Cooling assembly, battery pack having cooling assembly, and vehicle

Abstract

This application provides a cooling assembly, a battery pack having the cooling assembly, and a vehicle. The cooling assembly includes a frame and a filler. The frame includes a plurality of holes penetrating the frame in a thickness direction of the frame. The filler fills the holes, and the filler includes a matrix and a liquid phase-change medium, and the matrix includes a lyophilic polymer material.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202320458933.X, filed on February 28, 2023, entitled "COOLING ASSEMBLY, BATTERY PACK HAVING THE SAME, AND VEHICLE," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a cooling assembly, a battery pack having a cooling assembly, and a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0003] In the related art, polymer materials with a lyophilic three-dimensional network structure, such as hydrogels, can absorb and retain large amounts of water (up to 99%) or other liquids due to their crosslinked network structure and large amount of lyophilic groups. The polymer network structure can retain large amounts of liquid while maintaining the integrity of the polymer network, preventing problems such as liquid leakage. These properties give hydrogels great potential for utilizing the cooling power of water. However, while lyophilic polymer materials such as hydrogels limit water leakage, their poor moldability and mechanical properties cause deformation due to gravity or inertia, which affects their use in batteries and reduces their heat dissipation effect on batteries. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] This application aims to solve at least part of one of the technical problems in the related art. To this end, the application aims to provide a cooling assembly. The cooling assembly in this specification is not easily deformed, has high heat dissipation efficiency, a fast heat dissipation response, and a good exhaust effect. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A cooling assembly according to some embodiments of this application includes a framework including a plurality of holes penetrating the framework in the thickness direction of the framework, and a filler material filling the holes, the filler material including a matrix and a liquid phase change medium, and the matrix material including a lyophilic polymer material.

[0006] In the cooling assembly of this application, the filler is disposed in the holes of the frame. The frame supports the base material and shapes the filler to prevent deformation. The filler is packed into the frame. The cooling assembly may be installed horizontally or vertically depending on the structure of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled, thereby bringing the cooling assembly closer to the surface of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled, thereby improving the heat dissipation response speed and response time. In addition, the filler contains a liquid phase-change medium, and the heat absorption process of the liquid phase-change medium involves two processes: single-phase heat absorption and latent heat of vaporization. The latent heat of vaporization is high, allowing it to quickly absorb large amounts of heat. Therefore, when the cooling assembly is disposed on the surface of the battery, it can quickly and efficiently absorb heat dissipation from the single cell due to thermal runaway caused by overcharging, collisions, etc. In addition, the holes in the frame penetrate the frame, further enhancing the exhaust effect.

[0007] According to some embodiments of this application, any two adjacent holes in the framework are directly connected.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cooling assembly further includes a sealing film, wherein a receiving cavity is formed inside the sealing film, and the framework is disposed within the receiving cavity.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present application, the sealing film is provided with an opening configured to communicate the receiving cavity with the exterior of the sealing film.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, the sealing film has a first surface and a second surface at two ends in the extension direction of the framework, and an opening is provided in the first surface and / or the second surface.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present application, the dimension of the framework between two adjacent holes in the extension direction of the framework is a, which satisfies 0.05 mm≦a≦10 mm.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present application, the dimension of the framework in the thickness direction of the framework is b, and satisfies 1.5 mm≦b≦2.5 mm.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present application, the sealing film includes a plurality of frameworks, and the plurality of frameworks are arranged in a thickness direction of the framework.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present application, the framework is a flexible framework.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present application, the material forming the flexible framework is one of paper, aluminum, or fiber.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the application, the matrix is ​​one of starch, cellulose, polyethylene glycol, sodium alginate, hydrogel, or sodium polyacrylate.

[0017] In another aspect of this application, a battery pack is provided that includes a plurality of cells and the cooling assembly described above. The battery pack thus has all the features and advantages of the cooling assembly described above. The details will not be described again herein. The battery pack as a whole has at least the advantage of being safer.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cooling assembly is disposed on at least one surface of the cell.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present application, the surface of the cell includes a first region, a second region, and a third region, the first region and the third region being disposed at two ends of the second region in the extension direction of the cell, and the cooling assembly being disposed in at least one of the first region and the third region.

