Battery module and vehicle

Abstract

A battery module characterized in that it comprises: a battery body (100), a liquid cooling plate (200) and a plurality of connecting tubes (300); wherein the battery body (100) and the liquid cooling plate (200) are arranged in a stacked manner, and the liquid cooling plate (200) has a plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports (K); each liquid inlet and outlet connection (K) is assigned a connecting pipe (300), each connecting pipe (300) comprising: a connecting pipe body (301), a connecting bend (302) and a first connecting flange (303); wherein, in one and the same connecting pipe (300), the first end of the connecting pipe body (301) is fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate (200) at the corresponding liquid inlet and outlet connection (K), and the second end of the connecting pipe body (301) is connected to one end of the connecting bend (302), wherein the end of the connecting bend (302) facing away from the connecting pipe body (301) is fastened directly to the first connecting flange (303).

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 2024222425703 filed with the Chinese Patent Office on September 12, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical area

[0002] This application relates to the field of battery technology and in particular to a battery module and a vehicle. State of the art

[0003] The battery is the main energy storage element in electric vehicles and a crucial component that directly affects the performance of the electric vehicle.

[0004] Generally, the battery generates a certain amount of heat during operation, which leads to an increase in the internal temperature of the battery. If this heat is not dissipated in a timely manner, it can accumulate inside the battery, leading to leakage, gas leakage, smoke generation, and, in the worst case, violent combustion or explosion. The current technology uses liquid cooling plates to cool the battery. The interfaces of the liquid cooling plates are connected to the vehicle's cooling system via connecting pipes and quick-connect fittings, allowing the coolant in the liquid cooling plate to conduct heat exchange to reduce the battery temperature. Contents of this applicationTECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0005] However, the distance between the liquid cooling plate interface and the vehicle cooling system interface is usually fixed, and the height of the quick connectors is usually relatively large. This leads to an increase in the distance between the pipe and the liquid cooling plate, which in turn increases the volume of the battery case. TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery module comprising: a battery body, a liquid cooling plate, and a plurality of connecting tubes; wherein the battery body and the liquid cooling plate are arranged in a stack, and the liquid cooling plate has a plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports; each liquid inlet and outlet port is assigned a connecting tube, each connecting tube comprising: a connecting tube body, a connecting bend, and a first connecting flange; wherein, in one and the same connecting tube, the first end of the connecting tube body is fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate at the corresponding liquid inlet and outlet port, and the second end of the connecting tube body is connected to one end of the connecting bend, the end of the connecting bend facing away from the connecting tube body being directly attached to the first connecting flange.

[0007] In a second aspect, this application provides a vehicle comprising: a vehicle body and a battery module installed in the vehicle body and a liquid cooling system, wherein the liquid cooling plate in the battery module is connected to the liquid cooling system via the connecting pipe, wherein the battery module is one of the above-mentioned battery modules. TECHNICAL IMPACTS

[0008] The advantageous effects of this application: since the end of the connecting bend facing away from the connecting pipe body is directly attached to the first connecting flange, the vertical pipe section arranged on the first connecting flange can be omitted, thus eliminating the need for a quick-connect connector. This can significantly reduce the overall space required by the connecting pipe in the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate, reduce the distance between the connecting pipe and the liquid cooling plate, and thus effectively reduce the volume of the battery case. Short description of the drawing Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery module provided in one embodiment of this application; Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a liquid cooling plate provided in one embodiment of this application; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a connecting bend and a first connecting flange provided in one embodiment of this application; Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the connecting elbow and the first connecting flange shown in Fig. 3 are shown; Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a connecting pipe provided in one embodiment of this application; Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a connecting pipe, a second connecting flange, and a cooling pipe provided in an embodiment of this application; Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of another battery module structure provided in an embodiment of this application; Fig. 8 is an exploded view of a part of Fig. 1. Detailed description of the embodiments

[0009] Referring to Fig. 1, Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery module provided in one embodiment of this application. The battery module 000 may include a battery body 100, a liquid cooling plate 200, and a plurality of connecting tubes 300.

[0010] Referring to Fig. 2, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a liquid cooling plate structure provided in one embodiment of this application. The battery body 100 in the battery module 000 is stacked with the liquid cooling plate 200, and the liquid cooling plate 200 in the battery module 000 may have a plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports K. The plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports K are configured to be connected to an external cooling system to enable the circulation of the coolant in the liquid cooling plate 200 and thus cool the battery body 100.

