Liquid cooling plate and energy storage system

Abstract

The application discloses a liquid cooling plate and an energy storage system, relates to the technical field of heat dissipation, and is characterized in that the liquid cooling plate is provided with a liquid cooling flow channel for liquid cooling medium circulation, the liquid cooling flow channel has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the liquid cooling flow channel comprises a liquid inlet flow channel and a liquid return flow channel which are connected in series between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the battery cell has a tab end and a tail end which are oppositely arranged along a second direction, the liquid inlet flow channel can extend to the position of the tab end of each battery cell, and the liquid return flow channel can extend to the position of the tail end of each battery cell, so as to form a tab heat dissipation area for dissipating heat from the tab end of each battery cell at the liquid inlet flow channel and form a tail end heat dissipation area for dissipating heat from the tail end of each battery cell at the liquid return flow channel. Since the temperature of the liquid cooling medium in the liquid inlet flow channel is lower than that in the liquid return flow channel, the heat dissipation efficiency of the tab heat dissipation area is higher than that of the tail end heat dissipation area, thereby adapting to the heat generation power distribution characteristics of the battery cell, enhancing the temperature uniformity of the battery cell, and prolonging the service life of the energy storage system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of heat dissipation technology, and more specifically, to a liquid cooling plate and an energy storage system. Background Technology

[0002] Energy storage systems such as battery packs contain multiple battery cells, which are cooled by liquid cooling plates. However, in related technologies, the liquid cooling plates do not provide uniform heat dissipation to the cells, thus affecting their lifespan. Therefore, improving the uniformity of heat dissipation among the battery cells has become a pressing technical problem for those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a liquid cooling plate to improve the uniformity of heat dissipation of the battery cell.

[0004] Another objective of this application is to provide an energy storage system including the aforementioned liquid cooling plate.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A liquid cooling plate is provided with a liquid cooling channel. The liquid cooling channel has an inlet and an outlet for a liquid cooling medium to enter and exit the liquid cooling channel. The liquid cooling channel includes an inlet channel and a return channel connected in series between the inlet and the outlet. The liquid cooling medium in the inlet channel and the return channel extends along a first direction. The inlet channel and the return channel are arranged in sequence along a second direction.

[0007] One end of the liquid inlet channel is connected to the liquid inlet, and one end of the liquid return channel is connected to the liquid outlet; the liquid inlet channel is connected to the liquid return channel.

[0008] In some embodiments, a plurality of liquid cooling channels are arranged at intervals along the second direction on the liquid cooling plate. Along the second direction, the inlet channels of two adjacent liquid cooling channels are arranged adjacent to each other, or the return channels of two adjacent liquid cooling channels are arranged adjacent to each other.

[0009] In some embodiments, when the return channels of two adjacent liquid cooling channels are arranged adjacently, along the second direction, the return channels of the two adjacent liquid cooling channels are arranged independently, or the return channels of the two adjacent liquid cooling channels are connected through a first interconnection section, or the two adjacent liquid cooling channels share a return channel.

[0010] Alternatively, when the inlet channels of two adjacent liquid cooling channels are arranged adjacently, along the second direction, the inlet channels of the two adjacent liquid cooling channels are arranged independently, or the inlet channels of the two adjacent liquid cooling channels are connected through a second interconnecting section, or the two adjacent liquid cooling channels share an inlet channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of liquid inlets and the plurality of liquid outlets of the plurality of liquid cooling channels are disposed at the same end of the liquid cooling plate along the first direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional areas of the liquid inlet channel are equal at all locations along the first direction; or, along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the liquid inlet channel near the liquid inlet is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the liquid inlet channel away from the liquid inlet.

[0013] Alternatively, along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the return flow channel is equal at all positions; or, along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the return flow channel near the inlet is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the return flow channel away from the inlet.

[0014] Alternatively, along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet channel is less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the return channel.

[0015] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling channel includes a plurality of connecting units arranged at intervals along the first direction, and the connecting units are connected in parallel between the liquid inlet channel and the liquid return channel.

[0016] In some embodiments, the connecting unit includes at least one connecting branch, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the inlet flow channel and the return flow channel;

[0017] Along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting unit near the liquid inlet is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting unit away from the liquid inlet.

[0018] In some embodiments, the liquid inlet channel is a plurality of channels connected in parallel between the liquid inlet and the liquid return channel;

[0019] And / or, the return flow channels are multiple channels connected in parallel between the inlet flow channel and the outlet.

[0020] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling channel includes at least one third interconnecting section, and the third interconnecting section is connected between two adjacent liquid inlet channels;

[0021] And / or, the liquid cooling channel includes at least one fourth interconnecting segment, and the fourth interconnecting segment is connected between two adjacent return channels.

[0022] An energy storage system, comprising:

[0023] Multiple battery cells are arranged side by side along a first direction and have the same polarity orientation. Each battery cell has a tab end and a tail end arranged opposite to each other along a second direction. The polarity orientation is a direction from the tail end to the tab end.

[0024] The liquid cooling plate described in any of the above embodiments has a tab heat dissipation area formed at the liquid inlet channel for dissipating heat from the tab ends of each of the battery cells, and a tail end heat dissipation area formed at the liquid return channel for dissipating heat from the tail ends of each of the battery cells.

[0025] The battery cell is attached to the liquid cooling plate, and the tab end of the battery cell is arranged opposite to the tab heat dissipation area, and the tail end of the battery cell is arranged opposite to the tail end heat dissipation area.

