Power battery cooling apparatus, power battery assembly, thermal management system, and vehicle

Abstract

The present application discloses a power battery cooling apparatus, a power battery assembly, a thermal management system, and a vehicle. The power battery cooling apparatus comprises a liquid cooling assembly and a refrigerant direct cooling assembly. The liquid cooling assembly comprises a left cooling plate, a right cooling plate, a front-end cooling plate, and a rear cooling plate. The left cooling plate, the right cooling plate, the front-end cooling plate, and the rear cooling plate enclose to form a frame for placing a battery cell, and liquid cooling flow channels are arranged in each of the left cooling plate, the right cooling plate, the front-end cooling plate, and the rear cooling plate. The refrigerant direct cooling assembly is connected to a bottom portion of the liquid cooling assembly, and a direct cooling flow channel is arranged on the refrigerant direct cooling assembly. According to the cooling apparatus, cooling methods of liquid cooling and direct cooling are combined, a side surface of the battery cell is cooled by means of the liquid cooling, and a bottom surface of the battery cell is cooled by means of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly. As a result, the cooling efficiency of a battery can be rapidly improved, thereby prolonging the service life and improving the use safety of the battery.

Description

Power battery cooling device, power battery assembly, thermal management system and vehicle

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the Patent Office of China on March 5, 2024, with application number 202410250838.X, and invention name “Power battery cooling device, power battery assembly, thermal management system and vehicle”, and claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the Patent Office of China on March 5, 2024, with application number 202420427206.1, and utility model name “Power battery cooling device, power battery assembly, thermal management system and vehicle”. The entire contents of the foregoing priorities are incorporated into this application by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of power battery cooling, and in particular to a power battery cooling device, a power battery assembly, a thermal management system, and a vehicle. Background Art

[0003] Battery temperature and the uniformity of its temperature field have a decisive impact on battery performance, lifespan, and safety. High-temperature cooling zones typically include air cooling, liquid cooling, direct refrigerant cooling, phase change material cooling, or heat pipe cooling. Current battery thermal management solutions for hybrid vehicles typically use liquid cooling or direct refrigerant cooling to minimize temperature differences within the battery and maintain a reasonable temperature range.

[0004] Liquid cooling utilizes the high thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of ethylene glycol-water solutions to remove heat from the battery cells through a water-cooling plate, thereby cooling the battery. Liquid cooling technology is mature, but the equipment is heavy and bulky, resulting in high costs.

[0005] Direct cooling utilizes the refrigerant in the air conditioning system and introduces it into the battery evaporator to cool the power battery. While direct cooling equipment is compact, lightweight, and low-cost, it can be challenging to design a uniform temperature for the battery evaporator and requires complex system logic.

[0006] It can be seen that the existing technology still needs to be improved and enhanced. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide a battery cooling device, a power battery assembly, a thermal management system and a vehicle, aiming to improve the cooling effect of the vehicle's power battery.

