Power storage device

Abstract

To cool a power storage module in a power storage device effectively even if the power storage device is disposed on a lower surface of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A power storage device 6 is provided on a lower surface of a floor panel 10 of a vehicle and includes a storage case 20, a power storage module 21 stored in the storage case 20, and a cooler 22 which is housed in the storage case 20 and cools the power storage module 21. The storage case 20 includes a bottom plate 25. A refrigerant passage 23 in which a refrigerant flows is formed at a portion located above the bottom plate 25 of the storage case 20. The refrigerant passage 23 is connected to the cooler 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electricity storage device. [Background technology]

[0002] Various types of power storage devices have been proposed, and the power storage device described in JP 2019-200993 A includes a power storage module, a cooling device that cools the power storage module, and a housing case. The power storage module and the cooling device are housed in the housing case, and a refrigerant flows through the cooling device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-200993 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To ensure a spacious interior, it is conceivable to place the power storage device equipped with a cooling device on the underside of the vehicle, but if the power storage device is placed on the underside of the vehicle, the bottom side of the power storage device will be heated by radiant heat from the ground.

[0005] Therefore, depending on the position of the supply pipe that supplies the refrigerant to the cooling device, the power storage module may not be cooled properly due to the influence of radiant heat from the ground.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an energy storage device that can effectively cool the energy storage modules within the energy storage device, even in an energy storage device that is placed on the underside of a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The power storage device according to the present disclosure is an power storage device provided below a floor panel of a vehicle, and includes a housing case, a power storage module housed in the housing case, and a cooler housed in the housing case and cooling the power storage module. The housing case includes a bottom plate, and a refrigerant passage through which a refrigerant flows is formed in a portion of the housing case located above the bottom plate, and the refrigerant passage is connected to the cooler.

[0008] In the above-described energy storage device, even if the temperature of the bottom plate of the storage case increases due to radiant heat from the ground, the refrigerant passage is located above the bottom plate, so the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant passage can be prevented from increasing. This allows the temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the cooler to be kept low, thereby enabling the energy storage module to be cooled effectively.

[0009] The vehicle includes a body frame, and the housing case includes a peripheral wall portion extending upward from a bottom plate and disposed adjacent to the body frame. The refrigerant passage is formed in the peripheral wall portion.

[0010] With the above-described power storage device, even if warm air flows in from the front of the vehicle, the body frame can prevent the warm air from hitting the peripheral wall portion. Therefore, since the refrigerant passage is formed in the peripheral wall portion, the refrigerant in the refrigerant passage can be prevented from being heated by the heated air.

[0011] The refrigerant passage includes a supply passage that supplies refrigerant to the cooler and a discharge passage through which refrigerant discharged from the cooler passes, and the supply passage is located above the discharge passage.

[0012] According to the above-described electricity storage device, the supply passage is located above the discharge passage, so that even if the temperature of the bottom plate rises, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the supply passage can be prevented from increasing.

[0013] The accommodating case includes a first side wall located at one end in the width direction of the vehicle and a second side wall located at the other end in the width direction, and the refrigerant passage is formed in the first side wall.

[0014] According to the above-described electricity storage device, the structure of the second side wall portion can be simplified, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0015] The vehicle includes an engine and an exhaust pipe connected to the engine, and the second side wall portion is disposed adjacent to the exhaust pipe.

[0016] According to the above-described power storage device, the first side wall portion is separated from the exhaust pipe, and therefore the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant passage formed in the first side wall portion can be prevented from being heated by heat from the exhaust pipe.

[0017] The vehicle includes an engine and an exhaust pipe connected to the engine, the housing case includes a first side wall portion located at one end side of the vehicle in the width direction and a second side wall portion located at the other end side of the vehicle in the width direction, the refrigerant passage includes a supply passage that supplies refrigerant to the cooler and a discharge passage through which refrigerant discharged from the cooler passes, the supply passage being formed in the first side wall portion and the discharge passage being formed in the second side wall portion, and the second side wall portion being positioned adjacent to the exhaust pipe.

[0018] In the above-described electricity storage device, the exhaust passage is formed in the second side wall, so that even if the second side wall is heated by the exhaust pipe, the temperature of the second side wall is prevented from increasing. This prevents the temperature difference between the first side wall and the second side wall from increasing, and prevents large differences in temperature distribution within the electricity storage module.

[0019] The cooling device is disposed on the underside of the power storage module. With this power storage device, even if the temperature of the bottom plate becomes high, the cooler can reduce the amount of heat transferred from the bottom plate to the power storage module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the power storage device according to the present disclosure, in a power storage device arranged on the underside of a vehicle, it is possible to suppress the refrigerant supplied to the cooling device from being affected by radiant heat from the ground and the like. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle 1 equipped with an electricity storage device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an electricity storage device 6 and its surroundings. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a cross section of a part of the electricity storage device 6. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one end side of a cooler 22. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a supply path 15. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a supply path 15. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a discharge path 16. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a discharge path 16. [Figure 11] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the right side wall 30. [Figure 12] 10 is a plan view showing the inner surface 87 of the right side wall 30. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6A according to a first modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6B according to a second modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6C according to a third modified example. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6D according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6E according to a fifth modified example. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6F according to a sixth modified example. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6G according to a seventh modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The electricity storage device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 19. Of the configurations shown in Figures 1 to 19, the same or substantially the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted. (Embodiment 1) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle 1 equipped with a power storage device according to the present embodiment 1. In Fig. 1 and other figures, "F" indicates the forward direction of the vehicle, "B" indicates the rearward direction of the vehicle, "W" indicates the width direction of the vehicle, "U" indicates the upward direction, and "D" indicates the downward direction.

