Battery system

Abstract

To provide a battery system capable of suppressing leakage of fluid for cooling a battery into the interior of a case and preventing damage to a connection body.SOLUTION: A battery system is mounted on a vehicle. The battery system includes a case, a battery, a cooling body, a cooling device, and a connection body. The case has a bottom surface, a top surface, and an extending surface that extends between the bottom surface and the top surface. The battery is housed in the case. The cooling body is housed in the case, and fluid for cooling the battery flows therethrough. The cooling device includes a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is arranged side by side with the extending surface in a direction intersecting the vertical direction on the outside of the case and used to cool the fluid. The connection body is provided on the outside of the case in a portion on the heat exchanger side of the extending surface, and connects the cooling device with the cooling body, the fluid flows therethrough.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a battery system mounted on a vehicle. For example, it includes a case, a plurality of batteries housed in the case, a plurality of cooling bodies housed in the case through which cooling water for cooling the batteries flows inside, and a cooling device, and the cooling device is provided with a heat exchanger connected to the cooling bodies via a circulation path (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In this type of battery system, for example, it is required to suppress leakage of a fluid such as cooling water for cooling the batteries inside the case. Further, in this type of battery system, it is required to suppress breakage of a connecting body that connects the cooling body and the cooling device.

[0005] Therefore, one of the problems of the present invention is to obtain a battery system that can suppress leakage of a fluid for cooling the batteries inside the case and can suppress breakage of the connecting body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The battery system according to the present invention is a battery system mounted on a vehicle, and includes a case having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a continuous surface extending between the bottom surface and the top surface, a battery housed inside the case, a cooling body housed in the case through which a fluid for cooling the battery flows inside, and a cooling device having a heat exchanger arranged outside the case in a direction intersecting the vertical direction of the vehicle and arranged in parallel with the continuous surface to cool the fluid, and a connecting body provided outside the case at a portion of the continuous surface on the heat exchanger side, connecting the cooling device and the cooling body, and through which the fluid flows inside.

[0007] According to such a configuration, since the connecting body is provided outside the case at a portion of the continuous surface of the case on the heat exchanger side, it is possible to suppress leakage of the fluid for cooling the battery into the case and to suppress damage to the connecting body.

[0008] In the battery system, for example, a recess is provided in the continuous surface, and the connecting body is located inside the recess.

[0009] According to such a configuration, since the connecting body is located inside the recess, it is possible to further suppress damage to the connecting body.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a battery system that can suppress leakage of the fluid for cooling the battery into the case and suppress damage to the connecting body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

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[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the battery system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and the constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art, substantially the same ones, and those within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, changes, and combinations of the constituent elements can be made without departing from the gist of the following embodiments.

[0013] Also, the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships between the elements, the ratios of the elements, etc. may be different from the actual ones. Also, there may be parts where the dimensional relationships and ratios between the drawings are different from each other.

[0014] <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the battery system of the first embodiment. The battery system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a vehicle 100 such as, for example, an electric vehicle powered by a motor or a hybrid vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine and a motor. In other words, the vehicle 100 includes the battery system 1.

[0015] As shown in the respective drawings, for convenience, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are defined in this specification. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are orthogonal to each other. The X-axis extends along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100. The Y-axis extends along the left-right direction (width direction) of the vehicle 100. The Z-axis extends along the up-down direction of the vehicle 100. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the longitudinal direction, left-right direction (width direction), and up-down direction refer to the longitudinal direction, left-right direction (width direction), and up-down direction of the vehicle 100.

[0016] Furthermore, in this specification, the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction are defined. The X-direction is the direction along the X-axis, including the +X direction indicated by the arrow of the X-axis and the -X direction opposite to the arrow of the X-axis. The Y-direction is the direction along the Y-axis, including the +Y direction indicated by the arrow of the Y-axis and the -Y direction opposite to the arrow of the Y-axis. The Z-direction is the direction along the Z-axis, including the +Z direction indicated by the arrow of the Z-axis and the -Z direction opposite to the arrow of the Z-axis. In this embodiment, the +X direction coincides with the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100, the +Y direction coincides with the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle 100, and the +Z direction coincides with the upper side in the up-down direction of the vehicle 100.

