Liquid-cooling heat dissipation plate and lithium battery module containing the same

Abstract

To provide a liquid-cooling heat dissipation plate and a lithium battery module containing the same.SOLUTION: A liquid-cooling heat dissipation plate includes two heat dissipation members, at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet. The heat dissipation member has a rectangular plate body having an inner surface and oppositely an outer surface. At three edges of the inner surface, a U-shaped frame with a predetermined height is provided and on the inner surface, a plurality of heat dissipation columns is provided. A height of an intermediate frame of the U-shaped frame is about twice as large as both side frames, and a height of the heat dissipation column is equal to or less than the height of both the side frames of the U-shaped frame. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation plate is formed by joining and then welding one of the two heat dissipation members with each other in such a manner that the inner surfaces face to each other, resulting in formation of a liquid-flow chamber. The at least one liquid inlet is connected to an external conduit to allow a cooling fluid to enter the liquid-flow chamber, and the at least one liquid outlet is connected to the external conduit to allow the cooling fluid to exit the liquid-flow chamber, wherein the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet are arranged at the same side or different side of the liquid-cooling heat dissipation plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid-cooled heat sink, and more particularly to a liquid-cooled heat sink that can be used in a lithium battery module. The present invention also relates to a lithium battery module that includes the liquid-cooled heat sink. [Background technology]

[0002] Research into lithium batteries has led to improvements in performance in areas such as voltage, energy density, charge / discharge efficiency, and cycle life, making lithium batteries an extremely important strategic player in the applications of everyday mobile devices, electric vehicles, and large-scale energy storage systems.With the continuous development of lithium battery materials and structures, the energy density of batteries is also increasing, and relatively large charge / discharge currents generate large amounts of heat energy.

[0003] A lithium battery module is composed of thousands, or even tens of thousands, of lithium battery units tightly packed into a small, confined space, such as the chassis of a vehicle. During charging and discharging, the lithium batteries generate large amounts of heat rapidly, and the heat is easily accumulated due to poor heat dissipation efficiency, causing the temperature of the entire lithium battery module to rise rapidly, resulting in safety issues.

[0004] Due to their characteristics, lithium batteries are limited to a narrow optimum operating temperature range (approximately 15°C to 40°C). If the temperature is too low, the battery output will decrease, and if the temperature is too high, the accelerated heat dissipation reaction will cause corrosion of the lithium battery materials and battery deterioration, and may even cause safety issues such as thermal runaway.

[0005] In addition to maintaining the lithium battery unit within its optimal operating range, a greater challenge is maintaining the entire lithium battery module or each of the individual modules that make up the entire module within its optimal operating range. Currently, commonly used thermal management systems for lithium battery modules include air cooling, indirect liquid cooling, direct liquid cooling or immersion cooling, phase change cooling, heat pipe or vapor chamber cooling, and combinations of the above methods. However, for commercial applications, due to factors such as cost, safety, heat dissipation capacity, weight, and installation space, only passive air and liquid cooling methods are widely used for heat dissipation in lithium battery modules, such as electric vehicles. However, compared to traditional air cooling technologies, the thermal conductivity of liquid is at least 25 times that of air, meaning that the same volume of liquid can carry away nearly 3,000 times more heat than the same volume of air. The lithium battery units of a lithium battery module are usually closely packed to form a module, so the efficiency of air-cooled heat dissipation is gradually becoming unable to keep up with the closely packed, high-energy density lithium battery modules. However, the heat dissipation efficiency of liquid-cooled heat dissipation is significantly better than that of air-cooled heat dissipation because the coolant has a large heat capacity.

[0006] A typical liquid cooling heat dissipation device or system refers to an indirect liquid cooling type heat dissipation device, which mainly uses a pipe or flow path of a heat dissipation device that is in direct contact with a lithium battery unit or lithium battery module to circulate a refrigerant through the pipe or flow path of the heat dissipation device to dissipate heat generated by the lithium batteries to the outside of the module. Therefore, the structural design of a liquid cooling heat dissipation device must not only consider the effectiveness of heat dissipation and temperature uniformity between the lithium battery units within the lithium battery module, but also strictly consider safety to prevent refrigerant leakage.