[0023] The vehicle 1 includes a body frame 2, an engine 3, a drive unit 4, a PCU 5, an electricity storage device 6, and an exhaust pipe 7.

[0024] An engine compartment 8 and a passenger compartment 9 are formed in the body frame 2. The engine compartment 8 is formed forward of the passenger compartment 9.

[0025] The body frame 2 includes a floor panel 10. The floor panel 10 is a member that forms the floor surface of the vehicle interior 9. The floor panel 10 is a metal member formed in a plate shape.

[0026] The engine 3, the drive unit 4, and the PCU 5 are housed in an engine compartment 8, and the power storage device 6 is disposed below a floor panel 10.

[0027] The PCU 5 is electrically connected to the power storage device 6. The PCU 5 includes a converter and two inverters. The converter boosts the DC power supplied from the power storage device 6 and supplies it to the inverters. The inverters convert the DC power supplied from the converter into AC power and supply it to the drive device 4. For example, the inverters convert it into three-phase AC power.

[0028] The drive unit 4 includes a rotating electric machine MG1, a rotating electric machine MG2, and a power split mechanism 11. The rotating electric machine MG2 generates driving force for rotating the drive wheels 12 using AC power supplied from one inverter. The power split mechanism 11 splits the power from the engine into power transmitted to the rotating electric machine MG1 and power transmitted to the drive wheels 12. The other inverter is connected to the rotating electric machine MG1.

[0029] The exhaust pipe 7 is connected to the engine 3. The exhaust pipe 7 extends from the engine 3 toward the rear of the vehicle and also extends downward. The exhaust pipe 7 is disposed on the lower surface of the floor panel 10 and extends toward the rear of the vehicle 1.

[0030] In the present embodiment 1, the exhaust pipe 7 passes along the left side of the electricity storage device 6 and extends toward the rear end of the vehicle 1.

[0031] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the power storage device 6 and its surroundings. The body frame 2 includes members 13 and 14 arranged on the underside of the floor panel 10. The members 13 and 14 are formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle 1, and are arranged with a gap between them in the vehicle width direction W. The members 13 and 14 are, for example, rocker members or reinforcement members. The rocker members are components arranged below the doors.

[0032] The electricity storage device 6 includes a storage case 20, an electricity storage module 21, and a cooler 22. The storage case 20 includes a bottom plate 25, a peripheral wall portion 26, a cover member 27, and fixing members 28 and 29.

[0033] Cover member 27 is disposed on the upper surface of storage case 20. Bottom plate 25 is a member that forms the lower surface of storage case 20. Peripheral wall portion 26 is formed to extend upward from bottom plate 25, and is formed in an annular shape. As shown in FIG. 3 , peripheral wall portion 26 includes a right wall 30, a left wall 31, a front wall 32, and a rear wall 33.

[0034] 2, fixed member 28 is disposed on the outer surface side of right side wall 30, and fixed member 29 is disposed on the outer surface side of left side wall 31. Fixed members 28, 29 are fixed integrally to, for example, bottom plate 25 and peripheral wall portion 26. Fixed member 28 is fixed to member 13 with fastening members 35 such as bolts, and fixed member 29 is fixed to member 14 with fastening members such as bolts. Fixing fixed members 28, 29 to members 13, 14 fixes accommodation case 20 to body frame 2.

[0035] The power storage module 21 includes a module case 36 and a plurality of unit batteries 37 housed in the module case 36 .

[0036] In the first embodiment, the module case 36 is made of resin. However, the module case 36 may also be made of metal or the like.

[0037] The module case 36 includes a bottom plate 40, a right side wall 41, and a left side wall 42. As shown in Fig. 3, the module case 36 further includes a front wall 43 and a rear wall 44. The right side wall 41, the left side wall 42, the front wall 43, and the rear wall 44 are formed to extend upward from the bottom plate 40.

[0038] The module case 36 is formed with a plurality of accommodating recesses 38 spaced apart in the vehicle width direction W. The accommodating recesses 38 are formed to open upward. A unit battery 37 is accommodated in each accommodating recess 38. The module case 36 is formed with partition walls 39 located between adjacent unit batteries 37. The partition walls 39 ensure insulation between adjacent unit batteries 37. The unit batteries 37 are arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction W, and in this embodiment, the arrangement direction of the unit batteries 37 is the vehicle width direction W.

[0039] The right side wall 41 is in close contact with the inner surface of the right side wall 30. An insertion member 46 is inserted between the left side wall 42 and the left side wall 31. The insertion member 46 is a plate-shaped member that is press-fitted into the gap between the left side wall 42 and the left side wall 31 when the power storage module 21 is inserted into the accommodation case 20. By press-fitting the insertion member 46 into the gap between the left side wall 42 and the left side wall 31, the right side wall 41 is pressed against the right side wall 30, and the insertion member 46 is pressed against the left side wall 31.

