Battery heat exchanger, battery pack, and vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle, comprising a battery heat exchanger or a battery pack. The battery pack comprises a battery cell and the battery heat exchanger. The battery heat exchanger comprises a parallel flow structure; the parallel flow structure comprises a first collecting channel, a second collecting channel and at least two diverging channels; each diverging channel has one end connected to the first collecting channel and the other end connected to the second collecting channel; and the at least two diverging channels are parallel to each other.

Description

Battery heat exchanger, battery pack and vehicle

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on March 29, 2024, with application number 202410384512.6 and title “Battery Heat Exchanger, Battery Pack and Vehicle,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application belongs to the field of vehicle technology, and specifically relates to a battery heat exchanger, a battery pack and a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] In the prior art, a battery heat exchanger is used to exchange heat between batteries in a battery pack, for example, to cool or heat the battery cells.

[0005] Prior art battery heat exchanger designs have focused on evenly distributing the refrigerant flow across each flow path, but have failed to consider the uneven distribution of heat generated by the battery cells. For example, when cooling a battery cell, evenly distributing the refrigerant flow would result in less cooling capacity in areas with high heat generation and more cooling capacity in areas with low heat generation, leading to poor temperature balance within the battery cells.

[0006] Public content

[0007] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a new technical solution for a battery heat exchanger, a battery pack, and a vehicle.

[0008] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a battery heat exchanger is provided, which includes a parallel flow structure, wherein the parallel flow structure includes a first collecting channel, a second collecting channel and at least two branching channels, one end of each of the branching channels is connected to the first collecting channel, and the other end of each of the branching channels is connected to the second collecting channel, and at least two of the branching channels are parallel to each other.

[0009] Optionally, the first collecting channel and / or the second collecting channel are perpendicular to the branching channel.

[0010] Optionally, at least two of the divergent flow channels have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths.

[0011] Optionally, the radii of the inscribed circles at the intersections of each of the branch flow channels and the first and / or second flow collecting channels are different.

[0012] Optionally, the battery heat exchanger includes at least two parallel flow structures and a first branch flow channel, at least two first collecting channels of each of the parallel flow structures are connected to the first branch flow channel, and the branch flow channel is located between the two parallel flow structures.

[0013] Optionally, the battery heat exchanger includes at least two parallel flow structures and at least two first branch flow channels, the first collecting channel of one parallel flow structure is connected to one first branch flow channel, the first collecting channel of another parallel flow structure is connected to another first branch flow channel, and the branch flow channel is located between the two parallel flow structures.

[0014] Optionally, at least two of the first branch flow channels are connected to the first main flow channel; and / or, the second collecting channel of each of the parallel flow structures is connected to the second branch flow channel, and at least two of the second branch flow channels are connected to the second main flow channel.

[0015] Optionally, when a working medium flows in the battery heat exchanger, a flow direction of the working medium in the first branch flow channel is opposite to a flow direction of the working medium in the diverging flow channel.

[0016] Optionally, at least two of the first branch flow channels have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths; or at least two of the second branch flow channels have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths.

[0017] Optionally, at least two of the first main flow channels have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths; or at least two of the second main flow channels have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths.

[0018] Optionally, the first main channels and the second main channels are arranged alternately.

[0019] Optionally, the first branch flow channels of the two parallel flow structures are arranged adjacent to a first connection point of the first collecting channel, and the second branch flow channels of the two parallel flow structures are arranged opposite to a second connection point of the second collecting channel.

[0020] Optionally, the first branch flow channels of the two parallel flow structures are at least partially adjacent to each other, and the diverging flow channels of the two parallel flow structures are located between the first branch flow channel and the second branch flow channel.

[0021] Optionally, the branch flow channel includes a first branch flow channel and a second branch flow channel, the distance between the first branch flow channel and the first connection point is smaller than the distance between the second branch flow channel and the first connection point, and the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the first branch flow channel is greater than the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the second branch flow channel.

[0022] Optionally, at least a portion of the first branch flow channel is arranged corresponding to a middle portion of the battery cell, and at least a portion of the at least two branch flow channels is arranged corresponding to an end portion of the battery cell.

[0023] Optionally, the battery heat exchanger includes a plurality of parallel flow units, each of which includes the parallel flow structure and the first branch flow channel. One parallel flow unit is arranged corresponding to a group of battery cells, and a group of battery cells includes a plurality of battery cells. The extension direction of the branch flow channel is the same as the arrangement direction of the battery cells.