[0020] In yet another aspect of this application, a vehicle is provided that includes the aforementioned battery pack. The vehicle thus has all the features and advantages of the aforementioned battery pack. The details will not be described again herein. The vehicle as a whole has at least the advantage of being safer.

[0021] The above and / or further aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a structure of a cooling assembly according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a flexible framework structure according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a structure of a sealing film from one perspective, according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram of the structure of the sealing film from another perspective, according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram of the structure of the surface of a cell according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram of a vehicle structure according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. The embodiments described below are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application. If specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, the techniques or conditions described in the technical literature or product instructions shall be followed. All reagents and instruments used without indicating the manufacturer are conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present application, a cooling assembly 1 is provided. See FIG. 1 . The cooling assembly 1 includes a frame 11 and a filler material 12. See FIG. 2 . The frame 11 includes a plurality of holes 111 penetrating the frame 11 in the thickness direction of the frame 11. The filler material 12 fills the holes 111, and the filler material 12 includes a matrix and a liquid phase-change medium, the matrix being a lyophilic polymer material. Specifically, the number of holes 111 in the frame 11 is not particularly limited, and the size of each hole 111 is not particularly limited. For example, in the case of a rectangular frame 11, the holes 111 may be formed throughout the frame 11, and a gel-like filler material is filled into the holes 111. The frame 11 serves to shape the filler material.

[0025] In the cooling assembly 1 of this application, the filler is disposed in the holes 111 of the frame 11. The frame 11 serves to support the base material, shape the filler, and prevent deformation of the filler. The filler is filled into the frame 11. The cooling assembly 1 may be installed horizontally or vertically depending on the structure of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled, thereby bringing the cooling assembly 1 closer to the surface of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled, thereby improving the heat dissipation response speed and response time. In addition, the base material in the filler includes a lyophilic network polymer material, which can absorb and retain a large amount of liquid phase-change medium and maintain its structural integrity. The heat absorption process of the liquid phase-change medium involves two processes: single-phase heat absorption and latent heat of vaporization. The latent heat of vaporization is high, allowing it to quickly absorb a large amount of heat. Therefore, when the cooling assembly 1 is disposed on the surface of the battery, it can quickly and efficiently absorb heat dissipation from a single cell caused by thermal runaway due to overcharging, collision, etc. In addition, the holes 111 in the frame 11 penetrate the frame 11, further enhancing the exhaust effect.

[0026] The matrix of the filler is specifically a lyophilic polymer material such as starch, cellulose, polyethylene glycol, sodium alginate, hydrogel, or sodium polyacrylate. The liquid phase change material may be water, ethanol, or the like. Due to their crosslinked network structure and a large amount of lyophilic groups, lyophilic polymer materials can absorb and retain large amounts of water (up to 99%) or other liquids. The polymer network structure can retain large amounts of liquid while maintaining the integrity of the polymer network, preventing problems such as liquid leakage. These properties offer great potential for lyophilic polymer materials such as hydrogels to harness the cooling power of water.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the present application, the framework 11 is a flexible framework, which has strong elasticity, allowing the cooling assembly 1 to be attached to the surface of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled and to quickly dissipate heat.

[0028] See FIG. 2. According to some embodiments of the present application, any two adjacent holes 111 in the flexible framework are directly connected. That is, the entire flexible framework is provided with holes 111. Furthermore, the holes 111 are provided in the flexible framework with uniform dimensions. According to some embodiments of the present application, the shape of the holes 111 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, one of a triangle, a square, a diamond, or a hexagon, or a combination thereof. When the entire framework 11 is provided with holes 111 having a honeycomb (hexagonal) structure, the honeycomb holes 111 may be uniformly filled with a filler material. Because the honeycomb structure has extremely high strength and torque, the strength and torque of the framework 11 can be increased accordingly. When the cooling assembly 1 is disposed between cells, between a cell and a protective plate, between a cell and a cooling plate, or between a cell and a tray, the strength and torque of the battery pack can be increased, enabling the battery pack to be a "shock-resistant battery pack."