[0017] The battery system 1 includes a battery pack 2 and a cooling device 3. The battery pack 2 is used as the power source of the vehicle 100.

[0018] The cooling device 3 cools the battery pack 2. Specifically, the cooling device 3 includes a heat exchanger 6, a pipe 4, and a pump 5. The heat exchanger 6 includes, for example, a radiator, a chiller, etc. The heat exchanger 6 is arranged, for example, in the engine room. The heat exchanger 6 cools the cooling water. The cooling water is an example of a fluid (refrigerant). The pipe 4 has a supply pipe 4a and a return pipe 4b. The supply pipe 4a and the return pipe 4b connect the heat exchanger 6 and the battery pack 2, and the cooling water passes through the inside. The pump 5 is provided in the supply pipe 4a. The pump 5 is a water pump. The pump 5 circulates the cooling water between the heat exchanger 6 and the battery pack 2 through the pipe 4. The cooling water is supplied from the heat exchanger 6 to the battery pack 2 through the supply pipe 4a by the pump, and returns from the battery pack 2 to the heat exchanger 6 through the return pipe 4b. The cooling device 3 is also referred to as a cooling system.

[0019] The battery pack 2 is arranged, for example, on the lower side with respect to the floor panel of the vehicle body and fixed to the floor panel. Also, the battery pack 2 is arranged on the rear side with respect to the heat exchanger 6 and is arranged side by side with the heat exchanger 6 in the front-rear direction.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the battery pack of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the battery pack of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the battery pack of the first embodiment.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the battery pack 2 includes a case 11, a plurality of battery modules 12 (FIG. 3), and a cooling body 13. In FIG. 2, the illustration of the upper wall of the case 11 is omitted, and the inside of the case 11 is shown.

[0022] The case 11 is formed in a flat substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The case 11 has, for example, a lower surface 11a, an upper surface 11b, a front surface 11c, a rear surface 11d, a left surface 11e, and a right surface 11f. The lower surface 11a, the upper surface 11b, the front surface 11c, the rear surface 11d, the left surface 11e, and the right surface 11f constitute the outer surface of the case 11.

[0023] The following, 11a, is the lower surface in the vertical direction in case 11. The upper surface 11b is the upper surface in the vertical direction in case 11. The front surface 11c is the front surface in the front-rear direction in case 11. The rear surface 11d is the rear surface in the front-rear direction in case 11. The left surface 11e is the left surface in the left-right direction in case 11. The right surface 11f is the right surface in the left-right direction in case 11. The front surface 11c, the rear surface 11d, the left surface 11e, and the right surface 11f each extend across the lower surface 11a and the upper surface 11b. The front surface 11c, the rear surface 11d, the left surface 11e, and the right surface 11f constitute a continuous surface 11g that extends across the lower surface 11a and the upper surface 11b. The continuous surface 11g is also referred to as a side surface.

[0024] Also, the front surface 11c (continuous surface 11g) is located on the rear side with respect to the heat exchanger 6 and is arranged in the front-rear direction in parallel with the heat exchanger 6. That is, the heat exchanger 6 is arranged in parallel with the front surface 11c (continuous surface 11g) in a direction intersecting the vertical direction (Z direction) outside the case 11. As an example, the heat exchanger 6 is arranged in parallel with the front surface 11c (continuous surface 11g) in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the vertical direction (Z direction) outside the case 11.

[0025] Also, a recess 11n is provided in the front surface 11c. The recess 11n is a space that is recessed rearward in the front-rear direction and open forward in the front-rear direction. Also, the recess 11n is open upward. Note that the recess 11n is not limited to the above. For example, the recess 11n may not be open upward.

[0026] The front surface 11c includes a concave surface 11m that forms the recess 11n. The concave surface 11m has a bottom surface 11ma, a pair of left and right side surfaces 11mb, and a lower surface 11mc. The bottom surface 11ma faces forward. The pair of left and right side surfaces 11mb are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction and extend forward from the left and right ends of the bottom surface 11ma. The lower surface 11mc extends forward from the lower end of the bottom surface 11ma and connects the pair of left and right side surfaces 11mb.