[0007] The lithium battery units in typical lithium battery modules include cylindrical, rectangular, and plate (or sheet) shapes. Taking the example of a lithium battery module made up of cylindrical lithium battery cells, the liquid cooling system used in Tesla electric vehicles uses two curved, sheet-like liquid cooling plates to dissipate heat. These two curved, sheet-like liquid cooling plates have inlet and outlet ports at both ends, allowing refrigerant to be injected for heat exchange and removal. The two curved, sheet-like liquid cooling plates snake along the contours of the closely spaced cylindrical lithium battery units, adhering to the upper and lower halves of each cylindrical lithium battery unit. The liquid cooling plates in contact with the upper half of the battery and the liquid cooling plates in contact with the lower half of the battery have opposite flow directions of the internal coolant, reducing the temperature difference between the front and rear of the coolant flow path.

[0008] For modules consisting of rectangular or plate-shaped battery units, the most common liquid-cooling heat dissipation method is to place several liquid-cooling plates on each side of the entire module and use a coolant flowing through the liquid-cooling plates to exchange heat and remove heat from the module. Using thermally conductive plates or liquid-cooling tubes between each battery unit can dissipate heat, reducing the weight and cost of the entire lithium battery module. Liquid-cooling plates used in this configuration must have a certain rigidity, be resistant to deformation and breakage, and have good cooling efficiency. For example, Patent Document CN111630708A discloses a cooling element for a battery module, comprising an upper plate, a lower plate, and a support member installed between the upper and lower plates. In this patent, after the upper and lower plates are joined, a storage space for the support member is formed between them. The support member increases the rigidity of the entire cooling element, supports the upper and lower plates, and prevents deformation under external forces. The support member is extruded to form a coolant flow path with recesses. Although the flow path design of the support member can increase the rigidity of the cooling member and its heat dissipation efficiency, increasing the number of support members means that the overall cooling member will be significantly heavier than a typical two-plate cooling plate, which is detrimental to the trend toward lightweight electric vehicles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 111630708 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] In order to solve the problems of rigidity, heat dissipation efficiency, overall weight, safety, etc. that arise when applying the above-mentioned conventional liquid-cooled heat sink (or device / system) to a lithium battery module, the present invention provides a liquid-cooled heat sink that can be used in a lithium battery module, in which a heat sink is manufactured by directly integrally molding a metal sheet (e.g., magnesium alloy or aluminum alloy), and two heat sinks are joined together correspondingly to form a liquid-cooled heat sink with a liquid flow chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The heat dissipation member can be manufactured by conventional methods such as stamping or extrusion, or by forging. The liquid-cooled heat sink provided by the present invention has multiple heat dissipation columns formed on the inner surface of the heat dissipation member, thereby increasing the heat dissipation area and improving heat dissipation efficiency. When two heat dissipation members are combined to form a liquid-cooled heat sink, these heat dissipation columns are distributed within the liquid flow chamber of the liquid-cooled heat sink. Therefore, after the outer surface of the liquid-cooled heat sink contacts the heat source, the high thermal conductivity of the metal allows heat to be quickly conducted and dispersed to these heat dissipation columns, and the cooling liquid flowing through these heat dissipation columns exchanges heat, rapidly carrying it away. Compared to conventional liquid-cooled heat sinks without heat dissipation columns, the liquid-cooled heat sink provided by the present invention has a larger total heat dissipation area due to the heat dissipation columns present within the liquid flow chamber, allowing heat exchange to occur when the liquid contacts the cooling liquid, thereby significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency. At the same time, when two heat dissipation members are joined together to form a liquid-cooled heat sink, the heat dissipation columns of the two heat dissipation members come into contact with each other and can serve as support members. The liquid flow chamber has many support members (heat dissipation columns), giving the liquid-cooled heat sink relatively strong impact resistance and preventing deformation or damage. Furthermore, the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention uses laser fusion to weld homogeneous materials, further strengthening the welded joints and preventing them from easily fracturing due to external impacts and causing coolant leakage. Therefore, compared to liquid-cooled heat sinks for general lithium battery modules, the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention has higher heat dissipation efficiency and resistance to deformation and damage, and is therefore safer when used to dissipate heat in lithium battery modules.