[0029] See FIG. 3. According to some embodiments of the present application, the cooling assembly 1 further includes a sealing film 13 to increase the strength of the frame 11, a receiving cavity 132 is formed inside the sealing film 13, and the frame 11 is disposed in the receiving cavity 132. Therefore, after the high heat absorption material absorbs heat, the absorbed liquid evaporates to generate gas, and the gas is sealed in the receiving cavity 132. The low thermal conductivity of gas reduces heat transfer. In addition, the sealing film 13 encases the frame 11 and prevents the filler material 12 in the frame 11 from falling off.

[0030] It should be noted that the specific shape of the sealing film 13 is not particularly limited and may be designed according to the specific shape of the frame 11. The sealing film 13 may be, for example, rectangular. The accommodating cavity 132 is formed inside the rectangular sealing film 13. The frame 11 is in close contact with the two large surfaces of the rectangle. The heat-absorbing material absorbs the liquid and gels, and then adheres to the two large surfaces of the sealing film 13. The sides of the rectangular sealing film 13 may be sealed by heat welding.

[0031] See FIG. 4. According to some embodiments of this application, in addition to reducing heat transfer via gas, heat may alternatively be guided out of the accommodating cavity 132 by providing an opening 131 in the sealing film 13. Specifically, the opening 131 configured to communicate the accommodating cavity 132 with the outside of the sealing film 13 is provided in the sealing film 13. Specifically, when the cooling assembly 1 is used to dissipate heat from the cells, an exhaust path may be disposed in the battery pack. Gas generated by evaporation of the heat-absorbing material is guided to the exhaust path through the opening 131 and then guided to the outside of the battery pack through the exhaust path, thereby dissipating heat from the cells.

[0032] According to some embodiments of this application, the number and locations of the openings 131 are not particularly limited and may be designed by those skilled in the art according to the specific purpose of the cooling assembly 1. For example, the sealing film 13 has a first surface and a second surface at two ends in the extension direction of the frame 11, and the openings 131 are provided on the first surface and / or the second surface. Therefore, when the cooling assembly is used to dissipate heat from the cells, it is more convenient to design an exhaust path in the battery pack.

[0033] According to some embodiments of the present application, the dimension of the framework 11 between two adjacent holes 111 in the extension direction of the framework 11 is a, which satisfies 0.05 mm≦a≦10 mm. The wall thickness between two adjacent holes 111 may be, in detail, 0.1 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, etc. The framework 11 may be specifically designed to meet specific strength requirements depending on the application and specific location of the cooling assembly 1.

[0034] According to some embodiments of this application, the dimension b of the framework 11 in the thickness direction of the framework is 1.5 mm≦b≦2.5 mm. Specifically, when the entire framework 11 is provided with the holes 111, the dimension of the walls of the holes 111 in the thickness direction of the framework 11 may be 1.7 mm, 1.9 mm, 2.1 mm, 2.3 mm, etc. It should be noted that the thickness direction of the framework 11 intersects with the extension direction of the framework 11. Specifically, the thickness direction of the framework 11 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the framework 11.

[0035] According to some embodiments of the present application, the sealing film 13 may further include a plurality of frameworks 11, which are arranged in the thickness direction of the framework 11. Therefore, the plurality of frameworks 11 are filled with more high heat absorption material, which can increase the heat absorption capacity of the cooling assembly 1 and further improve the heat dissipation efficiency. In addition, the plurality of frameworks 11 are arranged in the thickness direction of the framework, which can increase the strength of the cooling assembly and the impact resistance of the battery pack.

[0036] The materials for forming the framework 11 and the sealing film 13, as well as the selection of the filler material, will be described in detail below. The materials in this application are all existing materials, and this application does not improve on those materials.

[0037] According to some embodiments of the present application, the material forming the framework 11 is one of paper, aluminum, or fiber, which has certain elasticity and flexibility and can be attached to the surface of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled to enhance the heat-dissipating effect.