[0024] Optionally, the battery heat exchanger includes two parallel flow units. When working fluid flows in the two parallel flow units, the flow directions of the working fluid in the diverging flow channels of the two parallel flow units are opposite.

[0025] Optionally, the battery heat exchanger includes a first parallel flow unit and a second parallel flow unit, and an inlet of the first branch flow channel of the first parallel flow unit and an inlet of the first branch flow channel of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the heat exchanger.

[0026] Optionally, the battery heat exchanger also includes a third parallel flow unit, the second parallel flow unit is located between the first parallel flow unit and the third parallel flow unit, the inlet of the first branch flow channel of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the battery heat exchanger, and the inlet of the first branch flow channel of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel of the third parallel flow unit are located on the same side of the battery heat exchanger.

[0027] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a battery pack is provided, comprising a battery cell and the battery heat exchanger as described in any one of the preceding items, wherein the battery cell exchanges heat with the battery heat exchanger.

[0028] Optionally, each of the battery cells exchanges heat with at least two of the parallel flow structures, the branch flow channels of the two parallel flow structures are parallel to each other, and the length direction of the battery cell intersects with the length direction of the branch flow channel.

[0029] Optionally, the length direction of the battery core is perpendicular to the length direction of the branch flow channel.

[0030] Optionally, the first collecting channels of the two parallel flow structures are located on the first side of the battery cell, the second collecting channels of the two parallel flow structures are located on the second side of the battery cell, the first branch channel connecting the first collecting channels is at least partially located in the middle of the battery cell, and the second branch channel connecting the second collecting channels is at least partially located at the end of the battery cell.

[0031] Optionally, the battery heat exchanger can be in a first operating condition or a second operating condition; in the first operating condition, the refrigerant flows into the second branch flow channel through the first branch flow channel, the first collecting flow channel, the diverging flow channel, and the second collecting flow channel; in the second operating condition, the refrigerant flows into the first branch flow channel through the second branch flow channel, the second collecting flow channel, the diverging flow channel, and the first collecting flow channel.

[0032] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising the battery heat exchanger as described in any one of the preceding items, or the battery pack as described in any one of the preceding items.

[0033] The technical effect of the embodiment of the present application is that multiple branch flow channels are arranged in parallel, and the flow imbalance of the parallel flow channels is utilized to distribute the refrigerant flow according to the heating conditions at different positions of the battery cell, which is more conducive to uniform temperature distribution at various positions of the battery cell.

[0034] Other features and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the application.

[0036] FIG1 is an exploded view of a battery heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG2 is a top view of the flow channel plate according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG3 is a partial enlarged view of the flow channel plate according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG4 is a diagram showing the working principle of the parallel flow structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG6 is a partial enlarged view of the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG7 is a partial enlarged view of the intersection of the diverging flow channel and the first collecting flow channel according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of refrigerant flow distribution in the branch flow channel according to an embodiment of the present application under cooling conditions;

[0044] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of refrigerant flow distribution in the branch flow channel according to an embodiment of the present application under heating conditions;

[0045] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow direction of the main channel of the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG11 is an enlarged view of the flow path connector in FIG1 ;

[0047] FIG12 is a schematic block diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG13 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG14 is another schematic block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Explanation of reference numerals: 1, substrate; 2, flow channel plate; 200, flow channel; 201, second main flow channel; 202, first main flow channel; 203, first branch flow channel; 204, first collecting flow channel; 205, Second collecting channel; 206, branching flow channel; 2061, first branching flow channel; 2062, second branching flow channel; 207, second branching flow channel; 208, first parallel flow structure; 209, second parallel flow structure; 210, inscribed circle; 211, inflow channel for the first row of battery cells; 212, outflow channel for the second row of battery cells; 213, inflow channel for the third row of battery cells; 214, outflow channel for the first row of battery cells; 215, inflow channel for the second row of battery cells; 216, outflow channel for the third row of battery cells; 217, first connection; 218, second connection; 3, inlet and outlet assembly; 301, first interface; 302, second interface; 4, battery cell; 401, middle; 402, first end; 403, second end; 404, first side; 405, second side; 2000, battery pack; 1000, battery heat exchanger; 3000, vehicle; 300, parallel flow structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Various exemplary embodiments of the present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangements of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present application.

[0052] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses.

