Cooling Pipe for Electric Vehicle Battery

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery that is coupled to one side and the other side of a radiator, respectively, passes between battery modules constituting a battery pack, and cools the battery modules. The cooling pipe has a pipe shape such that a flow path through which a cooling fluid flows is formed inside, an inlet is formed on one side, an outlet is formed on the other side, the inlet is coupled to one side of the radiator, the outlet is coupled to the other side of the radiator, and the cooling pipe includes a main body pipe and a bellows pipe integrally formed with the main body pipe and formed in a single corrugated shape between the inlet and the outlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery, and more particularly, to a cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery in which a bellows pipe for generating a vortex flow is formed in the cooling pipe to improve the cooling performance of the electric vehicle battery.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, due to the popularization of electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, the importance of batteries has been increasing day by day.

[0003] Such concerns are not limited to the battery capacity alone, but also extend to factors that affect the efficiency and lifespan of the battery.

[0004] The high-voltage, high-capacity batteries used in electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles are generally composed of battery modules in which a plurality of battery cells are combined into one module, and a plurality of such battery modules are also provided to form a battery pack.

[0005] Such a plurality of battery modules are installed together in a limited and narrow space, generating high heat, which acts as a factor that adversely affects the lifespan of the entire battery.

[0006] Therefore, electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles must have a cooling system for controlling the high heat of high-voltage, high-capacity batteries.

[0007] Generally, the cooling methods for the high-voltage, high-capacity batteries are classified into air-cooling and water-cooling, and each is further classified into an indirect cooling method and a direct cooling method.

[0008] The indirect air-cooling or indirect water-cooling mainly used in the prior art is a method in which a separate heat dissipation plate is brought into contact with the surface of the battery module to conduct heat, and the battery module is cooled through heat dissipation pins arranged on one side of the heat dissipation plate for heat exchange.

[0009] In addition, the conventional direct air cooling or water cooling method cools the battery module by flowing air directly over the surface of the battery module.

[0010] However, in the conventional indirect method, heat dissipation pins must be applied between the battery modules, so there is a limit to cost increase due to volume increase and component increase. In the direct method, a flow path gap for cooling must be secured between the battery modules, so there is a limit in that the overall volume increases.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0011]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0012] The present invention is for solving the above-described problems. A bellows tube is formed in a cooling pipe to generate a vortex in the cooling fluid flowing from a radiator into the cooling pipe, and due to the shape of the bellows tube, the velocity of the cooling fluid decreases, and the object thereof is to provide a cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery capable of improving the cooling performance in which the battery module is cooled.

[0013] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery according to the present invention is coupled to one side and the other side of a radiator (radioctor) respectively, passes between battery modules constituting a battery pack, and cools the battery module. In the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery, it has a pipe shape such that a flow path through which a cooling fluid flows is formed inside, an inlet is formed on one side, an outlet is formed on the other side, the inlet is coupled to one side of the radiator, and the outlet is coupled to the other side of the radiator respectively; and a bellows pipe integrally formed with the main body pipe and formed in one or more wrinkled shapes between the inlet and the outlet.

[0015] The bellows pipe includes a plurality of expanded pipe portions whose outer periphery is further expanded than the outer periphery of the main body pipe, and one or more spaced portions respectively disposed between the plurality of expanded pipe portions to form intervals between the plurality of expanded pipe portions, and whose outer periphery is formed below the outer periphery of the main body pipe. The plurality of expanded pipe portions and the one or more spaced portions may be alternately arranged at regular intervals along the length direction of the main body pipe.

[0016] Inside the bellows pipe, the cooling fluid flowing into the inlet through the radiator collides with the inner periphery of the plurality of expanded pipe portions and moves along the inner periphery shape of the plurality of expanded pipe portions, thereby generating a vortex and reducing the speed of the cooling fluid.

[0017] The plurality of expanded pipe portions are formed with a cross-sectional area wider than the cross-sectional area of the main body pipe, thereby further reducing the flow velocity of the cooling fluid compared to the flow velocity of the cooling fluid flowing in the main body pipe.