[0027] Further, a concave portion 11p is provided on the rear surface 11d. The concave portion 11p is a space that is recessed forward in the front-rear direction and open rearward in the front-rear direction. Also, the concave portion 11p is open upward. Note that the concave portion 11p is not limited to the above. For example, the concave portion 11p may not be open upward.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of battery modules 12 are arranged inside the case 11. For example, the plurality of battery modules 12 are arranged in two rows on the left and right with the cooling body 13 sandwiched therebetween. The plurality of battery modules 12 are connected in series or in parallel. The battery module 12 includes a plurality of battery cells 15. The plurality of battery cells 15 are connected in series or in parallel. The battery cell 15 is, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery. Note that the battery cell 15 may be a secondary battery such as a nickel-metal hydride battery. The battery module 12 (battery cell 15) is thermally connected to the cooling body 13.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cooling body 13 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction. The cooling body 13 is constituted by, for example, a metal material.

[0030] The cooling body 13 has, for example, a lower surface 13a, an upper surface 13b, a front surface 13c, a rear surface 13d, a left surface 13e, and a right surface 13f. The lower surface 13a, the upper surface 13b, the front surface 13c, the rear surface 13d, the left surface 13e, and the right surface 13f constitute the outer surface of the cooling body 13.

[0031] The left surface 13e and the right surface 13f are each thermally connected to the plurality of battery modules 12. The left surface 13e and the right surface 13f may be in direct contact with the battery module 12, or may be connected to the battery module 12 via a heat transfer member such as a heat transfer sheet. The cooling body 13 cools the battery module 12 by the left surface 13e and the right surface 13f.

[0032] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, two through-holes 13g are provided in the front surface 13c of the cooling body 13. The two through-holes 13g are provided at intervals in the vertical direction. Further, the cooling body 13 has a peripheral surface 13h that forms the through-holes 13g.

[0033] Connectors 14A and 14B are fitted into the two through-holes 13g. The connector 14A is connected to the supply pipe 4a, and the cooling water supplied into the cooling body 13 flows therethrough. That is, the connector 14A constitutes the inlet portion of the cooling body 13. The connector 14B is connected to the return pipe 4b, and the cooling water flowing out from the inside of the case 11 flows therethrough. That is, the connector 14B constitutes the outlet portion of the cooling body 13. Hereinafter, the connectors 14A and 14B are collectively referred to as the connector 14. The connector 14 is, for example, a cylindrical nipple, but is not limited thereto. The outer peripheral surface 14a of the connector 14 is overlapped and joined with the peripheral surface 13h of the cooling body 13. The connector 14 is fixed to the cooling body 13 by fixing with screws, joining such as welding or adhesion, etc. The connector 14 is also referred to as a cooling connection portion.

[0034] The connector 14 is provided outside the case 11 on the front surface 11c, which is the portion of the heat exchanger 6 side of the surface 11g of the case 11. That is, the connector 14 is provided with respect to the surface (front surface 11c) closest to the heat exchanger 6 among the plurality of surfaces (front surface 11c, rear surface 11d, left surface 13e, right surface 13f) on the surface 11g of the case 11. Further, the connector 14 is located inside the recess 11n of the case 11. The inside of the recess 11n is outside the case 11. Also, the connection portion 31 between the connector 14 and the cooling body 13 is provided outside the case 11 on the front surface 11c of the case 11. Specifically, the connection portion 31 is located inside the recess 11n of the case 11.

[0035] In addition, a flow path 20 through which cooling water flows is provided inside the cooling body 13. The flow path 20 includes a first flow path 20a, a second flow path 20b, and a connection part 20c, and is formed in a folded-back shape. The first flow path 20a is connected to the connection body 14A. The second flow path 20b is connected to the connection body 14B. The second flow path 20b is located below the first flow path 20a. The second flow path 20b and the first flow path 20a are partitioned by a partition wall 13j. The connection part 20c connects the first flow path 20a and the second flow path 20b. The cooling water flows into the first flow path 20a of the flow path 20 from the connection body 14A, passes through the first flow path 20a, the connection part 20c, and the second flow path 20b, and flows out to the connection body 14B.