[0008] In order to achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] On the one hand, the present application discloses a power battery cooling device, including a liquid cooling component and a refrigerant direct cooling component, the liquid cooling component includes a left cold plate, a right cold plate, a front cold plate and a rear cold plate, the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate and the rear cold plate enclose to form a frame for placing battery cells, and the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate and the rear cold plate are respectively provided with liquid cooling channels; the refrigerant direct cooling component is connected to the bottom of the liquid cooling component, and the refrigerant direct cooling component is provided with a direct cooling channel. In the above, the liquid cooling component and the refrigerant direct cooling component are combined, the side of the power battery is cooled by the liquid cooling component, and the bottom of the power battery is cooled by the refrigerant direct cooling component, which can quickly improve the cooling efficiency of the battery.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the refrigerant direct cooling assembly includes a temperature equalizing plate, a harmonica tube, a front header, and a rear header. The temperature equalizing plate is arranged opposite to the liquid cooling assembly; the harmonica tube is connected to the side of the temperature equalizing plate facing away from the liquid cooling assembly, and the direct cooling channel is arranged in the harmonica tube; the front header is connected to the end of the harmonica tube close to the front cold plate; and the rear header is connected to the end of the harmonica tube close to the rear cold plate. The harmonica tube is lightweight and simple in structure, which can reduce the cost of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly; the temperature equalizing plate is arranged on the harmonica tube so that the heat of the power battery can be more evenly distributed in the harmonica tube, improving the uniformity of the power battery cooling, thereby improving the battery efficiency.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of direct cooling flow channels are provided in the harmonica tube, and the flow directions of the refrigerant in two adjacent direct cooling flow channels are opposite. A front collecting cavity is provided in the front direct flow tube, and a rear collecting cavity is provided on the rear collecting tube. The two adjacent direct cooling flow channels are connected through the front collecting cavity or the rear collecting cavity, which can extend the flow trajectory of the refrigerant in the harmonica tube and improve the thermal efficiency of the refrigerant.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the front and rear headers are arranged in axially segmented sections. Adjacent sections of the front or rear headers are sealed and connected by plugs, and two adjacent direct cooling channels are connected through the same section of the front or rear header cavity. The segmented arrangement of the front and rear headers facilitates assembly and disassembly, reducing maintenance difficulty and costs.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the refrigerant direct cooling assembly further includes a refrigerant inlet pipe and a refrigerant outlet pipe, wherein the refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to the axial center of the front header or the rear header, and the refrigerant outlet pipe is connected to both axial sides of the front header or the rear header. When the power battery is operating, the center portion does not easily dissipate heat, resulting in a higher temperature. The refrigerant flows through the center portion of the front header or the rear header and then into the center portion of the inlet pipe, allowing the higher temperature in the center portion of the battery to be quickly cooled, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the refrigerant direct cooling assembly further includes a connecting pipe, the connecting pipe being connected to the two outermost direct cooling channels in the front header or the rear header, the refrigerant outlet pipe being connected to the outermost direct cooling channel in the rear header or the front header, and the refrigerant inlet pipe and the refrigerant outlet pipe being connected to the same end of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly. The connecting pipe connects the direct cooling channels located on both sides of the harmonica pipe, thereby enabling the refrigerant inlet and refrigerant outlet to be arranged at the same end of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly, which is more conducive to the structural layout of the cooling device.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the liquid cooling assembly further includes a cooling liquid inlet and a cooling liquid outlet.

[0016] The coolant inlet and the coolant outlet are arranged on one of the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate and the rear cold plate; the liquid cooling channels on the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the right cold plate and the rear cold plate are connected. In this way, only one coolant inlet and one coolant outlet need to be arranged on the liquid cooling component, which simplifies the structure of the device and improves the utilization rate of the coolant.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the distance the coolant flows from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet is greater than the distance between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet. This ensures that the coolant flows through the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the right cold plate, and the rear cold plate before exiting the liquid cooling assembly from the coolant outlet, thereby ensuring the utilization of the coolant.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, sealing rings are provided at the connections between the liquid cooling channels on two adjacent ones of the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the right cold plate and the rear cold plate to enhance the air tightness of the connections between the liquid cooling channels and prevent leakage of the coolant.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, the liquid cooling assembly further includes a rear plate connected to a side of the rear cold plate away from the front cold plate, with both ends of the rear plate respectively connected to the left cold plate and the right cold plate. The rear plate can limit the position of the left cold plate, the right cold plate, and the rear cold plate to ensure the structural stability of the cooling device.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present application, a first step area is respectively provided at both ends of the front cold plate, and the first step area extends along the height of the front cold plate; a second step area is respectively provided at both ends of the rear plate, and the second step area extends along the height of the rear plate; a third step area is respectively provided at both ends of the left cold plate, and the third step area extends along the two ends of the left cold plate, and a fourth step area is respectively provided at both ends of the right cold plate, and the fourth step area extends along the height direction of the right cold plate, and a cooling component installation area is formed between the first step area and the third step area, between the first step area and the fourth step area, between the second step area and the third step area, and between the second step area and the fourth step area, respectively. The cooling component installation area can be used to install a cooling component when the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate and the rear cold plate are connected, so as to cool the sealing ring. The left cold plate, right cold plate, front cold plate and rear cold plate are connected by laser welding. During laser welding, high temperature may be generated, causing the sealing rings at the connections of the interconnected liquid cooling channels to melt, thereby losing the sealing performance. By connecting the cooling element on the cooling element installation area, part of the heat generated by laser welding can be taken away during welding, avoiding high-temperature melting of the sealing ring.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present application, the liquid cooling assembly further includes four cover plates, each of which covers the cooling element mounting area and is connected to two adjacent plates among the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the right cold plate, and the rear cold plate. The cover plates can fill the cooling element mounting area, thereby tightening the connection between adjacent plates among the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the rear cold plate, and the right cold plate, thereby improving the integrity of the cooling device.

[0022] Another aspect of the present application provides a power battery assembly comprising a battery cooling device as described in any of the above items and a battery cell, wherein at least one battery cell is provided and disposed within the frame of the battery cooling device. During operation, the power battery can rapidly exchange heat with the liquid cooling assembly on its sides and with the refrigerant direct cooling assembly on its bottom, resulting in high cooling efficiency.

