Adapter detection tool, sealing detection device, and sealing detection method

Abstract

An adapter (40) detection tool (50), a sealing detection device (400), and a sealing detection method, relating to the technical field of batteries. The detection tool (50) comprises a tool body (500) and a detection channel (540); the tool body (500) comprises a first end (511) and a second end (512) opposite to each other; an accommodating cavity (530) is provided in the tool body (500); a first opening (513) communicated with the accommodating cavity (530) is formed in the first end (511); a second opening (514) communicated with the accommodating cavity (530) is formed in the second end (512); the first end (511) is used for being docked with a mounting plate (110) where a first connecting end (401) of the adapter (40) is located; the accommodating cavity (530) is used for accommodating the first connecting end (401) of the adapter (40); the second opening (514) allows a second connecting end (402) of the adapter (40) to extend out; and one end of the detection channel (540) is communicated with the accommodating cavity (530), and the other end of the detection channel (540) is used for being connected to a gas detection device (60).

Description

Adapter detection tooling, sealing detection device and sealing detection method

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application refers to Chinese Patent Application No. 202311423123.1 filed on October 30, 2023, entitled “Adapter Detection Tooling, Sealing Detection Device and Sealing Detection Method,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to an adapter detection tool, a sealing detection device, and a sealing detection method. Background Art

[0004] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry. Electric vehicles, due to their energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages, have become an important component of the sustainable development of the automotive industry. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a key factor in their development.

[0005] More and more battery systems are adopting liquid cooling systems with higher thermal management efficiency. The internal circuit of the liquid cooling system is complex, and its water inlet and outlet are connected to the outside using adapters. The liquid cooling system has strict requirements on sealing performance, which has a direct impact on the performance and safety of the battery. How to accurately detect the density performance of the battery's liquid cooling system has become a difficult problem that needs to be solved urgently.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the background art. To this end, one object of the present application is to provide an adapter detection tool, a seal detection device, and a seal detection method to improve the accuracy of detecting the sealing performance of the liquid cooling system in the battery.

[0008] An embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides an adapter detection tool, the adapter includes a first connecting end and a second connecting end that are connected, and the adapter detection tool includes a tool body and a detection channel; the tool body includes a first end and a second end that are opposite to each other, and a accommodating cavity is provided inside the tool body, the first end is provided with a first opening that is connected to the accommodating cavity, and the second end is provided with a second opening that is connected to the accommodating cavity, the first end is used to dock with the mounting plate where the first connecting end of the adapter is located, the accommodating cavity is used to accommodate the first connecting end of the adapter, and the second opening allows the second connecting end of the adapter to extend out; one end of the detection channel is connected to the accommodating cavity, and the other end of the detection channel is used to connect to the gas detection device.

[0009] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, a accommodating cavity is provided in the adapter detection tooling, and the first connecting end of the adapter is arranged in the accommodating cavity. The tracer gas leaked from the first connecting end of the adapter will gather in the accommodating cavity, making it easier to detect. In this way, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component can be more comprehensively detected, thereby improving the accuracy of the detection.

[0010] In some embodiments, the tool body includes a first body and a second body that are detachably connected, and the first and second bodies together form a receiving cavity. By configuring the tool body as a detachably connected first and second body, the tool body can be manufactured and processed more easily. The detachable structure can also better adapt to the bending structure of the adapter, making it easier to fit the adapter detection tool onto the adapter, simplifying installation.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first body has a notch connecting the first opening and the second opening. This notch allows the second connection end of the adapter to pass through when the adapter inspection tool is placed outside the adapter. The second body is used to block and open at least part of the notch. This embodiment allows the tool body to better adapt to the shape of the adapter elbow, making it easier to place the adapter inspection tool outside the adapter, facilitating sealing performance testing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the second body is configured to move between a first position, located on an outer surface of the first body away from the accommodating cavity, and a second position, wherein the second body can block at least a portion of the gap when in the first position, and can open the gap when in the second position. By configuring the second body to move between two positions to respectively block and open the gap, the time spent on docking and positioning the first and second bodies can be reduced. Installation requires only moving the second body, making assembly more simplified.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first body has a first docking surface, and the second body has a second docking surface, the first docking surface and the second docking surface being aligned to form a receiving cavity, and a first opening and a second opening at opposite ends of the receiving cavity. Forming the adapter detection fixture by directly docking the first and second bodies can simplify the structure of the adapter detection fixture, reducing processing complexity and manufacturing costs.

[0014] In some embodiments, the tool body further includes a first seal disposed between the first and second mating surfaces. The provision of the first seal improves the sealing performance of the connection between the first and second bodies, thereby reducing detection errors caused by tracer gas leakage from the connection and improving the accuracy of sealing performance testing.

[0015] In some embodiments, the fixture body further includes a second seal located at the first end and surrounding the first opening. This second seal can enhance the seal between the adapter test fixture and the mounting plate, improve the accuracy of detecting tracer gas leaks, and thereby improve the accuracy of testing the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, the fixture body further includes a third seal located on the surface of the second end forming the second opening and arranged circumferentially along the second opening. The provision of this third seal improves the sealing performance of the connection between the adapter testing fixture and the second connection end of the adapter, reduces the risk of tracer gas leakage, and improves the accuracy of the liquid cooling assembly sealing performance test.

[0017] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a seal detection device for detecting the sealing performance of a liquid-cooling assembly within a battery case. The seal detection device includes the adapter detection fixture described above and a gas detection device. The adapter detection fixture is mounted outside the first connection end of the adapter of the liquid-cooling assembly. The gas detection device is connected to the detection channel of the adapter detection fixture to detect the concentration of tracer gas within the containment chamber. The seal detection device in this embodiment can detect leaks at the adapter position of the liquid-cooling assembly, facilitating a more comprehensive assessment of the liquid-cooling assembly's leak status and improving the accuracy of seal detection.

[0018] In some embodiments, the gas detection device is also connected to the storage space within the battery's liquid cooling assembly to detect the concentration of tracer gas within the space. By connecting the gas detection device to the storage space, leaks can be detected at both the adapter and the cooling plate, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of the liquid cooling assembly's sealing performance and faster identification of leak locations.

[0019] In some embodiments, the seal detection device further includes a vacuum extraction device connected to the adapter detection fixture to extract gas from the containment chamber. The vacuum extraction device allows the first end of the adapter detection fixture to abut more tightly against the mounting plate under atmospheric pressure, reducing the risk of tracer gas leakage. Furthermore, it increases the concentration of the tracer gas within the containment chamber, facilitating detection.

[0020] In some embodiments, the seal detection device further includes a pressure detection device connected to the second connection end of the adapter to detect the pressure within the liquid cooling assembly. By providing the pressure detection device, the overall sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly can be tested. Combining this with the gas detection device allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly, improving both accuracy and efficiency.

[0021] The third aspect of the present application provides a seal detection method, comprising: attaching the adapter detection tool described above to the outside of the adapter of the battery's liquid cooling assembly so that the first connection end of the adapter is located within the accommodating cavity of the adapter detection tool; introducing a tracer gas into the liquid cooling assembly through the adapter, detecting the concentration of the tracer gas leaked from the liquid cooling assembly, and determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly based on the detected tracer gas concentration. This embodiment of the present application can detect leakage of the liquid cooling assembly at the connection location where the adapter is located, thereby enabling more comprehensive testing and evaluation of the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly, improving the accuracy of the test results.

