Cooling assembly and battery pack

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of batteries. Disclosed are a cooling assembly and a battery pack. The cooling assembly disclosed in the present application comprises a busbar and a plurality of liquid cooling plates provided on the busbar at intervals. Mounting spaces configured to place battery cells are formed between every two adjacent liquid cooling plates. Cooling flow channels are defined in the liquid cooling plates. The liquid cooling plates are provided with accommodating spaces configured to accommodate expanded portions of the battery cells. By providing the accommodating spaces on the liquid cooling plates, the expanded portions of the battery cells can be accommodated so as to absorb size errors caused by expansion of the battery cells, such that the swelling force of the battery cells are not greater than a preset pressure threshold value, thus prolonging the service life of battery cells.

Description

Cooling assembly and battery pack

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application number 202322052047.X, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on July 31, 2023, entitled “A Cooling Assembly and Battery Pack”;

[0003] And the priority of the Chinese patent application with application number 202322054471.8 and titled “A Cooling Component and Battery Pack” filed with the Chinese Patent Office on July 31, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this disclosure. Technical Field

[0004] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a cooling assembly and a battery pack. Background Art

[0005] In the related art, the battery cells are cooled by setting liquid cooling plates on both sides of the battery cells. The cooling medium circulates continuously in the liquid cooling plates, thereby taking away the heat of the battery cells and achieving the purpose of reducing the battery cell temperature.

[0006] However, as the battery cell generates heat, its shape will also expand as the temperature rises. During the expansion process, the battery cell will be subjected to the reverse force of the liquid cooling plate, causing the expansion force of the battery cell to be greater than the preset pressure threshold, thereby affecting the service life of the battery cell.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the purpose of this application includes providing a cooling assembly and a battery pack, aiming to improve the technical problem in the related art that the service life of the battery cell is reduced due to the expansion of the battery cell shape.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solutions adopted in this application are as follows:

[0010] In a first aspect, the present application provides a cooling assembly having a first direction, the cooling assembly comprising:

[0011] A manifold, wherein the manifold defines a liquid inlet channel and a liquid outlet channel that are spaced apart;

[0012] A plurality of liquid cooling plates are arranged on the busbar at intervals along a first direction, and an installation space configured to place a battery cell is formed between two adjacent liquid cooling plates;

[0013] A cooling channel is defined in the liquid cooling plate, and both the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel are connected to the cooling channel. The liquid cooling plate is provided with an accommodating space connected to the installation space, and the accommodating space is configured to accommodate the expanded portion of the battery cell.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the cooling component has a second direction, which intersects with the first direction. The cooling channel includes a first channel and multiple second channels. The multiple second channels are arranged at intervals along the second direction. The first channel is respectively connected to each second channel, and the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel are both connected to the first channel.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, the first flow channel includes a first sub-flow channel, a second sub-flow channel and a third sub-flow channel, and the first sub-flow channel, the second sub-flow channel and the third sub-flow channel are enclosed to form a U-shaped flow channel;

[0016] Each second flow channel is located on the inner side of the U-shaped flow channel, and one end of each second flow channel is connected to the second sub-flow channel, the other end of a part of the multiple second flow channels is connected to the liquid inlet flow channel, and the other end of another part of the multiple second flow channels is connected to the liquid outlet flow channel.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the first flow channel further includes a liquid inlet guiding flow channel and a liquid outlet guiding flow channel, and the liquid inlet guiding flow channel is not connected to the liquid outlet guiding flow channel;

[0018] The first sub-channel and a portion of the second channel are both connected to the liquid inlet channel through the liquid inlet guide channel, and the third sub-channel and another portion of the second channel are both connected to the liquid outlet channel through the liquid outlet guide channel.

[0019] In an optional embodiment, the cooling assembly has a third direction, and the first direction intersects the third direction;

[0020] The cooling channel includes a first channel and a second channel opened in the liquid cooling plate, the first channel is arranged along the circumference of the second channel and is connected to the second channel, and the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel are both connected to the first channel;

[0021] In a direction perpendicular to the third direction, a cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow channel is larger than a cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow channel, so that an accommodating space communicating with the installation space is formed on the liquid cooling plate.

[0022] In an optional embodiment, the cooling component has a second direction, which intersects with the first direction and the third direction respectively. A plurality of second flow channels are provided, each second flow channel is respectively connected to the first flow channel, and the plurality of second flow channels are distributed side by side along the second direction, and two adjacent second flow channels are not connected in the second direction, so as to realize that the wall surface in the accommodating space forms alternating peak surfaces and trough surfaces, and the peak surface can contact the expanded part of the battery cell.

[0023] In an optional embodiment, the first flow channel includes a first sub-channel, a second sub-channel and a third sub-channel, and the first sub-channel, the second sub-channel and the third sub-channel are connected in sequence and enclosed to form a U-shaped flow channel, and each second flow channel is located on the inner side of the U-shaped flow channel and is connected to the second sub-channel.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, the first flow channel further includes a liquid inlet guiding flow channel and a liquid outlet guiding flow channel, and the liquid inlet guiding flow channel and the liquid outlet guiding flow channel are not connected;

[0025] One end of the liquid inlet guide channel is connected to the liquid inlet channel, the other end is connected to the first sub-channel, and is connected to a part of the second channels among the multiple second channels. One end of the liquid outlet guide channel is connected to the liquid outlet channel, the other end is connected to the third sub-channel, and is connected to another part of the second channels among the multiple second channels.

