Water-cooled integrated charger and discharger

Abstract

The present invention relates to a water-cooled integrated charger, and provides a charger including a charging / discharging jig for charging and discharging a battery, a water-cooled power supply unit that supplies power to the charging / discharging jig and is cooled by water, and a chiller that is connected to the water-cooled power supply unit via a water supply pipe and a drain pipe and discharges the thermal energy generated from the water-cooled power supply unit to the outside.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a water-cooled integrated charger. Further, the present invention relates to a water-cooled integrated charger that prevents condensation of a power supply unit and cools a jig.

Background Art

[0002] In a battery activation process or the like, a battery is charged and discharged using a charger. However, since the power supply unit of the charger generates heat, a conventional air-cooled structure using air has been adopted to cool the power supply unit. For example, a heat sink and a cooling fan are used to cool the power supply unit.

[0003] However, the conventional air-cooled structure has the following problems. First, in the conventional air-cooled structure, the heat generated by the power supply unit is released into the internal (room) space. Second, the temperature of the internal space rises due to the released heat, and accordingly, it is necessary to add air conditioning equipment. Third, it is difficult to reduce the size due to the presence of a heat sink for cooling the power supply unit. Fourth, heat generation due to wiring also becomes a problem. Fifth, the integration degree of equipment in the same area decreases.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a charger that can prevent the temperature rise of the internal space due to heat generation of the power supply unit and wiring, and can increase the integration degree of equipment while realizing miniaturization.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a charger that can cool a jig while preventing condensation of a water-cooled power supply unit that may occur by applying a water-cooled structure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a charger including a charge and discharge jig for charging and discharging a battery, a water-cooled power supply unit that supplies power to the charge and discharge jig and is cooled by water, and a chiller that is connected to the water-cooled power supply unit via a water supply pipe and a drain pipe and discharges heat energy generated from the water-cooled power supply unit to the outside.

[0007] The water-cooled power supply unit in the present invention may include a first fan that supplies internally cooled air to the charge and discharge jig.

[0008] In the present invention, the first fan is disposed adjacent to the cell tab of the battery and the gripper of the charge and discharge jig, and can cool the cell tab and the gripper.

[0009] In the present invention, the water-cooled power supply units are respectively disposed above and below the charge and discharge jig, and the first fan may be disposed at the lower part of the upper water-cooled power supply unit and the upper part of the lower water-cooled power supply unit.

[0010] The charger according to the present invention further includes a temperature sensor that measures the temperature in the space where the charge and discharge jig is disposed, and can adjust the speed of the first fan according to the temperature.

[0011] In the present invention, the charge and discharge jig may be provided with a second fan disposed on the side surface.

[0012] The charger according to the present invention may further include a cooling tower connected to the chiller via a water supply pipe and a drain pipe.

[0013] In the present invention, the water-cooled power supply unit may include a power module and a cooling module that contacts the power module and has a cooling water flow path inside.

[0014] In the present invention, a plurality of charge and discharge jigs and a plurality of water-cooled power supply units may be arranged in multiple stages in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

[0015] In the present invention, the length of the wiring connecting the charge / discharge jig and the water-cooled power supply unit can be 1.5 m or less.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] In the present invention, by configuring a water-cooled power supply unit below the charge / discharge jig or the like, it becomes possible to prevent the temperature of the internal space from rising due to the heat generation of the power supply unit and the wiring, and it is possible to increase the integration degree of the equipment while realizing miniaturization. Further, by discharging the heat generated by the power supply unit to the outside, the temperature of the internal space can be easily adjusted, and thereby, it may have an effect of reducing the load on the internal air conditioning equipment. Further, since the length of the wiring is shortened, the power efficiency is improved, and the installation area of the equipment can be reduced.

[0017] Further, according to the present invention, by keeping the temperature of the water-cooled power supply unit constant through a fan, condensation of the water-cooled power supply unit can be prevented, and by supplying the air cooled by the power supply unit to the jig, the jig can be cooled.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional air-cooled charger includes a storage frame 1 partitioned into a plurality of spaces, one or more charging / discharging jigs 2 arranged on one side (left side) of the storage frame 1, one or more power supply units 3 arranged on the other side (right side) of the storage frame 1, a maintenance passage 4 arranged in the center of the storage frame 1, and one or more cooling fans (not shown) arranged on one or both sides of the power supply unit 3.

[0021] However, as described above, in the conventional air-cooled charger, due to the air-cooled structure, the heat generated by the power supply unit 3 is directly released into the internal (room) space. Further, the temperature of the internal space rises due to the released heat, and accordingly, it is necessary to add air conditioning equipment. In addition, it is difficult to reduce the size due to the heat dissipation plate for cooling the power supply unit 3.