[0018] The cooling pipe may be made of aluminum material.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] As described above, in the present invention, a bellows tube is formed in the cooling pipe to generate a vortex in the cooling fluid flowing from the radiator into the cooling pipe. Due to the bellows tube shape, the velocity of the cooling fluid decreases, and the cooling performance for cooling the battery module can be improved.

[0020] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail.

[0023] However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. Similar reference numerals are used for similar components in the description of each drawing.

[0024] When it is mentioned that a certain component is "connected" or "joined" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or joined to the other component, but there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is mentioned that a certain component is "directly connected" or "directly joined" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0025] The terms used in the present invention are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present invention, terms such as "including" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should not be construed as precluding the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in each drawing indicate the same members. In describing the present invention, specific descriptions of related known functions or configurations are omitted so as not to obscure the gist of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a cooling pipe of an electric vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a state in which a bellows pipe is formed in a main body pipe of the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a state in which a vortex is generated through the bellows pipe of the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery that is coupled to one side and the other side of the radiator (radiator) respectively, passes between the battery modules B that constitute the battery pack, and cools the battery module B includes a main body pipe 100 and a bellows pipe 200.

[0029] The main body pipe 100 is in a pipe shape such that a flow path through which a cooling fluid flows is formed inside, an inlet 110 is formed on one side, and an outlet 120 is formed on the other side.

[0030] At this time, the inlet 110 is coupled to one side of the radiator, and the outlet 120 is coupled to the other side of the radiator respectively.

[0031] In addition, the main body pipe 100 may be formed in various shapes such as straight, bent, and curved.

[0032] On the other hand, the radiator is a device that releases the heat generated from the battery module and absorbed by the cooling water. Since this is a known technology, a detailed description will be omitted.

[0033] The bellows pipe 200 is integrally formed with the main body pipe 100 and is formed in one or more wrinkled shapes between the inlet 110 and the outlet 120.

[0034] In addition, the bellows pipe 200 includes a plurality of expanded portions 210 and one or more spaced portions 220.

[0035] The outer periphery of the plurality of expanded portions 210 is further expanded than the outer periphery of the main body pipe 100. And one or more spaced portions 220 are respectively disposed between the plurality of expanded portions 210 to form spaces between the plurality of expanded portions 210, and the outer periphery may be formed below the outer periphery of the main body pipe 100. That is, one or more spaced portions 220 may have the same outer periphery as the main body pipe 100 as shown in FIG. 3. However, this is only an example, and it may be formed with an outer periphery smaller than the main body pipe 100.

[0036] Further, the plurality of enlarged pipe portions 210 and the one or more spaced portions 220 may be alternately arranged at regular intervals along the length direction of the main body pipe 100.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 3, in the bellows pipe 200, the cooling fluid flowing into the inlet 110 through the radiator inside collides with the inner periphery of the plurality of enlarged pipe portions 210 and moves along the inner peripheral shape of the plurality of enlarged pipe portions 210, so that a vortex flow is generated and the speed of the cooling fluid can be reduced.

[0038] For a specific explanation of the generation of the vortex flow, the cooling fluid flowing into the inlet 110 moves along the length direction of the main body pipe 100 and moves to the enlarged pipe portion 210 that is further expanded than the outer periphery of the main body pipe 100 and collides with the inner periphery of the enlarged pipe portion 210, and a vortex flow is formed while the moving direction is changed.

[0039] Not only that, although the cooling fluid flowing into the inlet 110 flows at the same flow rate, the flow rate decreases due to the expansion of the cross-sectional area (the range where water flows) of the enlarged pipe portion 210.

[0040] That is, the plurality of enlarged pipe portions 210 are formed with a cross-sectional area wider than the cross-sectional area of the main body pipe 100, so that the flow rate of the cooling fluid flowing inside is lower than the flow rate of the cooling fluid flowing in the main body pipe 100.

[0041] Further, when the main body pipe 100 corresponds to a linear section corresponding to the straight-line length of the battery module B, one or more bellows pipes 200 are formed at a predetermined interval.