[0023] On the other hand, the present application also provides a thermal management system, including an air-conditioning system and a power battery heat exchange system, wherein the air-conditioning system includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a heat exchanger, wherein the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator are connected in series to form a circulation loop, and the heat exchanger and the condenser are arranged in parallel; the power battery heat exchange system includes the power battery assembly as described above, a direct cooling circuit and a liquid cooling circuit, wherein the direct cooling circuit is connected to the direct cooling flow channel, one end of the direct cooling circuit is connected between the condenser and the evaporator, and the other end of the direct cooling circuit is connected to the coolant inlet or coolant outlet of the compressor, the liquid cooling circuit is connected to the liquid cooling flow channel, and the liquid cooling circuit is connected to the heat exchanger. In the above, the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system is introduced into the direct cooling flow channel of the battery cooling device through the direct cooling circuit to quickly cool the bottom of the power battery; after the coolant in the liquid cooling assembly enters the heat exchanger through the liquid cooling circuit, it exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system and then returns to the power battery to cool the power battery, so that the temperature of the power battery assembly is maintained within the normal operating range.

[0024] The present application also provides a vehicle including the above-mentioned thermal management system. When the vehicle is running normally, the temperature of the power battery can be maintained at a normal level, the battery has a long service life, and high operating safety. Beneficial effects:

[0025] The power battery cooling device provided in the present application is provided with a liquid cooling component and a refrigerant direct cooling component. The liquid cooling component includes a front cold plate, a right cold plate, a rear cold plate and a left cold plate, and liquid cooling flow channels are provided in the front cold plate, the right cold plate, the rear cold plate and the left cold plate, so that the sides of the battery can be liquid-cooled. By connecting the refrigerant direct cooling component to the bottom of the liquid cooling component and providing a direct cooling flow channel in the refrigerant direct cooling component, the bottom temperature of the battery is higher and direct cooling is performed, thereby quickly improving the cooling effect of the battery, maintaining the battery temperature within a stable working range, and thereby improving the battery service life.

[0026] On the other hand, the power battery assembly provided by the present application can cool the sides and bottom of the battery cells simultaneously, with high cooling efficiency.

[0027] On the other hand, the thermal management system provided in the present application couples the air-conditioning system and the power battery heat exchange system, which can make full use of the air-conditioning refrigerant and the power battery for direct cooling, as well as heat exchange between the air-conditioning refrigerant and the coolant in the liquid cooling component, and the coolant then enters the battery assembly to cool the battery cells.

[0028] On the other hand, the present application provides a vehicle including the above-mentioned thermal management system. When the vehicle is driving, the temperature of the power battery can be maintained within a normal range, the battery has a long service life, and is highly safe to use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a power battery cooling device provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0030] FIG2 is an exploded schematic diagram of a power battery cooling device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a front header provided in an embodiment of the application.

[0032] FIG4 is an axial cross-sectional view of a rear header provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0033] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a front-end cold plate provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0034] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a rear end plate provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0035] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a left cold plate provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0036] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a right cold plate provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0037] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a cooling element installation area provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0038] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a cooling element installation area after a cooling element is connected to the cooling element according to one embodiment of the present application.

[0039] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the flow trajectory of the coolant in the liquid cooling assembly provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0040] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the flow trajectory of the refrigerant in the refrigerant direct cooling assembly provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0041] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery assembly provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the cooling effect of the liquid cooling assembly provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0043] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the cooling effect of the refrigerant direct cooling component provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0044] FIG16 is a schematic diagram of the temperature distribution of a battery cell under a simulation test provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0045] FIG17 is a schematic diagram showing the changes in the maximum and minimum temperatures of a battery cell over time under a simulation test provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0046] Explanation of the main component symbols: 100, battery cooling device; 200, battery cell; 300, flexible circuit board bracket; 1, liquid cooling assembly; 11, left cold plate; 111, third step area; 12, right cold plate; 121, fourth step area; 13, front cold plate; 131, first step area; 14, rear cold plate; 101, frame; 110, liquid cooling channel; 15, coolant inlet; 16, coolant outlet; 17, sealing ring; 18, rear plate; 181, second step area; 19, cooling element installation area; 010, cover plate; 011, cooling element; 2. Refrigerant direct cooling assembly; 210. Direct cooling flow channel; 21. Harmonica tube; 22. Temperature equalizing plate; 23. Front manifold; 231. Front manifold cavity; 24. Rear manifold; 241. Rear manifold cavity; 25. Plug; 26. Refrigerant inlet pipe; 27. Refrigerant outlet pipe; 28. Connecting pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] This application provides a power battery cooling device 100, a power battery assembly, a thermal management system, and a vehicle. To clarify the purpose, technical solutions, and effects of this application, the application is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific examples described herein are intended only to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0048] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, and a specific orientation structure and operation. Therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on this application. In addition, "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0049] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections, electrical connections, or mutual communication; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0050] With the development of the new energy vehicle industry, the battery capacity and number of battery modules used in electric vehicles have gradually increased. The heat released by the battery pack during operation has also increased, which has placed increasingly high performance requirements on battery pack cooling technology. To this end, this application provides a hybrid cooling technology for power batteries.