[0053] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0054] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0055] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to like items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0056] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 11, the battery heat exchanger 1000 in the embodiment of the present application includes: a substrate 1, a flow channel plate 2, and an inlet and outlet assembly 3. Specifically, a flow channel 200 is formed on the flow channel plate 2, for example, by a stamping process. The substrate 1 is welded to the flow channel plate 2, allowing the refrigerant (or working fluid) to flow within the flow channel 200. The inlet and outlet assembly 3 is used for the refrigerant to enter and exit the battery heat exchanger 1000. It includes a first interface 301 and a second interface 302. When the first interface 301 is used for the refrigerant to flow into the flow channel 200, the second interface 302 is used for the refrigerant to flow out of the flow channel 200. Conversely, when the first interface 301 is used for the refrigerant to flow out of the flow channel 200, the second interface 302 is used for the refrigerant to flow into the flow channel 200. The flow channel plate 2 can be formed by molding or inflation, which has the advantages of fast molding and light weight. The substrate 1 is used for direct or indirect contact with the battery cell 4 for heat exchange, ensuring sufficient flatness. The connection between the base plate 1 and the inlet and outlet assembly 3 requires drilling to allow for welding and positioning of the inlet and outlet assembly 3. The flow channel plate 2 and base plate 1 can be welded together to form an internal flow channel 200 for the refrigerant fluid. The inlet and outlet assembly 3 can be brazed to the base plate 1. The battery heat exchanger 1000 shown in Figures 1 to 11 illustrates only one embodiment of forming the flow channel 200. In actual applications, structures such as harmonica pipes can also be used to form the specific structure of the flow channel 200 in the embodiments of this application.

[0057] As shown in FIG4 , the battery heat exchanger 1000 in this embodiment has a portion of its flow channels 200 designed as a parallel flow structure 300. The parallel flow structure 300 includes a first manifold 204, a second manifold 205, and at least two branching flow channels 206. Specifically, FIG4 shows five branching flow channels 206. The number of branching flow channels 206 can be increased or decreased as needed, but must not be less than two. Each branching flow channel 206 is connected at one end to the first manifold 204 and at the other end to the second manifold 205. At least two branching flow channels 206 are parallel to each other. For example, with the second manifold 205 serving as the refrigerant inlet and the first manifold 204 serving as the refrigerant outflow channel, arrows in FIG4 indicate the refrigerant flow direction. When at least two branching flow channels 206 are parallel to each other, the refrigerant flow velocity is higher near the refrigerant inlet, the static pressure is lower, and the dynamic pressure is higher. Consequently, the pressure loss in the second manifold 205 is also greater. Consequently, the refrigerant flow rate in the branching flow channels 206 near the refrigerant inlet is lower. Along the refrigerant flow direction, as it moves away from the refrigerant inlet, the refrigerant flow rate decreases, the static pressure increases, the dynamic pressure decreases, and the pressure loss in the second collecting channel 205 also decreases. Therefore, the refrigerant flow in the branch channel 206 along the flow direction increases. In other words, in Figure 4, the refrigerant flow in the leftmost branch channel 206 is the smallest. From left to right, the refrigerant flow in the branch channel 206 gradually increases, and the refrigerant flow in the rightmost branch channel 206 is the largest. Conversely, if the refrigerant flows in from the first collecting channel 204, the refrigerant flow in the branch channel 206 gradually increases from right to left. In this way, by utilizing the flow imbalance of the parallel flow channels, the refrigerant flow can be distributed according to the heating conditions of different positions of the battery core 4, which is more conducive to the temperature balance of each position of the battery core 4.

[0058] As shown in FIG4 , the first flow collecting channel 204 is perpendicular to each of the branching channels 206, which makes the flow rate imbalance of each branching channel 206 more obvious. If the first flow collecting channel 204 is not perpendicular to each of the two branching channels 206, although flow rate imbalance can still occur, the flow rate difference between each branching channel 206 is not as obvious as when the first flow collecting channel 204 is not perpendicular to each of the two branching channels 206. Similarly, the second flow collecting channel 205 and the branching channels 206 can also be arranged perpendicularly.

[0059] In the above description, the imbalance of flow is described on the premise that the maximum width and maximum depth of each branch flow channel 206 are the same, or in other words, it is described on the premise that the cross-sectional area of ​​each branch flow channel 206 is the same. However, in some cases, such as when there are too many branch flow channels 206, the branch flow channel 206 with the smallest flow rate will not be able to achieve the cooling or heating target due to insufficient flow rate. Therefore, in this embodiment, the maximum width W and / or maximum depth of at least two branch flow channels 206 are different. As shown in Figures 4 and 7, when the maximum depths of each branch flow channel 206 are equal, the maximum width W of the leftmost branch flow channel 206 can be widened to increase its flow rate appropriately to meet the cooling requirements. Similarly, under the premise that the maximum width W is equal, deepening the maximum depth of the leftmost branch flow channel 206 can also increase its flow rate appropriately.