[0040] As a result, the restraining force between the right side wall 30 and the left side wall 31 fixes the power storage module 21 and the insertion member 46 between the right side wall 30 and the left side wall 31. Note that as each unit battery 37 is charged or discharged, the power storage module 21 deforms so as to become longer in the vehicle width direction W. As a result, the restraining force between the right side wall 30 and the left side wall 31 also increases, and the power storage module 21 is well fixed between the right side wall 30 and the left side wall 31.

[0041] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. The cooler 22 is formed with a plurality of cooling passages 50, 51, 52, and 53. Each of the cooling passages 50, 51, 52, and 53 extends in the vehicle width direction W, and is formed at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction. A refrigerant C flows through each of the cooling passages 50, 51, 52, and 53. The refrigerant C may be a liquid such as water or a gas such as air. An expansion valve may be provided in a supply passage that supplies the refrigerant C to the cooler 22, and the refrigerant C may be adiabatically expanded and supplied to the cooler 22.

[0042] The cooler 22 includes a metal plate 55, a case body 56, and a bottom plate 57. The metal plate 55 is disposed on the lower surface of the bottom plate 40 of the module case 36, and a plurality of through holes 58 are formed in the metal plate 55.

[0043] The case body 56 includes a top plate 60, a connecting portion 61, a peripheral wall 62, and a partition wall 63. The peripheral wall 62 extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the top plate 60 and is formed in an annular shape. The partition wall 63 is formed to separate the cooling passages 50, 51, 52, and 53. The bottom plate 57 is attached to the case body 56 from below.

[0044] The top plate 60 is formed in a plate shape and is disposed on the lower surface of the metal plate 55. A plurality of connecting portions 61 are formed on the upper surface of the metal plate 55. Each connecting portion 61 passes through a through-hole 58 and is integrally connected to the bottom plate 40. For example, the module case 36, the case main body 56, and the metal plate 55 are integrally formed by insert molding or the like.

[0045] The contact area between the top plate 60 and the metal plate 55 is larger than the opening area of ​​each through-hole 58 , and the contact area between the bottom plate 40 and the metal plate 55 is larger than the opening area of ​​each through-hole 58 .

[0046] The top plate 60 and the bottom plate 40 are connected by a plurality of connecting portions 61 that pass through the through holes 58. Therefore, even if the power storage module 21 is subjected to vibration, the anchor effect allows the metal plate 55 to remain fixed to the case body 56 and the module case 36.

[0047] Metal plate 55 is formed to be wider in the vehicle front-rear direction than case body 56, and a lower surface 70 of metal plate 55 is exposed from case body 56. Lower surface 70 includes an exposed surface 71 located forward of case body 56 and an exposed surface 72 located rearward of case body 56.

[0048] The exposed surfaces 71 and 72 are adhered to the front wall 32 and rear wall 33 of the casing 20 by adhesive 59 .

[0049] The front wall 32 includes a base 73 and a wall 74, and the wall 74 is formed to extend upward from the upper surface of the base 73. A part of the upper surface of the base 73 is a mounting surface 77 on which the power storage module 21 is placed.

[0050] The rear wall 33 includes a base 75 and a wall 76, and the wall 76 is formed to extend upward from the upper surface of the base 75. A part of the upper surface of the base 75 is a mounting surface 78 on which the power storage module 21 is placed.

[0051] Adhesive 59 is formed between mounting surface 77 and exposed surface 71, and between mounting surface 78 and exposed surface 72. Metal plate 55, base 73, and base 75 are all made of metal. Therefore, adhesive 59 firmly bonds power storage module 21 to accommodating case 20. Furthermore, because metal plate 55, base 73, and base 75 are all made of metal, even if power storage device 6 is subjected to vibrations or the like, it is possible to prevent cracks or the like from occurring in metal plate 55, base 73, and base 75.

[0052] It is possible to omit fastening members such as bolts for fixing the power storage module 21 to the accommodating case 20. By omitting the fastening members, it is possible to increase the occupancy rate of the power storage module 21 within the accommodating case 20, and to increase the electrical capacity when the capacity of the accommodating case 20 is constant.

[0053] A thermally conductive material 80 is disposed between the bottom surface of the unit battery 37 and the bottom plate 40. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , a plurality of through holes 81 are formed in the bottom plate 40. The through holes 81 are formed so as to reach from the upper surface to the lower surface of the bottom plate 40, and part of the upper surface of the metal plate 55 is exposed through the through holes 81 from the bottom plate 40. The thermally conductive material 80 enters the through holes 81, and is in contact with the metal plate 55.

[0054] Here, the coolant C flows through the cooling passages 50, 51, 52, and 53, thereby cooling the bottom side of the unit battery 37.

[0055] In this case, the metal plate 55 is made of metal and is located close to each of the cooling passages 50, 51, 52, and 53. Therefore, the metal plate 55 is easily cooled by the cooler 22. Furthermore, because the thermally conductive material 80 is in direct contact with the metal plate 55, the unit batteries 37 can be efficiently cooled through the thermally conductive material 80. Furthermore, the unit batteries 37 include an electrode assembly (not shown) and a metal cell case that houses the electrode assembly. The thermally conductive material 80 has adhesive properties, and adheres the metal cell case and the metal plate 55 through the through-holes 81. This allows the unit batteries 37 to be efficiently fixed to the module case 36.

[0056] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV shown in Fig. 4. Cooling passage 50 and cooling passage 51 are connected, and cooling passage 52 and cooling passage 53 are connected.