[0026] In an optional embodiment, in a direction perpendicular to the third direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​one end of the liquid inlet guiding channel communicating with the second channel decreases toward the direction approaching the second channel.

[0027] In an optional embodiment, in a direction perpendicular to the third direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​one end of the liquid outlet guiding channel communicating with the second channel increases in a direction approaching the manifold.

[0028] In an optional embodiment, the busbar includes a first plate body and a second plate body, the first plate body is provided with a liquid inlet channel and a liquid outlet channel, the liquid cooling plate is connected to the side of the second plate body away from the first plate body, and the side of the second plate body away from the liquid cooling plate is sealedly connected to the first plate body.

[0029] In an optional embodiment, one of the first plate body and the second plate body is provided with an abutting portion, and the other of the first plate body and the second plate body is provided with a positioning groove, and the abutting portion is plug-fitted into the positioning groove.

[0030] In an optional embodiment, along the circumference of the accommodating space, an edge wall surface in the accommodating space is an inclined surface, and a normal vector of the inclined surface is deflected toward the side where the accommodating space is located relative to the first direction.

[0031] In an optional embodiment, the opening area of ​​the accommodating space is S1, the surface area of ​​the battery cell facing the liquid cooling plate is S2, and the liquid cooling plate satisfies the relationship: S1 / S2=i, 0.4≤i≤0.8.

[0032] In an optional embodiment, the liquid cooling plate satisfies the relationship: 0.5≤i≤0.6.

[0033] In an optional embodiment, along the first direction, the depth of the accommodating space is d, satisfying the relationship: 1 mm ≤ d ≤ 4 mm.

[0034] In an optional embodiment, along the first direction, the depth of the accommodating space is d, satisfying the relationship: 1.5 mm ≤ d ≤ 2.6 mm.

[0035] In an optional embodiment, the thickness of the battery cell along the first direction is T, and the depth of the accommodation space along the first direction is d, satisfying the relationship: 0.5%T≤d≤10%T.

[0036] In an optional embodiment, along the first direction, the width of the second flow channel is w, satisfying the relationship: 0.5 mm ≤ w ≤ 1.5 mm.

[0037] In a second aspect, the present application provides a battery pack comprising the cooling assembly of any one of the above-mentioned first aspects.

[0038] The beneficial effects of this application are:

[0039] The present application provides a cooling assembly, including a busbar and a plurality of liquid cooling plates. The busbar is defined to be formed with a liquid inlet channel and a liquid outlet channel, and a plurality of liquid cooling plates are arranged on the busbar at intervals along a first direction. A mounting space configured to place battery cells is formed between two adjacent liquid cooling plates, and cooling channels are defined to be formed in the liquid cooling plates, and the cooling channels are respectively connected to the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel to achieve circulating heat dissipation for the battery cells. The liquid cooling plate is provided with a accommodating space, and the accommodating space is configured to accommodate the expanded part of the battery cell. Through such an arrangement, when the battery cell expands, the liquid cooling plate can absorb the dimensional error caused by the expansion of the battery cell, so that the expansion force of the battery cell is not greater than the preset pressure threshold, thereby making the battery cell less susceptible to damage and extending the service life of the battery cell. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0041] FIG1 is a schematic diagram showing the assembly structure of a cooling assembly and a battery cell in some embodiments of the present application;

[0042] FIG2 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the cooling assembly and the battery cell after being separated in some embodiments of the present application;

[0043] FIG3 is a schematic diagram showing states of a battery cell before and after expansion in some embodiments of the present application;

[0044] FIG4 shows a schematic structural diagram of a cooling assembly from one perspective in some embodiments of the present application;

[0045] FIG5 is a schematic diagram showing a partial structure of a cooling assembly in some embodiments of the present application;

[0046] FIG6 shows an exploded view of the cooling assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0047] FIG7 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of portion A in FIG6 ;

[0048] FIG8 shows an exploded view of the cooling assembly from another perspective in some embodiments of the present application;

[0049] FIG9 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of portion B in FIG8 ;

[0050] FIG10 is a schematic diagram showing the flow trajectory of the coolant in the U-shaped flow channel of the cooling assembly in some embodiments of the present application;

[0051] FIG11 shows a schematic structural diagram of a cooling assembly from another perspective in some embodiments of the present application;

[0052] FIG12 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure taken along line AA in FIG11 ;

[0053] FIG13 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure taken along line BB in FIG11 ;

[0054] FIG14 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of portion C in FIG12 ;

[0055] FIG15 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of portion D in FIG13 ;

[0056] FIG16 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of portion E in FIG15 ;

[0057] FIG17 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the battery cell and the cooling assembly before expansion in some embodiments of the present application.

[0058] Explanation of the main component symbols: 100-cooling assembly; 110-manifold; 111-first plate body; 1111-liquid inlet channel; 1112-liquid outlet channel; 1113-abutment portion; 112-second plate body; 1121-positioning groove; 120-liquid cooling plate; 121-cooling channel; 1211-first channel; 12111-first sub-channel; 12112-second sub-channel; 12113-third sub-channel; 12114-liquid inlet guide channel; 12115-liquid outlet guide channel; 1212-second channel; 123-accommodating space; 1231-peak surface; 1232-trough surface; 1233-inclined surface; 131-installation space; 132-liquid inlet connector; 133-liquid outlet connector; 200-battery cell; x-first direction; y-second direction; z-third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present application. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application and are not to be construed as limiting the present application.