[0022] In some embodiments, detecting tracer gas concentration for liquid cooling assembly leakage includes detecting the tracer gas concentration in the liquid cooling assembly housing within the battery and / or detecting the tracer gas concentration in the housing of an adapter detection fixture. By detecting leakage at different locations, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly can be more accurately determined, and the specific leak location of the liquid cooling assembly can be more quickly determined.

[0023] In some embodiments, detecting the concentration of tracer gas leaking from the liquid cooling assembly includes: connecting the receiving space, the receiving cavity of the adapter detection fixture corresponding to the water inlet adapter, and the receiving cavity of the adapter detection fixture corresponding to the water outlet adapter, and detecting the concentration of the tracer gas to obtain a first detection result; and determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly based on the detected tracer gas concentration includes: determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly based on the first detection result. By fluidically connecting different areas and detecting the tracer gas concentration, multiple areas can be detected simultaneously for leaks, thereby improving detection efficiency.

[0024] In some embodiments, detecting the concentration of tracer gas leaking from the liquid-cooling assembly further includes: in response to a first detection result exceeding a preset concentration threshold, separately detecting the concentration of tracer gas in the receiving space, the receiving cavity of the adapter detection fixture corresponding to the water inlet adapter, and the receiving cavity of the adapter detection fixture corresponding to the water outlet adapter to obtain a second detection result; determining the sealing performance of the liquid-cooling assembly within the battery based on the detected tracer gas concentration further includes: determining the leakage location of the liquid-cooling assembly within the battery based on the second detection result. By separately detecting the leaked gas in different areas, the leakage status of different areas can be judged, and if a leak in the liquid-cooling assembly is determined, the specific leakage location can be further determined, thereby improving the accuracy of the sealing performance test results.

[0025] In some embodiments, detecting the concentration of tracer gas leaking from the liquid cooling assembly further includes detecting the pressure within the liquid cooling assembly; and determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly within the battery based on the detected tracer gas concentration further includes determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly within the battery based on the pressure and the detected tracer gas concentration. By combining changes in pressure within the hydraulic assembly with detection of the concentration of the leaked tracer gas, distortion of the test results caused by other uncontrollable factors can be reduced to a certain extent, and insufficient test accuracy can be compensated for, thereby more reliably testing the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly.

[0026] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the multiple drawings represent the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments disclosed in the present application and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present application. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without paying creative work.

[0028] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0029] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0030] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of the connection between the adapter detection tool and the adapter according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0031] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an adapter detection tool and an adapter before assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0032] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adapter detection tool and the first stage after the adapter is assembled according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0033] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adapter detection tooling and the adapter in the second stage after assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0034] FIG7 is a bottom view of FIG6 along the direction A;

[0035] FIG8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG7 ;

[0036] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of an adapter detection tooling according to other embodiments of the present application;

[0037] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of an adapter detection tool and an adapter before assembly according to other embodiments of the present application;

[0038] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of an adapter detection tool and an adapter after assembly according to other embodiments of the present application;

[0039] FIG12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC direction in FIG11;

[0040] FIG13 is a structural block diagram of a sealing detection device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0041] FIG14 is a connection diagram of a sealing detection device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0042] FIG15 is a connection diagram of a sealing detection device according to other embodiments of the present application;

[0043] FIG16 is a flow chart of a sealing detection method according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0044] Description of reference numerals:

[0045] Vehicles 1000;

[0046] Battery 100, controller 200, motor 300;

[0047] Box 10, battery cell 20, liquid cooling assembly 30;

[0048] Mounting plate 110, first mounting hole 101, second mounting hole 102, accommodating space 103, current collector 301, connecting pipe 302, water cooling plate 303, adapter 40, air inlet adapter 40A, air outlet adapter 40B, first connecting end 401, second connecting end 402;

[0049] Adapter detection tool 50, first adapter detection tool 50A, second adapter detection tool 50B, tool body 500, first body 510, second body 520, accommodating cavity 530, detection channel 540, first end 511, second end 512, first opening 513, second opening 514, notch 515, first docking surface 516, second docking surface 517, first seal 550, second seal 560, third seal 570;

[0050] Gas detection device 60, vacuum suction device 70, pressure detection device 80;

[0051] Helium gas source S, pressure gauge V, main control valve F, first control valve T1, second control valve T2, third control valve T3, fourth control valve T4, fifth control valve W, differential pressure sensor U, standard pressure end R, helium detector E. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0053] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0054] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0055] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0056] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0057] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0058] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", 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 the embodiments of 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 cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0059] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0060] Currently, market developments indicate that power batteries are becoming increasingly widely used. They are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal, wind, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. As power battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0061] To control battery temperature and maintain performance, a thermal management component, such as a liquid cooling assembly, can be installed inside the battery housing to achieve thermal management through heat exchange. The liquid cooling assembly can include a water-cooled plate positioned between the battery cells, as well as connecting pipes and adapters that connect the water-cooled plate to the outside. Related art testing of the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly is limited to testing the sealing performance of the water-cooled plate, without considering the sealing condition of the adapter connection point. Therefore, it is impossible to accurately measure the sealing performance of the thermal management assembly.

[0062] In order to solve the above problems, an embodiment of the present application proposes an adapter detection tool, which has a accommodating cavity formed inside, and the first connection end of the adapter connected to the connecting pipe through the mounting plate of the box can be accommodated in the cavity. This makes it easier to detect the sealing performance of the connection position between the adapter and the box, thereby enabling more comprehensive and accurate detection and evaluation of the leakage of the liquid cooling component and the overall sealing performance.

[0063] The battery disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be used in, but is not limited to, electrical devices such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft.

[0064] The present invention provides an electric device that uses a battery as a power source. The electric device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery-powered vehicle, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, etc. The electric toy may include a fixed or mobile electric toy, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, etc. The spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, and a spacecraft, etc.

[0065] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking a vehicle 1000 as an example of an electrical device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vehicle provided in some embodiments of the present application. The vehicle 1000 can be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 can be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 can serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to power the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigating and driving the vehicle 1000.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can serve not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery provided in some embodiments of the present application. The battery 100 includes a case 10 and a battery cell 20, and the battery cell 20 is accommodated in the case 10. Among them, the case 10 is used to provide a storage space for the battery cell 20, and the case 10 can adopt a variety of structures. In some embodiments, the case 10 may include a first part and a second part, the first part and the second part covering each other, and the first part and the second part jointly define a storage space for accommodating the battery cell 20. The case 10 formed by the first part and the second part can be of various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0069] In the battery 100, there may be multiple battery cells 20, which may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid configuration. A hybrid configuration refers to a combination of series and parallel connections within the battery cells 20. The battery cells 20 may be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid configuration, and then the entire battery cell 20 may be housed within the housing 10. Alternatively, the battery 100 may be constructed by first connecting multiple battery cells 20 in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid configuration to form a battery module, which may then be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid configuration to form a single unit housed within the housing 10.

[0070] The battery 100 may further include other structures. For example, the battery 100 may further include a liquid cooling assembly 30 for achieving thermal management of the plurality of battery cells 20 .

[0071] Each battery cell 20 may be a secondary battery or a primary battery, and may also be a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto. The battery cell 20 may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or in other shapes.