[0051] The present application provides a vehicle, which can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The vehicle's thermal management system couples a battery thermal management system with an air conditioning system, and employs hybrid cooling technology to significantly improve battery cooling efficiency.

[0052] Specifically, please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The power battery cooling device 100 provided in the present application includes a liquid cooling component 1 and a refrigerant direct cooling component 2. The liquid cooling component 1 includes a left cold plate 11, a right cold plate 12, a front cold plate 13 and a rear cold plate 14. The left cold plate 11, the right cold plate 12, the front cold plate 13 and the rear cold plate 14 enclose a frame 101 for placing the battery cells 200, and the left cold plate 11, the right cold plate 12, the front cold plate 13 and the rear cold plate 14 are respectively provided with liquid cooling channels 110, so that the side of the battery cells 200 can be cooled by liquid cooling; the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 is connected to the bottom of the liquid cooling component 1, and the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 is provided with a direct cooling channel 210, which can directly exchange heat with the bottom of the battery. Generally, when a power battery is working, the internal temperature is higher and the temperature on the side is lower because the internal heat of the battery is not easy to dissipate. In the above, the liquid cooling component 1 and the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 are combined. The liquid cooling component 1 is used to cool the side of the power battery with a lower temperature rise, and the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 is used to cool the bottom of the power battery with a higher temperature rise, which can quickly improve the cooling efficiency of the battery.

[0053] The left cold plate 11, the right cold plate 12, the front cold plate 13 and the rear cold plate 14 are formed by extrusion of profiles, which is simple in process and has good integrity. The left cold plate 11 and the right cold plate 12 are respectively welded to the front cold plate 13 and the rear cold plate 14, which has good connection stability.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 includes a temperature equalizing plate 22, a harmonica tube 21, a front collecting pipe 23 and a rear collecting pipe 24. The temperature equalizing plate 22 is arranged on the side of the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 close to the liquid cooling component 1; the harmonica tube 21 is connected to the side of the temperature equalizing plate 22 facing away from the liquid cooling component 1, and is connected to the temperature equalizing plate 22 by welding, so that heat can be better transferred between the temperature equalizing plate 22 and the harmonica tube 21. The direct cooling flow channel 210 is arranged in the harmonica tube 21 and extends along the length direction of the harmonica tube 21 to both ends of the harmonica tube 21 to ensure the cooling effect of the refrigerant in the harmonica tube 21 on the battery cell 200. The front manifold 23 is connected to the end of the harmonica tube 21 near the front cold plate 13; the rear manifold 24 is connected to the end of the harmonica tube 21 near the rear cold plate 14. Through the front manifold 23 and the rear manifold 24, the different direct cooling channels 210 within the harmonica tube 21 can be connected together, simplifying the refrigerant inlet and refrigerant outlet settings. The harmonica tube 21 is lightweight and simple in structure, which can reduce the cost of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly 2; the temperature plate 22 can quickly transfer and diffuse the heat accumulated on the surface of the battery cell 200 to the entire surface of the temperature plate 22, thereby promoting heat dissipation. The temperature plate 22 is provided on the harmonica tube 21, so that the heat of the power battery can be more evenly distributed in the harmonica tube 21, improving the uniformity of the power battery cooling and thus improving battery efficiency.

[0055] As shown in FIG12 , the harmonica tube 21 is provided with multiple direct cooling channels 210. These channels 210 are arranged in parallel, with the refrigerant flowing in opposite directions in two adjacent direct cooling channels 210. A front manifold 231 is provided in the front direct flow tube, and a rear manifold 241 is provided on the rear manifold 24. The two adjacent direct cooling channels 210 are connected via the front manifold 231 and the rear manifold 241. In other words, the direct cooling channels 210 on the harmonica tube 21 are staggered, extending the refrigerant's flow path in the harmonica tube 21 and improving the refrigerant's thermal efficiency.