[0026] In some embodiments, a plurality of the battery cells are arranged side by side along the first direction to form a module, wherein the polarity orientation of each battery cell in the module is the same;

[0027] At least two of the modules are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the tail ends of the cells in adjacent modules are arranged opposite each other, or the tab ends of the cells in adjacent modules are arranged opposite each other.

[0028] The liquid cooling plate provided in this application is provided with a liquid cooling channel for the flow of liquid cooling medium. The liquid cooling channel has an inlet for the liquid cooling medium to enter the liquid cooling channel and an outlet for the liquid cooling medium to exit the liquid cooling channel. The liquid cooling channel includes an inlet channel and a return channel connected in series between the inlet and the outlet. One end of the inlet channel is connected to the inlet, and one end of the return channel is connected to the outlet. The inlet channel and the return channel are connected. During the heat dissipation process, the liquid cooling medium enters through the inlet and flows through the inlet channel and the return channel in sequence, and finally flows out through the outlet. The liquid cooling medium in the inlet and return channels extends along a first direction, and the inlet and return channels are arranged sequentially along a second direction. The battery cell has tabs and tail ends arranged opposite each other along the second direction. The inlet channel extends to the location of the tabs of each battery cell, and the return channel extends to the location of the tail ends of each battery cell. This forms a tab cooling area at the inlet channel to dissipate heat from the tabs of each battery cell, and a tail cooling area at the return channel to dissipate heat from the tail ends of each battery cell. Because the temperature of the liquid cooling medium in the inlet channel is lower than that in the return channel, the tab cooling area has a higher heat dissipation efficiency than the tail cooling area, thus enabling more effective heat dissipation from the tabs of the battery cells that generate more heat.

[0029] Compared to existing technologies, the liquid cooling plate provided in this application designs the liquid cooling channel so that the temperature gradient distribution of the liquid cooling plate from high temperature to low temperature is opposite to the temperature gradient distribution of the battery cell from high temperature to low temperature under natural heat dissipation conditions. This adapts to the heat generation power distribution characteristics of the battery cell, thereby enhancing the temperature uniformity of the battery cell and extending the service life of the energy storage system.

[0030] The energy storage system provided in this application includes multiple battery cells and the aforementioned liquid cooling plate. The multiple battery cells are arranged side by side along a first direction and have the same polarity orientation. Each battery cell has a tab end and a tail end arranged opposite each other along a second direction, where polarity orientation refers to the direction from the tail end to the tab end of the battery cell. The liquid inlet channel of the liquid cooling plate forms a tab heat dissipation area for dissipating heat from the tab ends of each battery cell, and the liquid return channel forms a tail end heat dissipation area for dissipating heat from the tail ends of each battery cell. The battery cells are attached to the liquid cooling plate, and the tab ends of the battery cells are arranged opposite to the tab heat dissipation areas, and the tail ends of the battery cells are arranged opposite to the tail end heat dissipation areas, so that the liquid cooling plate can provide targeted heat dissipation to the tab ends and tail ends of the battery cells. Since it includes the aforementioned liquid cooling plate, it also has the aforementioned structure and beneficial effects. Other structures refer to the prior art and will not be described in detail here. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or related technologies of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the arrangement of stacked battery cells on a liquid cooling plate;

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the first type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0034] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the second type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0035] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the second type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the third type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0037] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the fourth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 7A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the fourth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application;

[0039] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the fifth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0040] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the sixth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0041] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the seventh type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0042] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the eighth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0043] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the ninth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0044] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the ninth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0045] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the tenth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0046] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the eleventh type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0047] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the twelfth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0048] Figure 17 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the thirteenth liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0049] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the fourteenth liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0050] Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the fifteenth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0051] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the sixteenth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment;

[0052] Figure 21 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure of the seventeenth type of liquid cooling plate disclosed in this application embodiment.

[0053] Wherein, 100 is a liquid cooling plate, 110 is a liquid cooling channel, 110a is the first liquid cooling channel, 110b is the second liquid cooling channel, 111 is the liquid inlet, 111a is the first liquid inlet, 111b is the second liquid inlet, 112 is the liquid outlet, 112a is the first liquid outlet, 112b is the second liquid outlet, 113 is the liquid inlet channel, 113a is the first liquid inlet channel, 113b is the second liquid inlet channel, 114 is the liquid return channel, and 114a is the first liquid return channel. The following are the components of the liquid flow path: 114b is the second return flow path, 120 is the tab heat dissipation area, 121 is the tail end heat dissipation area, 130 is the central axis, 140 is the first interconnection section, 141 is the third return flow path, 142 is the main liquid inlet, 143 is the main liquid outlet, 144 is the second interconnection section, 145 is the third inlet flow path, 150 is the connecting section, 160 is the connecting unit, 161 is the connecting branch section, 170 is the third interconnection section, 171 is the fourth interconnection section, and 180 is the transition section.

[0054] 200 is the battery cell, 201 is the electrode tab, and 202 is the non-electrode tab. Detailed Implementation

[0055] The core of this application is to disclose a liquid cooling plate to improve the uniformity of heat dissipation from the battery cell.

[0056] Another key aspect of this application is the disclosure of an energy storage system that includes the aforementioned liquid cooling plate.