[0057] A supply port 65 is formed at one end of cooling passage 50, and a discharge port 66 is formed at one end of cooling passage 51. A discharge port 67 is formed at one end of cooling passage 52, and a supply port 68 is formed at one end of cooling passage 53.

[0058] 6 is a perspective view showing one end side of cooler 22. Coolant C is supplied to cooling passages 50 and 53 from supply ports 65 and 68. Coolant C is discharged from cooling passages 51 and 52 through discharge ports 66 and 67.

[0059] Next, we will explain the supply path 15 that supplies the refrigerant C to the cooler 22 and the discharge path 16 through which the refrigerant C discharged from the cooler 22 flows. Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views showing the supply path 15, and Figures 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views showing the discharge path 16.

[0060] In this embodiment, the supply path 15 and the discharge path 16 are formed in the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41 .

[0061] 7, the right side wall 30 includes an inner surface 87 and an outer surface 88. The inner surface 87 is a surface that contacts the right side wall 41. The right side wall 41 includes an abutment surface 89 that abuts against the inner surface 87 of the right side wall 30.

[0062] The supply passage 15 includes a supply passage 17 formed in the right side wall 30 and connecting passages 85 and 86 formed in the right side wall 41. The supply passage 17 includes passages 82, 83, and 84 formed in the right side wall 30. The passage 84 extends from an outer surface 88 in the vehicle width direction W. The passage 82 and the passage 83 are connected to an end of the passage 84. The passage 82 extends from the end of the passage 84 toward the front of the vehicle and then reaches the inner surface 87. The passage 83 extends from the end of the passage 84 toward the rear of the vehicle and reaches the inner surface 87.

[0063] An opening 90 of the passage 84 is formed in the outer surface 88. A supply pipe (not shown) is connected to this opening 90. This supply pipe is connected to a heat exchanger (not shown) or the like, and refrigerant C cooled by the heat exchanger is supplied to the passage 84.

[0064] An opening 91 for the passage 82 and an opening 92 for the passage 83 are formed on the inner surface 87. A seal member 93 surrounding the opening 91 and a seal member 94 surrounding the opening 92 are arranged on the inner surface 87 of the outer surface 88.

[0065] The abutment surface 89 of the right side wall 41 abuts against an inner surface 87 of the right side wall 30, so that the connecting passage 85 is connected to the opening 91, and the connecting passage 86 is connected to the opening 92. The sealing member 93 prevents the refrigerant C from leaking from the connection portion between the passage 82 and the connecting passage 85, and the sealing member 94 prevents the refrigerant C from leaking from the connection portion between the passage 83 and the connecting passage 86. When the electricity storage module 21 is deformed so as to be longer in the vehicle width direction W due to charging and discharging, the adhesion between the abutment surface 89 and the inner surface 87 increases, and the sealing performance provided by the sealing members 93 and 94 is also improved.

[0066] The connecting passages 85, 86 are formed to extend from the contact surface 89 in the vehicle width direction W, and then extend downward. Referring to Figure 8, the lower end of the connecting passage 85 is connected to the supply port 65 of the cooler 22.

[0067] Here, the connection passage 85 is formed in the right side wall 41, and the supply port 65 of the cooler 22 is also formed in the right side wall 41. In a structure in which a supply pipe for supplying refrigerant to the cooler 22 is attached to the cooler 22, it is necessary to accurately align the supply pipe with the supply port of the cooler 22 and ensure sealing. On the other hand, in the example shown in Fig. 8, there is no need to align the supply pipe and ensure sealing, and the cooler 22 and the electricity storage module 21 can be easily assembled.

[0068] The lower end of the connecting passage 86 is connected to the supply port 68, and the connecting passage 86 and the supply port 68 are also formed in the right side wall 41. Therefore, the connecting passage 86 and the supply port 68 can also achieve the same effects as the connecting passage 85 and the supply port 65.

[0069] 9, the discharge path 16 includes a discharge passage 18 formed in the right side wall 30 and connecting passages 100 and 101 formed in the right side wall 41. The discharge passage 18 includes passages 95, 96, and 97 formed in the right side wall 30.

[0070] The passage 97 extends from the outer surface 88 in the vehicle width direction W. The passages 95 and 96 are connected to an end of the passage 97. The passage 95 extends from the end of the passage 97 toward the front of the vehicle and is formed to reach the inner surface 87. The passage 96 extends from the end of the passage 97 toward the rear of the vehicle and is formed to reach the inner surface 87. In the vehicle front-rear direction, the lengths of the passages 95 and 96 are shorter than the lengths of the passages 82 and 83 shown in FIG. 7.

[0071] An opening 102 of the passage 97 is formed in the outer surface 88. An exhaust pipe (not shown) is connected to the opening 102, and the refrigerant C discharged from the opening 102 is supplied to the heat exchanger.

[0072] An opening 103 for the passage 95 and an opening 104 for the passage 96 are formed on the inner surface 87. A seal member 105 surrounding the periphery of the opening 103 and a seal member 106 surrounding the periphery of the opening 104 are provided on the inner surface 87.

[0073] A connecting passage 100 is connected to the opening 103, and a supply passage 101 is connected to the opening 104. The sealing member 105 prevents the refrigerant C from leaking from the connection portion between the connecting passage 100 and the passage 95, and the sealing member 106 prevents the refrigerant C from leaking from the connection portion between the connecting passage 101 and the passage 96. When the energy storage module 21 is deformed so as to be longer in the vehicle width direction W due to charging and discharging, the adhesion force between the right side wall 30 and the left side wall 31 increases, and the sealing performance of the sealing members 105 and 106 also improves.