[0072] The liquid cooling assembly 30 may include a current collector 301, a connecting tube 302, and a water-cooling plate 303. The water-cooling plate 303 may be arranged in a plurality, each located between two rows of battery cells 20 to exchange heat with the battery cells 20 and thereby achieve battery thermal management. The current collector 301 is located at the end of the water-cooling plate 303, and the connecting tube 302 is connected to the current collector 301. Cooling liquid can flow into and out of the water-cooling plate 303 through the connecting tube 302 and the current collector 301. In some embodiments, the liquid cooling assembly 30 may further include an adapter. The connecting tube 302 may be connected to the adapter via the mounting plate 110 on the housing 10, allowing the cooling liquid to communicate with the outside (e.g., the vehicle's cooling system) through the adapter.

[0073] Please refer to Figures 3 to 8, Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the connection between the adapter detection tooling and the adapter in some embodiments of the present application, Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the adapter detection tooling and the adapter in some embodiments of the present application before assembly, Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the first stage after assembly of the adapter detection tooling and the adapter in some embodiments of the present application, Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the second stage after assembly of the adapter detection tooling and the adapter in some embodiments of the present application, Figure 7 is an overhead view of Figure 6 along direction A, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 along direction BB.

[0074] The adapter 40 includes a first connecting end 401 and a second connecting end 402 that are in communication. The first connecting end 401 is connected to the connecting pipe 302 through a mounting hole (eg, the first mounting hole 101 or the second mounting hole) on the mounting plate 110 of the box body 10 .

[0075] An embodiment of the present application provides an adapter detection tool 50 , which includes a tool body 500 and a detection channel 540 .

[0076] The tooling body 500 includes a first end 511 and a second end 512 relative to each other, and a accommodating cavity 530 is provided inside the tooling body 500. The first end 511 is provided with a first opening 513 connected to the accommodating cavity 530, and the second end 512 is provided with a second opening 514 connected to the accommodating cavity 530. The first end 511 is used to dock with the mounting plate 110 where the first connecting end 401 of the adapter 40 is located, and the accommodating cavity 530 is used to accommodate the first connecting end 401 of the adapter 40. The second opening 514 allows the second connecting end 402 of the adapter 40 to extend.

[0077] One end of the detection channel 540 is connected to the accommodating chamber 530 , and the other end of the detection channel 540 is used to be connected to the gas detection device.

[0078] The tool body 500 can be cylindrical with a housing cavity 530 formed therein. A first end 511 and a second end 512 are located at opposite ends of the tool body 500. A first opening 513 is formed at the first end 511, and a second opening 514 is formed at the second end 512. Both the first opening 513 and the second opening 514 communicate with the housing cavity 530. The adapter detection tool 50 can be mounted on the outside of the adapter 40 and docked with the mounting plate 110 of the housing 10 through the first end face 511. This allows the adapter 40 to enter the housing cavity 530 through the second opening 514, and the second connection end 402 of the adapter 40 to extend from the second opening 514 to connect to the external piping of the battery 100. The first end face 511 and the mounting plate 110 of the housing 10 can be abutted against each other by applying a certain amount of pressure, or a removable connection can be achieved by providing a corresponding connection structure, such as a threaded connection.

[0079] The first opening 513 and the second opening 514 can match the shapes of the first and second connecting ends of the adapter 40, for example, both being circular. It is understood that the cross-sectional dimension of the first opening 513 can be larger than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the adapter 40 to allow the adapter 40 to enter the accommodating cavity 530.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4, the central axis of the accommodating cavity 530 in the adapter detection tooling 50 is OO', and the central axis of the first connection end 401 of the adapter 40 is QQ'. The adapter detection tooling 50 can be mounted on the outside of the first connection end 401 of the adapter 40 in a manner aligned along the central axis so that the first connection end 401 of the adapter 40 is located in the accommodating cavity 530 in the adapter detection tooling 50.

[0081] The detection channel 540 may be a through hole penetrating the tool body 500 , so that the accommodating cavity 530 can communicate with the external gas, so that an external gas detection device can detect the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodating cavity through the detection channel 540 .

[0082] A gas detection device is a device that can detect the concentration of a tracer gas. In some examples, the tracer gas can be helium or a hydrogen-nitrogen mixture, and the gas detection device can be a helium detector. When testing the sealing performance of a thermal management component, a tracer gas can be introduced into the liquid cooling component to a certain pressure through an adapter connected to the liquid cooling component's water inlet or outlet. After a certain period of stagnant air, the concentration of the tracer gas leaking from the liquid cooling component can be measured to determine the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component.

[0083] The adapter detection tool 50 in the embodiment of the present application is provided with a accommodating cavity 530, and the first connecting end of the adapter 40 is arranged in the accommodating cavity 20. Since the first connecting end 401 is the end where the adapter 40 is connected to the connecting tube 302, if there is tracer gas leaked from the first connecting end 401 of the adapter 40, it will be gathered in the accommodating cavity 530, making it easier to detect. In this way, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component can be more comprehensively detected, thereby improving the accuracy of the detection.

[0084] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 8 , the tool body 500 includes a first body 510 and a second body 520 that are detachably connected. The first body 510 and the second body 520 together form a receiving cavity 530 .

[0085] The first body 510 and the second body 520 can be manufactured separately, each having a portion of the inner surface forming the accommodating cavity, and then detachably connected to each other to enclose and form the complete accommodating cavity 530. A dynamic seal can be maintained between the first body 510 and the second body 520, for example, by providing an elastic seal, so that the connection between the two does not affect the integrity and sealing performance of the accommodating cavity 530.

[0086] Because the adapter 40 is often structured in a curved configuration, meaning the first connection end 401 and the second connection end 402 are not aligned but rather bent at a certain angle, such as 90 degrees, this curved configuration makes it difficult to attach the adapter inspection tool 50 to the outside of the first connection end of the adapter 40. By configuring the tool body 500 as a detachably connected first body 510 and second body 520, attaching the adapter inspection tool 50 to the adapter 40 becomes much easier.

[0087] The first end wall 511, the second end wall 512, the first opening 513, and the second opening 514 can be formed by the first body 510 and the second body 520 being joined together, or can be separately provided on one of the first body 510 and the second body 520. As shown in FIG4 , the first end wall 511, the second end wall 512, the first opening 513, and the second opening 514 are all provided on the first body 510, and the second body 520 and the first body 510 together form a complete sidewall of the accommodating cavity 530.

[0088] By setting the tooling body as a first body 510 and a second body 520 that are detachably connected, the tooling body can be manufactured and processed more easily, and the detachable structure can better adapt to the bending structure of the adapter 40, so that the adapter detection tooling 50 can be more easily put on the adapter 40, simplifying the difficulty of installation.

[0089] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 4 to 8, the first body 510 is provided with a gap 515 connecting the first opening 513 and the second opening 514, and the gap 515 is used to allow the second connection end 402 of the adapter 40 to pass through when the adapter detection tooling 50 is mounted on the outside of the adapter 40; the second body 520 is used to block and open at least part of the gap 515.

[0090] The first opening 513 and the second opening 514 are respectively located at two ends of the first body 510 and are connected through the notch 515 . The second body 520 can move relative to the first body 513 to close or open at least a portion of the notch 515 .

[0091] In some examples, the notch 515 includes a first portion located on the sidewall of the first body 510 and a second portion located at the second end 512 and communicating with the second opening 514. The second body 520 can completely block the first portion of the notch 515, and the end surface of the second body 520 can be flush with the end surface of the first body 510, together forming the first end surface of the tooling body 500 and defining the first opening 513. In other examples, the second body 520 can simultaneously block and open the first and second portions of the notch 515.