[0060] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present 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 should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0061] 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.

[0062] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0063] The battery pack is a crucial component of electric vehicles, providing the power source. During the charging and discharging process, the cells within the battery pack generate a significant amount of heat, causing the cells to heat up. Therefore, timely heat dissipation is necessary to prevent it from affecting its usability and lifespan, and to prevent thermal runaway in other cells.

[0064] In the related art, the battery cells are cooled by setting liquid cooling plates on both sides of the battery cells. However, while the battery cells generate heat, their appearance will also expand as the temperature rises (as shown in Figure 3, state 1 is the state of the battery cells before expansion, and state 2 is the state of the battery cells after expansion). During the expansion process, the battery cells will be subjected to the reverse force of the liquid cooling plates, causing the expansion force of the battery cells to be greater than the preset pressure threshold, thereby affecting the service life of the battery cells.

[0065] In order to improve at least one of the deficiencies in the above-mentioned related art, an embodiment of the present application provides a cooling assembly 100 that can be applied to a battery pack and is configured to perform cyclic cooling on the battery cells 200 .

[0066] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, on the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cooling assembly 100, which relates to the field of battery technology and is mainly used in battery packs. It is configured to cool the battery cells 200 to maintain the performance of the battery cells 200 and extend their service life, and can improve the problem of excessive pressure on the battery cells 200 due to expansion, and avoid thermal runaway of other battery cells 200.

[0067] As shown in Figure 4, the length direction of the cooling assembly 100 is defined as being parallel to the first direction x, the width direction of the cooling assembly 100 is parallel to the second direction y, and the height direction of the cooling assembly 100 is parallel to the third direction z. It should be understood that the above definitions are merely for facilitating understanding of the relative positional relationships of the various components of the cooling assembly 100 and should not be construed as limiting this application. In this embodiment, the first direction x, the second direction y and the third direction z are perpendicular to each other. In other optional embodiments, the first direction x, the second direction y and the third direction z can be inclined to each other. For example, the first direction x and the third direction z can also be set at other angles, such as an angle of 70°, 76°, 80°, 85°, 100° or 120°; the first direction x and the second direction y can also be set at other angles, such as an angle of 70°, 76°, 80°, 85°, 100° or 120°; the second direction y and the third direction z can also be set at other angles, such as an angle of 70°, 76°, 80°, 85°, 100° or 120°.

[0068] As shown in Figures 11 to 15, the cooling assembly 100 primarily includes a manifold 110 defining an inlet channel 1111 and an outlet channel 1112, and a plurality of liquid cooling plates 120 spaced apart on the manifold 110 along a first direction x. The inlet channel 1111 and the outlet channel 1112 are spaced apart, with the inlet channel 1111 configured to input coolant and the outlet channel 1112 configured to output coolant. In this embodiment, the inlet and outlet channels are spaced apart along a second direction y.

[0069] As shown in FIG8 , for example, one end of the manifold 110 is provided with a liquid inlet connector 132 that communicates with the liquid inlet channel 1111, and an end away from the liquid inlet connector 132 is provided with a liquid outlet connector 133 that communicates with the liquid outlet channel 1112. Both the liquid inlet connector 132 and the liquid outlet connector 133 are connected to a coolant supply device to facilitate the input and output of the coolant, thereby achieving coolant circulation. Of course, the liquid inlet channel 1111 and the liquid outlet channel 1112 can also be connected to the coolant supply device via water pipes.

[0070] As shown in Figures 2 and 4 , mounting spaces 131 are formed between adjacent liquid cooling plates 120 to accommodate battery cells 200. This facilitates assembly of the battery cells 200 with the cooling assembly 100 and facilitates the integration of multiple battery cells 200. When assembling the cooling assembly 100 and battery cells 200, the multiple battery cells 200 can be placed one-to-one within the mounting spaces 131.

[0071] As shown in FIG5 , a cooling channel 121 is defined within the liquid cooling plate 120, and the liquid inlet channel 111 and the liquid outlet channel 112 are both connected to the cooling channel 121, so that the coolant can circulate in the liquid inlet channel 111, the cooling channel 121, and the liquid outlet channel 112, thereby achieving circulating heat dissipation for the battery cell 200. Optionally, the cooling channel 121 includes a first channel 1211 and a second channel 1212 opened within the liquid cooling plate 120, the first channel 1211 being arranged along the circumference of the second channel 1212 and connected to the second channel 1212, and the liquid inlet channel 1111 and the liquid outlet channel 1112 are both connected to the first channel 1211, so that the coolant can circulate in the liquid inlet channel 1111, the first channel 1211, the second channel 1212, and the liquid outlet channel 1112. The first flow channel 1211 and the second flow channel 1212 are roughly in the same plane (that is, the plane where the liquid cooling plate 120 is located). The circumferential arrangement of the first flow channel 1211 along the second flow channel 1212 means that the first flow channel 1211 roughly extends around the second flow channel 1212, and the second flow channel 1212 is basically in the interval surrounded by the first flow channel 1211.

[0072] As shown in conjunction with FIG. 5 and FIG. 17 , the liquid cooling plate 120 is provided with an accommodation space 123 communicating with the installation space 131 . The accommodation space 123 is configured to accommodate the expanded portion of the battery cell 200 .