[0042] On the other hand, the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery may be made of an aluminum material. The effects of being made of an aluminum material are that the thermal conductivity is high, it is cheaper and lighter than stainless steel, so it is not only easy to move, but also easy to process and can be manufactured in various designs.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an anti-expansion part closely coupled to a cooling pipe of an electric vehicle battery according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an anti-expansion part of a cooling pipe of an electric vehicle battery according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery according to another embodiment further includes an anti-expansion part 300 closely coupled to the bellows pipe 200, compared to the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present invention, and other components are included identically.

[0045] Therefore, repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0046] Specifically, the cooling pipe of the electric vehicle battery according to another embodiment may have the anti-expansion part 300 closely coupled to the bellows pipe 200 in order to prevent problems such as the volume of the cooling fluid expanding and breaking due to heat (temperature).

[0047] The anti-expansion part 300 is made of a rubber material and physically presses on the bellows pipe 200 to prevent the bellows pipe 200 from expanding.

[0048] Also, the anti-expansion part 300 prevents debris such as remnants due to breakage from being scattered when the bellows pipe 200 expands, in case it breaks or loses its original function.

[0049] Also, the anti-expansion part 300 may have one or more cross protrusions 310 formed to maintain and protect the space between the plurality of expansion parts 210 and one or more spacing parts 220 from the expansion of the bellows pipe 200, and may be arranged alternately in the vertical direction.

[0050] That is, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, any one of the plurality of expansion parts 210 may have one or more cross protrusions 310 formed in the downward direction, and another one of the plurality of expansion parts 210 may have one or more cross protrusions 310 formed in the upward direction.

[0051] Here, the reference for the upper and lower directions is based on FIG. 4, and it may be the left and right sides depending on the positions where the bellows tube 200 and the anti-expansion part 300 are formed in the actual product.

[0052] Also, one or more intersection protrusions 310 may be formed in a straight line such that the vertices when formed in the upper or lower direction respectively correspond to the upper and lower surfaces of the expanded tube part 210.

[0053] Also, based on FIGS. 4 and 5, the anti-expansion part 300 may be vertically formed with a predetermined incision groove 320. Such an incision groove 320 can be fitted while expanding along the incision groove 320 by an external force (such as the force of a user) when the anti-expansion part 300 is coupled to the bellows tube 200.

[0054] The optimal embodiments are disclosed in the drawings and the specification. Here, specific terms are used, but these are merely used for the purpose of explaining the present invention and are not used to limit the meaning or the scope of the present invention described in the claims. Therefore, those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field will be able to understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible hereafter. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0055] 100: Main body tube 110: Inlet 120: Outlet 200: Bellows tube 210: Expanded tube part 220: Spacing part 300: Anti-expansion part 310: Intersection protrusion 320: Incision groove B: Battery module

Claims

1. In a cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery that is coupled to one side and the other side of a radiator respectively and passes between battery modules that constitute a battery pack to cool the battery modules, it has a pipe shape such that a flow path through which a cooling fluid flows is formed inside, an inlet is formed on one side, an outlet is formed on the other side, the inlet is coupled to one side of the radiator, and the outlet is coupled to the other side of the radiator respectively, and a main body pipe, and a cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery including a bellows pipe integrally formed with the main body pipe and formed in one or more corrugated shapes between the inlet and the outlet.

2. The bellows pipe includes a plurality of expanded pipes whose outer circumference is expanded from the outer circumference of the main body pipe, and one or more spaced portions respectively disposed between the plurality of expanded pipes to form intervals between the plurality of expanded pipes and having an outer circumference formed below the outer circumference of the main body pipe, and the plurality of expanded pipes and the one or more spaced portions are alternately arranged at regular intervals along the length direction of the main body pipe. The cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery according to Claim 1.

3. The bellows pipe is such that the cooling fluid flowing into the inlet through the radiator inside collides with the inner circumference of the plurality of expanded pipes and moves along the inner circumference shape of the plurality of expanded pipes, thereby generating a vortex and reducing the speed of the cooling fluid. The cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery according to Claim 2.

4. The plurality of expanded pipes have a cross-sectional area formed wider than the cross-sectional area of the main body pipe, thereby reducing the flow velocity of the cooling fluid compared to the flow velocity of the cooling fluid flowing in the main body pipe. The cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery according to Claim 2.

5. The cooling pipe is made of aluminum material. The cooling pipe for an electric vehicle battery according to Claim 1.

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