[0060] As shown in Figure 7, the radius of the inscribed circle 210 at the intersection of each branch flow channel 206 and the second header channel 205 is different. The inscribed circle 210 is tangent to the outer edge of the branch flow channel 206 and the second header channel 205. The smaller the radius of the inscribed circle 210, the greater the flow rate allocated to the corresponding branch flow channel 206. In Figure 7, the radius of the inscribed circle 210 on the far left is the smallest, so the refrigerant flow rate of the leftmost branch flow channel 206 is increased, which is a kind of offset for the flow imbalance, so that the refrigerant flow rate in the leftmost branch flow channel 206 can meet the basic cooling requirements. Similarly, the radius of the inscribed circle 210 at the intersection of each branch flow channel 206 and the first header channel 204 can also be different, so as to meet the basic cooling or heating requirements. Although the second header channel 205 is curved in the enlarged view of Figure 7, from the perspective of the flow direction of the refrigerant, the second header channel 205 can still be regarded as a straight channel. Similarly, the first collecting channel 204 can also be regarded as a straight flow channel.

[0061] As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6, the battery heat exchanger 1000 includes at least two parallel flow structures 300. In Figure 6, the battery heat exchanger 1000 below the battery cell is divided into area one and area two with the middle part 401 of the battery cell as the boundary. For the sake of clarity, the parallel flow structure 300 in area one is marked as the first parallel flow structure 208, and the parallel flow structure 300 in area two is marked as the second parallel flow structure 209. The first collecting channel 204 of the first parallel flow structure 208 is connected to the first branch channel 203, the first collecting channel 204 of the second parallel flow structure 209 is connected to another first branch channel 203, and the two first branch channels 203 are connected to the first main channel 202. Similarly, the second collecting channel 205 of the first parallel flow structure 208 is connected to the second branch channel 207, the second collecting channel 205 of the second parallel flow structure 209 is connected to another second branch channel 207, and the two second branch channels 207 are connected to the second main channel 201. In this way, refrigerant can be provided to the two parallel flow structures 300 at the same time through one main flow channel and two branch flow channels, which is beneficial for providing refrigerant with different flow rates at different positions of the battery core 4.

[0062] According to a specific embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figures 3 and 6 , a battery heat exchanger 1000 includes at least two parallel flow structures 300 and a first branch flow channel 203. The first flow collecting channels 204 of the at least two parallel flow structures 300 are connected to the first branch flow channel 203, and the first branch flow channel 203 is located between the two parallel flow structures 300. This achieves the effect of simultaneously supplying refrigerant to the two parallel flow structures 300, which is conducive to effective cooling of different positions of the battery cell 4.

[0063] According to another specific embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, a battery heat exchanger 1000 includes at least two parallel flow structures 300 and at least two first branch flow channels 203. The first flow collector 204 of one parallel flow structure 300 is connected to one first branch flow channel 203, and the first flow collector 204 of another parallel flow structure 300 is connected to another first branch flow channel 203. The first branch flow channel 203 is located between the two parallel flow structures 300. This also achieves the effect of simultaneously supplying refrigerant to the two parallel flow structures 300, which is conducive to effective cooling of different positions of the battery cell 4.

[0064] According to one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG6 , when a working medium flows in the battery heat exchanger 1000, the flow direction of the working medium in the first branch flow channel 203 is opposite to the flow direction of the working medium in the branch flow channel 206. For example, as shown in FIG6 , when a working medium flows in the battery heat exchanger 1000, in terms of the flow direction of the working medium, in the first parallel flow structure 208 and the second parallel flow structure 209, the flow direction of the working medium in the first branch flow channel 203 is vertically upward, while the flow direction of the working medium in the branch flow channel 206 is vertically downward, and the two flow directions are opposite.

