Heatsink assembly

Abstract

In one example, the disclosed heat sink assembly includes a plurality of heat sinks, each having a plurality of ribs integrally formed by extrusion molding along its internal longitudinal direction, with channels for refrigerant flow formed in the spaces between the ribs, each with open first and second faces at both longitudinal ends, and a communication port on one of the side walls adjacent to the first and / or second faces, the plurality of heat sinks forming a single heat sink module by the side walls forming a joint surface so that the communication ports coincide, the entire channel of the heat sink module being fluid-communicated by the communication port, the ribs of the heat sink having a length such that both ends are spaced a predetermined distance from the first and second faces, and the open first and second faces at both ends of the heat sink module are closed by a pack frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat sink assembly that is mounted on the bottom surface of a battery pack equipped with a plurality of secondary batteries and promotes heat dissipation of the battery pack.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0071929 filed on June 2, 2023, and all the contents disclosed in the literature of the Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries are rechargeable and have been extensively researched and developed in recent years due to their potential for miniaturization and increased capacity. With the increasing technological development and demand for mobile devices, as well as the emergence of electric vehicles and energy storage systems in line with the contemporary requirements of environmental protection, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source has been increasing even more rapidly.

[0004] Secondary batteries are classified into coin-type batteries, cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, and pouch-type batteries according to the shape of the battery case. The electrode assembly mounted inside the battery case in a secondary battery is a power generation element capable of charge and discharge, which consists of a laminated structure of electrodes and a separator.

[0005] Since secondary batteries are required to be used continuously for a long period of time, it is necessary to effectively control the heat generated during the charge and discharge process. If the cooling of the secondary battery is not carried out smoothly, the temperature rise will cause an increase in current, and the increase in current will cause a positive feedback chain reaction that causes the temperature to rise again, and ultimately lead to a catastrophic state of thermal runaway.

[0006] In order to effectively release the heat generated in secondary batteries, heat sinks (also called cooling plates) through which a refrigerant flows are widely used. The heat sink is mounted on the bottom surface of a group consisting of a large number of secondary batteries, for example, a battery pack equipped with a large number of secondary batteries, and functions as a cooler that absorbs the heat generated inside the pack with the refrigerant and releases it to the outside.

[0007] Heat sinks can be divided into brazed heat sinks and extruded heat sinks depending on their structure or manufacturing method. Brazed heat sinks have a structure in which two plate materials are brazed together to form a flow channel. While this offers a high degree of freedom in flow channel design, it has the disadvantage of being structurally rigid due to a decrease in material properties. In contrast, extruded heat sinks, which are manufactured as a continuous body by extrusion molding, have an advantage in structural rigidity, but they can only realize straight flow channels, and have the disadvantage of having many ports, which in turn require pipes to occupy space for connection. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a heat sink assembly that, despite being an extruded heat sink, does not require separate pipes for flow channel formation, occupies less space, and can improve differential pressure by reducing the number of parts with a simplified flow channel configuration.

[0009] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by an ordinary person of the art from the description of the invention below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention relates to a heat sink assembly, in one example, comprising a plurality of heat sinks in which a plurality of ribs are integrally molded along the internal longitudinal direction by extrusion, and a flow path for a coolant is formed in the space between the ribs, and the first and second surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction are open, and a communication opening is provided on one side wall adjacent to the first and / or second surfaces, the plurality of heat sinks forming a single heat sink module by the side walls forming a joint surface such that the communication openings coincide, the overall flow path of the heat sink module is fluidly connected by the communication opening, the ribs of the heat sink have a length such that both ends are separated by a predetermined distance from the first and second surfaces, and the open first and second surfaces at both ends of the heat sink module are closed by a pack frame.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pack frame is a pair of side frames, which are welded to both ends of the heat sink module.

[0012] The above-mentioned heat sink module may have ports on the outermost heat sink on both sides in the width direction of the heat sink module, each communicating with the above-mentioned flow path.

[0013] The above-mentioned ports may be located in the space between the pack frame and the ribs on the first or second surface.

[0014] The above-mentioned port may be located diagonally opposite to the above-mentioned communication opening.

[0015] Furthermore, the ribs may be arranged such that the closer their ends are to the ports or communication openings, the further they are from the first or second surface.

[0016] On the other hand, the heat sink assembly of the present invention comprises a plurality of heat sink modules, and the pack frame includes a center frame and a side frame, and the first surface of one heat sink module and the second surface of another heat sink module are joined to the center frame and closed, and the first or second surfaces of two heat sink modules arranged on the outermost periphery in the longitudinal direction may be joined to the side frame and closed.