[0056] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front header 23 and the rear header 24 are arranged in sections along the axial direction. Two adjacent sections of the front header 23 or rear header 24 are sealed together by plugs 25, and two adjacent direct cooling channels 210 are connected through the same section of the front header cavity 231 or rear header cavity 241. The sectioned arrangement shortens the length of the front header 23 and the rear header 24, facilitates assembly and disassembly, and reduces maintenance difficulty and cost.

[0057] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 12, the refrigerant direct cooling assembly 2 further includes a refrigerant inlet pipe 26 and a refrigerant outlet pipe 27. The refrigerant inlet pipe 26 is connected to the axial middle portion of the front header 23 or the rear header 24, and the refrigerant outlet pipe 27 is connected to both axial sides of the front header 23 or the rear header 24. In the above description, the refrigerant flows from the middle of the harmonica tube 21 to both sides. When the power battery is operating, the middle portion is not easy to dissipate heat, so the temperature is relatively high. The refrigerant flows into the middle portion of the harmonica tube 21 through the middle portion of the front header 23 or the rear header 24, allowing the middle portion of the battery with a higher temperature to be cooled quickly, thereby improving the cooling efficiency and the thermal efficiency of the refrigerant.

[0058] As shown in Figures 3 and 12, the refrigerant direct cooling assembly 2 also includes a connecting pipe 28, which is connected to the two outermost direct cooling channels 210 in the front header 23 or the rear header 24. The refrigerant outlet pipe 27 is connected to the outermost direct cooling channel 210 in the rear header 24 or the front header 23. The refrigerant inlet pipe 26 and the refrigerant outlet pipe 27 are connected to the same end of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly 2. The connecting pipe 28 connects the direct cooling channels 210 located on both sides of the harmonica pipe 21, thereby allowing the refrigerant inlet pipe 26 and the refrigerant outlet pipe 27 to be arranged at the same end of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly 2, optimizing the structural layout of the cooling device. The refrigerant inlet pipe 26 and the refrigerant outlet pipe 27 are located at different ends of the cooling assembly from the coolant inlet and coolant outlet 16 of the liquid cooling assembly 1, and do not interfere with each other.

[0059] As shown in FIG2 , the liquid cooling assembly 1 further includes a coolant inlet 15 and a coolant outlet 16 , which are disposed on one of the left cold plate 11 , the right cold plate 12 , the front cold plate 13 , and the rear cold plate 14 . The liquid cooling channels 110 on the left cold plate 11 , the front cold plate 13 , the right cold plate 12 , and the rear cold plate 14 are connected. Thus, only one coolant inlet 15 and one coolant outlet 16 need be disposed on the liquid cooling assembly 1 , simplifying the structure of the device and improving the utilization rate of the coolant. Generally, the coolant inlet 15 and the coolant outlet 16 are disposed on the same side cold plate, which facilitates structural arrangement and can shorten the distance between the coolant inlet 15 and the coolant outlet, allowing the liquid cooling channel 110 to cover a larger area of ​​the battery cell 200 , thereby improving the cooling effect of the liquid cooling assembly 1 .

[0060] Furthermore, one or more cooling channels can be set on the left cold plate 11, the front cold plate 13, the right cold plate 12 and the rear cold plate 14, and the cooling channels on the cold plates on different sides are connected one by one to form one or more flow paths from the coolant inlet 15 to the coolant outlet 16.

[0061] As shown in Figure 11, which schematically illustrates the coolant flow path within the liquid-cooled assembly 1, the distance the coolant travels from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet 16 is greater than the distance between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet 16. This ensures that the coolant flows through the left cold plate 11, front cold plate 13, right cold plate 12, and rear cold plate 14 before exiting the liquid-cooled assembly 1 through the coolant outlet 16, thus ensuring efficient coolant utilization.

[0062] As shown in Figure 2, sealing rings 17 are installed at the connections between adjacent liquid-cooling channels 110 on the left cold plate 11, front cold plate 13, right cold plate 12, and rear cold plate 14. This ensures airtightness at the connections between the liquid-cooling channels 110 and prevents coolant leakage. Specifically, grooves are provided on the left cold plate 11, front cold plate 13, right cold plate 12, and rear cold plate 14 for mounting sealing rings 17. The sealing rings 17 fit into the corresponding grooves, sealing the two connected liquid-cooling channels 110.

[0063] The liquid cooling assembly 1 also includes a rear plate 18, which is connected to the side of the rear cold plate 14 away from the front cold plate 13. The two ends of the rear plate 18 are respectively connected to the left cold plate 11 and the right cold plate 12. The rear plate 18 is welded to the rear cold plate 14 and can limit the position of the left cold plate 11, the right cold plate 12, and the rear cold plate 14, ensuring the structural stability of the cooling device.

