Liquid cooling plate and battery module

Abstract

A liquid cooling plate (100) and a battery module. The liquid cooling plate comprises a first liquid cooling portion (10) and a second liquid cooling portion (20) which are perpendicular to each other, the first liquid cooling portion (10) being located at the middle position of the second liquid cooling portion (20). A first plate body (110) comprises the first liquid cooling portion (10), which is provided with a first flow channel (30), and a cover body portion (105) of the second liquid cooling portion (20); and a second plate body (120) is connected to the cover body portion (105) and a second flow channel (40) is formed therebetween, the first flow channel (30) being in communication with the second flow channel (40).

Description

Liquid cooling plate and battery module

[0001] Priority information

[0002] This application claims priority and benefits of patent application No. 2023107368865 filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on June 21, 2023, and the entire text of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application generally relates to the technical field of liquid cooling devices, and more specifically to a liquid cooling plate and a battery module. Background Art

[0004] Secondary batteries generate significant amounts of heat during the charging and discharging process. The accumulation and uneven distribution of heat directly compromises the battery's electrochemical and safety performance. Excessively high battery temperatures can degrade performance and easily lead to thermal runaway, which can severely cause fire, combustion, or even explosion. Therefore, battery modules or battery boxes require appropriate cooling measures. In harsh operating conditions, batteries require appropriate heating and cooling to maintain operation within their recommended temperature range and ensure thermal safety.

[0005] As a key component of the battery module thermal management system, the liquid cold plate is responsible for cooling, heating, and temperature balancing the battery. However, most battery modules currently use active thermal management, resulting in low thermal efficiency and poor overall temperature uniformity.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned defects or deficiencies in the prior art, it is desired to provide a liquid cooling plate and a battery module that can improve the overall temperature uniformity of the battery module and enhance the thermal management efficiency.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present application provides a liquid cooling plate, comprising a first liquid cooling portion and a second liquid cooling portion arranged perpendicular to each other, wherein the first liquid cooling portion is located in the middle of the second liquid cooling portion along a first direction, and the liquid cooling plate comprises:

[0009] a first plate body, wherein the first plate body is an integrated structure, the first plate body comprises a cover portion of the first liquid cooling portion and the second liquid cooling portion, and the first plate body is provided with a first flow channel of the first liquid cooling portion;

[0010] The second plate body is an integrated structure, the second plate body is fixedly connected to the cover body, and a second flow channel of the second liquid cooling part is formed between the second plate body and the cover body, wherein the first flow channel is connected to the second flow channel.

[0011] In a second aspect, the present application provides a battery module, which includes at least two battery cells and a liquid cooling plate as described above.

[0012] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application may have the following beneficial effects:

[0013] The liquid cooling plate provided in the embodiment of the present application can realize simultaneous heating or cooling of the bottom surface and the side surface of the battery module, has a large heat exchange area, increases the contact area between the liquid cooling plate and the battery cell, and improves the uniformity of heat exchange; has a simple manufacturing process, high space utilization, simple installation process, good sealing performance, no leakage risk, high structural strength of the thermal management system, and uniform medium flow distribution; can realize heating, cooling or heat preservation of the battery cell, ensure that the battery cell operates within an appropriate temperature range, reduce the risk of thermal failure of the battery, and increase the service life of the battery module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Other features, objects and advantages of the present application will become more apparent upon reading the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments made with reference to the following drawings:

[0015] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a liquid cooling plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a first plate body provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] FIG3 is a cross-sectional view at AA in FIG2 ;

[0018] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a second plate body provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a first plate and a second plate after assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a second flow channel provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of another liquid cooling plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG8 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point B in FIG6;

[0023] FIG9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid cooling plate at a groove position according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of another liquid cooling plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a third plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG12 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a liquid cooling plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG13 is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of a liquid cooling plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG14 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point C in FIG13;

[0029] FIG15 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module provided by an embodiment of the present application with some battery cells removed.