[0011] Each liquid inlet and outlet port K is assigned a connecting pipe 300, wherein each connecting pipe 300 may include: a connecting pipe body 301, a connecting bend 302, and a first connecting flange 303. For example, the plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports K and the plurality of connecting pipes 300 are each two, and the two liquid inlet and outlet ports K are distributed correspondingly to the two connecting pipes 300.

[0012] In one and the same connecting pipe 300, the first end of the connecting pipe body 301 is fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate 200 at the corresponding liquid inlet and outlet port K, the second end of the connecting pipe body 301 is connected to one end of the connecting bend 302, and the end of the connecting bend 302 facing away from the connecting pipe body 301 is directly attached to the first connecting flange 303.

[0013] In this application, the side of the first connecting flange 303 facing away from the connecting bend 302 is designed to be connected to an external cooling system, and the liquid cooling plate 200 in the battery module 000 can be connected to the external cooling system via the plurality of connecting pipes 300.

[0014] For example, the plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports K may include a liquid inlet K1 and a liquid outlet K2. A liquid cooling channel may be formed inside the liquid cooling plate 200, each connected to the liquid inlet K1 and the liquid outlet K2, wherein the liquid cooling channels are evenly distributed within the liquid cooling plate 200. Here, the connecting pipe 300 connected to the liquid inlet K1 may be referred to as the liquid inlet pipe, while the connecting pipe 300 connected to the liquid outlet K2 may be referred to as the liquid outlet pipe.The liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe are each connected to the external liquid cooling system, and the external liquid cooling system can introduce the coolant into the cooling channels of the liquid cooling plate 200 through the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid inlet K1. Since the liquid cooling channels are evenly distributed within the liquid cooling plate 200, the liquid cooling plate 200 can cool the battery body 100 on the liquid cooling plate 200.

[0015] Typically, the vertical distance between the first connecting flange 303 and the liquid cooling plate 200 is fixed, which is why it is necessary to reduce the width of the connecting pipe 300 on the side of the liquid cooling plate 200 facing away from the first connecting flange 303. However, currently, a vertical pipe section must usually be provided on the side of the first connecting flange facing away from the liquid cooling plate, which is attached to the end of the connecting pipe by means of a quick-connect connector. Since the quick-connect connector has a considerable height, this increases the distance between the connecting pipe and the liquid cooling plate, ultimately increasing the volume of the battery case.

[0016] In this embodiment, the end of the connecting bend 302 facing away from the connecting tube body 301 is attached directly to the first connecting flange 303. The vertical pipe section provided on the first connecting flange 303 is eliminated, thus eliminating the need for a quick-connect connector. This significantly reduces the overall space requirement of the connecting tube 300 in the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate 200, reduces the distance between the connecting tube 300 and the liquid cooling plate 200, and thus effectively reduces the volume of the battery housing.

[0017] In summary, this application provides a battery module comprising a battery body, a liquid cooling plate, and a plurality of connecting tubes. Since the end of the connecting bend facing away from the connecting tube body is directly attached to the first connecting flange, the vertical pipe section provided on the first connecting flange 303 and the use of a quick-connect connector are eliminated. This significantly reduces the overall space requirement of the connecting tube in the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate, reduces the distance between the connecting tube and the liquid cooling plate, and thus effectively reduces the volume of the battery housing.

[0018] In one embodiment of this application, referring to Fig. 3, Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a connecting elbow and a first connecting flange provided in one embodiment of this application. The connecting elbow 302 in the connecting pipe 300 may include an elbow body 3021 and an annular collar 3022, wherein one end of the elbow body 3021 is fixedly connected to the annular collar 3022, and the annular collar 3022 is fixedly connected to the first connecting flange 303.

[0019] In this case, the firm connection between the annular collar 3022 and the first connecting flange 303 improves the structural strength and tightness of the connecting pipe 300.

[0020] For example, the annular collar 3022 in the connecting bend 302 is welded to the first connecting flange 303. The welded connection can improve the tightness and mechanical strength between the connecting bend 302 and the first connecting flange 303.

[0021] In one embodiment of this application, referring to Fig. 4, Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the connecting elbow and the first connecting flange shown in Fig. 3. The first connecting flange 303 in the connecting tube 300 may have a first opening M1, wherein the first opening M1 is located within the area enclosed by the annular collar 3022.