[0064] As shown in Figures 5 to 10, the two ends of the front cold plate 13 are respectively provided with a first step area 131, and the first step area 131 extends along the height of the front cold plate 13; the two ends of the rear plate 18 are respectively provided with a second step area 181, and the second step area 181 extends along the height of the rear plate 18; the two ends of the left cold plate 11 are respectively provided with a third step area 111, and the third step area 111 extends along the two ends of the left cold plate 11; the two ends of the right cold plate 12 are respectively provided with a fourth step area 121, and the fourth step area 121 extends along the right cold plate The plate 12 extends in the height direction, with cooling element mounting areas 19 spaced apart between the first and third stepped areas 131 and 111, between the first and fourth stepped areas 131 and 121, between the second and third stepped areas 111, and between the second and fourth stepped areas 181 and 121. These areas 19 can be used to mount cooling elements 011 when the left, right, front, and rear cold plates 11, 12, 13, and 14 are connected, thereby cooling the sealing ring 17. Two adjacent cold plates 11, 12, 13, and 14 are connected by laser welding. Laser welding can reach transient temperatures exceeding 500°C, while the sealing ring 17 is heat-resistant below 300°C. The high temperatures generated during laser welding may cause the sealing ring 17 to melt, thereby losing its sealing performance. By connecting the cooling member 011 to the cooling member installation area 19, the cooling effect of the cooling member 011 can take away part of the heat generated by laser welding during welding, thereby preventing the sealing ring 17 from melting at high temperature.

[0065] Exemplarily, the cooling element 011 includes a cooling water pipe and a cooling circulation device. The cooling water pipe is mounted on the cooling element mounting area 19 via a clamp and connected to the cooling circulation device, so that the cooling water cools the sealing ring 17 to prevent the sealing performance of the sealing ring 17 from failing. After welding, the cooling element 011 can be removed from the cooling device of the present application.

[0066] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the liquid cooling assembly 1 further includes four cover plates 010. These cover plates 010 are respectively attached to the cooling element mounting area 19 and connected to two adjacent ones of the left cold plate 11, the front cold plate 13, the right cold plate 12, and the rear cold plate 18. The cover plates 010 are capable of connecting to the first stepped area 131 on the front cold plate 13, the second stepped area 181 on the rear cold plate 18, the third stepped area 111 on the left cold plate 11, and the fourth stepped area 121 on the right cold plate 12, thereby filling the cooling element mounting area 19 and tightening the connection between adjacent ones of the left cold plate 11, the front cold plate 13, the rear cold plate 18, and the right cold plate 12, thereby improving the integrity of the cooling device.

[0067] The bottom of the left cold plate 11 and the right cold plate 12 are provided with flanges protruding toward the frame 101, and the edge of the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 is connected to the flange, which increases the contact area between the refrigerant direct cooling component 2 and the left cold plate 11 and the right cold plate 12, thereby improving its connection stability.

[0068] As shown in Figure 13, on the other hand, the present application also provides a power battery assembly, including a power battery cooling device 100, a battery cell 200, a flexible circuit board bracket 300 and a flexible circuit board as described in any of the above items, at least one battery cell 200 is configured and arranged in the frame 101 of the battery cooling device 100, the flexible circuit board bracket 300 is fixed on the power battery cooling device 100, the flexible circuit board is fixed on the flexible circuit board bracket 300, and is electrically connected to the battery cell 200. The bottom of the battery cell 200 is in contact with the temperature equalizing plate 22 of the refrigerant direct cooling component 2, and the heat inside the battery cell 200 can be quickly dispersed to the entire surface of the temperature equalizing plate 22, so that the harmonica tube 21 in contact with the temperature equalizing plate 22 can quickly exchange heat with the temperature equalizing plate 22, thereby achieving rapid cooling of the battery cell 200; in addition, the surrounding surfaces of the battery cell 200 can be cooled by the liquid cooling component 1; through the joint action of the liquid cooling component 1 and the refrigerant direct cooling component 2, the cooling efficiency of the battery cell 200 is improved, and the cost and weight of the equipment can be reduced.

[0069] The installation process of the power battery assembly of this application is as follows:

[0070] Place the battery cell 200 on the fixture surface;

[0071] Adjust the axial distance between the front cold plate 13, the rear cold plate 14, and the rear plate 18 so that the front cold plate 13 and the rear cold plate 14 clamp the battery cell 200;

[0072] Apply structural adhesive to the sides of the battery cell 200 , and also apply structural adhesive to the sides of the left and right cold plates 11 and 12 facing the battery cell, and place the left and right cold plates 11 and 12 against the corresponding sides of the battery cell 200 ;

[0073] Laser welding connects the front cold plate 13 with the left cold plate 11 and the right cold plate 12, the left cold plate 11 with the rear cold plate 14 and the rear end plate 18, and the right cold plate 12 with the rear cold plate 14 and the rear end plate 18;

[0074] Finally, the flexible circuit board bracket 300 is welded to the cooling device, so that the cooling device, the flexible circuit board and the battery cell 200 form an integral module.