[0012] The liquid-cooled heat sink provided by the present invention for use in lithium battery modules is manufactured by directly molding a metal sheet / block into a heat sink member with heat sink columns, and then joining two heat sink members so that their heat sink columns correspond to each other (or abut each other), forming a liquid-cooled heat sink with multiple heat sink columns distributed within a liquid flow chamber. The heat sink columns are distributed on both inner surfaces of the liquid flow chamber and are directly immersed in the cooling liquid for heat exchange, thereby achieving the purpose of accelerating heat dissipation. With this heat sink column structure design, both sides of the liquid-cooled heat sink in contact with the heat source have relatively large heat exchange areas, allowing fast heat conduction to quickly transfer heat from the heat source on both sides of the liquid-cooled heat sink to the heat sink columns of each heat sink member, exchanging heat with the cooling liquid and achieving rapid heat dissipation. Compared with a hollow liquid-cooled heat sink without a heat dissipation column, the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention has a larger total heat dissipation area, and the heat dissipation area of ​​this heat dissipation column is directly immersed in the cooling liquid, so the heat dissipation efficiency is even higher.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a liquid-cooled heat sink suitable for use in a lithium battery module is provided, which includes two heat sinks, at least one liquid supply port, and at least one liquid drain port. The heat sink has a rectangular plate with an inner surface and opposing outer surfaces. A U-shaped frame of appropriate height is attached to three sides of the inner surface, and a plurality of heat sink columns are attached to the inner surface. The height of the middle frame of the U-shaped frame is approximately twice the height of the side frames, and the height of the heat sink columns is equal to or less than the height of the side frames of the U-shaped frame. The liquid-cooled heat sink suitable for use in a lithium battery module of the present invention is formed by joining two heat sinks with their inner surfaces facing each other and then welding them together. The middle frame of the U-shaped frame of one heat sink is joined to the opening of the U-shaped frame of the other heat sink, forming a liquid-cooled heat sink with a liquid flow chamber. The entire structure, including the heat sink columns and U-shaped frames of the heat sink, is integrally molded from a metal sheet. The liquid-cooled heat sink has at least one liquid supply port connected to an external pipe line to allow the cooling liquid to flow into the liquid flow chamber, and at least one liquid drain port connected to an external pipe line to allow the cooling liquid to flow out of the liquid flow chamber, and the liquid supply port and the liquid drain port are located on the same side or different sides of the liquid-cooled heat sink.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the entire structure of the heat dissipation element, including the heat dissipation column and the U-shaped frame, is integrally manufactured from a metal sheet, and the metal sheet is made of a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid-cooled heat sink is formed by joining two heat sink members together with their inner surfaces facing each other, and then laser welding the two heat sink members together.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid flow chamber further comprises at least one flow guide plate.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid-cooled heat sink is used to dissipate heat from a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped lithium battery module, and has a plate structure with a length of approximately 250-600 mm, a width of approximately 150-450 mm, and a thickness of approximately 10-30 mm.

[0018] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling liquid is water.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a lithium battery module is provided, which includes a plurality of liquid-cooled heat sinks as described in one embodiment and a plurality of sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries, the liquid-cooled heat sinks being alternately arranged between the plurality of sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries.

[0020] A lithium battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes at least one sheet- or plate-shaped lithium battery between two adjacent liquid-cooled heat sinks.