[0073] As shown in Figures 5, 14 and 15, optionally, in a direction perpendicular to the third direction z, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow channel 1211 is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow channel 1212, so as to form an accommodating space 123 on the liquid cooling plate 120 that is connected to the installation space 131, and the accommodating space 123 is configured to accommodate the expanded portion of the battery cell 200.

[0074] As shown in Figure 3, State 1 represents the shape of the battery cell 200 before expansion, and State 2 represents the shape of the battery cell 200 after expansion. As can be seen, when the battery cell 200 expands, the central areas of the two larger sides of the battery cell 200 bulge outward. In this embodiment, the two larger sides of the battery cell 200 are the two opposing sides in the first direction x after the battery cell 200 is installed in the cooling assembly 100. As shown in Figure 17, the provision of the accommodation space 123 reserves space for the battery cell 200 to expand.

[0075] Optionally, the opening area of ​​the accommodating space 123 is S1, and the surface area of ​​the battery cell 200 facing the liquid cooling plate 120 is S2, that is, when the battery cell 200 is in state 1 in Figure 3, the surface area of ​​the battery cell 200 facing the liquid cooling plate 120 satisfies the relationship: S1 / S2=i, 0.4≤i≤0.8.

[0076] It should be noted that the "opening of the accommodation space 123" in this application specifically refers to the opening of the accommodation space 123 toward the battery cell 200. The expanded portion of the battery cell 200 enters the accommodation space 123 through the opening. The opening can be located in the middle of the liquid cooling plate 120 or at either end of the liquid cooling plate 120, without limitation. Optionally, the opening is located in the middle of the liquid cooling plate 120 to effectively prevent deformation of other parts of the liquid cooling plate 120 when the battery cell 200 expands.

[0077] In this embodiment, the surface area of ​​the side of the battery cell 200 facing the liquid cooling plate 120 can be measured using an area measuring instrument, such as a two-dimensional coordinate measuring instrument.

[0078] For example, the expansion force of the battery cell 200 is tested, the battery cell 200 is positioned and fixed using a fixture, the contact state between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the battery cell 200 is simulated by the fixture, and a pressure sensor is arranged on the contact surface, so that the expansion force value of the battery cell 200 is obtained by reading the value of the pressure sensor.

[0079] The preset pressure threshold of the battery cell 200 is 10000N. After testing, the performance test results of the battery cells 200 of Examples 1-5 and Comparative Examples 1-2 are shown in Table 1.

[0080] As can be seen from Table 1, when the opening area S1 of the accommodating space 123 is 0.4 to 0.8 times the surface area S2 of the battery cell 200 facing the liquid cooling plate 120, the liquid cooling plate 120 can absorb the dimensional error caused by the expansion of the battery cell 200, so that the expansion force of the battery cell 200 is no greater than the preset pressure threshold, thereby making the battery cell 200 less susceptible to damage and extending the service life of the battery cell 200.

[0081] Optionally, the liquid cooling plate 120 satisfies the relationship: 0.5≤i≤0.6, that is, the opening area S1 of the accommodating space 123 is 0.5 to 0.6 times the surface area of ​​the battery cell 200 facing the liquid cooling plate 120. In this way, on the basis of satisfying that the expansion force of the battery cell 200 is not greater than the preset pressure threshold, the fit between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the battery cell 200 is improved, that is, the contact area between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the battery cell 200 is increased, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the battery cell 200 and the coolant in the cooling channel 121, and improving the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 200.

[0082] As shown in combination with FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 , in one embodiment, along the first direction x, the depth of the accommodating space 123 is d, satisfying the relationship: 1 mm ≤ d ≤ 4 mm.

[0083] The adhesion between the expanded battery cell 200 and the liquid cooling plate 120 was observed, and the observation results of Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were shown in Table 2.

[0084] As can be seen from Table 2, when d is 1 mm to 4 mm, the battery cell 200 is in contact with the liquid cooling plate 120. At this time, the contact area between the battery cell 200 and the liquid cooling plate 120 is large. In this way, the heat exchange efficiency between the battery cell 200 and the coolant in the cooling channel 121 is improved, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 200.

[0085] Optionally, d satisfies the relationship: 1.5 mm ≤ d ≤ 2.6 mm, that is, in this embodiment, d is preferably 1.5 mm to 2.6 mm, so that the liquid cooling plate 120 is in close contact with the battery cell 200 and the contact area is larger, thereby effectively ensuring the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 200.

[0086] 3 , 15 and 17 , in one embodiment, the thickness of the battery cell 200 along the first direction x is T, the depth of the accommodation space 123 along the first direction x is d, and the relationship is satisfied: 0.5% T≤d≤10% T.

[0087] It should be noted that the expansion rate of the battery cell 200 is 0.5% to 10%, that is, the thickness of the expanded portion on one side of the battery cell 200 is 0.5% to 10% of the thickness T of the battery cell 200 .

[0088] According to the heat dissipation design standard of the battery cell 200: if the maximum temperature of the battery cell 200 is less than 50°C during 3 hours of operation, it indicates that the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 200 is good. If the maximum temperature of the battery cell 200 is greater than or equal to 50°C during 3 hours of operation, it indicates that the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 200 is poor.