[0092] By constructing the second body 520 to block and open at least part of the gap 515, the tool body 500 can better adapt to the elbow shape of the adapter 40, so that the adapter detection tool 50 can be more easily installed on the outside of the adapter 40, which is beneficial to the detection of sealing performance.

[0093] According to some embodiments of the present application, the second body 520 is constructed to move between a first position and a second position located on the outer surface of the first body 510 away from the accommodating cavity 530, wherein the second body 520 can block at least a portion of the gap 515 when it is in the first position, and can open the gap 515 when the second body 520 is in the second position.

[0094] In some examples, the second body 520 can be concentrically arranged with the first body 510 and rotatable about the central axis OO' of the accommodating cavity 530 on the outer surface of the first body 510 away from the accommodating cavity 530, and the central angle of the notch 515 relative to the central axis OO' is smaller than the central angle of the second body 520 relative to the central axis OO'. When the second body 520 is in the first position, the second body 520 can block the notch 515, thereby forming a complete accommodating cavity 530 with the first body 510. When the second body 520 moves to the second position, the second body 520 completely opens the notch 515, which facilitates the installation of the adapter detection tool 50 on the outside of the adapter 40.

[0095] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the first connection end 401 and the second connection end 402 of the adapter 40 are bent at 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the specific steps of installing the adapter detection tool 50 on the outside of the adapter 40 include:

[0096] Move the second body 520 to the second position so that the notch 515 on the first body 510 is fully opened;

[0097] The adapter testing tool 50 is mounted on the outer surface of the adapter 40 with its central axis OO' substantially aligned with the central axis QQ' of the adapter 40. The second connecting end 402 of the adapter 40 moves through the notch 515 toward the second end 512 where the second opening 514 is located and extends out of the second opening 514.

[0098] The second body 520 is moved to the first position to at least partially close the gap 515 , so that the second body 520 and the first body 510 are combined to form the accommodating cavity 530 .

[0099] The second body 520 is constructed to move between two positions to respectively close and open the gap 515, which can save the time spent on docking and positioning the first body 510 and the second body 520. During installation, only the second body 520 needs to be moved, and the assembly method is simpler.

[0100] Please refer to Figures 9 to 12, Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the adapter detection tooling of other embodiments of the present application, Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the adapter detection tooling of other embodiments of the present application before assembly with the adapter, Figure 11 is a structural schematic diagram of the adapter detection tooling of other embodiments of the present application after assembly with the adapter, and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view along the CC direction in Figure 11.

[0101] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first body 510 is provided with a first docking surface 516, and the second body 520 is provided with a second docking surface 517. The first docking surface 516 is docked with the second docking surface 517 so that the first body 510 and the second body 520 are combined to form a accommodating cavity 530, as well as a first opening 513 and a second opening 514 located at both ends of the accommodating cavity 530.

[0102] The first body 510 and the second body 520 can be two sub-parts of the cylindrical tooling body 500 divided along a plane parallel to the central axis OO'. The two are respectively provided with a first docking surface 516 and a second docking surface 517. The two docking surfaces are connected to each other, so that the first body 510 and the second body 520 are combined to form an internal accommodating cavity 530, as well as a first opening 513 and a second opening 514 located at both ends of the accommodating cavity 530.

[0103] In some examples, the sum of the central angles formed by the first body 510 and the second body 520 relative to the central axis OO' is equal to 360 degrees, that is, after the two are docked, a complete cylindrical tooling body 500 along the circumference of the central axis OO' is formed. In some examples, the central angles formed by the first body 510 and the second body 520 relative to the central axis OO' are equal.

[0104] The first docking surface 516 and the second docking surface 517 can each be provided with a corresponding positioning structure, such as a protrusion on one and a groove corresponding to the protrusion on the other, so that the two can be positioned when docked. The first body 510 and the second body 520 can be detachably connected by snapping, bonding, or fasteners.

[0105] The detection channel 540 may be provided on a side wall of any one of the first body 510 and the second body 520 to communicate with the accommodating cavity 530 formed by the enclosed cavity.

[0106] The adapter detection fixture 50 is formed by directly connecting the first body 510 and the second body 520, which can simplify the structure of the adapter detection fixture 50 and reduce the complexity of processing and manufacturing costs.

[0107] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 9 , the tool body 500 further includes a first sealing member 550 , which is sandwiched between the first docking surface 516 and the second docking surface 517 .

[0108] The first seal 550 can be any end-face sealing component that forms an end-face seal between the first abutting surface 516 and the second abutting surface 517, such as a sealant, a packing seal, a rubber seal, etc. At least one of the first abutting surface 516 and the second abutting surface 517 can be provided with a groove for accommodating the first seal 550. The number of first seals 550 can be adapted to the number of abutting areas between the first abutting surface 516 and the second abutting surface 517. As shown in FIG9 , there are two abutting areas between the first abutting surface 516 and the second abutting surface 517, and the number of first seals 550 is also two, so that each seal is sandwiched between the two abutting areas to achieve sealing.

[0109] By providing the first sealing member 550 , the sealing performance of the connection between the first body 510 and the second body 520 can be improved, thereby reducing the detection error caused by the leakage of the tracer gas from the connection between the two and improving the accuracy of the sealing performance detection.

[0110] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 12 , the tool body 500 further includes a second sealing member 560 . The second sealing member 560 is located at the first end 511 and surrounds the outer periphery of the first opening 513 .

[0111] The second seal 560 can be any end face sealing component, such as sealant, packing seal, rubber seal, etc. The second seal 560 is used to seal when the first end 511 of the adapter detection tool 50 is docked with the mounting plate 110 of the box body 10, isolating the location of the first opening 513 from the outside world, thereby reducing the risk of tracer gas leaking out from the gap between the first end 511 and the mounting plate 110. The second seal 560 can be a seal continuously arranged along the periphery of the first opening 513, or it can be formed by splicing several independent seals end to end. For example, it includes a first sub-sealing component arranged on the first body 510, and a second sub-sealing component arranged on the second body 520. The first sub-sealing component and the second sub-sealing component form a complete seal around the periphery of the first opening 513 after being enclosed and connected with the first body 510 and the second body 520.

[0112] In some examples, after the adapter detection tooling 50 is mounted on the outside of the first connection end 401 of the adapter 40, the first end 511 is abutted against the mounting plate 110 through the second sealing member 560, and the gas in the accommodating chamber can be extracted by a vacuum suction device to maintain a vacuum or negative pressure state in the accommodating chamber 530. In this way, on the one hand, the first end 511 of the adapter detection tooling 50 can be tightly abutted against the mounting plate 110 by pressure to improve the sealing effect, and at the same time, it is also convenient for subsequent detection of leaked tracer gas.

[0113] By providing the second sealing member 560 , the sealing effect between the adapter detection fixture 50 and the mounting plate 110 can be improved, the detection accuracy of the leaked tracer gas can be improved, and the accuracy of the sealing performance detection of the liquid cooling component can be improved.

[0114] According to some embodiments of the present application, the tool body 500 further includes a third sealing member 570 . The third sealing member 570 is located on a surface of the second end 512 forming the second opening 514 and is disposed along the circumference of the second opening 514 .