[0022] In addition, the charging / discharging jig 2 and the power supply unit 3 are separately arranged and far apart on the opposite side, and the length of the wiring connecting the charging / discharging jig 2 and the power supply unit 3 is as long as about 8 m, and accordingly, heat generation due to the long wiring also becomes a problem. Further, the charging / discharging jig 2 and the power supply unit 3 are separately arranged on the opposite side, and the size of the power supply unit 3 itself is large, including the maintenance passage 4, so the directness of the equipment in the same area is reduced.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 2, the water-cooled charger according to the present invention is composed of a storage frame 10, a charging / discharging jig 20, a water-cooled power supply unit 30, a chiller 40, a water supply pipe 50, a drain pipe 51, etc. Most of these can be made of metal or the like.

[0024] The storage frame 10 houses the charging / discharging jig 20, the water-cooled power supply unit 30, etc., and is a pillar that supports their weights. It can be partitioned into a plurality of spaces and have a plurality of storage spaces, and the charging / discharging jig 20 and the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be integrally housed in each storage space. The front and back surfaces of the storage frame 10, specifically, the front and back surfaces of the storage space can be opened. The storage frame 10 can be made of a metal such as iron.

[0025] The size of each storage space is not particularly limited. However, in order to reduce the installation area, it can have a size that integrally accommodates the charging / discharging jig 20 and the water-cooled power supply unit 30 with a little remaining space. The number of storage spaces is also not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, there can be two or more in the vertical direction, and as shown in FIG. 11, there can be about 5 to 15 in the vertical direction and about 3 to 9 in the horizontal direction.

[0026] The charging / discharging jig 20 is for charging and discharging the battery. A commonly used type of charging / discharging jig can be used, or a charging / discharging jig that can mount a plurality of batteries and charge / discharge them at once can be used. The charging / discharging jig 20 can be connected to the water-cooled power supply unit 30 via wiring and receive power supply.

[0027] The water-cooled power supply unit 30 is for supplying power to the charging / discharging jig 20 and is characterized by being water-cooled. The water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be arranged above and / or below the charging / discharging jig 20. The water-cooled power supply unit 30 and the charging / discharging jig 20 can be in direct contact, or can be arranged in close contact or adjacent with the horizontal frame 12 in between, and such an arrangement can be called an integrated type.

[0028] Compared with the conventional air-cooled structure in FIG. 1, in the water-cooled structure according to the present invention, since the charge / discharge jig 20 and the water-cooled power supply unit 30 are integrally housed in the housing frame 10, the overall installation area can be reduced to approximately 1 / 3 of that of the conventional air-cooled structure. Further, since a heat sink or the like is unnecessary, the size of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 itself can also be reduced to approximately half that of the conventional air-cooled power supply unit. Further, since the charge / discharge jig 20 and the water-cooled power supply unit 30 are arranged in close contact or adjacent to each other, the length of the wiring connecting the charge / discharge jig 20 and the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be shortened from about 8 m in the conventional case to 1.5 m or less.

[0029] The chiller 40 is for discharging the heat energy generated from the water-cooled power supply unit 30 to the outside, particularly to an external cooling tower, and may include a normal refrigerant cycle, a pump, etc. for supplying cooling water to the water-cooled power supply unit 30. The chiller 40 can be connected to the water-cooled power supply unit 30 via a water supply pipe 50 and a drain pipe 51. However, when the chiller 40 is connected to a plurality of water-cooled power supply units 30, the water supply pipe 50 and the drain pipe 51 can be branched into a plurality.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, although condensation may occur in the water-cooled power supply unit 30 during heat dissipation by water cooling, in the present invention, a first fan 36 is provided in the water-cooled power supply unit 30 for preventing condensation. The internal air of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be circulated through the first fan 36 to keep the temperature constant. Specifically, although condensation may occur during the construction of the water-cooled power supply unit 30, outside air enters from the output (wiring) part of the water-cooled power supply unit 30, and the first fan 36 is installed at the upper part and / or the lower part of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 to create an air flow to prevent condensation.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, the storage frame 10 may be composed of a plurality of vertical frames 11 and a plurality of horizontal frames 12 to form a plurality of storage spaces. The vertical frame 11 is an outer shell column of the equipment and may be arranged at both ends when viewed from the front. Referring to FIG. 4, a plurality of through holes 13 may be formed in the horizontal frame 12, and the air cooled inside the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can move to the charge and discharge jig 20 through these through holes 13. Each through hole 13 may be arranged at the position of each first fan 36. The size of the through hole 13 may be the same as or smaller than that of the first fan 36. There may be no other through holes in the vertical frame 11.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, the charge and discharge jig 20 is composed of a jig block 21, a gripper 22, a tray receiver 23, a cell tray 24, a second fan 25, a temperature sensor 26, etc. Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, a plurality of charge and discharge jigs 20 can be stacked in multiple layers in one storage space.