[0038] According to some embodiments of this application, the matrix is ​​one of starch, cellulose, polyethylene glycol, sodium alginate, hydrogel, or sodium polyacrylate. The liquid phase change medium may be water, ethanol, or ethylene glycol. The liquid phase change medium may be selected according to the application environment. Therefore, the filler can still perform its heat absorption function even after high pressure is cut off. The liquid phase change medium has a high latent heat of vaporization and can quickly absorb heat. During the heat absorption process, heat is absorbed through two processes: liquid single-phase heat absorption and latent heat of vaporization, which further enhances the heat dissipation effect. In addition, lyophilic polymer materials can absorb liquids hundreds to thousands of times heavier than the material and have excellent liquid retention properties. Once the matrix absorbs liquid and gels, the liquid is less likely to separate even when the matrix is ​​pressurized. When the matrix is ​​polyacrylic acid polymer, the production cost is lower, the production process is simpler, production efficiency is higher, the liquid absorption is better, and the product shelf life is longer. After absorbing the liquid phase change material, the host material becomes less fluid and can be molded into simple structures. The host material is additionally non-conductive, which allows it to further be used to dissipate heat from the cells within the battery pack.

[0039] According to some embodiments of this application, the sealing film 13 is one of polyimide film, aluminum plastic film, polypropylene film, polyethylene terephthalate film, or thermally conductive silica gel. Therefore, the flexible film can be adhered to the surface of the frame 11 and further prevent the frame 11 from being crushed.

[0040] In another aspect of this application, a battery pack is provided that includes a plurality of cells and the aforementioned cooling assembly 1. The battery pack therefore has all the features and advantages of the aforementioned cooling assembly 1. The details will not be described again herein. The vehicle as a whole has at least the advantage of being safer.

[0041] According to some embodiments of this application, the cooling assembly 1 may be disposed on at least one surface of the cell 2. Accordingly, the filler of the cooling assembly 1 is disposed in the holes 111 of the frame 11. The frame 11 serves to support the base material, shape the filler, and prevent deformation of the filler. The filler is filled into the frame 11. The cooling assembly 1 may be installed horizontally or vertically depending on the structure of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled, thereby bringing the cooling assembly 1 closer to the surface of the heat-dissipating component to be cooled, thereby improving the response speed and time of heat dissipation. In addition, the filler contains a liquid phase-change medium, and the heat absorption process of the liquid phase-change medium involves two processes: single-phase heat absorption and latent heat of vaporization. The latent heat of vaporization is high. When the cell releases heat due to thermal runaway caused by overcharging, a collision, or the like, the cooling assembly can directly and quickly absorb a large amount of heat. In addition, the holes 111 of the frame 11 penetrate the frame 11, further enhancing the exhaust effect of the battery. When the holes 111 of the framework 11 are honeycomb shaped, the strength and torque of the cooling assembly 1 can be further increased, thereby increasing the strength and torque of the battery pack and enabling the battery pack to become an "impact-resistant battery pack."

[0042] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cooling assembly 1 may be disposed in a high-heat-generating region of the cell 2 so as to quickly absorb heat emitted from the cell 2. See FIG. 5. According to some specific embodiments of the present application, the surface of the cell 2 includes a first region 21, a second region 22, and a third region 23. The first region 21 and the third region 23 are disposed at two ends of the second region 22 in the extension direction of the cell 2, and the cooling assembly 1 is disposed in at least one of the first region 21 and the third region 23. According to some specific embodiments of the present application, the cooling assembly 1 is disposed in both the first region 21 and the third region 23 so as to quickly dissipate heat from the cell 2 and enhance the heat dissipation effect. According to some embodiments of this application, the two ends of the cell 2 in its extension direction are a first region 21 and a third region 23, respectively, from the two ends to a position 1 / 5 of the way up, and the cooling assembly 1 may be arranged in these two regions to dissipate heat from the cell 2.

[0043] In yet another aspect of this application, a vehicle 1000 is provided. See FIG. 6. The vehicle 1000 includes the battery pack 100 described above. Thus, the vehicle has all the features and advantages of the battery pack described above. Details will not be described again herein. The vehicle as a whole has at least the advantage of being safer.