[0074] In this way, supply path 15, which supplies refrigerant C to cooler 22, and discharge path 16, through which refrigerant C discharged from cooler 22 flows, are formed inside right side wall 30 and right side wall 41. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced compared to when refrigerant C is supplied to cooler 22 or discharged from cooler 22 by connecting piping or the like to cooler 22.

[0075] 10, the connecting passage 100 extends in the vehicle width direction W and then extends downward. The lower end of the connecting passage 100 is connected to the discharge port 66. The refrigerant C discharged from the discharge port 66 flows into the connecting passage 100.

[0076] The connecting passage 101 is formed in the same manner as the connecting passage 100, and the lower end of the connecting passage 101 is connected to the discharge port 67. Here, the connecting passages 100, 101 and the discharge ports 66, 67 are all formed in the right side wall 41. Therefore, compared to when a discharge pipe for discharging the refrigerant C from the cooler 22 is connected to the cooler 22, there is no need to ensure alignment and sealing, and the accommodating case 20 and the cooler 22 can be easily assembled.

[0077] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the right side wall 30. The right side wall 30 includes an upper surface 113, a lower surface 114, a side surface 115, and a side surface 116. Note that the side surface 115 is located on the front side of the vehicle, and the side surface 116 is located on the rear side of the vehicle.

[0078] The right side wall 30 includes a wall main body 117 and a plurality of filling portions 120 to 128 filled in the wall main body 117.

[0079] A plurality of through holes extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and spaced apart in the up-down direction are formed in wall main body 117. Both ends of each through hole in the front direction of the vehicle are closed by filling portions 120-129.

[0080] As a result, a hollow portion 110, a supply passage 17, a hollow portion 111, a discharge passage 18, and a hollow portion 112 are formed in the right side wall 30. The hollow portion 110, the supply passage 17, the hollow portion 111, the discharge passage 18, and the hollow portion 112 are formed so as to be sequentially arranged from the upper surface 113 side toward the lower surface 114.

[0081] The supply passage 17 is formed above the discharge passage 18. A hollow portion 111 is formed between the supply passage 17 and the discharge passage 18. A hollow portion 110 is formed between an upper surface 113 and the supply passage 17, and a hollow portion 112 is formed between a lower surface 114 and the discharge passage 18. The wall main body 117 is formed by extrusion molding or the like.

[0082] 12 is a plan view showing the inner surface 87 of the right side wall 30. Sealing members 130 and 131 are disposed on the inner surface 87. The sealing member 130 includes sealing members 93 and 105, and connecting pieces 132 and 133. The sealing members 93 and 105 are formed in an annular shape, and the sealing members 93 and 105 are formed to surround the peripheries of the openings 91 and 103. The connecting pieces 132 and 133 are formed to connect the sealing member 93 and the sealing member 105.

[0083] The seal member 131 includes a seal member 94, a seal member 106, and connecting pieces 134 and 135. The seal members 94 and 106 are formed in an annular shape so as to surround the peripheries of the openings 92 and 104. The connecting pieces 134 and 135 are formed so as to connect the seal member 94 and the seal member 106. The seal members 130 and 131 are formed of a solid gasket or a hardening adhesive.

[0084] The right side wall 30 has an inner surface 87 formed with pins 136 and 137 that protrude from the inner surface 87 .

[0085] An abutment surface 89 of the right side wall 41 abuts against an inner surface 87 of the right side wall 30, and recesses are formed in this abutment surface 89 at positions corresponding to the pins 136 and 137. The pins 136 and 137 are inserted into the recesses of the abutment surface 89, thereby accurately positioning the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41.

[0086] Here, by aligning the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41, the supply passage 15 formed in the right side wall 30 shown in Fig. 7 can be aligned with the connecting passages 85, 86 formed in the right side wall 41, and the discharge passage 18 shown in Fig. 9 can be aligned together with the connecting passages 100, 101. This makes it possible to easily ensure the sealing performance of the supply passage 15 and the connecting passages 85, 86, and the sealing performance of the discharge passage 18 and the connecting passages 100, 101.

[0087] A description will be given of vehicle 1 equipped with power storage device 6 configured as above. With reference to Fig. 1, in a sunny state, the temperature of ground 19 may increase, and power storage device 6 may be heated by radiant heat from ground 19.

[0088] When the engine 3 is running, the engine 3 and the exhaust pipe 7 become hot, and the air around the engine 3 and the exhaust pipe 7 is heated. When the vehicle 1 is traveling, the heated air flows from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle.

[0089] In FIG. 2, radiant heat from the ground 19 is incident on the bottom plate 25 of the container case 20, and the bottom plate 25 tends to become hot.

[0090] Furthermore, when air heated by the engine 3 or the like flows toward the rear of the vehicle, the gap between the floor panel 10 and the cover member 27 is narrow, so the heated air has difficulty passing through the gap between the floor panel 10 and the cover member 27.

[0091] The flow rate of the heated air passing through the underside of the bottom plate 25 is faster than the flow rate of the heated air passing through the gap between the floor panel 10 and the cover member 27. Therefore, the amount of heat received by the bottom plate 25 from the heated air is greater than the amount of heat received by the cover member 27. For this reason, the temperature of the bottom plate 25 is likely to rise.