[0022] In this case, the design of the first opening M1 ensures that the coolant can flow smoothly into the connecting bend 302, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the liquid cooling plate 200.

[0023] In one embodiment of this application, as shown in Fig. 4, the connecting bend 302 in the battery module 000 can also comprise a plug-in connection pipe 3023, wherein the plug-in connection pipe 3023 is detachably connected to the end of the bend body 3021 facing away from the annular collar 3022.

[0024] Since the connecting elbow 302 and the first connecting flange 303 are welded, they form a single unit. During the assembly process, the connecting pipe body 301 can be mounted first on the liquid cooling plate 200, then the first connecting flange 303 can be mounted on the external liquid cooling system, and finally, the plug-in connecting pipe 3023 is used to connect the connecting pipe body 301 to the assembly consisting of the connecting elbow 302 and the first connecting flange 303. This not only facilitates the assembly between the connecting pipe body 301 and the connecting elbow 302, but also facilitates subsequent maintenance and replacement.

[0025] In addition, the current connecting pipe with the vertical pipe section on the first connecting flange is usually mounted in a direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate. However, in this embodiment, it is not necessary to attach a vertical pipe section to the first connecting flange 303 because a connecting bend 302 is formed on the first connecting flange 303. Thus, the connecting pipe body 301 can be mounted with the plug-in connecting pipe 3023 in the connecting bend 302 in a direction parallel to the liquid cooling plate 200. By replacing the mounting in the vertical direction with a mounting in the horizontal direction, the distance between the connecting pipe 300 and the liquid cooling plate 200 can be reduced.

[0026] In this embodiment, as in Fig. 4, the plug-in connection pipe 3023 in the connecting bend 302 has a plurality of annular plug-in connection sections 30231 on its outer wall.

[0027] When the plug-in connection pipe 3023 in the connecting bend 302 is inserted into the second end of the connecting pipe body 301, the plurality of plug-in connection portions 30231 abut against the inner wall of the connecting pipe body 301.

[0028] In this case, the abutment of the multiple plug-in connection sections 30231 against the inner wall of the connecting pipe body 301 ensures a stable connection between the connecting elbow 302 and the connecting pipe body 301, increasing the reliability of the connection. Furthermore, the design of the plug-in connection sections 30231 contributes to improving the tightness between the connecting elbow 302 and the connecting pipe body 301, thereby reducing the risk of leakage.

[0029] In this embodiment, referring to Fig. 5, is Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a connecting tube provided in one embodiment of this application. In the thickness direction of the liquid cooling plate 200, the maximum distance d1 between the connecting tube body 301 and the first connecting flange 303 in the connecting tube 300 is 20 to 40 millimeters.

[0030] For example, the maximum distance d1 in the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate 200 between the connecting pipe body 301 and the first connecting flange 303 in the connecting pipe 300 is 28 millimeters.

[0031] This ensures that the width of the connecting pipe 300 in the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate 200 remains small, which reduces the volume of the battery case and improves the space utilization.

[0032] For example, referring to Fig. 6, is Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of a connecting tube, a second connecting flange, and a cooling tube provided in one embodiment of this application. Each connecting tube 300 in the battery module 000 may further include a second connecting flange 304 and a cooling tube 305.

[0033] The second connecting flange 304 in the connecting pipe 300 is connected to the first connecting flange 303, and the cooling pipe 305 in the connecting pipe 300 is connected to the side of the second connecting flange 304 facing away from the first connecting flange 303.

[0034] The cooling pipe 305 in the connecting pipe 300 is connected to the connecting bend 302 via the second connecting flange 304 and the first connecting flange 303, and the cooling pipe 305 is configured to be connected to the liquid cooling system.

[0035] In this case, it is ensured that the external liquid cooling system can be connected to the liquid cooling plate 200 via the connecting pipe 300, so that the external liquid cooling system can inject coolant into the interior of the liquid cooling plate 200 via the connecting pipe 300 to effectively cool the battery body 100.

[0036] In this embodiment, referring to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, is Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of another battery module provided in an embodiment of this application, and Fig. 8 is an exploded view of a part of Fig. 1. The plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports K in the liquid cooling plate 200 are distributed on the side of the liquid cooling plate 200 that supports the battery body 100.

[0037] In the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate 200, the maximum distance d2 between the connecting tube body 301 in the connecting tube 300 and the liquid cooling plate 200 is smaller than the maximum distance d3 between the side of the battery body 100 facing away from the liquid cooling plate 200 and the liquid cooling plate 200.