[0033] The jig block 21 may be respectively arranged at both ends of the charge and discharge jig 20 and may be formed in a block shape.

[0034] The gripper 22 is for gripping the battery cell 70 and supplying power to the battery cell 70, and may also be expressed as a clip. The battery cell 70 may be a pouch-type battery cell. The gripper 22 may be arranged inside both jig blocks 21. The gripper 22 is divided into a positive gripper 22a and a negative gripper 22b which are respectively connected to the positive cell tab 71a and the negative cell tab 71b.

[0035] The tray receiver 23 supports the cell tray 24 and may be arranged under the cell tray 24.

[0036] The cell tray 24 is a place where the battery cells 70 are arranged and can be arranged above and / or below the battery cells 70. Referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of battery cells 70 can be vertically arranged at regular intervals on the cell tray 24. Referring to FIG. 5 and the like, the battery cells 70 can be provided with a cell tab 71a for the positive electrode and a cell tab 71b for the negative electrode.

[0037] The second fan 25 is a cooling fan for discharging the heat generated by the cell tab 71 to the outside to suppress the temperature rise inside the battery cell 70, and can be arranged on the side surface of the charge and discharge jig 20, and preferably, a plurality of them can be arranged on both side surfaces of the charge and discharge jig 20. Also, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a plurality of second fans 25 can be arranged from the front side to the back side. When a plurality of charge and discharge jigs 20 are stacked in multiple layers in one storage space, the second fan 25 can be arranged between two adjacent charge and discharge jigs 20. For example, as shown in the figure, the second fan 25 can be provided between the first-stage and second-stage charge and discharge jigs 20.

[0038] The temperature sensor 26 is for measuring the temperature in the space where the charge and discharge jig 20 is arranged, and can adjust and maintain the jig space temperature by measuring the space temperature in the jig and adjusting the speed of the first fan 36 according to the temperature change. The temperature sensor 26 can be provided with one or more at appropriate positions such as the jig 20 and the storage frame 10.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can include a first fan 36, output terminals 37a, 37b, wirings 38a, 38b, 38c, 38d, and the like. Similar to the charge and discharge jig 20, a plurality of water-cooled power supply units 30 can be stacked in multiple layers in one storage space. The external case of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be made of a metal such as aluminum. The water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be in close contact with the horizontal frame 12 for cooling and air transmission. Also, referring to FIG. 4, a water supply pipe 50 through which cold water is supplied from the chiller 40 and a drain pipe 51 through which hot water is discharged to the chiller 40 side can be connected to each water-cooled power supply unit 30.

[0040] The first fan 36 is a cooling fan for supplying the air cooled inside the water-cooled power supply unit 30 to the charge and discharge jig 20. For this purpose, the water-cooled power supply unit 30 may include an empty space inside, and the air in the empty space can be cooled by water cooling, and the cooled air can be discharged into the space on the charge and discharge jig 20 side through the fan 36.

[0041] The first fan 36 is arranged adjacent to the cell tab 71 of the battery cell 70 and the gripper 22 of the charge and discharge jig 20, and can cool the cell tab 71 and the gripper 22. In this way, the cooled air of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be supplied to the parts of the gripper 22 and the cell tab 71 of the charge and discharge jig 20 to adjust the space temperature of the charge and discharge jig 20. The jig space temperature can be measured by the temperature sensor 26, and the speed of the fan 36 can be adjusted to maintain a constant temperature.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 4 etc., the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can be respectively arranged above and below the charge and discharge jig 20, and the first fan 36 can be arranged at the lower part of the upper water-cooled power supply unit 30 and the upper part of the lower water-cooled power supply unit 30. For example, the first fan 36 can be arranged at both corner parts of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 when viewed from the front, and referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a plurality of them can be arranged from the front to the back side, but the position and number of the first fan 36 etc. are not particularly limited.

[0043] The first fan 36 can create an air flow up and down for preventing condensation of the water-cooled power supply unit 30. Specifically, external air enters the space where the output wiring of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 is connected, and an air flow is created in the direction of the charge and discharge jig 20 using the first fan 36 to keep the space temperature constant, thereby preventing condensation of the water-cooled power supply unit 30.