[0036] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the cooling body 13 is constituted by, for example, a combination of a plurality of members. Specifically, the cooling body 13 has a base member 21, a front cover member 22, and a rear cover member 23. The base member 21 includes a part of the lower surface 13a, a part of the upper surface 13b, a part of the left surface 13e, a part of the right surface 13f, and the partition wall 13j. The base member 21 is, for example, an extruded material. The front cover member 22 includes a part of the lower surface 13a, a part of the upper surface 13b, the front surface 13c, a part of the left surface 13e, and a part of the right surface 13f.

[0037] The base member 21, the front cover member 22, and the rear cover member 23 are joined by welding, adhesion, or the like. The joint part 25 (joint part, connection part) between the base member 21 and the front cover member 22 is located inside the concave part 11n. The joint part 26 (joint part, connection part) between the base member 21 and the rear cover member 23 is located inside the concave part 11p. The rear cover member 23 includes a part of the lower surface 13a, a part of the upper surface 13b, the rear surface 13d, a part of the left surface 13e, and a part of the right surface 13f.

[0038] The cooling body 13 having the above configuration is fixed to the case 11 with a structural adhesive or the like, and reinforces the case 11. Thereby, the rigidity of the case 11 is improved. That is, the cooling body 13 functions as a structural member.

[0039] In the battery system 1 configured as described above, the cooling water is supplied from the heat exchanger 6 through the supply pipe 4a to the cooling body 13 of the battery pack 2 and passes through the flow path 20 of the cooling body 13. At this time, heat exchange between the liquid and the battery cell 15 is performed by the cooling body 13, and the battery cell 15 is cooled. The cooling water that has passed through the cooling body 13 returns to the heat exchanger 6 through the return pipe 4b, and heat exchange with the outside air is performed by the heat exchanger 6 to cool it.

[0040] As described above, the battery system 1 of the present embodiment is mounted on the vehicle 100. The battery system 1 includes a case 11, a battery cell 15 (battery), a cooling body 13, a cooling device 3, and a connector 14. The case 11 has a bottom surface 11a, a top surface 11b, and a continuous surface 11g extending between the bottom surface 11a and the top surface 11b. The battery cell 15 is housed inside the case 11. The cooling body 13 is housed in the case 11, and cooling water (fluid) for cooling the battery cell 15 flows inside. The cooling device 3 has a heat exchanger 6. The heat exchanger 6 is arranged parallel to the continuous surface 11g in a direction intersecting the vertical direction outside the case 11 to cool the cooling water. The connector 14 is provided outside the case 11 on the front surface 11c, which is a portion of the continuous surface 11g on the heat exchanger 6 side, connects the cooling device 3 and the cooling body 13, and cooling water flows inside.

[0041] According to such a configuration, since the connecting body 14 is provided outside the case 11 on the front surface 11c which is the portion of the through surface 11g of the case 11 on the heat exchanger 6 side, for example, even when cooling water leaks from the connection portion 31 (joint portion, connection portion) between the connecting body 14 and the cooling body 13, the cooling water flows outside the case 11. That is, according to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the cooling water for cooling the battery cell 15 from leaking into the case 11. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of electric leakage and short circuit due to the leakage of the cooling water. Further, according to the above configuration, since the connecting body 14 is provided outside the case 11 on the front surface 11c which is the portion of the through surface 11g of the case 11 on the heat exchanger 6 side, for example, when the vehicle 100 collides head-on, the connecting body 14 can be protected by the heat exchanger 6, and even when an impact force is applied from below to the lower surface 11a of the case 11 or from above to the upper surface 11b, it is possible to suppress the impact force from being directly applied to the connecting body 14. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the damage of the connecting body 14, and thus it is possible to suppress the damage of the connection portion 31 between the connecting body 14 and the cooling body 13.

[0042] Further, a concave portion 11n is provided in the through surface 11g, and the connecting body 14 is located inside the concave portion 11n.

[0043] According to such a configuration, since the connecting body 14 is located inside the concave portion 11n, it is possible to further suppress the damage of the connecting body 14. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of electric leakage and short circuit due to the leakage of the cooling water.