[0115] The third sealing member 570 is used to seal against the second connection end 402 extending from the second opening 514 after the adapter detection tool 50 is placed on the outside of the adapter 40. The third sealing member 570 can be any end face sealing member, such as a sealant, a packing seal, or a rubber seal.

[0116] It is understood that the third sealing member 570 may be a sealing member continuously disposed along the circumference of the second opening 514, or may be formed by connecting several independent sealing members end to end. For example, the third sealing member 570 may include a third sub-sealing component disposed on the first body 510 and a fourth sub-sealing component disposed on the second body 520. The third and fourth sub-sealing components, when connected to the first and second bodies 510, 520, form a complete sealing member disposed around the circumference of the second opening 514.

[0117] By providing the third seal 570 , the sealing performance of the connection position between the adapter detection fixture 50 and the second connection end 402 of the adapter 40 can be improved, the risk of tracer gas leakage can be reduced, and the accuracy of the sealing performance detection of the liquid cooling component can be improved.

[0118] Please refer to Figures 13-15. Figure 13 is a structural block diagram of the sealing detection device of some embodiments of the present application, Figure 14 is a connection diagram of the sealing detection device of some embodiments of the present application; Figure 15 is a connection diagram of the sealing detection device of other embodiments of the present application.

[0119] According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application, a seal detection device 400 is provided for detecting the sealing performance of a liquid cooling assembly 30 within a battery case. As shown in FIG13 , the seal detection device 400 includes an adapter detection tool 50 and a gas detection device 60. The adapter detection tool 50 is mounted on the outer side of the first connection end 401 of the adapter 40 of the liquid cooling assembly 30. The gas detection device 60 is connected to the detection channel 540 of the adapter detection tool 50 to detect the concentration of the tracer gas within the accommodating cavity 530 of the adapter detection tool 50.

[0120] The gas detection device 60 can be detachably connected to the detection channel 540 of the adapter detection fixture 50, for example, by threading. In some examples, the tracer gas can be helium, and the gas detection device 60 can be a helium detector.

[0121] As shown in FIG14 , the helium detector E is the aforementioned gas detection device 60. A storage space 103 is formed within the battery housing 10. The water-cooling plate 303 of the liquid-cooling assembly 30 is disposed within the storage space 103 and connected to external pipelines via a water inlet adapter 40A and a water outlet adapter 40B. The water inlet adapter 40A is connected to the liquid inlet pipeline, and the water outlet adapter 40B is connected to the liquid outlet pipeline. In some embodiments, the adapter detection fixture 50 includes a first adapter detection fixture 50A mounted on the water inlet adapter 40A and a second adapter detection fixture 50B mounted on the water outlet adapter 40B. The helium detector E is connected to the first adapter detection fixture 50A and the second adapter detection fixture 50B via pipelines, respectively, to detect the concentration of tracer gas in the first adapter detection fixture 50A and the second adapter detection fixture 50B, respectively.

[0122] The sealing detection device 400 in this embodiment can detect the leakage condition of the adapter 40 position of the liquid cooling component 30, which helps to more comprehensively judge the leakage condition of the liquid cooling component 30 and improve the accuracy of the sealing detection.

[0123] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 13-14, the gas detection device 60 is also connected to the accommodation space 103 where the liquid cooling component 30 is located in the battery 100 to detect the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodation space 103 where the liquid cooling component 30 is located in the battery box 10.

[0124] As shown in Figure 14, the gas detection device 60 can be a helium detector E, and the tracer gas can be helium. The helium detector E is also connected to the storage space 103 via a pipeline, thereby enabling detection of helium within the storage space 103. In some embodiments, the helium detector E is connected to the first adapter detection fixture 50A, the second adapter detection fixture 50B, and the storage space 103 via three parallel branches. In some examples, each branch is equipped with a valve to control the on / off of the pipeline, so that the corresponding detection position can be controlled by the valve.

[0125] By connecting the gas detection device 60 with the accommodating space 103, the leakage conditions at the location of the adapter 40 and the location of the water cooling plate can be detected respectively. This can not only more comprehensively detect the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component 30, but also determine the leakage location more quickly.

[0126] According to some embodiments of the present application, the sealing detection device 400 further includes a vacuum suction device 70 , which is connected to the adapter detection tooling 50 to extract the gas in the accommodating cavity 530 .

[0127] The vacuum suction device 70 can be a vacuum pump. The adapter test fixture 50 can also be provided with an independent air extraction hole, and the vacuum suction device 70 can be connected to the air extraction hole to extract air from the receiving chamber 530 of the adapter test fixture 50, thereby maintaining a vacuum or negative pressure in the receiving chamber 530. In some examples, before introducing the tracer gas, the vacuum suction device 70 can be connected to the adapter test fixture 50 to pump the receiving chamber 530 to a predetermined pressure, and then the tracer gas can be introduced into the liquid cooling assembly 30 to perform a sealing performance test.

[0128] By providing the vacuum suction device 70, on the one hand, the first end 511 of the adapter detection tool 50 and the mounting plate 110 can be more tightly abutted under the action of atmospheric pressure, thereby reducing the risk of tracer gas overflow; on the other hand, the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodating chamber 530 can be increased to facilitate detection.

[0129] According to some embodiments of the present application, the sealing detection device 400 further includes a pressure detection device 80 , which is connected to the second connection end 402 of the adapter 40 to detect the pressure within the liquid cooling assembly 30 .

[0130] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 13 and 14 , the pressure detection device 80 may include a differential pressure sensor U and a standard pressure terminal R. The standard pressure terminal R is connected to the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30 via a fifth control valve W. The two ends of the differential pressure sensor U are connected to the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30 and the standard pressure terminal R, respectively. During detection, when the fifth control valve W is disconnected, the pressure at the standard pressure terminal R remains at the pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 at the moment of disconnection, while the differential pressure sensor U remains connected to the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30. The pressure at this end of the differential pressure sensor U changes in real time with changes in the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30. For example, when a leak occurs, causing the pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 to drop, the pressure at this end of the differential pressure sensor U will also change synchronously. The pressure difference from the pressure at the standard pressure terminal R causes the pointer to deflect, thereby indicating the current difference between the pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 and the standard pressure terminal R, thereby determining the overall sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30.

[0131] By setting up the pressure detection device 80, the overall sealing performance of the liquid cooling component 30 can be detected. Combined with the gas detection device 60, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component 30 can be more comprehensively judged, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of the detection.

[0132] Please refer to FIG. 16 , which is a flow chart of a sealing detection method according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0133] According to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present application, a seal detection method is provided, comprising:

[0134] Step S610: Attach the adapter detection tool 50 to the outside of the adapter 40 of the liquid cooling assembly 30 of the battery 100 so that the first connection end 401 of the adapter 40 is located in the receiving cavity 530 of the adapter detection tool 50;

[0135] Step S620: introducing a tracer gas into the liquid cooling assembly 30;

[0136] Step S630: Detecting the concentration of the tracer gas leaked from the liquid cooling assembly 30.

[0137] Step S640: determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 according to the detected concentration of the tracer gas.

[0138] As shown in Figures 3-15 , in some embodiments, a storage space 103 is formed within the battery housing 10 to accommodate the battery cells 20 and the liquid cooling assembly 30. The water cooling plate 303 of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is arranged within the storage space 103 and is connected to external pipelines via a water inlet adapter 40A and a water outlet adapter 40B. The water inlet adapter 40A is connected to the liquid inlet pipeline, and the water outlet adapter 40B is connected to the liquid outlet pipeline. The adapter detection tool 50 includes a first adapter detection tool 50A that is mounted on the water inlet adapter 40A and a second adapter detection tool 50B that is mounted on the water outlet adapter 40B.