[0092] Meanwhile, refrigerant passage 23 including supply passage 17 and discharge passage 18 is formed in accommodating case 20, and refrigerant passage 23 is formed in a portion of accommodating case 20 that is positioned above bottom plate 25. This makes it possible to prevent the temperature of refrigerant C passing through refrigerant passage 23 from becoming too high, and refrigerant C can be supplied to cooler 22 while remaining at a low temperature. This allows electricity storage module 21 to be cooled well.

[0093] Since the cooler 22 is disposed on the underside of the power storage module 21, even if the temperature of the bottom plate 25 becomes high, the heat of the bottom plate 25 can be prevented from being transferred to the power storage module 21.

[0094] Cooler 22 is disposed above bottom plate 25 at a distance. Therefore, even if the temperature of bottom plate 25 becomes high, cooler 22 is prevented from being directly heated by bottom plate 25. This prevents a decrease in the cooling capacity of cooler 22, and allows electricity storage module 21 to be cooled well.

[0095] The right side wall 30 is provided adjacent to the member 13, and the gap between the right side wall 30 and the member 13 is small. Therefore, air heated by the engine 3 or the like is unlikely to enter between the right side wall 30 and the member 13.

[0096] Therefore, the right side wall 30 is less likely to be exposed to high-temperature air, and the temperature of the refrigerant C flowing in the refrigerant passage 23 is prevented from becoming too high. This allows the refrigerant C to be supplied to the cooler 22 at a low temperature, and the electricity storage module 21 can be cooled well.

[0097] Supply passage 17 is formed above discharge passage 18, and supply passage 17 is farther from bottom plate 25 than discharge passage 18. Therefore, the temperature of refrigerant C flowing in supply passage 17 is prevented from increasing, and the temperature of refrigerant C supplied to cooler 22 is prevented from increasing. This allows refrigerant C in a low temperature state to be supplied to cooler 22, and electricity storage module 21 can be cooled well.

[0098] The refrigerant passage 23 is formed in the right side wall 30, and no refrigerant passage is formed in the left side wall 31. This simplifies the structure of the left side wall 31, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the electricity storage device 6.

[0099] Furthermore, the exhaust pipe 7 is disposed adjacent to the left side wall 31, and the right side wall 30 in which the refrigerant passage 23 is formed is far away from the exhaust pipe 7. Therefore, even if the exhaust pipe 7 becomes hot, the refrigerant C flowing in the refrigerant passage 23 is prevented from becoming hot.

[0100] In FIG. 11, the refrigerant C flowing in the discharge passage 18 is warmed by the cooler 22, and therefore the temperature of the refrigerant C flowing in the discharge passage 18 is higher than the temperature of the refrigerant C flowing in the supply passage 17.

[0101] On the other hand, since a hollow portion 111, which is an air layer, is arranged between the discharge passage 18 and the supply passage 17, the refrigerant C flowing in the supply passage 17 is prevented from being heated by the refrigerant C flowing in the discharge passage 18.

[0102] In the vehicle front-rear direction, the length of hollow portion 111 is longer than the lengths of supply passage 17 and discharge passage 18. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent refrigerant C flowing in supply passage 17 from being heated by refrigerant C flowing in discharge passage 18.

[0103] A hollow portion 110 is provided between the upper surface 113 and the supply passage 17. Furthermore, the length of the hollow portion 110 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is longer than the length of the supply passage 17, and therefore, heat transfer from the upper surface 113 side to the supply passage 17 is suppressed. Therefore, even if the temperature of the upper surface 113 becomes high, the temperature of the refrigerant C flowing in the supply passage 17 is suppressed from increasing. In this way, the temperature of the refrigerant C flowing in the supply passage 17 is suppressed from increasing, and therefore the cooler 22 can cool the electricity storage module 21 well.

[0104] A hollow portion 112, which is an air layer, is disposed between the lower surface 114 and the discharge passage 18. Furthermore, the length of the hollow portion 112 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is longer than the length of the discharge passage 18. This effectively prevents the refrigerant C in the discharge passage 18 from being heated by heat from below. This reduces the cooling capacity required of the heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant C, allowing the heat exchanger to be made more compact.

[0105] (Variation 1) Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an electricity storage device 6A according to a first modified example. In the example shown in Fig. 13, a supply passage 17 is formed in a right side wall 30, and a discharge passage 18 is formed in a left side wall 31.

[0106] The exhaust pipe 7 is provided adjacent to the left side wall 31. Therefore, the temperature of the left side wall 31 is likely to become higher than that of the right side wall 30. On the other hand, the discharge passage 18 through which the refrigerant C flows is disposed inside the left side wall 31, so that the temperature rise of the left side wall 31 is suppressed.

[0107] This reduces the temperature difference between the right side wall 30 and the left side wall 31, and makes it possible to suppress temperature variations in the electricity storage module 21 in the vehicle width direction W. (Variation 2) 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an electric storage device 6B according to Modification 2. In electric storage device 6B, right side wall 30 and right side wall 41 are spaced apart, and left side wall 31 and left side wall 42 are spaced apart.

[0108] A supply passage 17 is formed in the right side wall 30, and a discharge passage 18 is formed in the left side wall 31. Note that the right side wall 41 does not have the connecting passages 85, 86, and the left side wall 42 does not have the connecting passages 100, 101.

