 35 are respectively connected to the inlet pipe 31 and the outlet pipe 32 to serve as external interfaces for the inlet pipe 31 and the outlet pipe 32, so that the heat exchange medium can enter or exit the battery pack through the inlet nozzle 34 or the outlet nozzle 35.

[0026] Alternatively, only one of the liquid outlet pipe 32 and the liquid inlet pipe 31 can be installed in the mounting cavity 221, while the other is installed on the other end of the housing 1 opposite to the crossbeam 2 in the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, both the liquid inlet pipe 31 and the liquid outlet pipe 32 can be installed in the mounting cavity 221 to fully reduce the space occupied by the liquid inlet pipe 31 and the liquid outlet pipe 32 in the receiving cavity 11. This disclosure does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0027] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the housing 1 may include a partition beam 4 extending longitudinally and dividing the receiving cavity 11 into a first receiving cavity 111 and a second receiving cavity 112. Pairs of inlet pipes 31 and outlet pipes 32 are provided on both sides of the partition beam 4. Thus, both the first receiving cavity 111 and the second receiving cavity 112 can be used to house individual battery cells, making the housing structure of this disclosure suitable for use as a housing structure for a dual-compartment battery pack. Here, because pairs of inlet pipes 31 and outlet pipes 32 are provided on both sides of the partition beam 4, each pair of inlet pipes 31 and outlet pipes 32 can independently cool the individual battery cells within the corresponding receiving cavity 11. In addition, one of the liquid inlet pipe 31 and liquid outlet pipe 32 extending into the first receiving cavity 111 is arranged in the mounting cavity 221, and one of the liquid inlet pipe 31 and liquid outlet pipe 32 extending into the second receiving cavity 112 is also arranged in the mounting cavity 221. In this way, the space occupied by at least two pairs of liquid inlet pipes 31 and liquid outlet pipes 32 in the receiving cavity 11 can be reduced or even avoided, so as to increase the receiving space of the single cell corresponding to the receiving cavity 11.

[0028] In addition, multiple individual batteries can be combined to form a battery module. The first receiving cavity 111 and the second receiving cavity 112 can be used to arrange battery modules respectively, avoiding the situation where only one battery module is set up, and the battery pack cannot supply power due to the loss of control of the individual battery.

[0029] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 3 As shown, both the inlet pipe 31 and the outlet pipe 32 are connected to the protrusion 22, and the paired inlet pipes 31 and 32 are arranged vertically at intervals. This allows for full utilization of the vertical space within the mounting cavity 221, reducing the occupation of lateral space and preventing congestion caused by the inlet pipes 31 and 32 being arranged side-by-side due to limited lateral space, which would affect the inlet and outlet flow rates. Simultaneously, it allows the inlet pipes 31 and 32 to be connected to different pipelines without needing to avoid each other laterally, preventing pipe bends from affecting structural strength and occupying additional space.

[0030] When the aforementioned partition beam 4 is omitted, only one pair of inlet pipe 31 and outlet pipe 32 may be provided. This pair of inlet pipe 31 and outlet pipe 32 may be provided at intervals along the lateral direction. This disclosure does not impose any specific restrictions on this.

[0031] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the partition beam 4 is also connected to the protrusion 22. Thus, by extending the partition beam 4 into the mounting cavity 221 and connecting it to the protrusion 22, the first receiving cavity 111 and the second receiving cavity 112 are completely separated, allowing them to form independent chambers. Therefore, with the inlet pipe 31 and outlet pipe 32 respectively provided on both sides, independent heat exchange can be achieved for the battery modules within the first receiving cavity 111 and the second receiving cavity 112. If water enters one of the first receiving cavities 111 and 112 due to damage to the heat exchange structure 3, the other remains unaffected, improving the safety of the battery pack. Furthermore, the connection of the partition beam 4 to the protrusion 22 optimizes the load transfer path at the partition beam 4, improves its resistance to deformation, and thus enhances the reliability of the partition beam 4. By setting the partition beam 4, the support points of the box body 1 can be increased, thereby improving the deformation resistance of the box body 1. Furthermore, by placing the partition beam 4 in the middle of the box body 1 and setting the battery modules on both sides, it is beneficial to balance the stress distribution of the box body 1 and increase the structural strength of the box body 1, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the box body 1.