[0089] In order to verify the influence of different depths d of the accommodation space 123 on the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 200, the test results of Examples 1-7 were obtained through testing, as shown in Table 3.

[0090] As shown in Table 3, when d < 0.5%T, the excessive contact pressure between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the battery cell 200 squeezes the liquid cooling plate 120, reducing its heat dissipation efficiency. Consequently, the maximum temperature of the battery cell 200 after 3 hours of operation is relatively high, exceeding 50°C. When d > 10%T, the contact pressure between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the battery cell 200 is low, and the contact area with the liquid cooling plate 120 is small. Therefore, when d < 0.5%T or d > 10%T, the maximum temperature of the battery cell 200 exceeds 50°C during 3 hours of operation, resulting in poor heat dissipation.

[0091] However, when d is in the range of 0.5%T to 10%T, the contact pressure between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the battery cell 200 is moderate, which can reduce the extrusion of the liquid cooling plate 120 caused by the expansion of the battery cell 200, thereby improving the phenomenon of the flow channel of the liquid cooling plate 120 being squeezed and deformed, so that the maximum temperature of the battery cell 200 does not exceed 50°C during the 3-hour operation, and has a better heat dissipation effect.

[0092] When the cooling assembly 100 provided in this embodiment is used to cool the battery cell 200, the coolant circulates in the liquid inlet channel 1111, the first channel 1211, the second channel 1212 and the liquid outlet channel 1112, thereby improving the heat transfer efficiency between the coolant and the battery cell 200, thereby quickly absorbing the heat released by the battery cell 200, improving the liquid cooling effect, and extending the service life of the battery cell 200.

[0093] At the same time, the accommodating space 123 formed on the liquid cooling plate 120 reserves space for the expansion of the battery cell 200, effectively improving the deformation of the liquid cooling plate 120 caused by the expansion and extrusion of the battery cell 200, so that the liquid cooling plate 120 can maintain a good liquid cooling effect, thereby meeting the heat dissipation requirements of the battery cell 200 after expansion.

[0094] As shown in FIG5 , in one embodiment, a plurality of second flow channels 1212 are provided, the first flow channel 1211 is respectively connected to each second flow channel 1212, and the liquid inlet flow channel 111 and the liquid outlet flow channel 112 are both connected to the first flow channel 1211. In this embodiment, the plurality of second flow channels 1212 are arranged side by side along the second direction y, and two adjacent second flow channels 1212 are not connected in the second direction y, so that the wall surface within the accommodating space 123 forms alternating crest surfaces 1231 and trough surfaces 1232, and the crest surfaces 1231 can contact the expanded portion of the battery cell 200.

[0095] It should be noted that the crest surface 1231 is a wall surface in the accommodating space 123 opposite to the second flow channel 1212 , and the trough surface 1232 is a wall surface in the accommodating space 123 located between two adjacent second flow channels 1212 .

[0096] It can be understood that, since the wave crest surface 1231 contacts the expanded portion of the battery cell 200 , the heat released by the expanded portion of the battery cell 200 can be transferred to the second flow channel 1212 , thereby performing heat exchange with the coolant.

[0097] At the same time, by distributing multiple second flow channels 1212 side by side along the second direction y, and two adjacent second flow channels 1212 are not connected in the second direction y, the coolant flowing into the first flow channel 1211 can be further dispersed into multiple second flow channels 1212, and each part of the coolant can exchange heat with the battery cell 200 in the corresponding second flow channel 1212.

[0098] The above design improves the efficiency of heat transfer, facilitates rapid heat dissipation of the battery cell 200 , prevents its temperature from exceeding a temperature threshold, extends the service life of the battery cell 200 , and maintains the performance of the battery cell 200 .

[0099] In other optional embodiments, multiple second flow channels 1212 may also be distributed side by side along the third direction z, and two adjacent second flow channels 1212 are not connected in the third direction z. Similarly, the wall surface in the accommodating space 123 can form alternatingly distributed crest surfaces 1221 and trough surfaces 1222, thereby helping the battery cell 200 to dissipate heat quickly.

[0100] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, optionally, along the first direction x, the width of the second flow channel 1212 is w, satisfying the relationship: 0.5mm≤w≤1.5mm. For example, w can be set to 0.5mm, 0.55mm, 0.6mm, 0.8mm, 1mm, 1.2mm, 1.5mm, etc. As w increases, the capacity of the second flow channel 1212 also increases. In this embodiment, by providing the second flow channel 1212 that satisfies the above relationship, the coolant flow rate in the second flow channel 1212 can meet the heat dissipation requirements of the battery cell 200, thereby ensuring the heat transfer efficiency between the coolant and the battery cell 200.

[0101] As shown in FIG5 , first flow channel 1211 exemplarily includes a first sub-flow channel 12111, a second sub-flow channel 12112, and a third sub-flow channel 12113. The first sub-flow channel 12111, the second sub-flow channel 12112, and the third sub-flow channel 12113 are sequentially connected and enclosed to form a U-shaped flow channel. Each second flow channel 1212 is located inside the U-shaped flow channel and is connected to a second sub-flow channel 12112. This allows coolant to circulate within the U-shaped flow channel and the multiple second flow channels 1212, cooling the edges of the expanded portion of the battery cell 200, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery cell 200. In this embodiment, the first sub-flow channel 12111 and the third sub-flow channel 12113 both extend generally along the third direction z, and the second sub-flow channel 12112 extends generally along the second direction y. Among them, the first sub-channel 12111 and the third sub-channel 12113 are respectively adjacent to the two opposite sides of the liquid cooling plate 120 in the second direction y, and the second sub-channel 12112 is adjacent to the side of the liquid cooling plate 120 away from the busbar 110; this makes the U-shaped channel match the rectangular liquid cooling plate 120, thereby enclosing a larger area to set the second channel 1212.