[0057] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the embodiments shown below do not limit the scope of the utility model as described in the claims. Additionally, the complete contents of the structures represented in the embodiments below are not limited to those necessary for the solution of the utility model as described in the claims. It should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the utility model are shown in the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0058] It should be noted that in the accompanying drawings of this application embodiment, the arrow marked X represents the first direction X, the arrow marked Y represents the second direction Y, and the arrow marked Z represents the third direction Z. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are all perpendicular to each other. In practical applications, the above three directions can be set at an angle to each other, and the angle can be less than or greater than 90 degrees. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are introduced to more clearly describe the relative positional relationship of the various structures in the liquid cooling plate. In practical applications, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z may change depending on the placement of the liquid cooling plate. For example, the following description uses the first direction X as the length direction of the liquid cooling plate, the second direction Y as the width direction of the liquid cooling plate, and the third direction Z as the thickness direction of the liquid cooling plate.

[0059] In addition, in the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this application, the dashed lines with arrows only indicate a part of the flow path of the liquid cooling medium in the liquid cooling channel. The complete flow path should be understood in conjunction with the specific embodiments and the overall structure.

[0060] The stacked battery cell 200 (hereinafter referred to as cell 200) has a tab end 201 and a tail end 202 arranged opposite to each other. Since the heat loss of the tab end 201 is significantly higher than that of the tail end 202, it is the main heat-generating area of ​​the battery cell 200. However, the liquid cooling plates in the related technology are not designed to differentiate the heat dissipation requirements of the tab end 201 and the tail end 202, resulting in a significant temperature gradient where the temperature of the tab end 201 of the battery cell 200 is consistently higher than that of the tail end 202, which in turn affects the service life of the battery cell 200. Based on this, this application discloses a liquid cooling plate that optimizes the liquid cooling channel design to adapt to the temperature distribution characteristics of the battery cell 200, thereby improving the uniformity of heat dissipation of the battery cell 200. Here, the tab end 201 refers to the end of the strip-shaped battery cell 200 that is provided with positive and negative tabs. Specifically, when the battery cell 200 adopts a single-sided tab structure, only the positive and negative electrodes are led out at the tab end 201, while the other end is a closed end without tabs. The tab end 201 also refers to the end of the battery cell 200 where the positive and negative electrode plates, positive and negative electrode posts, and positive and negative electrodes are located.

[0061] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 The liquid cooling plate 100 disclosed in this application embodiment is provided with a liquid cooling channel 110 for the flow of liquid cooling medium. The liquid cooling channel 110 has an inlet 111 for the liquid cooling medium to enter the liquid cooling channel 110 and an outlet 112 for the liquid cooling medium to flow out of the liquid cooling channel 110. The types of liquid cooling medium include, but are not limited to, deionized water, ethylene glycol aqueous solution, propylene glycol aqueous solution, silicone oil, ester oil, gaseous or gas-liquid mixed refrigerant, etc.

[0062] like Figure 2 As shown, the liquid cooling channel 110 includes an inlet channel 113 and a return channel 114 connected in series between the inlet port 111 and the outlet port 112. One end of the inlet channel 113 is connected to the inlet port 111, and one end of the return channel 114 is connected to the outlet port 112. The inlet port 111 and the outlet port 112 are located on the same side of the liquid cooling plate 100. The inlet channel 113 and the return channel 114 are directly connected to form a U-shaped channel structure. During the heat dissipation process, the liquid cooling medium enters through the inlet port 111 and flows through the inlet channel 113 and the return channel 114 in sequence, and finally flows out through the outlet port 112.

[0063] Specifically, in actual use, the liquid cooling plate 100 can be set at the top, bottom, or other positions of the battery cell 200. The following description takes the liquid cooling plate 100 set at the bottom of the battery cell 200 as an example. A tab is provided at one end of the battery cell 200, and the end of the battery cell 200 with the tab along the second direction Y is the tab end 201 of the battery cell 200. Of course, the tabs can also be set at both ends of the battery cell 200 along the second direction Y. In this case, the position of the center point of the battery cell 200 forms the tail end 202, and both ends of the battery cell 200 along the second direction Y form the tab end 201. In this case, the liquid inlet channel 113 is located on both sides of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the second direction Y, and the liquid return channel 114 is located in the middle of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the second direction Y.

[0064] Define the polarity orientation of cell 200 as the direction from tab end 201 to tail end 202, then the polarity orientation of cell 200 extends along the second direction Y. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a technical solution where the polarity orientation of battery cells 200 is parallel to their length direction, and all extend along a second direction Y. Multiple battery cells 200 are arranged side-by-side along a first direction X to form a module, and the polarity orientation of each battery cell 200 in the same module is the same, meaning the tab ends 201 of each battery cell 200 in the same module are located on the same side. The liquid inlet channel 113 and the liquid return channel 114 both extend along the first direction X, and the flow direction of the liquid cooling medium within the liquid inlet channel 113 and the liquid return channel 114 also extends along the first direction X. The cells 200 are arranged sequentially along the second direction Y, with the inlet channel 113 extending to the location of the tab end 201 of each cell 200 and the return channel 114 extending to the location of the tail end 202 of each cell 200. This forms a tab heat dissipation area 120 at the inlet channel 113 to dissipate heat from the tab end 201 of each cell 200, and a tail end heat dissipation area 121 at the return channel 114 to dissipate heat from the tail end 202 of each cell 200. Since the temperature of the liquid cooling medium in the inlet channel 113 is lower than that in the return channel 114, the tab heat dissipation area 120 has a higher heat dissipation efficiency than the tail end heat dissipation area 121, thus enabling more effective heat dissipation from the tab end 201 of the cell 200, which generates more heat.