[0065] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG6 , the maximum width W and / or maximum depth of the first branched flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow structure 208 differs from the maximum width W and / or maximum depth of the first branched flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow structure 209, or the maximum width W and / or maximum depth of the second branched flow channel 207 of the first parallel flow structure 208 differ from the maximum width W and / or maximum depth of the second branched flow channel 207 of the second parallel flow structure 209. When other conditions remain unchanged, the smaller the maximum width W of the first branched flow channel 203, the greater the refrigerant flow resistance, and the smaller the refrigerant flow rate flowing through the parallel flow structure 300, which can result in different cooling or heating capacities between the first parallel flow structure 208 and the second parallel flow structure 209. When there are multiple rows of battery cells 4 as shown in Figure 5, this design is more advantageous because for each battery cell 4, the middle portion 401 has the lowest heat generation, while the first end 402 and the second end 403 have the highest heat generation. The second end 403 of the first row of battery cells is adjacent to the first end 402 of the second row of battery cells. Therefore, the parallel flow structure 300 adjacent to the two rows of battery cells requires a larger refrigerant flow rate, while the parallel flow structure 300 at the first end 402 of the first row of battery cells requires a smaller refrigerant flow rate. Therefore, in Figure 6, it is advantageous to widen or deepen the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow structure 209 to provide more refrigerant flow for the second parallel flow structure 209. Similarly, the two second branch flow channels 207 can also be designed to have different maximum widths or maximum depths, thereby providing different refrigerant flow rates for different parallel flow structures 300.

[0066] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in this embodiment, there are multiple rows of battery cells 4 in the battery pack 2000. Each row of battery cells 4 uses a first parallel flow structure 208 and a second parallel flow structure 209 for cooling or heating. Therefore, each row of battery cells 4 has a first main flow channel 202 and a second main flow channel 201. At least two first main flow channels 202 have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths; or at least two second main flow channels 201 have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths. The advantage of this structure is that different refrigerant flow rates can be provided for different rows of battery cells 4, thereby meeting the cooling or heating requirements of different rows of battery cells 4.

[0067] As shown in Figures 3 and 10, the first main channels 202 and the second main channels 201 are arranged alternately. If we look at the position of the inlet and outlet, in Figure 3, two second main channels 201 are located on both sides of one first main channel 202, and similarly, two first main channels 202 are located on both sides of one second main channel 201. If we look at the flow direction of the refrigerant, in Figure 10, the three first main channels 202 and the three second main channels 201 are used for the inflow and outflow of the refrigerant of the three rows of battery cells 4, respectively. For the sake of clarity, they are marked as the first row of battery cells inflow channel 211, the second row of battery cells outflow channel 212, the third row of battery cells inflow channel 213, the first row of battery cells outflow channel 214, the second row of battery cells inflow channel 215, and the third row of battery cells outflow channel 216. It can be seen that the first row of battery cell inflow channels 211, the second row of battery cell outflow channels 212, and the third row of battery cell inflow channels 213 are arranged alternately, and the first row of battery cell outflow channels 214, the second row of battery cell inflow channels 215, and the third row of battery cell outflow channels 216 are also arranged alternately. The advantage of this alternating arrangement is that the alternating arrangement of hot and cold fluids helps to improve the temperature uniformity of the battery heat exchanger 1000, thereby improving the temperature uniformity of the entire package of battery cells 4. As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow structure 208 and the first collecting channel 204 have a first connection 217, and the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow structure 209 and the first collecting channel 204 also have a first connection 217, and the two first connections 217 are arranged adjacent to each other. The second branch flow channel 207 of the first parallel flow structure 208 and the second collecting channel 205 have a second connection 218, and the two second connections 218 are arranged back to back. In other words, the two first connections 217 are both close to the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4, and of the two second connections 218, one is close to the first end 402 and the other is close to the second end 403. The advantage of this structure is that it can make the refrigerant flow direction in the two first manifolds 204 opposite, and the refrigerant flow direction in the two second manifolds 205 also opposite. The refrigerant flow rate reaching the diverging flow channel 206 near the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4 is the least, and the flow rate increases the farther away from the middle portion 401. Since the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4 generates the least heat and the first end 402 and the second end 403 generate the most heat, it is beneficial to allocate the minimum refrigerant flow rate to the diverging flow channel 206 at the middle portion 401. This can ensure that the high-heating position obtains more refrigerant flow, improve the heat exchange effect of the battery heat exchanger 1000, and make the temperature of the battery cell 4 more balanced.