[0139] In some examples, the first adapter detection tool 50A and the second adapter detection tool 50B respectively include a first seal 550 , a second seal 560 , and a third seal 570 , so that the accommodating cavity 530 can form a closed space.

[0140] Step S610 further includes extracting air from the receiving chamber 530 of the adapter detection tool 50 until the pressure in the receiving chamber 530 is lower than a first preset pressure. In some examples, the air in the receiving chamber 530 can be removed by a vacuum suction device. The first preset pressure can be 0 or any pressure value less than one standard atmospheric pressure.

[0141] In step S620, the tracer gas can be helium. The first control valve T1 of the helium source S is opened, and the helium is filled into the liquid cooling component 30 through the second connection end of the water outlet adapter 40B. When the pressure gauge V detects that the pressure in the liquid cooling component 30 rises to a second preset pressure value, the filling is stopped.

[0142] In some examples, the gas detection device may be a helium detector E. The helium detector E is connected to a first adapter detection fixture 50A via a first branch, and to a second adapter detection fixture 50B via a second branch. A third control valve T3 is provided on the first branch to control the on / off of the first branch, and a second control valve T2 is provided on the second branch to control the on / off of the second branch. The helium detector E is also provided with a master control valve F, which controls the on / off connection between the helium detector E and all branches.

[0143] In step S630 , the gas detection device (eg, helium detector E) can be connected to the position to be detected by controlling the main control valve F, the third control valve T3 and the second control valve T2 to detect the concentration of the tracer gas leaked from the corresponding position.

[0144] In step S640 , when the concentration of the tracer gas detected is less than a preset threshold, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined to be “OK”; otherwise, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined to be “NG”.

[0145] The embodiment of the present application can detect leakage of the liquid cooling component at the connection position where the adapter is located, so that the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component can be more comprehensively detected and evaluated, thereby improving the accuracy of the detection results.

[0146] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S630 includes:

[0147] Detect the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodation space 103 where the liquid cooling assembly 30 is located in the battery 100 , and / or detect the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodation cavity 530 of the adapter detection tool 50 .

[0148] As shown in FIG15 , the helium detector E is also connected to the accommodating space 103 through a third branch. A fourth control valve T4 is provided on the third branch to control the on-off of the third branch.

[0149] By sequentially controlling the helium detector E to connect to different branches, the concentration of the tracer gas in at least one of the accommodating space 103, the accommodating cavity of the first adapter detection fixture 50A, and the accommodating cavity of the second adapter detection fixture 50B can be detected.

[0150] By detecting leakage at different locations respectively, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component can be determined more accurately and the specific leakage location of the liquid cooling component can be determined more quickly.

[0151] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S630 includes:

[0152] Connecting the accommodation space 103 where the liquid cooling assembly 30 is located in the battery, the accommodation cavity of the first adapter detection tool 50A corresponding to the water inlet adapter 40A of the liquid cooling assembly 30, and the accommodation cavity of the second adapter detection tool 50B corresponding to the water outlet adapter 40B of the liquid cooling assembly 30, and detecting the concentration of the tracer gas to obtain a first detection result;

[0153] And wherein, step S640 includes: determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 according to the first detection result.

[0154] As shown in Figure 15, the main control valve F, second control valve T2, third control valve T3, and fourth control valve T4 are simultaneously opened, allowing communication between the receiving space 103, the receiving cavity of the first adapter inspection fixture 50A, and the receiving cavity of the second adapter inspection fixture 50B, allowing the helium detector E to simultaneously inspect these three areas. It can be understood that if a leak occurs in any of these three areas, the helium detector E detects a tracer gas concentration greater than a preset concentration threshold, and the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined to be "NG" based on the first test result. If no leaks occur in any of these three areas, the helium detector E's first test result is 0 or less than or equal to a preset concentration threshold, and the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined to be "OK" based on the first test result.

[0155] By connecting the fluids between different areas and detecting the tracer gas concentration, it is possible to detect whether there are leaks in multiple areas at one time, thereby improving the efficiency of detection.

[0156] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S630 further includes:

[0157] In response to the first detection result exceeding the preset concentration threshold, the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodation space 103 where the liquid cooling assembly 30 is located, the accommodation cavity of the first adapter detection fixture 50A corresponding to the water inlet adapter 40A of the liquid cooling assembly 30, and the accommodation cavity of the second adapter detection fixture 50B corresponding to the water outlet adapter 40B of the liquid cooling assembly 30 are separately detected to obtain a second detection result;

[0158] And wherein, step S640 further includes:

[0159] According to the second detection result, the leakage position of the battery liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined.

[0160] If the first test result exceeds the preset concentration threshold, it is determined that a leak exists in the liquid cooling assembly 30, i.e., a leak exists in at least one of the accommodating space 103, the accommodating cavity of the first adapter detection fixture 50A, and the accommodating cavity of the second adapter detection fixture 50B. In this case, the second control valve T2, the third control valve T3, and the fourth control valve T4 can be controlled separately to enable the helium detector E to independently test each branch to obtain a second test result. The second test result includes the three tracer gas concentrations detected when connected to each of the three branches.

[0161] The three tracer gas concentrations in the second detection result are compared with preset concentration thresholds respectively. If the tracer gas concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, it is determined that there is a leak in the area connected by the branch corresponding to the tracer gas concentration. If the tracer gas concentration is less than or equal to the preset concentration threshold, it is determined that there is no leak in the area connected by the branch corresponding to the tracer gas concentration. In this way, the leakage location of the liquid cooling component 30 is determined.

[0162] By detecting gas leakage in different areas separately, the leakage situation in different areas can be judged, and then the specific leakage location can be further determined when it is determined that there is a leak in the liquid cooling component, thereby improving the accuracy of the sealing performance test results.

[0163] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S630 further includes: detecting the pressure value inside the liquid cooling assembly 30. And wherein, step S640 further includes:

[0164] The sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined based on the pressure value and the detected concentration of the tracer gas.

[0165] While detecting the concentration of the leaked tracer gas in step S630, the pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 can also be detected simultaneously. For example, a differential pressure sensor U and a standard pressure port R can be provided. The standard pressure port R is connected to the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30 via a fifth control valve W. One end of the differential pressure sensor U is connected to the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30, and the other end is connected to the standard pressure port R. During testing, when the fifth control valve W is disconnected, the pressure at the standard pressure port R remains at the pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 at the moment of disconnection. However, the end of the differential pressure sensor U connected to the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30 changes in real time with changes in the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30. This indicates the difference between the current pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 and the standard pressure port R, as well as changes in the differential pressure.

[0166] In step S640, the detected pressure value within the liquid-cooling assembly 30 is combined with the detected tracer gas concentration to determine the sealing performance of the liquid-cooling assembly 30. Theoretically, changes in the pressure value within the liquid-cooling assembly 30 are directly correlated with the detected tracer gas concentration. However, considering the possibility of unexpected events or errors that may affect the test results during the testing process, such as seal failure or insufficient detection accuracy, in some embodiments, the sealing performance of the liquid-cooling assembly 30 is determined to be "NG" in response to the detection result of the differential pressure sensor U exceeding a third preset pressure value and / or the detected tracer gas concentration being greater than or equal to a preset concentration threshold. Otherwise, the sealing performance of the liquid-cooling assembly 30 is determined to be "OK."