[0065] Compared to related technologies, the liquid cooling plate 100 disclosed in this application is designed with liquid cooling channels 110 in such a way that the temperature gradient distribution of the liquid cooling plate 100 from high temperature to low temperature is opposite to the temperature gradient distribution of the battery cell 200 from high temperature to low temperature under natural heat dissipation conditions. This adapts to the heat generation power distribution characteristics of the battery cell 200, thereby enhancing the temperature uniformity of the battery cell 200 and extending the service life of the energy storage system.

[0066] Specifically, the liquid cooling plate 100 includes a base plate and a cover plate. The liquid cooling channel 110 is formed on the base plate, and the cover plate is connected to the base plate and serves as the enclosing sidewall of the liquid cooling channel 110. The battery cell 200 is arranged in close contact with the surface of the cover plate. The liquid cooling channel 110 can be formed by extrusion, brazing, injection molding, etc., and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0067] When multiple battery cells 200 are assembled into a module, the liquid cooling channel 110 can be one that is adapted to it. For example, combined with Figure 2 This embodiment illustrates a technical solution where each inlet channel 113 is arranged on the same side of each return channel 114 along the second direction Y. In this embodiment, the tab heat dissipation area 120 is located on one side of the tail heat dissipation area 121. At this time, the tab end 201 of the battery cell 200 is located at the tab heat dissipation area 120, and the tail end 202 of the battery cell 200 is located at the tail heat dissipation area 121. Combined with... Figure 21 It shows a technical solution in which the liquid inlet channel 113 is distributed on both sides of the liquid return channel 114 along the second direction Y. This embodiment can form a technical solution in which two electrode heat dissipation areas 120 are located on both sides of the tail heat dissipation area 121, thereby dissipating heat from the battery cell 200 with electrode ends 201 at both ends and tail end 202 in the middle.

[0068] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 When multiple battery cells 200 form two modules, each module is arranged on the plane formed by the first direction X and the second direction Y, and the two modules are arranged at intervals along the second direction Y. Correspondingly, two liquid cooling channels 110 are arranged at intervals along the second direction Y on the liquid cooling plate 100. Each liquid cooling channel 110 is set in correspondence with each module to dissipate heat from each module. If the tail ends 202 of the cells 200 in adjacent modules are positioned close together, then the return liquid channel 114 is located in the middle of the liquid cooling plate 100, and the inlet liquid channel 113 is located on both sides of the liquid cooling plate 100. That is, the inlet liquid channels 113 of two adjacent liquid cooling channels 110 are arranged adjacently. This layout of the module can facilitate the electrical connection of each cell 200 while ensuring energy storage density. Alternatively, the tab ends 201 of the cells 200 in adjacent modules are positioned close to each other. In this case, the return liquid channel 114 is located on both sides of the liquid cooling plate 100, and the inlet liquid channel 113 is located in the middle of the liquid cooling plate 100. That is, the return liquid channels 114 of two adjacent liquid cooling channels 110 are arranged adjacently. Alternatively, a method such as... Figure 21 The liquid cooling plate 100 shown: the tab end 201 of the left module corresponds to the liquid inlet channel 113 on the left, the tab end 201 of the right module corresponds to the liquid inlet channel 113 on the right, and the tail ends 202 of the two modules share the same return channel 114 for heat dissipation.

[0069] Figure 8 and Figure 9 Both embodiments illustrate a technical solution where a liquid cooling plate 100 has three liquid cooling channels 110 spaced apart along a second direction Y to dissipate heat from three modules. In this embodiment, along the second direction Y, the battery cells 200 are arranged with their ends facing each other and their polarities opposite. That is, between two adjacent battery cells 200, either the tab ends 201 and tab ends 201 are arranged opposite each other, or the tail ends 202 and tail ends 202 are arranged opposite each other. The modules can also be four, five, or even more arranged spaced apart along the second direction Y. The number of liquid cooling channels 110 is adapted to the number of modules. The modules can be a single layer or multiple layers stacked along the vertical direction or the third direction Z. This application does not limit this.

[0070] For ease of description, the two liquid cooling channels 110 arranged adjacently along the second direction Y are defined as the first liquid cooling channel 110a and the second liquid cooling channel 110b, respectively. The liquid inlet channel 113 of the first liquid cooling channel 110a is the first liquid inlet channel 113a, and the liquid return channel 114 of the first liquid cooling channel 110a is the first liquid return channel 114a; the liquid inlet channel 113 of the second liquid cooling channel 110b is the second liquid inlet channel 113b, and the liquid return channel 114 of the second liquid cooling channel 110b is the second liquid return channel 114b; then, combined with... Figure 8 Along the second direction Y, the first return liquid flow channel 114a and the second return liquid flow channel 114b can be arranged adjacent to each other, or the first inlet liquid flow channel 113a and the second inlet liquid flow channel 113b can be arranged adjacent to each other, so that the distribution of the electrode heat dissipation area 120 and the tail heat dissipation area 121 is adapted to the polarity distribution of the battery cell 200 in each module, ensuring the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 200.