[0031] In the figure: 100, liquid cooling plate; 10, first liquid cooling section; 20, second liquid cooling section; 30, first flow channel; 40, second flow channel; 110, first plate; 120, second plate; 130, third plate; 101, first portion; 102, second portion; 103, third portion; 104, fourth portion; 105, cover; 111, first side surface; 112, second side surface; 113, first bend; 114, second bend; 115, third bend; 116, first flow channel split; 117, second flow channel split; 310, first straight segment; 320, second straight segment; 330, first circuitous segment; 301, first branch channel; 302, second branch channel; 303, first circuitous branch channel; 304, third branch channel; 305, fourth branch channel; 306, second circuitous branch channel; 211, first surface; 212, second surface; 213, third flow channel segment; 410, third straight segment; 420, fourth straight segment; 430, second winding segment; 2101, groove surface; 2102, bottom surface; 50, first interface; 60, second interface; 70, third interface; 80, fourth interface; 90, external tube; 1010, liquid inlet; 1020, liquid outlet; 510, groove; 520, diverter groove; 530, insulation channel; 540, rivet; 550, fixing hole; 560, sealing portion; 570, through hole; 580, sealing member; 200, battery cell; 300, connecting piece; 400, first thermal pad; 500, second thermal pad; 201, first surface; 202, second surface; 203, third surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for the purpose of explaining the relevant invention and are not intended to limit the invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only portions relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0033] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features of the embodiments in this application can be combined with each other. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0034] Please refer to Figure 1 for details. The present application provides a liquid cooling plate 100, comprising a first liquid cooling portion 10 and a second liquid cooling portion 20 arranged perpendicular to each other. The first liquid cooling portion 10 is located in the middle of the second liquid cooling portion 20 along a first direction. The liquid cooling plate 100 includes:

[0035] A first plate 110, which is an integrated structure. The first plate 110 includes a cover portion 105 of the first liquid cooling unit 10 and the second liquid cooling unit 20. The first flow channel 30 of the first liquid cooling unit 10 is provided on the first plate 110;

[0036] The second plate body 120 is an integrated structure. The second plate body 120 is fixedly connected to the cover body 105. A second flow channel 40 of the second liquid cooling part 20 is formed between the second plate body 120 and the cover body 105, wherein the first flow channel 30 is connected to the second flow channel 40.

[0037] In this application, a T-shaped liquid cooling plate 100 is formed by a first liquid cooling part 10 and a second liquid cooling part 20 that are perpendicular to each other. This allows for simultaneous heating or cooling of the bottom and sides of the battery module. This results in a large heat exchange area, which increases the contact area between the liquid cooling plate 100 and the battery cell 200 and improves heat exchange uniformity. Simultaneous cooling or heating of the bottom and sides of the battery cell 200 can be accomplished using only one external heating or cooling circulation system, reducing the complexity of the external circulation system. Aluminum plates can be used for the first plate 110, the second plate 120, and the third plate 130 in this application. These plates have a high thermal conductivity and are easily processed by bending, stamping, and other processes.

[0038] The liquid cooling plate 100 has a simple manufacturing process, high space utilization, simple installation, good sealing performance, no risk of leakage, a strong thermal management system structure, and uniform medium flow distribution. In this application, the liquid cooling plate 100 can be used to heat, cool, or insulate the battery cells 200, ensuring that the battery cells 200 operate within an appropriate temperature range and reducing the risk of thermal failure.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the first plate 110 includes a first portion 101, a second portion 102, a third portion 103, and a fourth portion 104, which are arranged in a continuous pattern. The bending angle between the first portion 101 and the second portion 102 is equal to or approximately 90°, the bending angle between the second portion 102 and the third portion 103 is equal to or approximately 180°, and the bending angle between the third portion 103 and the fourth portion 104 is equal to or approximately 90°. The first portion 101 and the fourth portion 104 are connected at one end and extend in opposite directions from the connected end. The first portion 101 and the fourth portion 104 form the cover portion 105.

[0040] It should be noted that the term "equal" as used in the embodiments of this application refers to strict angular consistency, while "nearly equal" refers to approximate angular consistency, including the stated value and an average value within an acceptable deviation range of the specified value, where the acceptable deviation range is determined by a person skilled in the art taking into account process manufacturing errors or measurement-related errors. For example, the error range is within 0-5%. In this application, a certain curved transition surface may also exist between the first portion 101 and the second portion 102, which may be adjusted according to the application scenario in specific applications.

[0041] In the embodiment of the present application, the cover portion 105 is composed of two coplanar first portions 101 and fourth portions 104 formed by bending the first plate 110. The cover portion 105 can be used to fix the second plate 120 on one hand, and can also serve as a cover for the second flow channel 40 on the other hand, forming the second flow channel 40 by forming a recessed groove (third flow channel segment 213) formed on the second plate 120. In the embodiment of the present application, the cover portion 105 is planar in shape, which can facilitate the fixed installation of the liquid cooling plate and the battery cell, etc., but this does not constitute a limitation of the embodiment of the present application. In different embodiments, the cover portion 105 can also be provided with recessed grooves or other methods to further define the shape of the second flow channel 40.