[0021] A lithium battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes two sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries between two adjacent liquid-cooled heat sinks. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] The liquid-cooled heat sink that can be used in the lithium battery module of the present invention is made by manufacturing a heat dissipation member using a manufacturing method that integrally molds a metal sheet, which not only increases the total heat dissipation area of ​​the liquid-cooled heat sink, but also improves the heat conduction efficiency and heat diffusion efficiency, and provides greater rigidity and deformation resistance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the structure of a liquid-cooled heat sink and a heat dissipation member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the top surface structure of the heat dissipation member according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a top perspective structural explanatory diagram of a first embodiment of a liquid-cooled heat sink according to the present invention obtained from the heat sink member of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the first embodiment of the liquid-cooled heat sink of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the top surface structure of a heat dissipation member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a top perspective structural explanatory view of a second embodiment of a liquid-cooled heat sink according to the present invention, which is manufactured using the heat sink member of FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the top surface structure of a heat dissipation member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 8 is a top perspective structural explanatory view of a third embodiment of the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention manufactured using the heat dissipation member of FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a flow guide plate used in a liquid-cooled heat sink according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of the flow guide plate used in the liquid-cooled heat sink according to the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the top structure of a heat dissipation member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is a top perspective structural explanatory diagram of a fourth embodiment of a liquid-cooled heat sink according to the present invention obtained from the heat sink member of FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of a lithium battery module including a liquid-cooled heat sink according to the present invention; [Figure 13]FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of a lithium battery module including a liquid-cooled heat sink according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of a liquid-cooled heat sink that can be used in a lithium battery module of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, for clarity and convenience of the drawings, the size and proportions of each component in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced. In the following description and / or claims, technical terms used should be interpreted in the conventional sense commonly used by those skilled in the art. For ease of understanding, the same components in the following embodiments will be denoted and described with the same reference numerals. As used herein, the term "about" generally means that an actual value is within ±10%, 5%, 1%, or 0.5% of a particular value or range. The term "about" used herein means that the actual value falls within an acceptable standard error of the mean, as determined by the understanding of those skilled in the art. Except in the embodiments, or unless otherwise specified, ranges, quantities, values, and percentages used herein can be understood to be modified by "about." Therefore, unless otherwise specified, numerical values ​​or parameters disclosed in this specification and the appended claims are approximate and may be changed as necessary.

[0025] In the description herein, terms indicating the orientation or positional relationship of elements such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" are used merely to facilitate and simplify the description of the device of the present invention, and do not illustrate or imply that the device or elements need to have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the present invention.

[0026] 1 to 4 are explanatory diagrams of a liquid-cooled heat sink 10 that can be used in a lithium battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figures, the liquid-cooled heat sink 10 of the present invention includes at least two heat sink members 100 of identical structure. Each heat sink member 100 has a rectangular plate 101 including an inner surface 1011 and an opposing outer surface 1012. U-shaped frames 102 of appropriate height are provided on three sides of the periphery of the inner surface 1011, and a plurality of heat sink columns 103 are provided on the inner surface 1011. The height of the middle frame 1021 of the U-shaped frame 102 is approximately twice the height of the side frames 1022, and the height of the heat sink columns 103 is equal to or less than the height of the side frames 1022 of the U-shaped frame 102. In this embodiment, the liquid-cooled heat sink 10 of the present invention is formed by joining two identical heat sinks 100 together with their inner surfaces 1011 facing each other, and then welding them together. The intermediate frame 1021 of the U-shaped frame 102 of one heat sink 100 is joined to the opening of the U-shaped frame 102 of the other heat sink 100, forming a liquid-cooled heat sink with a liquid flow chamber L. The entire structure, including the heat dissipation columns 103 and the U-shaped frame 102 of the heat sink 100, is integrally molded from a metal sheet (e.g., magnesium alloy or aluminum alloy). The liquid-cooled heat sink 10 of the present invention further includes at least one liquid supply port 105 for connecting an external pipeline for introducing the cooling liquid into the liquid flow chamber L and at least one liquid drain port 106 for connecting an external pipeline for discharging the cooling liquid from the liquid flow chamber L. The liquid supply port 105 and the liquid drain port 106 can be located on the same side or on different sides of the liquid-cooled heat sink 10. After entering the liquid flow chamber L, the cooling liquid flows through the heat dissipation columns 103 distributed in the liquid flow chamber L to exchange heat, and then the temperature of the cooling liquid increases after absorbing the heat source and flows out of the liquid outlet 106. Through an external pipe connected to the liquid outlet 106, the cooling liquid after absorbing the heat source is transported to a heat dissipation device to dissipate heat, and the temperature of the cooling liquid decreases. The cooled cooling liquid is then transported again through another external pipe and reinjected into the liquid flow chamber L through the liquid supply port 105, and this cycle achieves the heat dissipation effect of the liquid-cooled heat sink.