[0044] Further, in the present embodiment, a wall (lower wall) including the lower surface 11mc forming the concave portion 11n is provided below the connecting body 14.

[0045] Therefore, it is possible to suppress an object from below the connecting body 14 from colliding with the connecting body 14.

[0046] Also, in the present embodiment, the joints 25, 26 (connection parts, joints) in the cooling body 13 are located outside the case 11. That is, the joints 25, 26 (connection parts, joints) in the cooling body 13 are not provided inside the case 11.

[0047] According to such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the leakage of the cooling water for cooling the battery cell 15 into the case 11.

[0048] Also, in the present embodiment, the cooling body 13 cools the battery module 12 with two surfaces (left surface 13e, right surface 13f).

[0049] According to such a configuration, the cooling efficiency is improved.

[0050] <Second Embodiment> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the cooling body in the battery pack of the second embodiment.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 5, the main difference of the present embodiment from the first embodiment is that the flow path 20 of the cooling body 13 includes two first flow paths 20a, two connectors 14A are coupled to the cooling body 13, and a one-way valve 51 is provided in the cooling body 13.

[0052] The two first flow paths 20a are arranged in the vertical direction. The downstream end of the upper first flow path 20a is connected to the downstream part of the lower first flow path 20a. Connectors 14A are provided for each of these two first flow paths 20a, and cooling water is supplied from each connector 14A to each first flow path 20a.

[0053] The one-way valve 51 is provided in the upper first flow path 20a. The one-way valve 51 allows the flow of the cooling water from the upper first flow path 20a to the lower first flow path 20a and blocks the flow of the cooling water from the lower first flow path 20a to the upper first flow path 20a.

[0054] According to such a configuration, for example, when the cooling water decreases, it is possible to cool the battery cell 15 by flowing the cooling water only through the lower first flow path 20a among the upper and lower first flow paths 20a.

[0055] <Third Embodiment> FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a part of the battery pack according to the third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a front view showing the battery system according to the third embodiment.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that two cooling bodies 13 are provided in the battery pack 2. The two cooling bodies 13 are arranged at intervals in the left - right direction, and a part of them is housed in the case 11. A plurality of battery modules 12 are arranged between the two cooling bodies 13. Note that in FIGS. 6 and 7, the illustration of the battery module 12 is omitted.

[0057] <Fourth Embodiment> FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the battery pack according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 9 is a front view showing the battery pack according to the fourth embodiment.

[0058] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is the posture of the cooling body 13. In this embodiment, the cooling body 13 is arranged such that two connecting bodies 14 are arranged side by side in the left - right direction. And a plurality of battery modules 12 are arranged above and below the cooling body 13. That is, the cooling body 13 is arranged between the upper and lower battery modules 12.

[0059] In addition, in the above - mentioned embodiment, an example in which the cooling body 13 is composed of a plurality of members is shown, but it is not limited to this. The cooling body 13 may be composed of one member and have no joint part.

[0060] The embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated above. However, the above embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. The above embodiments are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof. The present invention can be realized by configurations other than those disclosed in the above embodiments, and various effects (including derivative effects) obtained by the basic configuration (technical features) can be obtained. Also, the specifications of each component (structure, type, direction, shape, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be appropriately changed and implemented.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0061] 1... Battery system, 3... Cooling device, 6... Heat exchanger, 11... Case, 11a... Lower surface, 11b... Upper surface, 11c... Front (portion), 11n... Recess, 11g... Continuous surface, 13... Cooling body, 14... Connector, 15... Battery cell (battery), 100... Vehicle.

Claims

1. A battery system mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a case having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a continuous surface extending between the bottom surface and the top surface; a battery housed inside the case; a cooling body housed in the case through which a fluid for cooling the battery flows; a cooling device having a heat exchanger arranged parallel to the continuous surface in a direction intersecting the vertical direction of the vehicle outside the case for cooling the fluid; a connector provided outside the case at a portion of the continuous surface on the heat exchanger side for connecting the cooling device and the cooling body and through which the fluid flows; the battery system comprising the above components.

2. a recess is provided on the continuous surface; the connector is located inside the recess; the battery system according to Claim 1.

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