[0042] In the present application, before the first plate body 110 is bent, the first plate body 110 includes a first side surface 111 and a second side surface 112 arranged opposite to each other. After bending, the second part 102 and the third part 103 have the same height, the second side surface 112 of the second part 102 and the second side surface 112 of the third part 103 are arranged adjacent to each other, the first side surface 111 of the second part 102 and the second side surface 112 of the third part 103 are arranged opposite to each other, the first part 101 and the fourth part 104 are located on the same horizontal side surface and form the cover body 105 of the second liquid cooling part 20, the first side surface 111 of the first part 101 and the first side surface 111 of the fourth part 104 are aligned, the second side surface 112 of the first part 101 and the second side surface 112 of the fourth part 104 are aligned, and the width of the first part 101 is the same as the width of the fourth part 104.

[0043] It is understandable that due to the thickness limitation of the first plate 110, the second side surfaces 112 cannot be completely fitted with each other at each bending position, and some gaps still exist. In the embodiment of the present application, the first plate 110 includes a first bending portion 113 between the first portion 101 and the second portion 102, a second bending portion 114 between the second portion 102 and the third portion 103, and a third bending portion 115 between the third portion 103 and the fourth portion 104. When the first flow channel 30 is set, a certain distance is set between the first flow channel 30 and the first bending portion 113, the second bending portion 114, and the third bending portion 115 to prevent leakage and other problems.

[0044] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present application, the second portion 102 and the third portion 103 are sealed by welding. In the present application, a welding process is used to weld the second portion 102 and the third portion 103. On one side, the second portion 102 and the third portion 103 are fixed; on the other side, a seal is also achieved between the second portion 102 and the third portion 103, thereby sealing the first flow channel 30 and preventing fluid leakage. Welding methods can include laser welding, friction stir welding, and other methods. Welding locations can be set on the first region between the first flow channel 30 and the first bend 113, the second region between the first flow channel 30 and the second bend 114, and the third region between the first flow channel 30 and the third bend 115. Of course, other sealing methods can be used in other embodiments, such as sealant, and this application does not limit this.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG3 , a first flow channel split body 116 is provided on the second portion 102 , and a second flow channel split body 117 is provided on the third portion 103 . The first flow channel split body 116 and the second flow channel split body 117 are arranged relative to each other to form a first flow channel 30 .

[0046] On the first liquid cooling part 10, the first flow channel 30 includes a first straight segment 310 and a second straight segment 320 arranged in parallel. The first straight segment 310 and the second straight segment 320 are connected at one end through a first detour segment 330, and are disconnected at the other end. The first straight segment 310 is provided with a first interface 50 at the other end, and the second straight segment 320 is provided with a second interface 60 at the other end.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this application, the first direction is defined as the width direction along the second liquid-cooling unit 20, the second direction is defined as the length direction along the first liquid-cooling unit 10 and the second liquid-cooling unit 20, and the third direction is defined as the height direction along the first liquid-cooling unit 10. The first straight segment 310 and the second straight segment 320 extend along the second direction, respectively. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction in a horizontal plane. The first portion 101 and the fourth portion 104 are respectively provided on either side of the first liquid-cooling unit 10 along the first direction.

[0048] Specifically, in the present application, the first flow channel split 116 includes a first channel 301 and a second channel 302 arranged in parallel, and a first detour channel 303 between the first channel 301 and the second channel 302; the first flow channel split 116 on the second part 102 includes a first channel 301 and a second channel 302 arranged in parallel, and a first detour channel 303 between the first channel 301 and the second channel 302; the second flow channel split 117 includes a third channel 304 and a fourth channel 305 arranged in parallel, and a second detour channel 306 between the third channel 304 and the fourth channel 305. When forming the first liquid cooling portion 10, the first branch channel 301 and the third branch channel 304 are symmetrically arranged about the second side surface 112 of the second portion 102, and form a first straight segment 310 after the second portion 102 and the third portion 103 are sealed; the second branch channel 302 and the fourth branch channel 305 are symmetrically arranged about the second side surface 112 of the second portion 102, and form a second straight segment 320 after the second portion 102 and the third portion 103 are sealed; the first detour branch channel 303 and the second detour branch channel 306 are symmetrically arranged about the second side surface 112 of the second portion 102, and form a first detour segment 330 after the second portion 102 and the third portion 103 are sealed.

[0049] Optionally, the first flow channel segment 116 and the second flow channel segment 117 are formed by stamping, and when the first plate 110 is not bent, the stamping protrusions formed on the first flow channel segment 116 and the stamping protrusions formed on the second flow channel segment 117 face the same stamping direction. For example, in this application, the first flow channel segment 116 and the second flow channel segment 117 are stamped from the second side surface 112 toward the first side surface 111, and then, after being bent 180°, the stamping directions of the first flow channel segment 116 and the second flow channel segment 117 face opposite directions.