[0044] In describing this disclosure, it should be understood that directional or location relationships indicated by terms such as “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “above,” “below,” “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inside,” “outside,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “an axial direction,” “a radial direction,” “a circumferential direction,” and the like, are based on the directions or location relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are intended only to explain and simplify the description of this application, and are not intended to indicate or suggest that the devices or elements shown need have a particular orientation or be constructed or operated in a particular direction, and therefore cannot be construed as limiting this application.

[0045] Additionally, the terms "first" and "second" are for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or suggesting the relative importance or quantity of the technical features being depicted. Thus, a feature qualified by "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, unless specifically limited, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0046] In this application, unless otherwise specified and limited, terms such as "mount," "link," "connect," and "fasten" should be understood broadly. For example, the term "connect" may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection achieved by using an intermediate medium, or a communication within two elements or an interactive relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the aforementioned terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0047] In this application, unless otherwise specified and limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, the first feature may be in direct contact with the second feature, or the first feature may be in indirect contact with the second feature via an intermediate medium. In addition, when a first feature is "above," "over," or "on top of" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or it may simply mean that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than the horizontal height of the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "under," or "just below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or it may simply mean that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than the horizontal height of the second feature.

[0048] In the description of this specification, references such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "an example," "a specific example," or "some examples" mean that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described with reference to an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, exemplary uses of such terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, in the description of this specification, the described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined as appropriate in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and associate the various embodiments or examples described in this specification with the features of the various embodiments or examples without mutual inconsistency.

[0049] Although the embodiments of this specification have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the foregoing embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art may change, modify, substitute, and alter the foregoing embodiments within the scope of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Cooling assembly 11 Framework 111 holes 12 Fillers 13 Sealing film 131 Opening 132 Containment Cavity 2 cells 21 First Area 22 Second Area 23 The Third Region 100 battery packs 1000 vehicles

Claims

1. A framework (11) having a plurality of holes (111) penetrating the framework (11) in the thickness direction of the framework (11); a filler (12) for filling the holes (111), the filler (12) comprising a base material and a liquid phase change medium, the base material being a lyophilic polymer material; A cooling assembly (1) comprising:

2. The cooling assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein any two adjacent holes (111) of the framework (11) are directly connected.

3. Further provided with a sealing film (13), 3. The cooling assembly (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a receiving cavity (132) is formed inside the sealing film (13), and the framework (11) is arranged in the receiving cavity (132).

4. 4. The cooling assembly (1) according to claim 3, wherein the sealing film (13) is provided with an opening (131) configured to connect the accommodating cavity (132) with the outside of the sealing film (13).

5. 5. A cooling assembly (1) as described in claim 3 or 4, wherein the sealing film (13) has a first surface and a second surface at two ends in the extension direction of the framework (11), and the opening (131) is provided in the first surface and / or the second surface.

6. The cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a dimension of the framework (11) between two adjacent holes (111) in the extension direction of the framework (11) is a, and satisfies 0.05 mm≦a≦10 mm.

7. The cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the dimension of the framework (11) in the thickness direction of the framework (11) is b, and satisfies 1.5 mm≦b≦2.5 mm.

8. The cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the sealing film (13) comprises a plurality of the frameworks (11), and the plurality of the frameworks (11) are arranged in the thickness direction of the frameworks (11).

9. The cooling assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said framework (11) is a flexible framework.

10. The cooling assembly (1) according to claim 9, wherein the material forming the flexible framework is one of paper, aluminum or fabric.

11. The cooling assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the matrix is ​​one of starch, cellulose, polyethylene glycol, sodium alginate, hydrogel, or sodium polyacrylate.

12. A battery pack (100) comprising a plurality of cells and a cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The battery pack (100) according to claim 12, wherein the cooling assembly (1) is disposed on at least one surface of the cell.

14. 14. The battery pack (100) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the surface of the cell comprises a first region (21), a second region (22), and a third region (23), the first region (21) and the third region (23) being arranged at two ends of the second region (22) in the extension direction of the cell, and the cooling assembly (1) being arranged in at least one of the first region (21) and the third region (23).

15. A vehicle (1000) comprising the battery pack (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

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