[0038] In this case, reducing the maximum distance d2 between the connecting pipe body 301 and the liquid cooling plate 200 ensures that the connecting pipe 300 as a whole does not protrude beyond the side of the battery body 100 facing away from the liquid cooling plate 200, which contributes to reducing the volume of the battery case and improving the space utilization.

[0039] In summary, this application provides a battery module comprising a battery body, a liquid cooling plate, and a plurality of connecting tubes. Since the end of the connecting bend facing away from the connecting tube body is directly attached to the first connecting flange, the vertical pipe section at the first connecting flange and the use of a quick-connect connector are eliminated. This significantly reduces the overall space requirement of the connecting tube in the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate, reduces the distance between the connecting tube and the liquid cooling plate, and thus effectively reduces the volume of the battery housing.

[0040] This embodiment also provides a vehicle that may be a hybrid vehicle, a gasoline or diesel vehicle, or a range-extended electric vehicle. The vehicle may include a vehicle body, a battery module 000 installed in the vehicle body, and a liquid cooling system. The liquid cooling plate 200 in the battery module 000 is connected to the liquid cooling system via the connecting pipe 300. The battery module 000 is a battery module according to any one of the above-mentioned embodiments.

Claims

[1] A battery module, characterized in that it comprises: a battery body (100), a liquid cooling plate (200) and a plurality of connecting tubes (300); wherein the battery body (100) and the liquid cooling plate (200) are arranged in a stacked manner, and the liquid cooling plate (200) has a plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports (K); each liquid inlet and outlet connection (K) is assigned a connecting pipe (300), each connecting pipe (300) comprising: a connecting pipe body (301), a connecting bend (302) and a first connecting flange (303); wherein, in one and the same connecting pipe (300), the first end of the connecting pipe body (301) is fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate (200) at the corresponding liquid inlet and outlet connection (K), and the second end of the connecting pipe body (301) is connected to one end of the connecting bend (302), wherein the end of the connecting bend (302) facing away from the connecting pipe body (301) is fastened directly to the first connecting flange (303). [2] The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the connecting arch (302) comprises: an arch body (3021) and an annular collar (3022), wherein one end of the arch body (3021) is fixedly connected to the annular collar (3022), and the annular collar (3022) is fixedly connected to the first connecting flange (303). [3] The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the annular collar (3022) is welded to the first connecting flange (303). [4] The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the first connecting flange (303) has a first opening (M1), and the first opening (M1) is located within the area enclosed by the annular collar (3022). [5] The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the connecting bend (302) further comprises: a plug-in connection tube (3023), wherein the plug-in connection tube (3023) is detachably connected to the end of the bend body (3021) facing away from the annular collar (3022). [6] The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the plug-in terminal tube (3023) has a plurality of annular plug-in terminal portions (30231) on its outer wall; wherein, when the plug-in terminal tube (3023) is inserted into the second end of the connecting tube body (301), the plurality of plug-in terminal portions (30231) abut against the inner wall of the connecting tube body (301). [7] The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein in the thickness direction of the liquid cooling plate (200), the maximum distance (d1) between the connecting pipe body (301) and the first connecting flange (303) is 20 to 40 millimeters. [8] The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each connecting pipe (300) further comprises: a second connecting flange (304) and a cooling pipe (305); wherein the second connecting flange (304) is connected to the first connecting flange (303), and the cooling pipe (305) is connected to the side of the second connecting flange (304) facing away from the first connecting flange (303); wherein the cooling pipe (305) is connected to the connecting bend (302) via the second connecting flange (304) and the first connecting flange (303) and is arranged to be connected to a liquid cooling system. [9] The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plurality of liquid inlet and outlet ports (K) are distributed on the side of the liquid cooling plate (200) supporting the battery body (100); in the direction perpendicular to the liquid cooling plate (200), the maximum distance (d2) between the connecting pipe body (301) and the liquid cooling plate (200) is smaller than the maximum distance (d3) between the side of the battery body (100) facing away from the liquid cooling plate (200) and the liquid cooling plate (200). [10] A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body and a battery module (000) installed in the vehicle body and a liquid cooling system, wherein the liquid cooling plate (200) in the battery module (000) is connected to the liquid cooling system via the connecting pipe (300), wherein the battery module (000) is a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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