[0050] Similarly, as shown in Figure 4, a third flow channel split 213 is provided on the second plate body 120. The third flow channel split 213 is formed by stamping. The third flow channel split 213 includes a groove surface 2101 and a bottom surface 2102. The bottom surface 2102 protrudes toward the side away from the cover body 105. The third flow channel split 213 and the cover body 105 form the second flow channel 40.

[0051] The second flow channel 40 includes a third straight segment 410 and a fourth straight segment 420 arranged in parallel. The third straight segment 410 and the fourth straight segment 420 are connected at one end via a second detour segment 430. The other end is disconnected, and the third straight segment 410 is connected to the third port 70 at the other end, while the fourth straight segment 420 is connected to the fourth port 80 at the other end. The arrangement of the third straight segment 410, the fourth straight segment 420, and the second detour segment 430 is similar to the arrangement of the first straight segment 310, the second straight segment 320, and the first detour segment 330. It is worth noting that, as shown in Figures 4-5, the second plate body 120 includes a first surface 211 and a second surface 212 arranged opposite to each other, the first surface 211 is adjacent to the second surface 202 of the first plate body 110, and the stamping direction of the third flow channel split 213 is from the first surface 211 to the second surface 212. In this application, the third straight line segment 410 corresponds to the first part 101, and the fourth straight line segment 420 corresponds to the fourth part 104. Since the first part 101 and the fourth part 104 are horizontal planes corresponding to the second surface 202, no stamping area is set. Therefore, the second flow channel 40 is formed only by sealing the third flow channel split 213 on the second plate body 120 and the flat second side surface 112 (shown in Figure 6) on the first plate body 110.

[0052] In the embodiment of the present application, the sealing of the second flow channel 40 can also be achieved by welding, and the present application does not limit this. In the present application, a sealing method of a holeless rivet 540 is also provided, and the first plate 110 and the second plate 120 and / or the third plate 130 are sealed and connected by a holeless rivet 540, that is, the edge portions of the first plate 110, the second plate 120, and the third plate 130 are riveted with holes, so that the parts of the plates at the junction can be tightly pressed to improve the sealing degree. In the embodiment of the present application, the riveting position of the holeless rivet 540 is not limited. In some embodiments, it can be riveted at the position of the insulation channel 530 and the position of the diverter groove 520 corresponding to the first plate 110 and the second plate 120. The second part 102 and the third part 103 can also be sealed or further sealed by using a hole-free rivet 540, as shown in Figure 7. In other embodiments, the riveting position can be set at any position on the contact surface between the second plate 120 and the third plate 130, for example, at the position of the groove 510, etc., and the present application does not limit this.

[0053] In the present application, the first liquid cooling part 10 formed by an integrated bending method can be sealed at various edge positions of the first flow channel 30 by welding, riveting, etc., avoiding the plugging method used in some existing designs, which can reduce the risk of leakage.

[0054] It should be further clarified that the present application only uses the example of the first flow channel 30 comprising two straight segments. In different embodiments, to improve heat exchange efficiency, more straight segments may be provided to form a serpentine channel. The present application does not limit the specific shapes of the first flow channel 30 and the second flow channel 40. Of course, in other embodiments, the first flow channel 30 and the second flow channel 40 may also be configured to have a curved shape, an S-shape, or the like.

[0055] In the embodiment of the present application, the first flow channel 30 and the second flow channel 40 are connected, and the communication is achieved by a connecting pipe arranged outside the flow channel. Please continue to refer to Figures 6 and 8, the first interface 50 is arranged on the second part 102 and / or the third part 103, and the second interface 60 is arranged on the second part 102 and / or the third part 103. It can be understood that the setting positions of the first interface 50 and the second interface 60 are not limited in this application. The first interface 50 and the second interface 60 can be arranged on the same part or on different parts. In this application, the first interface 50 and the second interface 60 are both arranged on the second part 102 for exemplary description.

[0056] Specifically, the first portion 101 is provided with a third interface 70 that communicates with the second flow channel 40, and the fourth portion 104 is provided with a fourth interface 80 that communicates with the second flow channel 40; the second straight segment 320 is provided below the first straight segment 310 on a side close to the first portion 101; the first interface 50 is a liquid inlet, and the second interface 60 is connected to one of the third interface 70 and the fourth interface 80 that is located on the same side as the second interface 60 via an external pipe 90; the other of the third interface 70 and the fourth interface 80 is a liquid outlet. For example, the third interface 70 and the second interface 60 are located on the same side of the first liquid cooling unit 10, and the third interface 70 and the second interface 60 are connected via an external pipe 90; the first interface 50 is a liquid inlet connected to a liquid inlet pipe 1010, and the fourth interface 80 is a liquid outlet connected to a liquid outlet pipe 1020.