[0102] In this embodiment, one end of each second flow channel 1212 is connected to the second sub-flow channel 12112, the other end of a part of the second flow channels 1212 in the multiple second flow channels 1212 is connected to the liquid inlet flow channel 111, and the other end of another part of the second flow channels 1212 in the multiple second flow channels 1212 is connected to the liquid outlet flow channel 112.

[0103] As shown in Figure 10, taking a certain amount of coolant as an example, the coolant flows from the liquid inlet channel 1111 into the U-shaped channel formed by the first sub-channel 12111, the second sub-channel 12112 and the third sub-channel 12113. After the coolant fully exchanges heat with the battery cell 200, it flows into the liquid outlet channel 1112, completing a heat exchange process.

[0104] It can be understood that the setting of the U-shaped flow channel increases the flow path of the coolant, so that the coolant can fully exchange heat with the battery cell 200, thereby quickly absorbing the heat released by the battery cell 200, further improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery cell 200.

[0105] Of course, for the above embodiment, the first flow channel 1211 can also be an annular flow channel, a serpentine flow channel, etc. The annular flow channel, such as a meandering flow channel or a circular flow channel, can also extend the flow path of the coolant and improve the heat exchange efficiency.

[0106] As shown in Figures 5, 14 and 15, optionally, the first flow channel 1211 also includes a liquid inlet guiding flow channel 12114 and a liquid outlet guiding flow channel 12115, the liquid inlet guiding flow channel 12114 and the liquid outlet guiding flow channel 12115 are not connected, the first sub-flow channel 12111 and a part of the second flow channel 1212 are connected to the liquid inlet flow channel 111 through the liquid inlet guiding flow channel 12114, and the third sub-flow channel 12113 and another part of the second flow channel 1212 are connected to the liquid outlet flow channel 112 through the liquid outlet guiding flow channel 12115. One end of the liquid inlet guiding channel 12114 is connected to the liquid inlet channel 1111, and the other end is connected to the first sub-channel 12111, and is connected to a part of the second channels 1212 among the multiple second channels 1212. One end of the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115 is connected to the liquid outlet channel 1112, and the other end is connected to the third sub-channel 12113, and is connected to another part of the second channels 1212 among the multiple second channels 1212.

[0107] In this embodiment, the liquid inlet guiding channel 12114 and the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115 both extend generally along the second direction y, and the two are arranged at intervals in the second direction y. The liquid inlet guiding channel 12114 and the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115 are respectively opposite to and connected to the liquid inlet channel 1111 and the liquid outlet channel 1112 in the third direction z.

[0108] In this embodiment, the liquid inlet guiding channel 12114 is configured to guide the cooling liquid in the liquid inlet channel 1111 into the first sub-channel 12111 and a part of the second channel 1212, thereby performing heat exchange with the battery cell 200, and then merge into the second sub-channel 12112, and flow through the second sub-channel 12112 into another part of the second channel 1212 and the third sub-channel 12113, and finally merge into the liquid outlet channel 1112 through the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115, completing a circulation process.

[0109] The above design allows the coolant to flow in an orderly manner within the multiple flow channels, extending the flow path of the coolant, improving the heat transfer efficiency, and facilitating rapid heat dissipation of the battery cell 200. In other optional embodiments, the cooling flow channel 121 (including the first flow channel 1211 and the second flow channel 1212) can also be a wavy flow channel, which can also meet the heat dissipation requirements of the battery cell 200.

[0110] As shown in Figure 15, perpendicular to the third direction z, the cross-sectional area of ​​one end of the liquid inlet guide channel 12114 connected to the second channel 1212 decreases toward the direction approaching the second channel 1212. That is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the liquid inlet guide channel 12114 changes gradually. Compared with the sudden change of the cross-sectional area, this design can reduce the kinetic energy loss of the coolant during the flow process and increase the smoothness of the coolant flow, thereby improving the cooling effect on the battery cell 200.

[0111] Of course, the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115 can also adopt the above-mentioned method. As shown in Figure 14, perpendicular to the third direction z, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115 connected to the second channel 1212 increases toward the direction close to the manifold 110, that is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115 gradually changes, which also reduces the kinetic energy loss of the coolant when passing through the liquid outlet guiding channel 12115, and increases the smoothness of the coolant flow.

[0112] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, in one embodiment, the busbar 110 includes a first plate body 111 and a second plate body 112. The first plate body 111 is provided with a liquid inlet channel 1111 and a liquid outlet channel 1112. The liquid cooling plate 120 is connected to a side of the second plate body 112 away from the first plate body 111. The side of the second plate body 112 away from the liquid cooling plate 120 is sealed with the first plate body 111 to reduce the risk of coolant leakage and extend the service life of the cooling assembly 100.

[0113] For example, the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 can be connected by welding, and a sealing ring or sealing coating can be provided at the connection between the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 to improve the sealing performance. In other optional embodiments, the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 can also be connected by bonding, or the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 can be connected by fasteners such as screws.