[0017] The multiple heat sink modules described above can be interconnected by fluids to form an overall flow path.

[0018] For example, in the above-mentioned multiple heatsink modules, the outlet port of one heatsink module is connected to the inlet port of another heatsink module, and the inlet port and outlet port of the two adjacent heatsink modules may be selected as the ports closest to each other.

[0019] Here, the two heat sink modules can be fluidly connected by a pipe member that connects the inlet port and the outlet port.

[0020] Alternatively, the two heat sink modules described above can be fluidly connected by connection holes formed through the surface of each heat sink module to communicate with an internal flow path, and by a cross plate that encloses the connection holes and seals them from the outside.

[0021] Depending on the embodiment, the connection holes and cross plate may be located on the bottom surface of the heat sink module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] The heat sink assembly of the present invention having the above-described configuration has excellent structural rigidity due to the heat sink being manufactured as a continuous body by extrusion molding. On the other hand, by machining the longitudinal ends and side walls of the ribs integrally formed on the heat sink, while forming an internal flow path between the mutually joined heat sinks, the pack frame closes the open surface, so that a cooling flow path divided into an inlet and an outlet can be configured.

[0023] Thereby, the heat sink assembly of the present invention has an extruded heat sink advantageous in structural rigidity as a basic framework, but does not require a separate pipe for forming a flow path, occupies less space, and can improve the differential pressure by reducing the number of parts with a simplified flow path configuration, and can easily expand the heat dissipation area by increasing the number of joined heat sinks.

[0024] However, the technical effects that can be obtained by the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0025] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention to be described later. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] [Figure 1] It is a drawing showing a heat sink assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a partial perspective view showing the internal structure of the heat sink. [Figure 3] It is a drawing showing a structure in which a plurality of heat sinks are joined. [Figure 4] It is a drawing showing the flow of refrigerant in the heat sink assembly of FIG. 1. [Figure 5]This is a drawing showing one embodiment of a heatsink assembly including a center frame. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged view of section "A" in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This drawing shows another embodiment of the heatsink assembly, including the center frame. [Figure 8] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the bottom of section "B". [Figure 9] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] The present invention can be modified in various ways and may have a variety of embodiments; therefore, specific embodiments are described in detail below.

[0028] However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to any particular embodiment, but rather should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0029] In the present invention, terms such as "includes" and "have" are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof as described in the specification, and do not preemptively exclude the presence or possibility of adding one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0030] Furthermore, in this invention, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is described as being "on top" of another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly on top" of the other part, but also the case where another part is located in between. Conversely, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is described as being "below" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly below" the other part, but also the case where another part is located in between. Also, in this application, being "on top" may include being located not only at the top but also at the bottom.

[0031] The present invention relates to a heat sink assembly, in one example, comprising a plurality of heat sinks in which a plurality of ribs are integrally molded along the internal longitudinal direction by extrusion molding, a flow path for a coolant is formed in the space between the ribs, a first and second surface at both ends in the longitudinal direction is open, and a communication opening is provided on one side wall adjacent to the second surface, the plurality of heat sinks form a single heat sink module by the side walls forming a joint surface so that the communication openings coincide, the overall flow path of the heat sink module is fluidly connected by the communication opening, the ribs of the heat sink have a length such that both ends are separated by a predetermined distance from the first and second surfaces, and the open first and second surfaces at both ends of the heat sink module are closed by a pack frame.

[0032] The heat sink assembly of the present invention, having the above configuration, possesses excellent structural rigidity because the heat sink is manufactured as a continuous body by extrusion molding. Furthermore, by machining both longitudinal ends and side walls of the ribs integrally formed with the heat sink, an internal flow path is formed between the interconnected heat sinks, while the pack frame closes the open surface, thereby enabling the configuration of cooling channels divided into inlets and outlets.

[0033] As a result, the heat sink assembly of the present invention, while using an extruded heat sink as its basic framework, which is advantageous in terms of structural rigidity, does not require a separate pipe for forming a flow path, occupies less space, improves differential pressure by reducing the number of parts with a simplified flow path configuration, and can easily expand the heat dissipation area by increasing the number of heat sinks that are joined together.

[0034] Specific embodiments of the heat sink assembly 10 of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. For reference, the front-to-back and up-down-left-right directions used in the following description to specify relative positions are for the purpose of aiding the understanding of the invention, and unless otherwise defined, the directions shown in the drawings are used as the reference.

[0035] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a drawing showing a heat sink assembly 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a partial perspective view showing the internal structure of the heat sink 110, and Figure 3 is a drawing showing a structure in which multiple heat sinks 110 are joined together. The heat sink assembly 10 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 3.