[0027] 1 to 3, in this embodiment, when manufacturing the heat dissipation member 100, at least one connector opening 104 can be provided in advance in the intermediate frame 1021 of the U-shaped frame 102, and then two heat dissipation members 100 having the same structure are joined to form the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 10, and then the connector opening 104 becomes the liquid supply port 105 and the liquid drain port 106 of the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 10, and can be connected to an external pipeline via a connector 200. The liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 10 in this embodiment is formed by joining heat dissipation members 100 having the same structure. The number of connector openings 104 of the heat dissipation member 100 is one, and its position is located at the middle position of the intermediate frame 1021. Therefore, after the two heat dissipation members 100 are joined together to form the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 10, one connector opening 104 of one heat dissipation member 100 becomes a liquid supply port 105, and one connector opening 104 of the other heat dissipation member 100 becomes a liquid drain port 106, and the liquid supply port 105 and the liquid drain port 106 are located on opposite sides (i.e., different sides) of the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 10.

[0028] 5 and 6, the liquid-cooled heat sink 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of liquid supply ports 105 and a plurality of liquid drain ports 106, and these plurality of liquid supply ports 105 are located on opposite sides of these plurality of liquid drain ports 106. More specifically, referring to FIG. 5, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the liquid-cooled heat sink 20 is formed by joining two heat dissipation members 110 having the same structure, and the intermediate frame 1021 of the U-shaped frame 102 of the heat dissipation member 110 has a plurality of connector openings 104. Although the number of connector openings 104 described in this embodiment is four, this is not limited thereto, and they may be evenly distributed on the intermediate frame 1021. Therefore, after joining two heat dissipation members 110 to form the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 20, the four connector openings 104 of one heat dissipation member 110 can be used as four liquid supply ports 105, and four external conduits can be further connected via connectors 200. Cooling liquid can be injected into the liquid flow chamber L of the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 20 through these four external conduits. The four connector openings 104 of the other heat dissipation member 110 can be used as four liquid drain ports 106, and four external conduits can be further connected via connectors 200. The cooling liquid flowing through the liquid flow chamber L flows out into the external conduits through these four liquid drain ports 106, thereby dissipating heat and circulating. In the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 20 of this embodiment, the four liquid supply ports 105 are located on the opposite side of the four liquid drain ports 106. In addition, since the liquid-cooled heat sink 20 of this embodiment has four liquid supply ports 105 and four liquid drain ports 106, the volume of cooling liquid injected into and flowing out of the liquid flow chamber L per unit time is larger than that of the liquid-cooled heat sink 10 which has one liquid supply port 105 and one liquid drain port 106, and the efficiency of liquid-cooled heat dissipation is also relatively improved.

[0029] 7 to 9 , a liquid-cooled heat sink 30 according to a third embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of liquid supply ports 105 and a plurality of liquid drain ports 106, with the plurality of liquid supply ports 105 located on the same side as the plurality of liquid drain ports 106. The liquid-cooled heat sink 30 further includes a long sheet-shaped flow guide plate 300 located between the plurality of liquid supply ports 105 and the plurality of liquid drain ports 106, which guides the cooling liquid injected through the liquid supply ports 105 to a relatively distant location, thereby preventing the cooling liquid injected into the liquid flow chamber L from being directly drained through the liquid drain ports 106, thereby affecting heat dissipation efficiency. The shape and number of the flow guide plates 300 can be designed according to the needs of actual applications. For example, the number of flow guide plates 300 may be one, two, three, four, five, or six. 7, in a third embodiment of the present invention, a liquid-cooled heat sink 30 is formed by joining one heat sink 120 and another heat sink 130. Here, the intermediate frame 1021 of the U-shaped frame 102 of the heat sink 120 does not have a connector opening 104. In contrast, the intermediate frame 1021 of the U-shaped frame 102 of the heat sink 130 is provided with a plurality of connector openings 104. In this embodiment, the number of connector openings 104 is six, and they are evenly distributed on the intermediate frame 1021. When the heat sink 120 and the heat sink 130 are joined together to form the liquid-cooled heat sink 30, three of the six connector openings 104 located on one side can be used as liquid supply ports 105, and the remaining three located on the other side can be used as liquid drain ports 106. 7, a long sheet-like flow guide plate 300 is further installed between the three liquid supply ports 105 and the three liquid drain ports, and the flow guide plate 300 guides the flow direction of the cooling liquid flowing into the liquid flow chamber L from the three liquid supply ports 105, preventing the cooling liquid from forming turbulent flows within the liquid flow chamber L and allowing the cooling liquid to smoothly flow out from the three liquid drain ports 106. In this embodiment, the flow guide plate 300 has an O-shaped long sheet shape as shown in FIG. 9, and can be fixed within the liquid flow chamber L by covering the multiple heat dissipation columns 103 within the liquid flow chamber L.