[0114] In this embodiment, the second plate 112 is provided to facilitate installation of the liquid cooling plate 120 . Meanwhile, the second plate 112 is also configured to carry the battery cells 200 and play a role in supporting the main weight of the battery cells 200 .

[0115] Optionally, one of the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 is provided with an abutment portion 1113, and the other of the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 is provided with a positioning groove 1121. The abutment portion 1113 is plugged into and matched with the positioning groove 1121, thereby improving the connection stability and assembly convenience of the first plate 111 and the second plate 112. As shown in Figures 7 and 9, the first plate 111 is provided with an abutment portion 1113, and the second plate 112 is provided with a positioning groove 1121. Optionally, the positioning groove 1121 is connected to the first flow channel 1211, and the abutment portion 1113 abuts against the groove wall of the positioning groove 1121 to limit the relative movement of the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 along the second direction y.

[0116] It can be understood that the arrangement of the positioning groove 1121 and the abutment portion 1113 plays a role in positioning the relative positions of the first plate body 111 and the second plate body 112, thereby improving the convenience and efficiency of installation, and also improving the overall structural stability of the busbar 110.

[0117] Of course, the positioning groove 1121 may be provided on the first plate 111 , and the abutting portion 1113 may be provided on the second plate 112 , which also facilitates the installation of the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 .

[0118] As shown in FIG5 , in one embodiment, along the circumference of the accommodation space 123, the edge wall surface within the accommodation space 123 is an inclined surface 1233. The inclined surface 1233 is inclined away from the third direction z, that is, inclined toward the accommodation space 123. In other words, the normal vector of the inclined surface 1233 is deflected relative to the first direction x and is biased toward the side where the accommodation space 123 is located. Optionally, the inclined surface 1233 corresponds to the first flow channel 1211 within the liquid cooling plate 120 in the thickness direction of the liquid cooling plate 120 (i.e., the first direction x), so that the coolant in the first flow channel 1211 can absorb heat from the battery cells 200 through the inclined surface 1233.

[0119] In this embodiment, since the first flow channel 1211 corresponds to the position of the edge portion of the battery cell 200, by setting the edge wall surface in the accommodating space 123 as the inclined surface 1233, the contact area between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the expanded battery cell 200 can be increased, and the fit between the liquid cooling plate 120 and the battery cell 200 can be improved, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the coolant in the first flow channel 1211 and the battery cell 200 and improving the liquid cooling effect.

[0120] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a battery pack comprising a cooling assembly 100 and a plurality of battery cells 200 .

[0121] It can be understood that since the battery pack provided in this embodiment has the cooling component 100 in any embodiment of the first aspect mentioned above, it has all the beneficial effects of the cooling component 100, which will not be described here one by one.

[0122] In addition, by setting up a cooling assembly 100 consisting of a busbar 110 and multiple liquid cooling plates 120, multiple battery cells 200 can form a whole after being installed in the cooling assembly 100, which facilitates subsequent effective thermal management of all battery cells 200 while ensuring the overall structural strength of the battery cells 200, thereby improving the performance of the battery pack.

[0123] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0124] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and cannot be understood as limitations on the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present application. Industrial Applicability

[0125] In summary, the present application provides a cooling assembly and a battery pack, and the cooling assembly can improve the problem of damaged battery cells and increase the service life of the battery cells.

Claims

1. A cooling assembly, wherein: Having a first orientation, the cooling assembly comprises: A manifold (110), wherein the manifold (110) defines a liquid inlet channel (111) and a liquid outlet channel (112) that are spaced apart from each other; a plurality of liquid cooling plates (120), the plurality of liquid cooling plates (120) being arranged on the busbar (110) at intervals along the first direction, and an installation space (131) configured to place a battery cell (200) being formed between two adjacent liquid cooling plates (120); A cooling channel (121) is defined in the liquid cooling plate (120), the liquid inlet channel (111) and the liquid outlet channel (112) are both in communication with the cooling channel (121), and the liquid cooling plate (120) is provided with a receiving space (123) in communication with the installation space (131), and the receiving space (123) is configured to accommodate an expanded portion of the battery cell (200).

2. The cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling component has a second direction, and the second direction intersects with the first direction. The cooling channel (121) includes a first channel (1211) and a plurality of second channels (1212), and the plurality of second channels (1212) are arranged at intervals along the second direction. The first channel (1211) is respectively connected to each of the second channels (1212), and the liquid inlet channel (111) and the liquid outlet channel (112) are both connected to the first channel (1211).

3. The cooling assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The first flow channel (1211) comprises a first sub-flow channel (12111), a second sub-flow channel (12112) and a third sub-flow channel (12113), and the first sub-flow channel (12111), the second sub-flow channel (12112) and the third sub-flow channel (12113) are enclosed to form a U-shaped flow channel; Each of the second flow channels (1212) is located on the inner side of the U-shaped flow channel, and one end of each of the second flow channels (1212) is connected to the second sub-flow channel (12112), the other end of a portion of the second flow channels (1212) among the plurality of second flow channels (1212) is connected to the liquid inlet flow channel (111), and the other end of another portion of the second flow channels (1212) among the plurality of second flow channels (1212) is connected to the liquid outlet flow channel (112).