[0057] In this embodiment, the external pipe 90, the liquid outlet pipe 1020, and the liquid inlet pipe 1010 can be fixed by welding or connected using metal hose quick-connect connectors or plastic hose quick-connect connectors. In comparison, the temperature of the medium in the inflow direction is lower, and after absorbing the heat emitted by the battery cell 200, the temperature of the medium in the outflow direction is higher. In this application, by setting the liquid inlet on the first liquid cooling section 10 and the liquid outlet on the second liquid cooling section 20, the heat exchange rate of the first liquid cooling section 10 can be increased. At the same time, it can also achieve self-equalization of the medium temperature in the flow channel within the liquid cooling plate 100, achieving temperature balance of the entire liquid cooling plate 100.

[0058] It's also worth noting that, based on battery research, high thermal conductivity and rapid heat transfer are observed along the height of the battery, leading to a higher temperature distribution in the upper and middle portions of the battery cells 200. With sufficient flow pressure, the liquid cooling plate 100 can maintain full flow of heat exchange medium regardless of whether it uses a top-in, bottom-out or bottom-in, top-out configuration. However, the top-in, bottom-out configuration is more suitable for smaller flow channels, allowing the cooling medium to flow through the upper portion first. The bottom-in, top-out configuration is more suitable for larger flow channels, which increase heat exchange efficiency. This should be determined based on the application scenario.

[0059] In the present application, a heat exchange medium is provided in the first flow channel 30 and the second flow channel 40, and heat is transferred through phase changes and movement such as evaporation and condensation. In the embodiment of the present application, the cooling medium can be water or other refrigerants such as Freon, ammonia, acetone, methanol, ethanol, heptane, etc., and the present application does not limit this.

[0060] In some optional embodiments, please continue to refer to Figures 7-8, the first plate body 110 is arrayed with multiple grooves 510 corresponding to the first straight segment 310 and the second straight segment 320, and the multiple grooves 510 are arranged along the extension direction (second direction) of the first straight segment 310 or the second straight segment 320; the grooves 510 include groove walls 501 and groove bottoms 502, and the groove bottoms 502 protrude on the first plate body 110 toward the first flow channel 30.

[0061] It is understood that the shape and number of the grooves 510 are not limited in the embodiments of the present application. The cross-sectional shape of the grooves 510 parallel to the first side surface 111 can be circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, etc. The number of the grooves 510 can be determined based on the extension length of the second straight segment 320. At the location where the heat exchange medium flows through the grooves 510, the water flow is diverted into two directions, preventing stagnant flow within the straight segment, thus having a diversion effect. As part of the solid wall surface of the first liquid cooling unit 10, the grooves 510 can also increase the contact area between the heat exchange medium and the inner wall of the first flow channel 30, further improving the cooling effect. In addition, the grooves 510 can also increase the structural strength to a certain extent, thereby avoiding the risk of flow channel failure or rupture caused by uneven force or stress concentration.

[0062] As shown in Figure 9 of the present application, the groove 510 is provided on both the second part 102 and the third part 103. After the first plate 110 is bent to form the first liquid cooling part 10, a gap is provided between the bottom 502 of the groove 510 (first groove 511) on the second part 102 and the bottom 502 of the groove 510 (second groove 512) on the third part 103.

[0063] During installation, the groove 510 is formed by stamping, and the stamping direction of the groove 510 is opposite to the stamping direction of the first flow channel segment 116 or the second flow channel segment 117. The stamping height of the groove 510 is less than the stamping height of the first flow channel segment 116 and the second flow channel segment 117. For example, in the present application, the first flow channel segment 116 and the second flow channel segment 117 are stamped from the second side surface 112 to the first side surface 111, and the stamping direction of the groove 510 is from the first side surface 111 to the second side surface 112.

[0064] In the present application, by making the stamping height of the groove 510 smaller than the stamping height of the first flow channel segment 116 and the second flow channel segment 117, a gap is provided between the groove 510 on the second portion 102 and the groove 510 on the third portion 103 after the first flow channel 30 is formed. The gap provided between the corresponding grooves 510 on both sides allows the heat exchange medium to pass through the gap. The heat exchange medium is then diverted into two streams as it passes through the grooves 510. This gap creates a turbulent flow, with the direction of the water flow slightly tilted toward the upper and lower sides of the grooves 510. Furthermore, the water flow separated by the grooves 510 increases its flow rate. In other words, upon contacting the grooves 510, the heat exchange medium can quickly form two streams with higher flow rates, each directed toward the upper and lower sides of the grooves 510. This improves the contact efficiency between the plate inner wall above the grooves 510 and the heat exchange medium, thereby enhancing the liquid cooling effect of the entire vertical liquid cooling plate 100.