[0109] The electricity storage device 6B includes a connecting pipe 140 that connects the supply passage 17 and the cooler 22, a connecting pipe 141 that connects the cooler 22 and the discharge passage 18, and fixing members that fix the electricity storage module 21 to the right side wall 30 and the left side wall 31. Note that the fixing members are not shown.

[0110] In this electricity storage device 6B as well, supply passages 17 and discharge passages 18 are formed in a portion of casing 20 that is located above bottom plate 25. Therefore, even if the temperature of bottom plate 25 becomes high, it is possible to suppress an increase in the temperature of refrigerant C flowing through supply passages 17 and discharge passages 18. This allows cooler 22 to cool electricity storage module 21 well. (Variation 3) 15 is a cross-sectional view showing an electric storage device 6C according to a third modification. In the electric storage device 6C, the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41 are also spaced apart, and the left side wall 31 and the left side wall 42 are also spaced apart.

[0111] Housing case 20C for power storage device 6C further includes side frames 144, 145. Side frames 144, 145 are arranged on the upper surface of bottom plate 25. Side frame 144 is provided so as to contact the inner surface of right side wall 30. Side frame 145 is provided so as to contact the inner surface of left side wall 31. Side frames 144, 145 are formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0112] In the electricity storage device 6C, the supply passage 17 is formed in the side frame 144, and the discharge passage 18 is formed in the side frame 145.

[0113] Electricity storage device 6C includes a connection pipe 142 that connects supply passage 17 and cooler 22, and a connection pipe 143 that connects cooler 22 and discharge passage .

[0114] In this electricity storage device 6C as well, supply passage 17 and discharge passage 18 are located above bottom plate 25 of casing 20. This prevents the temperature of refrigerant C flowing through supply passage 17 and discharge passage 18 from becoming too high. (Variation 4) 16 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6D according to a fourth modification. In the power storage device 6D, the left side wall 42 and the left side wall 31 are spaced apart, while the right side wall 41 and the right side wall 30 abut against each other. The power storage device 6D includes a fastening member 150 that connects the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41 to each other. The fastening member 150 is, for example, a bolt.

[0115] The configuration of the power storage device 6D is the same as that of the power storage device 6 of the first embodiment, except for the fastening member 150. Therefore, in the power storage device 6D as well, the supply passage 17 and the discharge passage 18 are formed in the right side wall 30, and a connecting passage connecting the cooler 22 and the supply passage 17 and a connecting passage connecting the cooler 22 and the discharge passage 18 are formed in the right side wall 41.

[0116] In this way, the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41 may be crimped together by using the fastening member 150 instead of the insert member 46 . (Variation 5) 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6E according to a fifth modified example. The power storage device 6E includes a cooler 151. The cooler 151 includes a supply duct 157, a plurality of cooling passages 158, and an exhaust duct 159.

[0117] The supply duct 157 is attached to the front wall 43 of the module case 36, and the exhaust duct 159 is attached to the rear wall 44 of the module case 36. Both the supply duct 157 and the exhaust duct 159 are formed to be elongated in the vehicle width direction W.

[0118] The cooling passages 158 are formed in the partition walls 39 of the module case 36. The cooling passages 158 are formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and communicate with the supply duct 157 and the exhaust duct 159.

[0119] A plurality of cooling passages 158 may be formed in the partition wall 39 at intervals in the height direction.

[0120] In the power storage device 6E, the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41 are tightly attached to each other by a fastening member such as a bolt (not shown). Note that an insert member 46 or the like may be inserted between the left side wall 42 and the left side wall 31 to tightly attach the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41 to each other.

[0121] A supply passage 153 and a discharge passage 154 are formed in the right side wall 30. Connection passages 155 and 156 are formed in the right side wall 41.

[0122] The supply passage 153 and the connecting passage 155 communicate with each other, and the connecting passage 155 communicates with a supply duct 157. The connecting passage 156 and the exhaust passage 154 communicate with each other, and the connecting passage 156 communicates with an exhaust duct 159.

[0123] A refrigerant C cooled by a heat exchanger (not shown) is supplied to supply passage 153. Then, refrigerant C flows sequentially through supply passage 153, connection passage 155, and supply duct 157. Refrigerant C cools unit batteries 37 by flowing through cooling passage 158.

[0124] After cooling the unit cells 37, the coolant C enters the exhaust duct 159. Thereafter, the coolant C passes through the connecting passage 156 and the exhaust passage 154 in this order, and is then cooled in the heat exchanger.

[0125] In this way, also in the power storage device 6E, the connecting passages 155 and 156 are formed in the right side wall 41, and the supply passage 153 and the supply passage 154 are formed in the right side wall 30. Therefore, by aligning the right side wall 30 and the right side wall 41, the alignment of the supply passage 154 and the connecting passage 156 and the alignment of the supply passage 153 and the connecting passage 155 can be performed simultaneously. This makes it possible to suppress misalignment of the passages, and makes it easier to ensure sealing at the connection portions of the passages.

[0126] In the power storage device 6E, the cooler 151 is provided on the side surface of the module case .

[0127] When a vehicle equipped with the electricity storage device 6E is traveling, an obstacle may fall on the road surface, and the obstacle may collide with the front wall 32 of the electricity storage device 6E.