[0075] Below, a simulation test is conducted on the power battery assembly provided by this application to further illustrate the applicability and practical value of this application.

[0076] Multiple power battery modules were installed, and coolant was introduced into the liquid-cooling channels 110 and refrigerant into the direct-cooling channels 210. The flow rates in the liquid-cooling channels 110 and direct-cooling channels 210 were measured in each module. The test results showed that the flow uniformity deviation in the liquid-cooling channels 110 within each module was 1.8%, meeting the ≤20% requirement; the flow uniformity deviation in the direct-cooling channels 210 within each module was 1.1%, also meeting the ≤20% requirement.

[0077] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the cooling effect of the liquid-cooled assembly 1 provided by this application, and Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the cooling effect of the refrigerant direct cooling assembly 2 provided by this application. As shown in Figure 14, the total pressure drop of the liquid-cooled flow channels 110 between each module is 5.907 kPa, meeting the requirement of ≤30 kPa. As shown in Figure 15, the total pressure drop of the direct cooling flow channels 210 between each module is 3.75 kPa, meeting the requirement of ≤30 kPa.

[0078] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the temperature distribution of the battery cell 200 under the power battery module endurance working condition simulation test, and Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the maximum and minimum temperatures of the battery cell 200 over time under the power battery module endurance working condition simulation test. As can be seen from Figures 16 and 17, the maximum temperature of the power battery cooling device 100 of the present application during operation is 35.1°C, and the temperature difference is within 5°C, which is much lower than the industry requirements of the maximum temperature ≤50°C and the temperature difference ≤8°C. Therefore, the cooling effect of the power battery cooling device 100 disclosed in this application is significant, which obviously meets the industry requirements.

[0079] On the other hand, the present application also provides a thermal management system, including an air-conditioning system and a power battery heat exchange system, the air-conditioning system includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a heat exchanger, the compressor, condenser and evaporator are connected in series to form a circulation loop, and the heat exchanger and the condenser are arranged in parallel; the power battery heat exchange system includes a power battery assembly as described above, a direct cooling circuit and a liquid cooling circuit, the direct cooling circuit is connected to the direct cooling channel 210, one end of the direct cooling circuit is connected between the condenser and the evaporator, and the other end of the direct cooling circuit is connected to the coolant inlet end or the coolant outlet end 16 of the compressor, the liquid cooling circuit is connected to the liquid cooling channel 110, and the liquid cooling circuit is connected to the heat exchanger. In the above, the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system is introduced into the direct cooling channel 210 of the battery cooling device 100 through the direct cooling circuit to quickly cool the bottom of the power battery; after the coolant in the liquid cooling component 1 enters the heat exchanger through the liquid cooling circuit, it exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system and then returns to the power battery to cool the power battery, so that the temperature of the power battery assembly is maintained within the normal operating range.

[0080] The present application also provides a vehicle including the above thermal management system. When the vehicle is running normally, the temperature of the power battery can be maintained at a normal level, the battery has a long service life, and high operating safety.

[0081] In summary, the present application provides a left cold plate, a right cold plate, a front cold plate, and a rear cold plate that can enclose a frame to accommodate battery cells, and provides liquid cooling channels in the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate, and the rear cold plate, so that the sides of the battery can be liquid-cooled. A refrigerant direct cooling assembly including a direct cooling channel is provided at the bottom of the liquid cooling assembly, so that the bottom of the battery cell can be directly cooled. Through the action of the temperature equalizing plate on the refrigerant direct cooling assembly, the heat of the battery cell can be quickly distributed to the entire surface of the temperature equalizing plate, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect. In the above, by coupling the two cooling methods, the cooling effect can be greatly improved, thereby improving the service life and safety of the battery.

[0082] By setting a cooling element installation area at the connection between two adjacent side cold plates of the liquid cooling assembly, the cooling element can be connected when welding the two adjacent side cold plates, thereby avoiding failure of the sealing effect of the sealing ring connecting the liquid cooling flow channel on the two adjacent side cold plates.

[0083] It is understandable that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or changes based on the technical solution and application concept of this application, and all these changes or substitutions should fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to this application.