[0030] 10 and 11, a liquid-cooled heat sink 40 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of liquid supply ports 105 and a plurality of liquid drain ports 106, and these plurality of liquid supply ports 105 are located opposite the plurality of liquid drain ports 106, and are located at approximately diagonal positions on the liquid-cooled heat sink 40. The liquid flow chamber L of the liquid-cooled heat sink 40 further has a plurality of long sheet-like flow guide plates 300, which are located between the plurality of liquid supply ports 105 and the plurality of liquid drain ports 106. To explain further, referring to FIG. 10, the fourth embodiment of the present invention is formed by joining one heat dissipation member 140 and another heat dissipation member 150. Here, the difference between heat dissipation member 140 and heat dissipation member 150 is that their connector openings 104 are located in the left and right halves of intermediate frame 1021 of U-shaped frame 102, respectively. Therefore, after heat dissipation member 140 and heat dissipation member 150 are joined to form liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 40, their connector openings 104 are located at almost diagonal positions on opposite sides of liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate 40, as shown in Fig. 11. In this embodiment, two flow guide plates 300 are further installed in liquid flow chamber L to guide the flow direction of the cooling liquid flowing into liquid flow chamber L and increase the number of flow paths, thereby increasing the residence time of the cooling liquid in liquid flow chamber L and improving heat dissipation efficiency.

[0031] The positions and numbers of the connector openings 104 and the flow guide plates 300 in the above embodiments can be adjusted according to actual applications, and the embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limitations on the liquid-cooled heat sink claimed by the present invention. For example, the liquid supply ports 105 and the liquid drain ports 106 can be located on the same side or on different sides of the liquid-cooled heat sink, and the number of the liquid supply ports 105 and the liquid drain ports 106 can be one, two, three, or four, and the liquid supply ports 105 and the liquid drain ports 106 can all be located on the same side, some on the same side, or all on different sides. Furthermore, as shown in each of the above embodiments, the connector opening 104 is provided in advance in the intermediate frame 1021 of the heat dissipation member (heat dissipation member 100, 110, 130, 140, 150, etc.), and two heat dissipation members (heat dissipation member 120, etc.) that do not have the connector opening 104 pre-installed are joined to a liquid-cooled heat sink, and then openings are made according to the requirements of actual application.

[0032] In any one of the above-mentioned embodiments, in the liquid-cooled heat sink (liquid-cooled heat sink 10, 20, 30, 40) of the present invention, the entire structure including the heat dissipation column 103 and the U-shaped frame of the heat dissipation member (heat dissipation member 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150) is integrally formed by a metal sheet / block, and the metal sheet / block is a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy.

[0033] In any one of the above embodiments, the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention is formed by joining two heat sinks together with their inner surfaces 1011 facing each other, followed by laser welding. Laser welding is a processing process that uses a focused laser beam to quickly weld two objects of the same or different materials. A high-energy laser is used to focus on a small area between the two objects, quickly welding the two objects and reducing thermal effects on the objects. Therefore, laser welding is used to join the heat sinks to avoid affecting the inherent physical properties of the heat sink material, such as thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, due to the relatively large temperature drop area required in conventional welding. Furthermore, laser welding, unlike conventional welding, can weld objects of the same material without using a separate, dissimilar solder, and can maintain physical properties such as rigidity, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity. These properties allow the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention to have significantly better properties than other similar products when used to dissipate heat from a lithium battery module. For example, when the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention is used to dissipate heat from a lithium battery module due to its strong rigidity and homogeneous welding, it is unlikely to deform or break at the welded points when subjected to external impact, making it highly safe.