[0068] As shown in Figure 6, the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow structure 208 is at least partially adjacent to the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow structure 209; the multiple branch flow channels 206 of the first parallel flow structure 208 are located between the first branch flow channel 203 and the second branch flow channel 207. Similarly, the multiple branch flow channels 206 of the second parallel flow structure 209 are located between the first branch flow channel 203 and the second branch flow channel 207. The advantage of this structure is that when the battery cells 4 need to be cooled, the refrigerant flow rate in the middle portion 401 of the battery cells is the smallest, and the refrigerant is prone to overheating in the second half of its journey. The first branch flow channel 203 flowing into the row of battery cells 4 first flows through the middle portion 401 of the battery cells 4, then flows through the parallel flow structure 300 toward the first end 402 and second end 403 of the battery cells 4. The refrigerant flow directions in the first branch flow channel 203 and the second branch flow channel 207 are opposite to the flow direction of the refrigerant in the parallel flow structure 300. This effectively prevents overheating of the refrigerant in the branch flow channel 206, acts as a temperature compensation, prevents local overcooling or overheating, improves the temperature uniformity of the battery heat exchanger 1000, and thereby improves the temperature uniformity of the battery cells 4. Because the second branch flow channel 207 flowing out of the parallel flow structure 300 is arranged at the first end 402 or second end 403 of the battery cells 4, adjacent to the branch flow channel 206 of the parallel flow structure 300 with the largest flow rate, it also serves to alternately arrange hot and cold refrigerants, thereby improving the temperature uniformity of the battery cells 4.

[0069] As shown in FIG3 , since there are at least two branch flow channels 206 , one of them is labeled as a first branch flow channel 2061 and the other is labeled as a second branch flow channel 2062 , wherein the distance between the first branch flow channel 2061 and the first connection 217 is smaller than the distance between the second branch flow channel 2062 and the first connection 217 , and the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the first branch flow channel 2061 is greater than the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the second branch flow channel 2062 . In other words, the closer the branch flow channel 206 is to the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4 , the greater its maximum width and / or maximum depth will be. This is mainly to prevent the refrigerant flow in the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4 from being too small to meet its cooling or heating needs.

[0070] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the first branched flow channel 203 is at least partially disposed corresponding to the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4, and at least partially of the at least two branched flow channels 206 are disposed corresponding to the ends of the battery cell 4. For example, as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, from the positional relationship between the first branched flow channel 203, the branched flow channel 206, and the battery cell 4, the first branched flow channel 203 is at least partially located approximately in the middle of the two parallel flow structures 300, i.e., in the middle of the common region formed by region 1 and region 2 in Figure 6, i.e., at the location of the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4; the branched flow channels 206 correspond to both ends of the location of the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4.

[0071] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 3 to 6, the battery heat exchanger 1000 includes a plurality of parallel flow units, each of which includes a parallel flow structure 300 and a first branch flow channel 203. One parallel flow unit is provided corresponding to a group of battery cells 4, each of which includes a plurality of battery cells 4. The branch flow channel 206 extends in the same direction as the arrangement direction of the battery cells 4. Specifically, referring to Figures 5 and 6, one parallel flow unit is provided corresponding to a group of battery cells 4. The battery heat exchanger 1000 includes a plurality of parallel flow units, each of which is arranged in parallel, for example. Figure 5 shows three parallel flow units, each of which corresponds to a group of battery cells 4, each of which includes a plurality of battery cells 4. The parallel flow unit includes a parallel flow structure 300 and a first branch flow channel 203. As shown in Figure 5, the battery cells 4 are arranged in the up-down direction, and the branch flow channel 206 also extends in the up-down direction. It can be seen that the extension direction of the branch flow channel 206 is the same as the arrangement direction of the battery cells 4. Such an arrangement is more conducive to distributing the refrigerant flow rate according to the heating conditions at different positions of the battery core 4 , and is more conducive to temperature balance at various positions of the battery core 4 .

[0072] According to some embodiments of the present application, in combination with Figures 3 to 6, the battery heat exchanger 1000 includes two parallel flow units. When a working medium flows in the two parallel flow units, the flow directions of the working medium in the diverging flow channels 206 of the two parallel flow units are opposite. For example, Figure 5 shows three parallel flow units from left to right. In adjacent parallel flow units, the flow directions of the working medium in the diverging flow channels 206 are opposite. For example, in the leftmost parallel flow unit, the flow direction of the working medium in the diverging flow channels 206 is from top to bottom, and in the middle parallel flow unit, the flow direction of the working medium in the diverging flow channels 206 is from bottom to top.

[0073] According to some embodiments of the present application, in conjunction with Figures 3 to 6, the battery heat exchanger 1000 includes a first parallel flow unit and a second parallel flow unit, and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the battery heat exchanger 1000. For example, Figure 5 shows three parallel flow units from left to right, and the parallel flow unit on the far left is called the first parallel flow unit, the parallel flow unit in the middle is called the second parallel flow unit, and the parallel flow unit on the far right is called the third parallel flow unit. In conjunction with Figures 5 and 6, it can be concluded that the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit is located on the lower side of the battery heat exchanger 1000, and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow unit is located on the upper side of the battery heat exchanger, that is, the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the battery heat exchanger.