Claims

1. A power battery cooling device, characterized in that: include: A liquid cooling assembly, comprising a left cold plate, a right cold plate, a front cold plate, and a rear cold plate, wherein the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate, and the rear cold plate enclose a frame for placing battery cells, and each of the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate, and the rear cold plate is provided with a liquid cooling flow channel; The refrigerant direct cooling component is connected to the bottom of the liquid cooling component, and a direct cooling flow channel is provided on the refrigerant direct cooling component.

2. The power battery cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigerant direct cooling component includes: A temperature homogenizing plate, arranged opposite to the liquid cooling assembly; A harmonica tube is connected to a side of the temperature homogenizing plate facing away from the liquid cooling assembly, and the direct cooling channel is provided in the harmonica tube; a front header connected to one end of the harmonica pipe close to the front cold plate; The rear collecting pipe is connected to one end of the harmonica pipe close to the rear cold plate.

3. The power battery cooling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of direct cooling flow channels are provided in the harmonica tube, and the flow directions of the refrigerants in two adjacent direct cooling flow channels are opposite. A front collecting cavity is provided in the front collecting pipe, and a rear collecting cavity is provided on the rear collecting pipe. The two adjacent direct cooling flow channels are connected through the front collecting cavity or the rear collecting cavity.

4. The power battery cooling device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The front collecting pipe and the rear collecting pipe are arranged in sections along the axial direction, and the two adjacent sections of the front collecting pipe or the rear collecting pipe are sealed and connected by plugs, and the two adjacent direct cooling channels are connected through the same section of the front collecting cavity or the rear collecting cavity.

5. The power battery cooling device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The refrigerant direct cooling component also includes: a refrigerant inlet pipe connected to the axial middle portion of the front header or the rear header; The refrigerant outlet pipe is connected to both sides of the front header or the rear header in the axial direction.

6. The power battery cooling device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The refrigerant direct cooling component also includes: The connecting pipe is connected to the two outermost direct cooling channels in the front header or the rear header, the refrigerant outlet pipe is connected to the outermost direct cooling channel in the rear header or the front header, and the refrigerant inlet pipe and the refrigerant outlet pipe are connected to the same end of the refrigerant direct cooling component.

7. The power battery cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid cooling assembly further comprises: A coolant inlet and a coolant outlet are provided on one of the left cold plate, the right cold plate, the front cold plate and the rear cold plate; and liquid cooling channels on the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the right cold plate and the rear cold plate are connected.

8. The power battery cooling device according to claim 7, characterized in that: A distance along which the coolant flows from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet is greater than a distance between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet.

9. The power battery cooling device according to claim 7, characterized in that: Sealing rings are provided at the connection locations of the liquid cooling channels between two adjacent ones of the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the right cold plate and the rear cold plate.

10. The power battery cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The liquid cooling assembly further comprises: The rear end plate is connected to a side of the rear cold plate away from the front cold plate, and both ends of the rear end plate are respectively connected to the left cold plate and the right cold plate.

11. The power battery cooling device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The two ends of the front cold plate are respectively provided with a first step area, the first step area extending along the height of the front cold plate; the two ends of the rear plate are respectively provided with a second step area, and the second step area extends along the height of the rear plate; the two ends of the left cold plate are respectively provided with a third step area, the third step area extending along the two ends of the left cold plate, and the two ends of the right cold plate are respectively provided with a fourth step area, the fourth step area extending along the height direction of the right cold plate, and a cooling member installation area is formed between the first step area and the third step area, between the first step area and the fourth step area, between the second step area and the third step area, and between the second step area and the fourth step area.

12. The power battery cooling device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The liquid cooling assembly further comprises: There are four cover plates, which are respectively connected to the cooling component installation area and are respectively connected to the left cold plate, the front cold plate, the right cold plate and two adjacent ones of the rear cold plate.

13. A power battery assembly, characterized in that: include: The battery cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 12; At least one battery cell is provided and arranged in the frame of the battery cooling device.

14. A thermal management system, characterized in that: include: An air conditioning system comprising a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a heat exchanger, wherein the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator are connected in series to form a circulation loop, and the heat exchanger and the condenser are arranged in parallel; A power battery heat exchange system comprises a power battery assembly, a direct cooling circuit and a liquid cooling circuit as described in claim 13, wherein the direct cooling circuit is connected to the direct cooling flow channel, one end of the direct cooling circuit is connected between the condenser and the evaporator, and the other end of the direct cooling circuit is connected to the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet of the compressor, the liquid cooling circuit is connected to the liquid cooling flow channel, and the liquid cooling circuit is connected to the heat exchanger.

15. A vehicle, characterized in that: Comprising the thermal management system of claim 14.

Images