[0167] By combining the pressure changes inside the hydraulic component with the concentration detection of the leaked tracer gas, the distortion of the test results caused by other uncontrollable factors can be reduced to a certain extent, and the defect of insufficient detection accuracy can be compensated, thereby more reliably detecting the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component.

[0168] The embodiments of the present application are further described below with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 16 .

[0169] The liquid cooling assembly 30 includes a current collector 301, a connecting tube 302, and a water-cooling plate 303 located within the housing 10. Multiple water-cooling plates 303 can be arranged side by side, with each plate 303 located between two rows of battery cells 20. The current collector 301 is located at the end of the water-cooling plate 303, and the connecting tube 302 is connected to the current collector 301. The connecting tube 302 is connected to the water inlet adapter 40A and the water outlet adapter 40B, respectively, through the mounting plate 110 of the housing 10. The water inlet adapter 40A and the water outlet adapter 40B have the same structure, each including a first connecting end 401 and a second connecting end 402. The first connecting end 401 is connected to the connecting tube 302 through the mounting plate 110, and the second connecting end 402 is used to connect to external pipelines. The first connecting end 401 and the second connecting end 402 form a 90-degree bend.

[0170] The adapter detection tool 50 includes a tool body 500 and a detection channel 540. The tool body 500 includes a first end 511 and a second end 512 relative to each other. A accommodating cavity 530 is provided inside the tool body 500. The first end 511 is provided with a first opening 513 communicating with the accommodating cavity 530, and the second end 512 is provided with a second opening 514 communicating with the accommodating cavity 530. The first end 511 is used to dock with the mounting plate 110 where the first connecting end 401 of the adapter 40 is located. The accommodating cavity 530 is used to accommodate the first connecting end 401 of the adapter 40. The second opening 514 allows the second connecting end 402 of the adapter 40 to extend.

[0171] The tooling body 500 includes a first body 510 and a second body 520 that are detachably connected. The first body 510 is provided with a notch 515 connecting the first opening 513 and the second opening 514. The notch 515 includes a first part located on the side wall of the first body 510 and a second part located at the second end 512 and connected to the second opening 514. The second body 520 is constructed to move between a first position and a second position located on the outer surface of the first body 510 away from the accommodating cavity 530, wherein the second body 520 can block the first part of the notch 515 or the first part and the second part at the same time when it is in the first position, and can open the notch 515 when it is in the second position.

[0172] In some embodiments, the first body 510 and the second body 520 can be two sub-parts of the cylindrical tooling body 500 divided along a plane parallel to the central axis OO', the first body 510 is provided with a first docking surface 516, and the second body 520 is provided with a second docking surface 517, the first docking surface 516 and the second docking surface 517 are docked so that the first body 510 and the second body 520 are combined to form a accommodating cavity 530, as well as a first opening 513 and a second opening 514 located at both ends of the accommodating cavity 530.

[0173] The tool body 500 further includes a first seal 550, a second seal 560, and a third seal 570. The first seal 550 is interposed between the first mating surface 516 and the second mating surface 517. The second seal 560 is located at the first end 511 and surrounds the periphery of the first opening 513. The second seal 560 is used to seal when the first end 511 of the adapter detection tool 50 is mated with the mounting plate 110 of the housing 10. The third seal 570 is located at the second end 512, forming the surface of the second opening 514, and is arranged along the circumference of the second opening 514. After the adapter detection tool 50 is mounted on the outside of the adapter 40, the third seal 570 is used to contact the second connection end 402 extending from the second opening 514 to achieve a seal.

[0174] An embodiment of the present application also provides a sealing detection device 400 for detecting the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 in the battery box 10. As shown in Figures 13 and 15, the sealing detection device 400 includes an adapter detection tooling 50, a gas detection device 60, a vacuum suction device 70 and a pressure detection device 80.

[0175] There are two adapter detection fixtures 50: a first adapter detection fixture 50A mounted on the water inlet adapter 40A of the liquid cooling assembly 30, and a second adapter detection fixture 50B mounted on the water outlet adapter 40B of the liquid cooling assembly 30. Each adapter detection fixture 50 is mounted on the outer side of the first connection end 401 of the corresponding adapter 40 of the liquid cooling assembly 30.

[0176] The gas detection device 60 is connected to the detection channel 540 of the adapter detection fixture 50 to detect the concentration of the tracer gas within the accommodating chamber 530 of the adapter detection fixture 50. The gas detection device 60 can be a helium detector E. The helium detector E is connected to the first adapter detection fixture 50A via a first branch and to the second adapter detection fixture 50B via a second branch. A third control valve T3 is provided on the first branch to control the opening and closing of the first branch, and a second control valve T2 is provided on the second branch to control the opening and closing of the second branch. The helium detector E also has a master control valve F, which controls the opening and closing of the helium detector E with all branches. The helium detector E is also connected to the accommodating space 103 via a third branch. A fourth control valve T4 is provided on the third branch to control the opening and closing of the third branch.

[0177] The vacuum suction device 70 is connected to the adapter detection tool 50 to extract the gas in the accommodating cavity 530 .

[0178] The pressure detection device 80 is connected to the second connection end 402 of the air outlet adapter 40B to detect the pressure within the liquid cooling assembly 30. The pressure detection device 80 includes a differential pressure sensor U and a standard pressure port R. The standard pressure port R communicates with the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30 via a fifth control valve W. One end of the differential pressure sensor U communicates with the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30, and the other end communicates with the standard pressure port R.

[0179] The sealing detection device 400 may further include a helium gas source S and a pressure gauge V. The helium gas source S is connected to the second connection end 402 of the gas outlet adapter 40B via a first control valve T1 .

[0180] The present invention also provides a sealing detection method, which includes:

[0181] Step S610 : The adapter detection tool 50 is mounted on the outside of the adapter 40 of the liquid cooling assembly 30 of the battery 100 , so that the first connection end 401 of the adapter 40 is located in the accommodating cavity 530 of the adapter detection tool 50 .

[0182] In some embodiments, the first connection end 401 and the second connection end 402 of the adapter 40 are bent at 90 degrees. The specific steps of installing the adapter detection tool 50 on the outside of the adapter 40 include:

[0183] Move the second body 520 to the second position so that the notch 515 on the first body 510 is fully opened;

[0184] The adapter testing tool 50 is mounted on the outer surface of the adapter 40 in a manner such that the central axis OO' is substantially aligned with the central axis QQ' of the adapter 40. The second connecting end 402 of the adapter 40 moves through the notch 515 toward the second end 512 where the second opening 514 is located and extends out of the second opening 514.

[0185] The second body 520 is moved to the first position to at least partially close the gap 515 , so that the second body 520 and the first body 510 are combined to form the accommodating cavity 530 .

[0186] In some examples, step S610 may further include: using a suction adapter to detect air in the accommodating chamber 530 of the tooling 50 until the pressure in the accommodating chamber 530 is lower than a first preset pressure.

[0187] Step S620 : introducing tracer gas into the liquid cooling assembly 30 .