[0044] In addition, the first fan 36 can supply and cool the air cooled by the water-cooled power supply unit 30 to the charging / discharging jig 20 space and the parts of the gripper 22 and the cell tab 71. When the battery is charged and discharged, the temperature of the cell tab 71 part has relatively high characteristics due to contact resistance and the like. However, the first fan 36 in the water-cooled power supply unit 30 can cool this part toward the tab 71. For example, with reference to the multi-layer jig 20 illustrated in FIG. 4, the fan 36 of the water-cooled power supply unit 30 disposed below cools the tab 71 part of the first-stage jig 20, and the water-cooled power supply unit 30 disposed above can cool the tab 71 part of the second-stage jig 20 by providing the position of the first fan 36 in the opposite direction with respect to the lower power supply unit.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, the flow direction of the air cooled by the water-cooled power supply unit 30 is indicated by arrows. The first fan 36 of the upper water-cooled power supply unit 30 sends air downward toward the jig 20, and the first fan 36 of the lower water-cooled power supply unit 30 sends air upward toward the jig 20. The second fans 25 disposed on both side surfaces of the jig 20 can send air in the left-right (horizontal) direction toward the vertical frame 11. There are no other through holes in the vertical frame 11, and heat (hot air) generated by the cell 70 can be discharged from the wall surface of the vertical frame 11. Finally, the air can be discharged from the open front and back surfaces of the storage space.

[0046] The output terminals 37a and 37b are where power is output. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a plurality of them can be arranged on both side surfaces of the water-cooled power supply unit 30. They are divided into the anode (+) output terminal 37a in FIG. 6 and the cathode (−) output terminal 37b in FIG. 7. An empty space can be formed at the output part on the side surface of the water-cooled power supply unit 30.

[0047] Wiring 38a, 38b, 38c, and 38d are for electrically connecting the gripper 22 and the output terminals 37a and 37b, and are divided into a first wiring 38a that connects the first-stage positive electrode gripper 22a and the first-stage positive electrode output terminal 37a, a second wiring 38b that connects the second-stage positive electrode gripper 22a and the second-stage positive electrode output terminal 37a, a third wiring 38c that connects the first-stage negative electrode gripper 22b and the first-stage negative electrode output terminal 37b, a fourth wiring 38d that connects the second-stage negative electrode gripper 22b and the second-stage negative electrode output terminal 37b, etc., and are composed of a plurality according to the number of the gripper 22 and the output terminals 37a and 37b.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 8, the water-cooled power supply unit 30 may include a power module 31 and a cooling module 32. The power module 31 may have a hexahedral shape with a low height and may include one or more power supplies. The cooling module 32 may have a hexahedral shape with a lower height than the power module 31, that is, a plate shape with a thin thickness (cooling plate form).

[0049] The power module 31 and the cooling module 32 may be closely arranged in contact with each other for cooling efficiency. Specifically, the cooling module 32 may be closely arranged in contact with at least one or more of the six surfaces of the hexahedral power module 31, preferably including the upper and lower surfaces with a large area, in contact with a plurality of surfaces. Also, in order to increase the contact area, it is preferable that the cooling module 32 contacts the entire area of one surface of the power module 31.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 9, the cooling module 32 may have a cooling water flow path 33 inside which the cooling water supplied from the chiller 40 flows. The flow path pattern of the cooling water flow path 33 is not particularly limited, but preferably may have a zigzag pattern as illustrated in the drawing to increase the residence time of the cooling water. Both ends of the cooling water flow path 33 are respectively connected to a water inlet 34 and a drain outlet 35, and the water inlet 34 and the drain outlet 35 may be respectively connected to a water supply pipe 50 and a drain pipe 51.

[0051] The water-cooled power supply unit 30 in FIGS. 8 and 9 is applicable to at least one or more of the embodiments in FIGS. 2 to 7, FIGS. 10, and FIGS. 11.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 10, the charger according to the present invention may further include a cooling tower 60. The cooling tower 60 is for finally discharging the thermal energy generated from the water-cooled power supply unit 30, and may be connected via a chiller 40, a water supply pipe 52, and a drain pipe 53, and may discharge the heat transmitted from the chiller 40 to the outside. The cooling tower 60 is preferably installed outside (outdoor) to prevent the temperature rise of the internal (indoor) space.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 11, a plurality of charging / discharging jigs 20 and water-cooled power supply units 30 may be arranged in multiple stages in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. In the drawing, they are arranged in an array such as 5 to 15 rows and 3 to 9 columns, but the number of rows and columns is not limited to this. At the lowermost stage, one common chiller 40 is arranged in each column and can be connected to a plurality of water-cooled power supply units 30 stacked vertically in the column. Only one cooling tower 60 may be arranged outside (outdoor) and connected to a plurality of chillers 40.