[0065] In some other optional embodiments, please continue to refer to Figures 4-5, the third flow channel split 213 is provided with at least one diverter groove 520 corresponding to the third straight segment 410 and the fourth straight segment 420, and the diverter groove 520 is arranged along the extension direction of the third straight segment 410 or the fourth straight segment 420, and the diverter groove 520 is formed by stamping, and the stamping direction of the diverter groove 520 is opposite to the stamping direction of the third flow channel split 213, that is, it is stamped from the first surface 211 to the second surface 212; a gap is set between the two ends of the diverter groove 520 and the groove surface of the third flow channel split 213. In the embodiments of the present application, the shape and size of the diverter groove 520 are not limited. In some embodiments, multiple diverter grooves 520 can be arranged along the extension direction of the third straight line segment 410 (the second direction). Of course, multiple diverter grooves 520 can also be arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the third straight line segment 410 (the first direction). The arrangement of the multiple diverter grooves 520 is not limited.

[0066] When the heat exchange medium flows in the second flow channel 40 in the present application, the diverter groove 520 can divert the water flow in the third straight segment 410 or the fourth straight segment 420 into two flow directions, preventing the water flow from not flowing in the straight segment, and has a diversion effect. As part of the solid wall surface of the second liquid cooling unit 20, the diverter groove 520 can also increase the contact area between the heat exchange medium and the inner wall of the second flow channel 40, further improving the cooling effect. In addition, the diverter groove 520 can also increase a certain structural strength, which can avoid the risk of flow channel failure or rupture caused by uneven force or stress concentration. The setting method of the diverter groove 520 in the present application can refer to the setting method of the groove 510, and this application will not repeat it here.

[0067] As shown in Figures 10-12, the liquid cooling plate 100 in this application further includes:

[0068] A third plate 130 , which is disposed on a side of the second liquid cooling unit 20 away from the cover 105 , and is fixedly connected to the first plate 110 and / or the second plate 120 ;

[0069] The third plate body 130 is an integrated structure. A sealed cavity is formed between the third plate body 130 and the second plate body 120 , and a heat-insulating material is provided in the sealed cavity.

[0070] In the present application, a third plate 130 is disposed on the side of the second surface 212 of the second plate 120, and together with the cover portion 105 formed by bending the first plate 110 and the second plate 120, forms the second liquid cooling portion 20. The third plate 130 is formed into a receiving space by stamping, and the second plate 120 is placed in the receiving space. The portion of the second surface 212 of the second plate 120 where the second flow channel 40 is formed contacts the bottom surface of the receiving space, and a heat preservation channel 530 is formed between the portion of the second surface 212 where the second flow channel 40 is not formed and the receiving space. Heat preservation material is provided in the heat preservation channel 530. For example, the area on the side of the third straight segment 410 away from the fourth straight segment 420, the area between the third straight segment 410 and the fourth straight segment 420, and the area on the side of the fourth straight segment 420 away from the third straight segment 410 can all be filled with heat preservation material, and this application does not limit this. The thermal insulation material may be polyurethane, polystyrene, rock wool, glass or the like, which can save space, improve space utilization, improve the mechanical properties of the liquid cooling plate 100 , and also achieve thermal insulation functions.

[0071] In the present application, the first plate 110 and the second plate 120 are in surface contact at positions corresponding to the heat preservation channel 530. In the present application, the first plate 110 and the second plate 120 can be sealed at positions corresponding to the heat preservation channel 530 to prevent the heat exchange medium in the second channel from entering the heat preservation channel 530 through this surface. The present application does not limit the sealing method, such as non-hole riveting, welding, sealant, etc.

[0072] 13-14 , the liquid cooling plate 100 is provided with a fixing hole 550 that passes through the second liquid cooling portion 20. The fixing hole 550 can be used to securely connect the liquid cooling plate 100 to an external structure. The present application does not limit the location of the fixing hole 550.

[0073] Optionally, the fixing hole 550 is arranged on the outside of the second flow channel 40, wherein a sealing portion 560 for forming the fixing hole 550 is provided on the first part 101 and the fourth part 104, and the sealing portion 560 extends toward a side close to the second plate body 120, and a through hole 570 for the sealing portion 560 to pass through is provided on the second plate body 120.