[0034] In one embodiment, the liquid-cooled heat sink of the present invention (liquid-cooled heat sink 10, 20, 30, 40; hereinafter, 10 will be described as a typical example for illustrative purposes only) is used to dissipate heat from a plate- or sheet-shaped lithium battery module. To match the size design of the lithium battery module and maintain effective heat dissipation, the liquid-cooled heat sink 10 of the present invention has a plate structure with a length of approximately 250 to 600 mm, a width of approximately 150 to 450 mm, and a thickness of approximately 10 to 30 mm, and can be placed between the plate- or sheet-shaped lithium batteries 500.

[0035] In one embodiment, the liquid-cooled heat sinks (liquid-cooled heat sinks 10, 20, 30, 40) of the present invention use water as the cooling liquid, particularly softened water, to prevent the formation of limescale after prolonged use. In another embodiment, an antifreeze agent (e.g., ethylene glycol) is added to the cooling liquid depending on the actual application situation to prevent the cooling liquid from freezing and becoming inoperable when the ambient temperature is below zero degrees Celsius.

[0036] 12 and 13 are explanatory diagrams of a lithium battery module (S100, S200) according to one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a liquid-cooled heat sink according to any one of the above-described embodiments of the present invention (the drawings illustrate the liquid-cooled heat sink 10 as a typical example). In one embodiment, the lithium battery module (S100, S200) of the present invention includes a plurality of liquid-cooled heat sinks 10 according to any one of the above-described embodiments and a plurality of sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries 500, with the liquid-cooled heat sinks 10 alternately installed between the plurality of sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries 500. In one embodiment, the lithium battery module (S100, S200) includes at least one sheet- or plate-shaped lithium battery 500 between two adjacent liquid-cooled heat sinks 10.

[0037] In one optional embodiment, the lithium battery module (S200) described in the present invention includes two sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries 500 between two adjacent liquid-cooled heat sinks 10. As described above, the liquid-cooled heat sink (liquid-cooled heat sink 10, 20, 30, 40) of the present invention has multiple heat dissipation columns 103 within the liquid flow chamber L, providing a significantly larger heat dissipation area than other cooled heat sinks, allowing for more efficient heat exchange with the cooling liquid. At the same time, multiple liquid inlet ports 105 and multiple liquid outlet ports 106 can be designed according to the actual application to increase the flow of the cooling liquid and achieve faster heat dissipation. Therefore, even when two sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries are included between two adjacent liquid-cooled heat sinks 10, the temperature of the lithium battery module S200 can be maintained at the operating temperature, and the overall weight of the lithium battery module S200 can be reduced.

[0038] Of course, the above embodiments are only used for illustrative purposes and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modifications or variations based on the liquid-cooled heat sink or lithium battery module including the liquid-cooled heat sink of the above embodiments should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] Furthermore, the liquid-cooled heat sink that can be used in the lithium battery module of the present invention is manufactured by integrally molding a metal sheet into a heat dissipation member, which not only increases the total heat dissipation area of ​​the liquid-cooled heat sink, but also improves heat conduction and heat diffusion efficiency, and provides greater rigidity and deformation resistance. It is superior to general liquid-cooled heat sinks in terms of heat dissipation efficiency, durability, and reliability. Overall, the liquid-cooled heat sink used in the lithium battery module of the present invention has the following advantages: 1. The liquid-cooled heat sink has many heat dissipation columns inside, which gives it strong structural rigidity, allowing it to be made thinner, less likely to break, and ensuring high safety. 2. It has a significantly larger heat dissipation and heat exchange area, and the heat dissipation efficiency is better. 3. Laser welding produces homogeneous welds, so the strength of the welded parts is stronger than that of ordinary low-temperature solder welding, making them less likely to break and safer than solder welding. 4. The heat dissipation area is larger than that of a general liquid-cooled heat sink with a flow path, and the presence and distribution of the heat dissipation columns increases the movement and mixing of the cooling liquid, making the temperature distribution of the cooling liquid more even than that of a liquid-cooled heat sink with a flow path, and reducing the temperature difference throughout the heat dissipation device.