4. The cooling assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The first flow channel (1211) further comprises a liquid inlet guiding flow channel (12114) and a liquid outlet guiding flow channel (12115), and the liquid inlet guiding flow channel (12114) is not connected to the liquid outlet guiding flow channel (12115); The first sub-channel (12111) and the portion of the second channel (1212) are both connected to the liquid inlet channel (111) via the liquid inlet guiding channel (12114), and the third sub-channel (12113) and the other portion of the second channel (1212) are both connected to the liquid outlet channel (112) via the liquid outlet guiding channel (12115).

5. The cooling assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling assembly has a third direction, and the first direction intersects the third direction; The cooling flow channel (121) comprises a first flow channel (1211) and a second flow channel (1212) which are opened in the liquid cooling plate (120); the first flow channel (1211) is arranged along the circumference of the second flow channel (1212) and is connected to the second flow channel (1212); the liquid inlet flow channel (1111) and the liquid outlet flow channel (1112) are both connected to the first flow channel (1211); In a direction perpendicular to the third direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow channel (1211) is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow channel (1212), so as to form the accommodating space (123) on the liquid cooling plate (120) that is in communication with the installation space (131).

6. The cooling assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The cooling component has a second direction, and the second direction intersects with the first direction and the third direction respectively. A plurality of second flow channels (1212) are provided, and each second flow channel (1212) is respectively connected to the first flow channel (1211). The plurality of second flow channels (1212) are distributed side by side along the second direction, and two adjacent second flow channels (1212) are not connected in the second direction, so that the wall surface in the accommodating space (123) forms alternately arranged crest surfaces (1231) and trough surfaces (1232), and the crest surface (1231) can contact the expanded part of the battery cell (200).

7. The cooling assembly according to claim 6, wherein: The first flow channel (1211) includes a first sub-flow channel (12111), a second sub-flow channel (12112) and a third sub-flow channel (12113); the first sub-flow channel (12111), the second sub-flow channel (12112) and the third sub-flow channel (12113) are connected in sequence and enclosed to form a U-shaped flow channel; each of the second flow channels (1212) is located on the inner side of the U-shaped flow channel and is connected to the second sub-flow channel (12112).

8. The cooling assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The first flow channel (1211) further comprises a liquid inlet guiding flow channel (12114) and a liquid outlet guiding flow channel (12115), wherein the liquid inlet guiding flow channel (12114) and the liquid outlet guiding flow channel (12115) are not connected; One end of the liquid inlet guiding channel (12114) is connected to the liquid inlet channel (1111), and the other end is connected to the first sub-channel (12111), and is connected to a part of the second channel (1212) among the plurality of second channel (1212); one end of the liquid outlet guiding channel (12115) is connected to the liquid outlet channel (1112), and the other end is connected to the third sub-channel (12113), and is connected to another part of the second channel (1212) among the plurality of second channel (1212).

9. The cooling assembly according to claim 8, wherein: In a direction perpendicular to the third direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​one end of the liquid inlet guide channel (12114) connected to the second channel (1212) decreases in a direction approaching the second channel (1212).

10. The cooling assembly according to claim 8, wherein: In a direction perpendicular to the third direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​one end of the liquid outlet guiding channel (12115) communicating with the second channel (1212) increases in a direction approaching the manifold (110).

11. The cooling assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The conduit plate (110) comprises a first plate body (111) and a second plate body (112); the first plate body (111) is provided with the liquid inlet channel (1111) and the liquid outlet channel (1112); the liquid cooling plate (120) is connected to a side of the second plate body (112) away from the first plate body (111); and a side of the second plate body (112) away from the liquid cooling plate (120) is sealedly connected to the first plate body (111).

12. The cooling assembly according to claim 11, wherein: One of the first plate body (111) and the second plate body (112) is provided with an abutment portion (1113), and the other of the first plate body (111) and the second plate body (112) is provided with a positioning groove (1121), and the abutment portion (1113) is plug-fitted with the positioning groove (1121).

13. The cooling assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: Along the circumference of the accommodating space (123), the edge wall surface in the accommodating space (123) is an inclined surface (1233), and the normal vector of the inclined surface (1233) is deflected toward the side where the accommodating space (123) is located relative to the first direction.

14. The cooling assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The opening area of ​​the accommodating space (123) is S1, the surface area of ​​the battery cell (200) on the side facing the liquid cooling plate (120) is S2, and the liquid cooling plate (120) satisfies the relationship: S1 / S2=i, 0.4≤i≤0.

8.

15. The cooling assembly of claim 14, wherein: The liquid cooling plate (120) satisfies the relationship: 0.5≤i≤0.

6.

16. The cooling assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: Along the first direction, the depth of the accommodating space (123) is d, satisfying the relationship: 1mm≤d≤4mm.

17. The cooling assembly of claim 16, wherein: Along the first direction, the depth of the accommodating space (123) is d, satisfying the relationship: 1.5 mm ≤ d ≤ 2.6 mm.

18. The cooling assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The thickness of the battery cell (200) along the first direction is T, and the depth of the accommodation space (123) along the first direction is d, satisfying the relationship: 0.5%T≤d≤10%T.

19. The cooling assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein: Along the first direction, the width of the second flow channel (1212) is w, satisfying the relationship: 0.5mm≤w≤1.5mm.

20. A battery pack, wherein: A cooling assembly comprising the cooling assembly of any one of claims 1 to 19.

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