[0071] Specifically, for the technical solution in which the first return flow channel 114a and the second return flow channel 114b are arranged adjacent to each other along the second direction Y, combined with Figure 3 The first liquid cooling channel 110a and the second liquid cooling channel 110b described above can be arranged independently of each other, that is, the first return liquid channel 114a and the second return liquid channel 114b are arranged alternately and do not interfere with each other, so as to ensure the independence of heat dissipation of the two modules and increase the reliability of heat dissipation of the battery cell 200. In some embodiments, the first return liquid channel 114a and the second return liquid channel 114b can be arranged in a connected manner, for example, combined with Figure 5 The first return liquid flow channel 114a and the second return liquid flow channel 114b can be connected by at least one first interconnecting segment 140 extending along the second direction Y, thereby realizing the flow of liquid cooling medium between the two tail-end heat dissipation areas 121 and dissipating heat from the portion between the two tail-end heat dissipation areas 121. In other embodiments, combined with Figure 6 and Figure 7The first return liquid channel 114a and the second return liquid channel 114b have the same structure (that is, two adjacent liquid cooling channels 110 can share the return liquid channel 114). This structure is defined as the third return liquid channel 141. The first inlet liquid channel 113a and the second inlet liquid channel 113b are both connected to the third return liquid channel 141. The third return liquid channel 141 is provided with the above-mentioned outlet 112 to simultaneously realize the liquid outlet of the first inlet liquid channel 113a and the second inlet liquid channel 113b. The third return liquid channel 141 extends along the first direction X. The liquid cooling medium in the third return liquid channel 141 flows along the first direction X. In this embodiment, the area where the third return liquid channel 141 is located forms a tail end heat dissipation area 121 that can simultaneously dissipate heat from the tail end 202 of the battery cell 200 in the two modules.

[0072] For the technical solution where the first liquid inlet channel 113a and the second liquid inlet channel 113b are arranged adjacent to each other along the second direction Y, combined with Figure 8 The first liquid cooling channel 110a and the second liquid cooling channel 110b can be arranged independently of each other, that is, the first liquid inlet channel 113a and the second liquid inlet channel 113b are arranged alternately and do not interfere with each other, so as to ensure the independence of heat dissipation of the two modules and increase the reliability of heat dissipation of the battery cell 200. In some embodiments, the first liquid inlet channel 113a and the second liquid inlet channel 113b can be arranged in a connected manner, for example, combined with Figure 9 The first liquid inlet channel 113a and the second liquid inlet channel 113b can be connected by at least one second interconnecting segment 144 extending along the second direction Y, thereby enabling the flow of liquid cooling medium between the two tab heat dissipation areas 120 and dissipating heat from the portion between the two tab heat dissipation areas 120. In other embodiments, combined with Figure 10 The first liquid inlet channel 113a and the second liquid inlet channel 113b can be of the same structure (that is, two adjacent liquid cooling channels 110 can share the liquid inlet channel 113). This structure is defined as the third liquid inlet channel 145. The third liquid inlet channel 145 is provided with the above-mentioned liquid inlet 111 and is connected to both the first liquid return channel 114a and the second liquid return channel 114b, so as to simultaneously feed liquid into the first liquid return channel 114a and the second liquid return channel 114b. The third liquid inlet channel 145 extends along the first direction X, and the liquid cooling medium in the third liquid inlet channel 145 flows along the first direction X. In this embodiment, the area where the third liquid inlet channel 145 is located forms a tab heat dissipation area 120 that can simultaneously dissipate heat from the tab end 201 of the battery cell 200 in the two modules.

[0073] At least two of the liquid inlets 111 and outlets 112 of each liquid cooling channel 110 may be located at the same end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X. For ease of description, the liquid inlet of the first liquid cooling channel 110a for liquid inlet is defined as the first liquid inlet 111a, the liquid outlet of the first liquid cooling channel 110a for liquid outlet is defined as the first liquid outlet 112a, the liquid inlet of the second liquid cooling channel 110b for liquid inlet is defined as the second liquid inlet 111b, and the liquid outlet of the second liquid cooling channel 110b for liquid outlet is defined as the second liquid outlet 112b; thus, at least two of the first liquid inlet 111a, the first liquid outlet 112a, the second liquid inlet 111b, and the second liquid outlet 112b are located at the same end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X. For example, in conjunction with... Figure 11 The first liquid inlet 111a and the first liquid outlet 112a can be located at the first end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X, and the second liquid inlet 111b and the second liquid outlet 112b can be located at the second end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X; or, the first liquid inlet 111a and the second liquid inlet 111b can be located at the first end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X, and the first liquid outlet 112a and the second liquid outlet 112b can be located at the second end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X. Alternatively, one liquid inlet / outlet can be individually located at the first end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X, while the other three liquid inlets / outlets are located together at the second end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X. The first liquid inlet 111a, the first liquid outlet 112a, the second liquid inlet 111b, and the second liquid outlet 112b can also be simultaneously located at one end of the liquid cooling plate 100 along the first direction X. This scheme has high space utilization and is convenient for connecting to the liquid cooling system via pipelines.

[0074] Furthermore, combined Figure 3 The first liquid inlet 111a and the second liquid inlet 111b can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis 130 of the liquid cooling plate 100, and the first liquid outlet 112a and the second liquid outlet 112b can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis 130. The central axis 130 extends along the first direction X, thereby making the first liquid cooling channel 110a and the second liquid cooling channel 110b symmetrically arranged to achieve a uniform temperature distribution on the liquid cooling plate 100 with respect to the central axis 130.