[0074] According to some embodiments of the present application, such as shown in FIG5 , the battery heat exchanger 1000 further includes a third parallel flow unit (e.g., the rightmost parallel flow unit in FIG5 ), and the second parallel flow unit (the parallel flow unit located in the middle position in FIG5 ) is located between the first parallel flow unit (e.g., the leftmost parallel flow unit in FIG5 ) and the third parallel flow unit. The inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the battery heat exchanger 1000, and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the third parallel flow unit are located on the same side of the battery heat exchanger 1000. For example, in combination with Figures 5-6, it can be concluded that the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit (for example, the leftmost parallel flow unit in Figure 5) is located on the lower side of the battery heat exchanger 1000, the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow unit (the parallel flow unit located in the middle position in Figure 5) is located on the upper side of the battery heat exchanger, and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the third parallel flow unit (for example, the rightmost parallel flow unit in Figure 5) is located on the lower side of the battery heat exchanger, that is, the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the battery heat exchanger, and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel 203 of the third parallel flow unit are located on the same side of the battery heat exchanger 1000.

[0075] As shown in Figures 3, 5, 6 and 8, the battery cell 4 needs to be cooled at this time, so the first main channel 202 is used as the refrigerant inlet and the second main channel 201 is used as the refrigerant outlet. The refrigerant enters the two first branch channels 203 through the first main channel 202. The refrigerant in the two first branch channels 203 first flows through the middle part 401 of the battery cell 4, and then the first collecting channel 204 in the first parallel flow structure 208 distributes the refrigerant to the branch channels 206 from right to left (i.e., from the middle part 401 to the first end 402) in sequence. Since the branch channels 206 are parallel to each other, there is a flow imbalance effect as mentioned above, resulting in the branch channel 206 closest to the middle part 401 having the least refrigerant flow, while the branch channel 206 closest to the first end 402 has the most refrigerant flow. Similarly, for the second parallel flow structure 209, the refrigerant flow rate of the branch flow channel 206 closest to the middle portion 401 is the smallest, while the refrigerant flow rate of the branch flow channel 206 closest to the second end 403 is the largest. Therefore, if the branch flow channels 206 shown in Figure 6 are recorded from left to right as the 1st, 2nd, ... n-1th, and nth branch flow channels 206, the refrigerant flow rate proportions of each branch flow channel 206 are shown in Figure 8. It can be seen that the refrigerant flow rate of the branch flow channel 206 close to the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4 is the smallest, and the closer to the two ends of the battery cell 4, the larger the refrigerant flow rate. This matches the situation that the middle portion 401 of the battery cell 4 generates less heat and therefore has a small cooling demand, while the first end 402 and the second end 403 generate more heat and therefore have a large cooling demand. Therefore, the temperature of the battery cell 4 will be more uniform.

[0076] As shown in Figures 3, 5, 6 and 9, when the battery cell 4 needs to be heated, the refrigerant inlet and outlet in Figure 6 need to be swapped, so the first main channel 202 is used as the refrigerant outlet and the second main channel 201 is used as the refrigerant inlet. The refrigerant enters the two second branch channels 207 through the second main channel 201. The refrigerant in the two second branch channels 207 first flows through the two ends of the battery cell 4, and then the second collecting channel 205 in the first parallel flow structure 208 distributes the refrigerant from left to right (i.e., from the first end 402 to the middle 401) to the branch channel 206 in sequence. Since the branch channels 206 are parallel to each other, there is a flow imbalance effect as described above, resulting in the branch channel 206 closest to the first end 402 having the least refrigerant flow, while the branch channel 206 closest to the middle 401 has the most refrigerant flow. Similarly, for the second parallel flow structure 209, the refrigerant flow rate of the branch flow channel 206 closest to the middle part 401 is the largest, while the refrigerant flow rate of the branch flow channel 206 closest to the second end 403 is the smallest. That is, under heating conditions, the flow direction of the refrigerant is exactly opposite to that under cooling conditions, and the size of the flow distribution is also exactly opposite. Therefore, if the various branch flow channels 206 shown in Figure 6 are recorded from left to right as the 1st, 2nd, ... n-1th, and nth branch flow channels 206, the refrigerant flow rate proportions of each branch flow channel 206 are shown in Figure 9. It can be seen that the refrigerant flow rate of the branch flow channel 206 close to the middle part 401 of the battery cell 4 is the largest, and the closer to the two ends of the battery cell 4, the smaller the refrigerant flow rate. Because the middle part 401 of the battery cell 4 generates less heat and therefore requires more heating, and the first end 402 and the second end 403 generate more heat and therefore require less heating, the temperature of the battery cell 4 will be more uniform. In cooling conditions, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the battery core 4 , and in heating conditions, the battery core 4 absorbs heat from the refrigerant, but the heat exchange medium (or working fluid) is still called the refrigerant.