[0036] The heat sink assembly 10 of the present invention includes a heat sink module 100 in which a plurality of heat sinks 110 are joined in a row, and a pack frame 200. The open surfaces of each heat sink 110 or heat sink module 100 are the surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction L, and for convenience of explanation, the two open surfaces are referred to as the first surface 116 and the second surface 118, respectively. Here, the longitudinal direction L is defined as the extrusion molding direction of the heat sink 110, i.e., the direction in which the ribs 112 are extended, and the width direction W is defined as the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L on a plane in which the plurality of ribs 112 are spaced apart.

[0037] All heat sinks 110 are manufactured with essentially the same structure. For example, each heat sink 110 may be manufactured as an extruded product in which multiple ribs 112 are integrally molded along the internal longitudinal direction L by extrusion molding. Several heat sinks 110 can be prepared by cutting the extruded product, which is manufactured in a continuous manner by extrusion molding, to a suitable length. Each heat sink 110 has internal flow channels 114 through which a coolant flows in the spaces between the spaced-apart ribs 112, and the first and second surfaces 116 and 118 at both ends in the longitudinal direction L are open due to the characteristics of the extruded product.

[0038] Multiple heat sinks 110 are joined together by a bonding process, such as friction stir welding, where one side wall is joined to the other. The multiple heat sinks 110 are joined sequentially in one direction, along the width direction W with respect to the drawing, and before joining, machining is performed on the closed side walls, i.e., the bonding surfaces 130, where the heat sinks 110 are joined to each other, to form communication openings 120 for all heat sinks 110. The communication openings 120 provided on the bonding surfaces 130 allow the flow paths 114 of all heat sinks 110 that make up one heat sink module 100 to be in fluid communication with each other. In other words, all flow paths 114 within the heat sink module 100 are connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel configurations so that the coolant can flow continuously.

[0039] Figure 2 shows a structure in which a communication opening 120 is formed by cutting inward for a predetermined length from the end of the side wall on the second surface 118. In other words, with reference to the drawing, the communication opening 120 is provided on one side wall adjacent to the second surface 118. Needless to say, it is also possible to form the communication opening 120 in the middle of the side wall, but in order to facilitate the flow of coolant between the heat sinks 110, it is preferable that the communication opening 120 be located at the end of the side wall.

[0040] When considering the entire heat sink module 100 as a reference, the communication ports 120 can be arranged in a zigzag pattern by alternately placing them on the first surface 116 and the second surface 118. Referring to Figure 3, adjacent communication ports 120 along the width direction W are diagonally opposite each other, which ensures uniform refrigerant flow throughout the entire heat sink module 100. In other words, the zigzag arrangement of the communication ports 120 maximizes the heat transfer area of ​​the heat sink module 100.

[0041] The communication ports 120 are provided one or two per heatsink 110, depending on the position each heatsink 110 occupies in the heatsink module 100. That is, as shown in Figure 3, each heatsink 110 is provided with a number of communication ports 120 corresponding to the number of adjacent heatsinks 110 to which it is joined. Therefore, the outermost heatsink 110 in the width direction W has one communication port 120, while the heatsinks 110 in between have two communication ports 120. When any heatsink 110 has two communication ports 120, the two communication ports 120 are arranged one on the first surface 116 and one on the second surface 118.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the heat sink module 100 is sealed by joining the pack frame 200 to the open first surface 116 and second surface 118 at both ends of the heat sink module 100. The pack frame 200 is a frame that forms part of the pack case on which the battery module or battery block is mounted, and forms the mechanical structure of the pack case to withstand various loads. The pack frame 200 is provided with a joint portion 202 having a thickness corresponding to the height of the heat sink 110, and the joint portion 202 of the pack frame 200 and the first surface 116 and second surface 118 of the heat sink 110 are joined in contact with each other face to face. By ensuring that the welding depth of the friction stir welding performed on the contacting joint portion 202 and the top and bottom of the heat sink 110 overlap, sealing can be completed on all four sides (top, bottom, left, and right) of the first surface 116 and second surface 118.

[0043] The ribs 112 of the heat sink 110 have a length such that both ends are separated by a predetermined distance from the first surface 116 and the second surface 118. This creates a space of a certain volume between the pack frame 200 and the first surface 116 and the second surface 118. In other words, this space is created by machining the ends of the ribs 112 that can be approached via the first surface 116 and the second surface 118 to a predetermined length, and forms a shared space that communicates with all the flow channels 114 between the ribs 112.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pack frame 200 is a pair of side frames 210 that form the outer surface of the pack case, and the side frames 210 are welded to the open ends of the heat sink module 100.