[0075] Combination Figure 11 The first liquid inlet 111a and the second liquid inlet 111b mentioned above can be arranged independently and connected to the liquid cooling system respectively; or, combined with Figure 12 and Figure 13 The first liquid inlet 111a and the second liquid inlet 111b described above can be integrated into a single structure, thereby reducing the number of pipe interfaces, lowering the probability of cooling medium leakage, and facilitating management. For example, Figure 12The diagram shows a technical solution where the first liquid inlet 111a and the second liquid inlet 111b are integrated into a total liquid inlet 142, and the first liquid inlet channel 113a and the second liquid inlet channel 113b can be connected to the location of the total liquid inlet 142 through a transition section 180.

[0076] Similarly, the first liquid outlet 112a and the second liquid outlet 112b can be arranged independently to achieve liquid dispensing separately, or the first liquid outlet 112a and the second liquid outlet 112b can be integrated into the same structure, for example, Figure 12 The diagram shows a technical solution where the first liquid outlet 112a and the second liquid outlet 112b are integrated into a total liquid outlet 143. The first return liquid channel 114a and the second return liquid channel 114b can be connected to the location of the total liquid outlet 143 through a transition section 180.

[0077] Combination Figure 17 and Figure 18 At least one of the liquid inlet 142 and the liquid outlet 143 is disposed on the central axis 130 of the liquid cooling plate 100. The technical solution of being disposed on the central axis 130 facilitates the uniform distribution of temperature on the liquid cooling plate 100. Depending on the actual layout of the internal components of the energy storage system, the liquid inlet 142 and the liquid outlet 143 may also be offset relative to the central axis 130, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0078] Along the first direction X, the cross-sectional area of ​​the liquid inlet channel 113 can be equal at all locations, facilitating design and manufacturing. In some embodiments, combined with Figure 14 and Figure 15 In the figure, A0 > A1, where A0 and A1 are the cross-sectional widths of the liquid inlet channel 113 at both ends along the first direction X, respectively. The cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the liquid inlet channel 113 near the liquid inlet 111 can be smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the liquid inlet channel 113 away from the liquid inlet 111, in order to increase the liquid cooling medium capacity of the liquid inlet channel 113 at the end away from the liquid inlet 111 and balance the heat exchange effect of the liquid inlet channel 113 on the tab ends 201 of each cell 200. Specifically, from the direction near the liquid inlet 111 to the direction away from the liquid inlet 111, the cross-sectional area of ​​the liquid inlet channel 113 can be gradually increased or increased segment by segment. For the gradually increasing technical solution, such as... Figure 14 As shown, the sidewall of the liquid inlet channel 113 can be configured as a sloped structure, thereby forming a funnel-shaped structure with a gradually increasing cross-sectional area; for a step-by-step increasing technical solution, such as... Figure 15 As shown, the sidewall of the liquid inlet channel 113 can be set as a stepped structure, thereby realizing the gradual change of the cross-sectional area of ​​the liquid inlet channel 113.

[0079] Similarly, along the first direction X, the cross-sectional area of ​​the return flow channel 114 at all locations can be equal, which facilitates design and production. Alternatively, it can be combined with... Figure 14 and Figure 15 In the figure, B0 > B1, where B0 and B1 are the cross-sectional widths of the return liquid channel 114 at its two ends along the first direction X, respectively. The cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the return liquid channel 114 closer to the inlet 111 is smaller than that of the end farther from the inlet 111, thereby increasing the distribution of the liquid cooling medium at the end farther from the inlet 111, compensating for insufficient heat exchange capacity at the far end, and making the heat exchange capacity of the return liquid channel 114 for the cells 200 at different locations more consistent, avoiding local overheating, and improving the reliability and lifespan of the energy storage system. Specifically, the return liquid channel 114 can also adopt a technical solution similar to the inlet liquid channel 113, with a gradually increasing or segmented increase in cross-sectional area, which will not be elaborated here.

[0080] The cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet channel 113 can be equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the return channel 114, which facilitates design and manufacturing. In some embodiments, combined with Figure 16 The cross-sectional area of ​​the liquid inlet channel 113 can be smaller than that of the liquid return channel 114 to ensure that the liquid cooling medium has a high flow rate in the liquid inlet channel 113, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the tab end 201 of the cell 200.

[0081] In order to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the liquid cooling plate 100 to the battery cell 200, combined with Figure 16 The liquid cooling channel 110 may also include a connecting section 150, which is arranged between the liquid inlet channel 113 and the liquid return channel 114. The liquid inlet channel 113 and the liquid return channel 114 are connected by the connecting section 150. The bending shape of the connecting section 150 can be U-shaped, S-shaped, or other shapes, thereby realizing the serpentine arrangement of the liquid cooling channel 110, effectively extending the extension length of the liquid cooling channel 110, and thus improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0082] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, combined with Figure 17 The inlet channel 113 and the return channel 114 can also be indirectly connected through the connecting unit 160. Specifically, the liquid cooling channel 110 includes a plurality of connecting units 160 arranged at intervals along the first direction X. Each connecting unit 160 is connected in parallel between the inlet channel 113 and the return channel 114, and the connecting unit 160 is arranged one-to-one with the battery cell 200 to perform targeted heat exchange for each battery cell 200. The connecting unit 160 includes at least one connecting branch 161, and the two ends of the connecting branch 161 are connected to the inlet channel 113 and the return channel 114, respectively. During the heat dissipation process, the low-temperature liquid cooling medium can flow from the tab end 201 to the tail end 202 of the battery cell 200 along the connecting branch 161. The arrangement of the connecting unit 160 can effectively increase the heat exchange area of ​​the liquid cooling channel 110 and ensure the heat dissipation effect. For example, Figure 17The diagram illustrates a technical solution where the connecting unit 160 includes three connecting branches 161 extending along the second direction Y. Each connecting branch 161 can be positioned near the center of each battery cell 200 to dissipate heat from the central portion of the battery cell 200 where heat easily accumulates. The two ends of each connecting branch 161 can be connected to the inlet channel 113 and the return channel 114, respectively, or... Figure 17 As shown, the mixture is first summarized and then connected to the inlet channel 113 and the return channel 114.