[0128] At this time, since the supply duct 157 is provided on the front wall 43, the supply duct 157 functions as a buffer member, thereby preventing the unit batteries 37 from being subjected to a large impact force. (Variation 6) Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6F according to Modification 6. Unlike the power storage device 6 shown in Fig. 4, the power storage device 6F does not have a through-hole 81 formed in a bottom plate 40F.

[0129] Therefore, the strength of bottom plate 40F is high, and even if vibration is applied to power storage device 6F, cracks or the like can be suppressed from occurring in bottom plate 40F. Note that, in power storage device 6F as well, cooler 22 is configured integrally with module case 36. Furthermore, exposed surfaces 71, 72 of metal plate 55, which is part of cooler 22, are bonded to metal bases 73, 75, which are part of accommodating case 20, with adhesive 59. Therefore, in power storage device 6F as well, cooler 22 and power storage module 21 are well fixed to accommodating case 20. (Variation 7) 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a power storage device 6G according to Modification 7. The power storage device 6G includes a cooler 22G.

[0130] The cooler 22G includes a main body 160, and protruding portions 161 and 162. In the main body 160, cooling passages 50, 51, 52, and 53 are formed.

[0131] Protruding portion 161 is formed to protrude from the upper surface of main body portion 160 toward the rear of the vehicle, and protruding portion 162 is formed to protrude from the upper surface of main body portion 160 toward the front of the vehicle. Main body portion 160, protruding portion 161, and protruding portion 162 are formed of a metal material.

[0132] A claw portion 165 is formed at the lower end of the rear wall 44, and a claw portion 166 is formed at the lower end of the front wall 43. The claw portion 165 engages the protruding portion 161, and the claw portion 166 engages the protruding portion 162. In this way, the cooler 22G is fixed integrally to the module case 36.

[0133] A part of the lower surface of the overhanging portion 161 is exposed from the claw portion 165, and a part of the lower surface of the overhanging portion 162 is exposed from the claw portion 166. The adhesive 59 bonds the upper surface of the base 75 and the lower surfaces of the overhanging portions 161 and 162 together.

[0134] In this way, in the power storage device 6G as well, the metals are bonded together with the adhesive 59. Therefore, the cooler 22G is firmly fixed to the bases 73 and 75.

[0135] In this manner, in the power storage device 6G as well, the metal portion of the power storage module 21F and the casing 20 are bonded with adhesive 59.

[0136] This allows the power storage module 21 and the cooler 22G to be firmly fixed to the accommodating case 20 in the power storage device 6G as well, eliminating the need for fastening members such as bolts.

[0137] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the scope of the claims, and it is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0138] 1 vehicle, 2 body frame, 3 engine, 4 drive mechanism, 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F, 6G power storage device, 7 exhaust pipe, 8 engine compartment, 9 passenger compartment, 10 floor panel, 11 power split mechanism, 12 drive wheel, 13, 14 member, 15 supply path, 16 discharge path, 17, 153, 154 supply path, 18 discharge path, 19 ground, 20, 20C storage case, 21, 21F power storage module, 22, 22G, 151 cooler, 23 refrigerant path, 25, 40, 40F, 57 bottom plate, 26 peripheral wall portion, 27 cover member, 28, 29 fixing member, 30, 41 right side wall, 31, 42 left side wall, 32, 43 front wall, 33, 44 Rear wall, 35, 150 Fastening member, 36 Module case, 37 Unit cell, 38 Recessed portion, 39, 63 Partition, 46 Insert, 50, 51, 52, 53, 158 Cooling passage, 55 Metal plate, 56 Case body, 58, 81 Through hole, 59 Adhesive, 60 Top plate, 61 Connection, 62 Peripheral wall, 65, 68 Supply port, 66, 67 Discharge port, 70, 114 Underside, 71, 72 Exposed surface, 73, 75 Base, 74, 76 Wall, 77, 78 Mounting surface, 80 Thermal conductive material, 82, 83, 84, 95, 96, 97 Passage, 85, 86, 100, 101, 155, 156 Connecting passage, 87 Inner surface, 88 Outer surface, 89 Contact surface, 90,91,92,102,103,104 opening, 93,94,105,106,130,131 sealing member, 110,111,112 hollow portion, 113 upper surface, 115,116 side, 117 wall main body, 120,128,129 filling portion, 132,133,134,135 connecting piece, 136,137 pin, 140,141,142,143 connecting pipe, 144,145 side frame, 157 supply duct, 159 exhaust duct, 160 main body portion, 161,162 protrusion portion, 165,166 claw portion, C refrigerant, MG1,MG2 rotating electric machine, W vehicle width direction.

Claims

1. a power storage module including a plurality of power storage cells arranged in an arrangement direction; a housing case that houses the power storage module; a cooling device provided in the housing case and through which a refrigerant flows; Equipped with the housing case is provided on one side in the arrangement direction and includes a hollow wall having a plurality of hollow portions formed therein; The cooling device a refrigerant flow pipe passing through a portion of the hollow wall where the hollow portion is not formed and penetrating the hollow wall; a cooling wall disposed between the plurality of energy storage cells and having a cooling passage formed therein; a connecting pipe that connects the refrigerant flow pipe and the cooling passage;

2. The storage case includes a hollow fixed member provided on an outer surface of the hollow wall and formed to protrude toward one side of the arrangement direction, The power storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing member is disposed below the refrigerant flow pipe.

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