[0054] The configurations in FIGS. 10 and 11 may include at least one or more of the configurations in FIGS. 2 to 8.

[0055] The present invention aims to reduce the spatial temperature deviation during charging / discharging by a water-cooled structure. For this purpose, a water-cooled power supply unit is configured in the charging / discharging jig part or the like, and heat can be released to the external space (cooling tower) using a chiller. Also, the distance between the jig and the power supply unit is short, and the length of the wiring can be reduced from about 8 m in the conventional case to 1.5 m or less. Further, when the power supply unit is modularized, it can operate alone or in parallel, and capacity expansion is easy.

[0056] Compared with the conventional air-cooled structure, in the present invention, due to the application of water cooling, the size of the power supply unit is reduced and it can be arranged in a jig or the like. The number of cooling fans for cooling the power supply unit is reduced from about 24 in the conventional case to about 2. The overall equipment size is reduced, the wiring length is reduced from about 8 m in the conventional case to 1.5 m or less, the temperature rise of the jig space due to wiring heat generation is suppressed, heat is released to the external cooling tower via the chiller to suppress the indoor temperature rise, and the temperature of the power supply unit can be adjusted to a constant temperature regardless of the operation.

[0057] As described above, in the present invention, by applying a water-cooled chiller, the heat generated from the power supply unit is released to the external cooling tower, the rapid temperature rise during the operation of the power supply unit is suppressed by supplying cooling water at a constant temperature, and the influence of the temperature rise of the internal space due to the heat generation of the power supply unit during the charge / discharge operation is fundamentally eliminated. As an advantage obtained from the fact that the wiring length is shorter compared to the prior art, even when the current capacity increases, the influence of the wiring is minimized, the heat generated by the power supply unit is released to the outside, and the temperature deviation of the internal space can be improved in the future.

[0058] Also, in the present invention, by keeping the temperature of the water-cooled power supply unit constant through the fan, condensation of the water-cooled power supply unit can be prevented, and the jig can be cooled by supplying the air that has cooled the power supply unit to the jig.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0059] 1, 10: Storage frame, 2, 20: Charge / discharge jig, 3: Power supply unit, 4: Maintenance passage, 11: Vertical frame, 12: Horizontal frame, 13: Through hole, 21: Jig block, 22: Gripper, 22a: Positive electrode gripper, 22b: Negative electrode gripper, 23: Tray receiver, 24: Cell tray, 25: Second fan, 26: Temperature sensor, 30: Water-cooled power supply unit, 31: Power module, 32: Cooling module, 33: Cooling water flow path, 34: Water inlet, 35: Drain outlet, 36: First fan, 37a, 37b: Output terminals, 38a, 38b, 38c, 38d: Wiring, 40: Chiller, 50, 52: Water supply pipes, 51, 53: Drain pipes, 60: Cooling tower, 70: Battery cell, 71, 71a, 71b: Cell tab

Claims

1. A charge / discharge jig for charging and discharging a battery, A water-cooled power supply unit that supplies power to the charge / discharge jig and is cooled by water, A chiller that is connected to the water-cooled power supply unit via a water supply pipe and a drain pipe and releases the thermal energy generated from the water-cooled power supply unit to the outside, A charger including the above.

2. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the water-cooled power supply unit includes a first fan that supplies the cooled air inside to the charge / discharge jig.

3. The charger according to claim 2, wherein the first fan is arranged adjacent to the cell tab of the battery and the gripper of the charge / discharge jig, and cools the cell tab and the gripper.

4. The charger according to claim 2, wherein the water-cooled power supply units are respectively arranged above and below the charge / discharge jig, and the first fan is arranged at the lower part of the upper water-cooled power supply unit and the upper part of the lower water-cooled power supply unit.

5. The charger according to claim 2, further including a temperature sensor that measures the temperature in the space where the charge / discharge jig is arranged, and the speed of the first fan is adjusted according to the temperature.

6. The charger according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the charge / discharge jig is provided with a second fan arranged on the side surface.

7. The charger according to claim 1, further including a cooling tower that is connected to the chiller via the water supply pipe and the drain pipe.

8. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the water-cooled power supply unit includes a power module and a cooling module that contacts the power module and has a cooling water flow path inside.

9. The charger according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of charge / discharge jigs and a plurality of water-cooled power supply units are arranged in multiple stages in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

10. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the length of the wiring connecting the charge / discharge jig and the water-cooled power supply unit is 1.5 m or less.

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