[0083] In order to balance the flow distribution inside the liquid cooling plate 100, combined with Figure 18 In the figure, C0 < C1, where C0 and C1 are the cross-sectional widths of the connecting unit 160 at different positions along the first direction X. The size of the liquid cooling channel 110 away from the liquid inlet 111 can be appropriately increased. That is, along the first direction X, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting unit 160 near the liquid inlet 111 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting unit 160 away from the liquid inlet 111. In other words, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting branch 161 near the liquid inlet 111 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting branch 161 away from the liquid inlet 111, thereby increasing the heat exchange capacity of the connecting unit 160 away from the liquid inlet 111.

[0084] In some embodiments, multiple liquid inlet channels 113 are connected in parallel between the liquid inlet port 111 and the liquid return channel 114, thereby ensuring the heat exchange area between the liquid inlet channel 113 and the battery cell 200 and improving heat exchange efficiency. Multiple liquid return channels 114 can also be configured to be connected in parallel between the liquid inlet channel 113 and the liquid outlet port 112, thereby ensuring the heat exchange area of ​​the tail-end heat dissipation area 121 and improving the heat exchange efficiency at the tail end 202 of the battery cell 200. For example, Figure 19 The diagram shows a technical solution where two liquid inlet channels 113 are arranged in parallel. In practical applications, the two liquid inlet channels 113 can be closely attached to the tab end 201 of the battery cell 200 to achieve heat dissipation.

[0085] Furthermore, combined Figure 19 The liquid cooling channel 110 also includes at least one third interconnecting section 170. When there are multiple third interconnecting sections, they are arranged at intervals along the first direction X. The third interconnecting sections 170 are connected in parallel between two adjacent liquid inlet channels 113. The arrangement of the third interconnecting sections 170 can effectively increase the heat exchange area between the liquid cooling channel 110 and the tab end 201 of the battery cell 200, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency. At the same time, for liquid cooling channels 110 prepared by brazing or other methods, the arrangement of the third interconnecting sections 170 can also reduce the gas resistance during welding, thereby improving the manufacturability of the liquid cooling plate 100. Similarly, combined with Figure 20The liquid cooling channel 110 also includes at least one fourth interconnecting section 171. When there are multiple fourth interconnecting sections, the fourth interconnecting sections 171 are arranged at intervals along the first direction X, and the fourth interconnecting sections 171 are connected between two adjacent return liquid channels 114. The fourth interconnecting section 171 can increase the heat exchange area between the liquid cooling channel 110 and the battery cell 200, and at the same time, it can reduce gas resistance and improve manufacturability during the welding process.

[0086] The liquid cooling plate 100 of this application can also be modularly designed as a single unit to facilitate installation according to the actual number of cells 200 arranged in parallel. Each liquid cooling plate 100 can be connected to the liquid cooling system. Corresponding insertion protrusions and insertion grooves can be set at the edge of the liquid cooling plate 100 to facilitate the insertion and splicing positioning between different liquid cooling plates 100 and improve the flexibility of use.

[0087] The energy storage system disclosed in this application includes a plurality of battery cells 200 and the liquid cooling plate 100 described above. The plurality of battery cells 200 are arranged side by side along a first direction X and have the same polarity orientation. Each battery cell 200 has a tab end 201 and a tail end 202 arranged opposite to each other along a second direction Y. The polarity orientation refers to the direction of the battery cell 200 from the tail end 202 to the tab end 201. The liquid cooling plate 100 has a tab heat dissipation area 120 formed at the liquid inlet channel 113 to dissipate heat from the tab ends 201 of each battery cell 200, and a tail end heat dissipation area 121 formed at the liquid return channel 114 to dissipate heat from the tail ends 202 of each battery cell 200. The battery cell 200 is attached to the liquid cooling plate 100, and the tab ends 201 of the battery cell 200 are arranged opposite to the tab heat dissipation area 120, and the tail ends 202 of the battery cell 200 are arranged opposite to the tail end heat dissipation area 121, so that the liquid cooling plate 100 can provide targeted heat dissipation for the tab ends 201 and tail ends 202 of the battery cell 200. Since the liquid cooling plate 100 is included, it also has the above-mentioned structure and beneficial effects. Other structures refer to the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0088] For example, the energy storage system described above can be a battery module, battery pack, battery system, etc., and this application does not limit this. The battery cell 200 can be directly soldered onto the liquid cooling plate 100, or the battery cell 200 can be coupled to the liquid cooling plate 100 through a thermally conductive material such as silicone grease. In addition, the liquid cooling plate 100 can be the side wall of the battery cell 200's packaging shell. For example, the liquid cooling plate 100 can serve as the bottom wall of the packaging shell, directly contacting the battery cell 200 for heat dissipation.