[0188] Open the first control valve T1 and the helium gas source S, and fill the liquid cooling component 30 with helium. When the pressure gauge V detects that the pressure inside the liquid cooling component 30 rises to a second preset pressure value, stop filling, disconnect the first control valve T1, and close the helium gas source S.

[0189] Step S630: Detecting the concentration of the tracer gas leaked from the liquid cooling assembly 30, which may specifically include:

[0190] Open the main control valve F, the third control valve T3, and the second control valve T2, connect the helium detector E to the accommodation space 103 where the liquid cooling assembly 30 in the battery is located, the accommodation cavity of the first adapter detection tool 50A corresponding to the water inlet adapter 40A of the liquid cooling assembly 30, and the accommodation cavity of the second adapter detection tool 50B corresponding to the water outlet adapter 40B of the liquid cooling assembly 30, detect the concentration of the leaked tracer gas, and obtain a first detection result.

[0191] In response to the first detection result exceeding the preset concentration threshold, the main control valve F is kept open, and one of the second control valve T2, the third control valve T3 and the fourth control valve T4 is opened independently to respectively detect the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodating space 103, the accommodating cavity of the first adapter detection tooling 50A and the accommodating cavity of the second adapter detection tooling 50B to obtain a second detection result.

[0192] While detecting the concentration of the leaked tracer gas in step S630, the pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 can also be detected simultaneously. During the test, the fifth control valve W is disconnected, and the pressure at the standard pressure port R remains at the pressure inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 at the moment of disconnection. The end of the differential pressure sensor U connected to the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30 changes in real time with changes in the interior of the liquid cooling assembly 30. The pressure value inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined by reading the differential pressure value displayed by the differential pressure sensor U.

[0193] Step S640: determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 according to the detected concentration of the tracer gas.

[0194] When the first detection result indicates that the detected tracer gas concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined to be "NG", otherwise the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 is determined to be "OK".

[0195] According to the second detection result, the leakage conditions of the areas connected by the three different branches are determined, and then the leakage position of the liquid cooling component 30 is determined.

[0196] In some embodiments, the detected pressure value inside the liquid cooling assembly 30 may be combined with the detected concentration of the tracer gas to jointly determine the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30. For example, if the detection result of the differential pressure sensor U exceeds a third preset pressure value and / or the detected concentration of the tracer gas is greater than or equal to a preset concentration threshold, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 may be determined to be "NG." Conversely, if the detection result of the differential pressure sensor U exceeds a third preset pressure value, the sealing performance of the liquid cooling assembly 30 may be determined to be "OK."

[0197] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments can still be modified, or some or all of the technical features therein can be replaced by equivalents. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An adapter detection tool, the adapter comprising a first connecting end and a second connecting end that are connected, the adapter detection tool comprising: A tool body, comprising a first end and a second end opposite to each other, a receiving cavity is provided inside the tool body, the first end is provided with a first opening communicating with the receiving cavity, the second end is provided with a second opening communicating with the receiving cavity, the first end is used to dock with the mounting plate where the first connecting end of the adapter is located, the receiving cavity is used to accommodate the first connecting end of the adapter, and the second opening allows the second connecting end of the adapter to extend out; A detection channel, one end of which is connected to the accommodating cavity, and the other end of which is used to be connected to a gas detection device.

2. The adapter detection tool according to claim 1, wherein: The tool body comprises a first body and a second body which are detachably connected, and the first body and the second body together form the accommodating cavity.

3. The adapter detection tool according to claim 2, wherein: The first body is provided with a gap connecting the first opening and the second opening, and the gap is used to allow the second connecting end of the adapter to pass through when the adapter detection tool is sleeved to the outside of the adapter; the second body is used to block and open at least part of the gap.

4. The adapter detection tool according to claim 3, wherein: The second body is constructed to move between a first position and a second position located on an outer surface of the first body away from the accommodating cavity, wherein the second body can block at least a portion of the gap when located at the first position, and can open the gap when located at the second position.

5. The adapter detection tool according to claim 2, wherein: The first body is provided with a first docking surface, and the second body is provided with a second docking surface. The first docking surface is docked with the second docking surface so that the first body and the second body enclose the accommodating cavity and the first opening and the second opening located at two ends of the accommodating cavity.

6. The adapter detection tool according to claim 5, wherein: The tool body further includes a first sealing member, and the first sealing member is sandwiched between the first butt joint surface and the second butt joint surface.

7. The adapter detection tool according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The tool body further includes a second sealing member, which is located at the first end and surrounds the outer periphery of the first opening.

8. The adapter detection tool according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The tool body further includes a third sealing member, which is located on a surface of the second end forming the second opening and is arranged along the circumference of the second opening.

9. A sealing detection device for detecting the sealing performance of a liquid cooling component in a battery box, wherein: include The adapter detection tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the adapter detection tool is sleeved on the outer side of the first connection end of the adapter of the liquid cooling component, and A gas detection device is connected to the detection channel of the adapter detection tooling to detect the concentration of the tracer gas in the containing cavity.

10. The sealing detection device according to claim 9, wherein: The gas detection device is also communicated with the accommodation space where the liquid cooling assembly in the battery is located to detect the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodation space.

11. The sealing detection device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: Also includes A vacuum suction device is connected to the adapter detection tooling to extract the gas in the accommodating cavity.

12. The sealing detection device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein: Also includes A pressure detection device is connected to the second connection end of the adapter to detect the pressure in the liquid cooling assembly.

13. A sealing detection method, comprising: Sleeve the adapter detection tool as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 onto the outside of the adapter of the liquid cooling assembly of the battery, so that the first connection end of the adapter is located in the accommodating cavity of the adapter detection tool; The tracer gas is introduced into the liquid cooling assembly through the adapter. detecting the concentration of the tracer gas leaked from the liquid cooling component, The sealing performance of the liquid cooling component is determined according to the detected concentration of the tracer gas.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The detection of the concentration of the tracer gas leaking from the liquid cooling component comprises: Detecting the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodation space where the liquid cooling assembly in the battery is located, and / or detecting the concentration of the tracer gas in the accommodation cavity of the adapter detection tooling.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The adapter of the liquid cooling assembly includes a water inlet adapter and a water outlet adapter; The detection of the concentration of the tracer gas leaking from the liquid cooling component comprises: Connecting the containing space, the containing cavity of the adapter detection tool corresponding to the water inlet adapter, and the containing cavity of the adapter detection tool corresponding to the water outlet adapter, and detecting the concentration of the tracer gas to obtain a first detection result; Determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component according to the detected concentration of the tracer gas includes: The sealing performance of the liquid cooling component is determined according to the first detection result.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: The step of detecting the concentration of the tracer gas leaked from the liquid cooling component further comprises: In response to the first detection result exceeding a preset concentration threshold, the concentration of the tracer gas in the containing space, the containing cavity of the adapter detection tooling corresponding to the water inlet adapter, and the containing cavity of the adapter detection tooling corresponding to the water outlet adapter are detected separately to obtain a second detection result; The step of determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component according to the detected concentration of the tracer gas further comprises: The leakage position of the liquid cooling component is determined according to the second detection result.

17. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein: The step of detecting the concentration of the tracer gas leaked from the liquid cooling component further comprises: Detecting the pressure value inside the liquid cooling component; The step of determining the sealing performance of the liquid cooling component according to the detected concentration of the tracer gas further comprises: The sealing performance of the liquid cooling component is determined according to the pressure value and the detected concentration of the tracer gas.

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