[0040] The present invention breaks through the conventional technology, reliably achieves the desired effects, and is not easily conceived by a person skilled in the art. It is inventive and practical, and clearly meets the requirements of the patent claim. We sincerely hope that we will file a patent application in accordance with the law and that your office will allow us to grant the patent application for this invention.

[0041] The above is merely illustrative and not limiting. Any other equivalent modifications or variations that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included in the following claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 10 Liquid-cooled heat sink 20 Liquid-cooled heat sink 30 Liquid-cooled heat sink 40 Liquid-cooled heat sink 100 Heat dissipation member 110 Heat dissipation member 120 Heat dissipation material 130 Heat dissipation material 140 Heat dissipation material 150 Heat dissipation material 101 Rectangular plate 1011 Inside 1012 Exterior 102 U-frame 1021 Intermediate Frame 1022 double frame 103 Heat Dissipation Column 104 Connector opening 105 Liquid supply port 106 Drainage port 200 Connectors 300 Current guide plate 500 Sheet or plate type lithium batteries S100 Lithium Battery Module S200 Lithium Battery Module L liquid flow chamber

Claims

1. A liquid-cooled heat sink including two heat dissipation members, at least one liquid supply port, and at least one liquid drain port; the heat dissipation member has a rectangular plate body including an inner surface and an opposing outer surface, a U-shaped frame of appropriate height is provided on three sides of the periphery of the inner surface, and a plurality of heat dissipation columns are provided on the inner surface, the height of the middle frame of the U-shaped frame is about twice the height of the side frames, and the height of the heat dissipation columns is equal to or less than the height of the side frames of the U-shaped frame, the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate is formed by joining two of the heat dissipation members together with their inner surfaces facing each other and then welding them, the middle frame of the U-shaped frame of one of the heat dissipation members is joined to the opening of the U-shaped frame of the other heat dissipation member to form the liquid-cooled heat dissipation plate with a liquid flow chamber, and the entire structure of the heat dissipation member, including the heat dissipation columns and the U-shaped frames, is manufactured by integrally molding with a metal sheet / block, the liquid supply port is connected to an external conduit to allow cooling liquid to flow into the liquid flow chamber; the drain port is connected to an external conduit to allow the cooling liquid to exit the flow chamber; The liquid-cooled heat sink, wherein the liquid supply port and the liquid drain port are located on the same side or different sides of the liquid-cooled heat sink.

2. The liquid-cooled heat sink plate according to claim 1, wherein the entire structure of the heat dissipation member, including the heat dissipation column and the U-shaped frame, is manufactured by integral molding using a metal sheet / block, and the metal sheet / block is made of a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy.

3. 2. The liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-cooled heat sink is formed by joining two of the heat sink members together so that the inner surfaces thereof face each other, and then by laser welding.

4. The liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid flow chamber further comprises at least one flow guide plate.

5. The liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1, which is used for heat dissipation of a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped lithium battery module, and has a plate structure with a length of about 250 to 600 mm, a width of about 150 to 450 mm, and a thickness of about 10 to 30 mm.

6. 2. The liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1, wherein the cooling liquid is water.

7. 10. A lithium battery module comprising a plurality of liquid-cooled heat sinks according to claim 1 and a plurality of sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries, the liquid-cooled heat sinks being arranged alternately between the plurality of sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries.

8. 8. The lithium battery module according to claim 7, further comprising at least one sheet- or plate-shaped lithium battery between two adjacent liquid-cooled heat sinks.

9. 8. The lithium battery module according to claim 7, comprising two sheet- or plate-shaped lithium batteries between two adjacent liquid-cooled heat sinks.

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