[0089] In some embodiments, multiple cells 200 in an energy storage system are arranged side by side along a first direction X to form a module, and the polarity orientation of each cell 200 in the module is the same; at least two modules are arranged at intervals along a second direction Y, and the tail ends 202 of the cells 200 in adjacent modules can be arranged opposite each other, or the tab ends 201 of the cells 200 in adjacent modules can be arranged opposite each other, and this application does not limit this.

[0090] The terms "first" and "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units may include steps or units not listed, but rather steps or units not listed. Additionally, in the description of embodiments in this application, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0091] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Specific technical means in some embodiments may be incorporated, in whole or in part, into another embodiment unless explicitly excluded by another embodiment. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A liquid-cooled plate, characterized in that, The liquid cooling plate (100) is provided with a liquid cooling channel (110), the liquid cooling channel (110) has an inlet (111) and an outlet (112) for the liquid cooling medium to enter and exit the liquid cooling channel (110), and the liquid cooling channel (110) includes an inlet channel (113) and a return channel (114) connected in series between the inlet (111) and the outlet (112), the liquid cooling medium in the inlet channel (113) and the return channel (114) extends along a first direction, and the inlet channel (113) and the return channel (114) are arranged in sequence along a second direction; One end of the liquid inlet channel (113) is connected to the liquid inlet (111), and one end of the liquid return channel (114) is connected to the liquid outlet (112); the liquid inlet channel (113) is connected to the liquid return channel (114).

2. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid cooling plate (100) is provided with a plurality of liquid cooling channels (110) spaced apart along the second direction. Along the second direction, the inlet channels (113) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are arranged adjacently, or the return channels (114) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are arranged adjacently.

3. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 2, characterized in that, When the return channels (114) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are arranged adjacently, along the second direction, the return channels (114) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are arranged independently, or the return channels (114) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are connected through a first interconnecting section (140), or the two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) share a return channel (114). Alternatively, in the case where the inlet channels (113) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are arranged adjacently, along the second direction, the inlet channels (113) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are arranged independently, or the inlet channels (113) of two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) are connected through the second interconnecting section (144), or the two adjacent liquid cooling channels (110) share the inlet channel (113).

4. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 2, characterized in that, At least two of the plurality of liquid inlets (111) and the plurality of liquid outlets (112) of the plurality of liquid cooling channels (110) are disposed at the same end of the liquid cooling plate (100) along the first direction.

5. The liquid-cooled plate according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​each position of the liquid inlet channel (113) is equal; or, along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the liquid inlet channel (113) near the liquid inlet (111) is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the liquid inlet channel (113) away from the liquid inlet (111). Alternatively, along the first direction, the cross-sectional areas of the return flow channel (114) at each position are equal; or, along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the return flow channel (114) near the inlet (111) is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the return flow channel (114) away from the inlet (111). Alternatively, along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet channel (113) is less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the return channel (114).

6. The liquid-cooled plate according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The liquid cooling channel (110) includes a plurality of connecting units (160) arranged at intervals along the first direction, and the connecting units (160) are connected in parallel between the liquid inlet channel (113) and the liquid return channel (114).

7. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The connecting unit (160) includes at least one connecting branch (161), the two ends of which are connected to the liquid inlet channel (113) and the liquid return channel (114), respectively. Along the first direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting unit (160) near the liquid inlet (111) is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting unit (160) away from the liquid inlet (111).

8. The liquid-cooled plate according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The liquid inlet channel (113) consists of multiple channels connected in parallel between the liquid inlet (111) and the liquid return channel (114); And / or, the return flow channel (114) is a plurality of channels connected in parallel between the inlet flow channel (113) and the outlet (112).

9. The liquid cooling plate as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The liquid cooling channel (110) includes at least one third interconnecting section (170), and the third interconnecting section (170) is connected between two adjacent liquid inlet channels (113); And / or, the liquid cooling channel (110) includes at least one fourth interconnect segment (171), and the fourth interconnect segment (171) is connected between two adjacent return channels (114).

10. An energy storage system, characterized in that, include: Multiple battery cells (200) are arranged side by side along a first direction and have the same polarity orientation. Each battery cell (200) has a tab end (201) and a tail end (202) arranged opposite to each other along a second direction. The polarity orientation is a direction from the tail end (202) to the tab end (201). The liquid cooling plate (100) as described in any one of claims 1-9 has a tab heat dissipation area (120) formed at the liquid inlet channel (113) for dissipating heat from the tab ends (201) of each of the battery cells (200), and a tail end heat dissipation area (121) formed at the liquid return channel (114) for dissipating heat from the tail ends (202) of each of the battery cells (200). The battery cell (200) is attached to the liquid cooling plate (100), and the tab end (201) of the battery cell (200) is arranged opposite to the tab heat dissipation area (120), and the tail end (202) of the battery cell (200) is arranged opposite to the tail end heat dissipation area (121).

11. The energy storage system as described in claim 10, characterized in that, Multiple said cells (200) are arranged side by side along the first direction to form a module, and the polarity orientation of each cell (200) in the module is the same; At least two of the modules are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the tail ends (202) of the cells (200) in adjacent modules are arranged opposite each other, or the tab ends (201) of the cells (200) in adjacent modules are arranged opposite each other.

Images