[0045] The heat sink module 100 may have ports 300 on both sides of the outermost heat sink 110 in the width direction W, each communicating with an internal flow path 114. The pair of ports 300 constitute an inlet and outlet for the refrigerant. That is, one port 300 is an inlet port 310 and the other is an outlet port 320. The pair of ports 300 are located in the space between the pack frame 200 and the rib 112 on the first surface 116 or the second surface 118, so that the refrigerant entering and leaving through the ports 300 is supplied to all the flow paths 114 via the inlet port 310, and the refrigerant that has passed through all the flow paths 114 is collected and discharged at the outlet port 320.

[0046] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the flow of refrigerant in the heat sink assembly 10 of Figure 1. The refrigerant that flows into the inlet port 310 flows out through each heat sink 110 along the width direction W to the outlet port 320. The adjacent communication ports 120 are arranged in a zigzag pattern, and the pair of ports 300 are also located diagonally to the communication ports 120, so that the refrigerant can flow uniformly throughout the entire heat sink module 100.

[0047] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the overall length of each rib 112 is approximately the same, but the positions of the ends of each rib 112 can be formed differently. That is, the positions of the ends of the rib 112 can be arranged so that they are further away from the first surface 116 or the second surface 118 as they get closer to the port 300 or communication opening 120 through which the refrigerant flows in or out from the outside or inside. This is to ensure a larger space in the area where the refrigerant is concentrated and flows in and out, thereby guiding the smooth flow of the refrigerant. Such variations in the structure of the rib 112 are created by adjusting the machining depth of the cutting tool approaching through the first surface 116 and the second surface 118.

[0048] (Second Embodiment) Figure 5 is a drawing showing one embodiment of a heat sink assembly 10 including a center frame 220. The embodiment in Figure 5 is for illustrating a case in which multiple heat sink modules 100 are provided. The drawing shows an example in which two heat sink modules 100 are provided, but it can be obviously understood that by increasing the number of center frames 220, one heat sink assembly 10 can be configured with three or more heat sink modules 100.

[0049] Referring to Figure 5, the heatsink assembly 10 comprises two heatsink modules 100. The pack frame 200 includes a center frame 220 and side frames 210, where the center frame 220 refers to the pack frame 200 that runs through the interior of the heatsink assembly 10. In contrast, as mentioned above, the pack frame 200 that forms the outer casing of the heatsink assembly 10 is the side frame 210.

[0050] Of the two heatsink modules 100, one heatsink module 100 is closed by joining its first surface 116 to the center frame 220, and the other heatsink module 100 is closed by joining its second surface 118 to the center frame 220. In other words, with the center frame 220 at the center, one heatsink module 100 is joined to each side in the longitudinal direction L. On the other hand, the second surface 118 and the first surface 116 of each heatsink module 100 located at the outermost edge in the longitudinal direction L are joined to the side frame 210 and closed. By applying the center frame 220, the heatsink assembly 10 extended in the longitudinal direction L becomes structurally able to withstand loads well.

[0051] Furthermore, while multiple heat sink modules 100 can constitute independent refrigerant flow paths 114, multiple heat sink modules 100 can be fluidly connected to each other to form an overall flow path 114, thereby reducing the number of pipes required to form the flow path 114 and improving space utilization efficiency.

[0052] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of section "A" in Figure 5, where the two heat sink modules 100 are fluidly connected by a pipe member 330 that connects the inlet port 310 and the outlet port 320. In other words, the internal flow paths 114 of each are connected to each other by the connection of the outlet port 320 of one heat sink module 100 to the inlet port 310 of the other heat sink module 100. This allows the entire heat sink assembly 10 to maintain a number of ports 300 as essentially one inlet port 310 and one outlet port 320.

[0053] When fluid communication is established between two heat sink modules 100, shortening the pipe member 330 is preferable from the viewpoint of improving differential pressure and saving space. Therefore, the inlet port 310 and outlet port 320 connected to each other by the pipe member 330 can be selected as the ports 300 that are closest to each other on two adjacent heat sink modules 100.

[0054] (Third embodiment) Figure 7 is a drawing showing another embodiment of the heat sink assembly 10 including the center frame 220. The difference from the second embodiment described through Figures 5 and 6 lies in the structure that fluidly communicates the two heat sink modules 100. Therefore, the third embodiment will focus on describing this fluid communication structure, and for configurations that are omitted due to duplication, refer to the second embodiment.