[0032] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, both sides of the protrusion 22 are connected to mounting arms 5, which are used to connect to the vehicle body. In this way, the protrusion 22 can be set in the redundant space between the mounting arms 5, avoiding the increase of the space occupied by the battery pack due to the setting of the protrusion 22, which is conducive to the full utilization of the vehicle body space and improves the compactness of the battery pack structure.

[0033] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the end of the protrusion 22 furthest from the partition beam 4 in the longitudinal direction is flush with the end of the mounting arm 5 furthest from the partition beam 4 in the longitudinal direction. This ensures full utilization of the longitudinal space of the housing 1 structure, avoiding situations where the length of the protrusion 22 in the longitudinal direction is greater than that of the mounting arm 5, which would increase the space occupied by the battery pack and cause interference with other components. At the same time, it avoids situations where the length of the protrusion 22 in the longitudinal direction is less than that of the mounting arm, which would prevent the full utilization of the redundant space between the horizontally spaced mounting arms 5, resulting in wasted space.

[0034] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figures 1 to 3As shown, the protrusion 22 is connected to an explosion-proof structure, which includes a first explosion-proof valve 6 communicating with the first receiving cavity 111 and a second explosion-proof valve 7 communicating with the second receiving cavity 112. Thus, the first explosion-proof valve 6 and the second explosion-proof valve 7 can independently depressurize the first receiving cavity 111 and the second receiving cavity 112, respectively. When a single battery cell in the first receiving cavity 111 or the second receiving cavity 112 experiences thermal runaway, this helps to shorten the gas flow path and improve depressurization efficiency.

[0035] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the heat exchange structure 3 includes a connecting pipe 33 and a cold plate. The connecting pipe 33 extends laterally, and both the inlet pipe 31 and the outlet pipe 32 are connected to the connecting pipe 33. The connecting pipe 33 is also connected to the cold plate. By connecting the inlet pipe 31 and the outlet pipe 32 to the connecting pipe 33, the incoming heat exchange medium can be evenly distributed laterally, which helps ensure the heat exchange effect on the individual cells. The heat exchange on the individual cells can be either heating or cooling; this disclosure does not impose specific limitations. The heat exchange medium enters the inlet pipe 31 through the inlet nozzle 34, flows to the connecting pipe 33, and then flows to multiple cold plates to exchange heat with multiple individual cells. It then flows to the outlet pipe 32 and exits the housing 1 through the outlet nozzle 35.

[0036] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided, including the housing structure described above. The battery pack possesses all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned housing structure, which will not be elaborated upon herein. In some embodiments, the battery pack of this disclosure can be configured as a CTB battery pack, i.e., the top cover of the battery pack can serve as the floor of a vehicle body; this disclosure does not limit this.

[0037] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including the battery pack described above. The vehicle possesses all the beneficial effects of the battery pack described above, which will not be elaborated upon herein.

[0038] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0039] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0040] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A box structure, characterized in that, include: The housing has a receiving cavity for accommodating a single battery cell. The housing includes a crossbeam, the crossbeam including a main beam and a protrusion connected to the main beam. The protrusion protrudes longitudinally outward from the main beam to have a mounting cavity communicating with the receiving cavity. and The heat exchange structure includes a longitudinally extending inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, at least one of which is connected to the protrusion and is at least partially disposed in the mounting cavity.

2. The box structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a partition beam that extends longitudinally and divides the accommodating cavity into a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity; a pair of inlet pipes and outlet pipes are provided on both sides of the partition beam.

3. The box structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the protrusion, and the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are arranged in pairs at vertical intervals.

4. The box structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The partition beam is also connected to the protrusion.

5. The box structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both sides of the protrusion are connected to mounting arms, which are used to connect to the vehicle body.

6. The box structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The end of the protrusion that is longitudinally away from the partition beam is flush with the end of the hook arm that is longitudinally away from the partition beam.

7. The box structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The protrusion is connected to an explosion-proof structure, which includes a first explosion-proof valve communicating with the first receiving cavity and a second explosion-proof valve communicating with the second receiving cavity.

8. The box structure according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The heat exchange structure includes a connecting pipe and a cold plate. The connecting pipe extends laterally, and both the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe are connected to the connecting pipe. The connecting pipe is also connected to the cold plate.

9. A battery pack, characterized in that, Includes the box structure as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the battery pack as described in claim 9.

Images