[0074] A sealing member 580 for sealing the fixing hole 550 is further provided between the second plate 120 and the third plate 130 . The outer diameter of the sealing member 580 is greater than the diameter of the fixing hole 550 on the third plate 130 .

[0075] The fixing hole 550 described in this application includes a first through hole portion arranged on the sealing part 560, a part of the second through hole portion arranged on the second plate body 120, a third through hole portion arranged on the sealing member 580, and a fourth through hole portion arranged on the third plate body 130 along the third direction.

[0076] A sealing portion 560 is formed by punching the first plate body 110 in a direction from the first side surface 111 to the second side surface 112, and the sealing portion 560 protrudes from the second side surface 112 of the first plate body 110. The first through hole is provided at the center of the sealing portion 560. After the first plate body 110 and the second plate body 120 are fixed, the sealing portion 560 extends into the through hole 570 on the second plate body 120. It can be understood that the sizes of the sealing portion 560 and the through hole 570 are not limited in the embodiment of the present application. For the convenience of installation, the sealing portion 560 does not exceed the second surface 212 of the second plate body 120.

[0077] By setting a seal 580 between the second plate body 120 and the third plate body 130, that is, the seal 580 is set in the accommodating space, one end of the seal 580 can be fixed to the second plate body 120, and the other end is fixed to the third plate body 130. The outer diameter of the seal 580 is larger than the diameter of the fixing hole 550 on the third plate body 130, and the outer diameter of the seal 580 is also larger than the inner diameter of the sealing part 560 on the third plate body 130, so that sealing at the position of the fixing hole 550 can be achieved to prevent liquid leakage.

[0078] Based on the same inventive concept, as shown in Figures 15-16, the present application provides a battery module, including at least two battery modules, each of which includes at least one battery cell 200, and a liquid cooling plate 100 as described above is arranged between two adjacent battery modules.

[0079] The battery module in this embodiment includes but is not limited to rectangular battery cells 200. At the same time, the number of battery cells 200 in the battery module is not limited. The number of battery cells 200 can be two, four or more. The battery module is formed by arranging them in sequence. Two adjacent battery modules are arranged on both sides of the liquid cooling plate 100, and the number is determined according to the scenario in the specific application.

[0080] Optionally, the battery cell 200 includes a first surface 201, a second surface 202, and a third surface 203, which are perpendicular to each other. The first surface 201 is provided with a connector for electrically connecting two adjacent battery cells 200. The third surface 203 is arranged opposite to the first surface 201. The area of ​​the first surface 201 is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface 202. The second surface 202 is in contact with the first liquid cooling part 10 through the first thermal pad 400 and / or the third surface 203 is in contact with the second liquid cooling part 20 through the second thermal pad 500.

[0081] In the present application, the large surface of the battery cell 200 can be in contact with the first liquid cooling part 10, and the small surface can be in contact with the second liquid cooling part 20, so as to achieve uniform heat exchange of the battery cell 200. This can avoid the problem of local high temperature of the battery cell 200 due to poor contact between the liquid cooling plate 100 and the single battery, thereby extending the service life of multiple battery cells 200, and improving the thermal management performance of the battery cell 200, so that the battery module has high consistency during use, avoiding thermal runaway, and ensuring the safety of the battery cell 200. The thermal pad is bonded to the first surface 201 of the first plate body 110, and the battery cell 200 contacts the liquid cooling plate 100 through the thermal pad, which can improve the heat transfer efficiency between the liquid cooling plate 100 and the battery, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0082] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0083] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0084] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the technical field of this application. The terms used herein are only for describing specific implementation purposes and are not intended to limit this application. Terms such as "setting" appearing in this document can mean that one component is directly attached to another component, or that one component is attached to another component through an intermediate component. Features described in this document in one embodiment may be applied to another embodiment alone or in combination with other features, unless the feature is not applicable in the other embodiment or otherwise specified.

[0085] The present application has been described through the above embodiments, but it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative and illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present application to the described embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many more variations and modifications may be made based on the teachings of this application, and all of these variations and modifications fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A liquid cooling plate, characterized in that: The liquid cooling plate comprises a first liquid cooling part and a second liquid cooling part which are arranged perpendicular to each other, wherein the first liquid cooling part is located at a middle position of the second liquid cooling part along a first direction, and the liquid cooling plate comprises: A first plate body, wherein the first plate body is an integrated structure, the first plate body comprises a cover portion of the first liquid cooling portion and the second liquid cooling portion, and a first flow channel of the first liquid cooling portion is disposed on the first plate body; The second plate body is an integrated structure, the second plate body is fixedly connected to the cover body, a second flow channel of the second liquid cooling part is formed between the second plate body and the cover body, wherein the first flow channel is connected to the second flow channel.

2. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first plate body includes a first part, a second part, a third part, and a fourth part which are arranged continuously, wherein one end of the first part and the fourth part are connected to each other, and the first part and the fourth part extend in opposite directions from the connected ends, and the first part and the fourth part form the cover body.

3. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second part is provided with a first flow channel split body, the third part is provided with a second flow channel split body, and the first flow channel split body and the second flow channel split body are arranged opposite to each other to form a first flow channel.

4. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first flow channel includes a first straight segment and a second straight segment arranged in parallel, wherein the first straight segment and the second straight segment are connected at one end through a first detour segment and are disconnected at the other end, and the first straight segment is provided with a first interface at the other end, and the second straight segment is provided with a second interface at the other end; The first part is provided with a third interface communicating with the second flow channel, and the fourth part is provided with a fourth interface communicating with the second flow channel; The second straight line segment is arranged on a side below the first straight line segment and close to the first part; the first interface is a liquid inlet; the second interface is connected to one of the third interface and the fourth interface arranged on the same side as the second interface through an external pipe; the other of the third interface and the fourth interface is a liquid outlet; The second flow channel includes a third straight segment and a fourth straight segment arranged in parallel, the third straight segment and the fourth straight segment are connected at one end through a second detour segment, and are disconnected at the other end and the third straight segment is connected to the third interface at the other end, and the fourth straight segment is connected to the fourth interface at the other end.

5. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first flow channel split body and the second flow channel split body are formed by stamping, and when the first plate body is not bent, the stamping protrusion formed by the first flow channel split body and the stamping protrusion formed by the second flow channel split body face the same stamping direction.

6. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first plate body is provided with a plurality of grooves in an array corresponding to the first straight line segment and the second straight line segment, and the plurality of grooves are arranged along the extension direction of the first straight line segment or the second straight line segment; the grooves include a groove wall and a groove bottom, and the groove bottom protrudes on the first plate body toward the first flow channel.

7. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 6, characterized in that: The groove is provided on both the second part and the third part. After the first plate is bent to form the first liquid cooling part, a gap is provided between the groove bottom on the groove on the second part and the groove bottom on the groove on the third part.

8. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 7, characterized in that: The groove is formed by stamping, the stamping direction of the groove is opposite to the stamping direction of the first flow channel split body or the second flow channel split body, and the stamping height of the groove is smaller than the stamping heights of the first flow channel split body and the second flow channel split body.

9. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 4, characterized in that: A third flow channel split body is arranged on the second plate body, and the third flow channel split body is formed by stamping. The third flow channel split body includes a groove surface and a bottom surface, and the bottom surface protrudes in a direction away from the cover body. The third flow channel split body and the cover body form the second flow channel.

10. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 9, characterized in that: At least one diverter groove is provided in the third flow channel body, and the diverter groove is provided along the extension direction of the third straight line segment or the fourth straight line segment; the diverter groove is formed by stamping, and the stamping direction of the diverter groove is opposite to the stamping direction of the third flow channel body; A gap is provided between the two ends of the diverter groove and the groove surface of the third flow channel split body.

11. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 2, characterized in that: The liquid cooling plate also includes: A third plate body, the third plate body is arranged on a side of the second liquid cooling part away from the cover body part, and the third plate body is fixedly connected to the first plate body and / or the second plate body; The third plate body is an integrated structure. A sealed cavity is formed between the third plate body and the second plate body. A heat-insulating material is arranged in the sealed cavity.

12. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 11, characterized in that: The liquid cooling plate is provided with a fixing hole penetrating the second liquid cooling part, and the fixing hole is arranged outside the second flow channel, wherein: The first part and the fourth part are provided with a sealing portion for forming the fixing hole, the sealing portion extends toward a side close to the second plate body, and the second plate body is provided with a through hole for the sealing portion to pass through; A sealing member for sealing the fixing hole is also arranged between the second plate body and the third plate body, and an outer diameter of the sealing member is greater than a diameter of the fixing hole on the third plate body.

13. A battery module, characterized in that: The battery module comprises at least two battery cells and a liquid cooling plate as described in any one of claims 1-12.

14. The battery module according to claim 13, characterized in that: The battery cell includes a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface that are perpendicular to each other. A connector for electrically connecting two adjacent battery cells is provided on the first surface. The third surface is arranged opposite to the first surface. The area of ​​the first surface is smaller than that of the second surface. The second surface is in contact with the first liquid cooling part through a first thermal pad and / or the third surface is in contact with the second liquid cooling part through a second thermal pad.

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