[0055] In Figure 7, the heat sink assembly 10 does not expose the structure that fluidly communicates the two heat sink modules 100. This is because the fluid communication structure is provided on the bottom surface of the heat sink assembly 10. Needless to say, it is also possible to place the fluid communication structure of the third embodiment on the top surface, but from the viewpoint of maximizing the mounting space for the battery and protecting it from external interference, it is preferable to hide the fluid communication structure at the bottom.

[0056] Figure 8 is a magnified view of the bottom of section "B" shown in Figure 7, and Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 8. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the two heat sink modules 100 include connection holes 140 formed through the surface of each heat sink module 100 to communicate with the internal flow path 114, and a cross plate 340 that encloses the connection holes 140 and seals them from the outside. As described above, the connection holes 140 and the cross plate 340 are located on the bottom surface of the heat sink module 100.

[0057] The flow paths 114 of each heat sink module 100 are exposed to the outside through connection holes 140 machined through the surface, but the refrigerant flowing in and out of the connection holes 140 is sealed by a cross plate 340 that encloses the connection holes 140 and seals it from the outside, thereby completing the transverse structure of the refrigerant. The cross plate 340 is welded to the center frame 220 and the heat sink module 100 along its edge. The illustrated cross plate 340 has a recessed structure 342 that is aligned in the direction in which the refrigerant flows transversely. The recessed structure 342 improves the mechanical strength of the cross plate 340, and the weld strength can also be improved by performing additional welding along the concave surfaces 344 of the recessed structure 342.

[0058] The present invention has been described in more detail above through the drawings and embodiments. However, the configurations described in the drawings or embodiments described herein are merely one embodiment of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, there may be various equivalents and modifications that can substitute for them at the time of filing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0059] 10: Heatsink Assembly 100: Heatsink Module 110: Heatsink 112: Rib 114: Flow channel 116: 1st page 118:Second side 120: Connecting port 130: Joint surface 140: Connection Hole 200: Pack Frame 202: Joint 210: Side frame 220: Center frame 300: Port 310: Inlet port 320: Outlet Port 330: Pipe components 340: Cross Plate 342: Uneven structure 344: Concave L: Long direction W: width direction

Claims

1. A heat sink assembly comprising a plurality of heat sinks, each having multiple ribs integrally molded along its internal longitudinal direction, with a flow path for a coolant in the space between the ribs, a first and second surface at both ends in the longitudinal direction being open, and a communication opening on one side wall adjacent to the first and / or second surface, Multiple heat sinks form a single heat sink module by having their side walls form a joint surface so that the communication openings coincide. The entire flow path of the heat sink module is fluidly connected through the communication port. The ribs of the heat sink have a length such that both ends are separated from the first and second surfaces by a predetermined distance. A heatsink assembly in which the first and second open surfaces at both ends of the heatsink module are closed by a pack frame.

2. The aforementioned pack frame is a pair of side frames, The heat sink assembly according to claim 1, wherein the side frames are joined to both ends of the heat sink module.

3. The aforementioned heatsink module is The heat sink assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outermost heat sinks on both sides in the width direction of the heat sink module are each provided with ports communicating with the flow path.

4. The aforementioned port is The heat sink assembly according to claim 3, located in the space between the pack frame and the rib on the first or second surface.

5. The aforementioned port is The heat sink assembly according to claim 4, which is located diagonally opposite to the aforementioned communication port.

6. The aforementioned rib is The heat sink assembly according to claim 5, wherein the positions of both ends of the ribs are arranged such that they move further away from the first or second surface as they get closer to the port or communication opening.

7. Multiple heat sink modules are provided, The aforementioned pack frame includes a center frame and side frames, The first surface of one heatsink module and the second surface of the other heatsink module are joined and closed to the center frame. The heat sink assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first or second surface of two heat sink modules positioned on the outermost periphery in the longitudinal direction is joined to and closed by the side frame.

8. The heat sink assembly according to claim 7, wherein the multiple heat sink modules are fluidly connected to each other to form the overall flow path.

9. Multiple heat sink modules, The outlet port of one heatsink module is connected to the inlet port of the other heatsink module. The heat sink assembly according to claim 8, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are the ports closest to each other on two adjacent heat sink modules.

10. The two heat sink modules mentioned above are The heat sink assembly according to claim 9, wherein fluid communication is established by a pipe member connecting the inlet port and the outlet port.

11. The two heat sink modules mentioned above are The heat sink assembly according to claim 9, wherein fluid communication is established by connection holes formed through the surface of each heat sink module so as to communicate with an internal flow path, and by a cross plate that encloses the connection holes and seals them from the outside.

12. The aforementioned connection hole and the aforementioned cross plate are The heat sink assembly according to claim 11, which is disposed on the bottom surface of the heat sink module.

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