[0077] This embodiment of the present application also provides a battery pack 2000, comprising a battery cell 4 and the aforementioned battery heat exchanger 1000. The battery cell 4 exchanges heat with the battery heat exchanger 1000. More specifically, heat is exchanged between the battery cell 4 and the refrigerant in the parallel flow structure 300, thereby cooling or heating the battery cell 4. By utilizing the uneven flow distribution of the various diverging flow channels 206 of the parallel flow structure 300, the temperature distribution of the battery cell 4 is more uniform.

[0078] In this embodiment, each battery cell 4 exchanges heat with at least two parallel flow structures 300, such as a first parallel flow structure 208 and a second parallel flow structure 209. The branching flow channel 206 of the first parallel flow structure 208 and the branching flow channel 206 of the second parallel flow structure 209 are parallel to each other, and the length direction of the battery cell 4 intersects with the length direction of the branching flow channel 206. That is, in Figures 5 and 6, the length direction of the battery cell 4 is between the first end 402 and the second end 403, and the length direction of the branching flow channel 206 is between the first collecting channel 204 and the second collecting channel 205. The length direction of the battery cell 4 and the length direction of the branching flow channel 206 can form an angle of 90 degrees or other angles, which facilitates different refrigerant flow distribution to the middle portion 401 of the battery cell and the two ends.

[0079] In this embodiment, the length direction of the battery core 4 is perpendicular to the length direction of the branch flow channel 206, so that the imbalance of the refrigerant flow in different branch flow channels 206 can be more fully utilized to make the temperature of the battery core 4 more uniform.

[0080] As shown in Figure 6, the first manifolds 204 of the two parallel flow structures 300 are located on the first side 404 of the battery cell 4, and the second manifolds 205 of the two parallel flow structures 300 are located on the second side 405 of the battery cell 4. The first side 404 and the second side 405 refer to the two sides in the width direction of the battery cell 4. The first branch flow channel 203 connecting the first manifold 204 is at least partially located in the middle of the battery cell 4, and the second branch flow channel 207 connecting the second manifold 205 is at least partially located at the first end 402 or the second end 403 of the battery cell 4. This allows the cold and hot flow paths of the refrigerant to alternate, improving the temperature uniformity of the battery cell 4.

[0081] The battery heat exchanger 1000 can operate in a first operating condition or a second operating condition, wherein the first operating condition is a cooling condition for cooling the battery cell 4, and the second operating condition is a heating condition for heating the battery cell 4. In the first operating condition, the refrigerant flows through the first branch flow channel 203, the first header 204, the diverging flow channel 206, and the second header 205 into the second branch flow channel 207, forming the flow distribution shown in Figure 8. In the second operating condition, the refrigerant flows through the second branch flow channel 207, the second header 205, the diverging flow channel 206, and the first header 204 into the first branch flow channel 203, forming the flow distribution shown in Figure 9. During the refrigerant flow distribution process, the maximum width and / or maximum depth of each branch flow channel 206 can be set to be different to ensure that each branch flow channel 206 meets the cooling or heat dissipation requirements of the battery cell 4; the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the first branch flow channel 203 and the second branch flow channel 207 can be set to be different to ensure that each parallel flow structure 300 meets the cooling or heat dissipation requirements of different ends of the battery cell 4; the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the first main flow channel 202 and the second main flow channel 201 can be set to be different to ensure that the cooling or heat dissipation requirements of different rows of battery cells 4 are met.

[0082] The temperature distribution of each battery cell 4 of the battery pack 2000 in this embodiment is more uniform.

[0083] The embodiment of the present application further provides a vehicle 3000 , as shown in FIG14 . The vehicle 3000 includes the battery heat exchanger 1000 as described above, or includes the battery pack 2000 as described above.

[0084] Although some specific embodiments of the present application have been described in detail by way of examples, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments may be modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery heat exchanger (1000), characterized in that: The battery heat exchanger (1000) includes a parallel flow structure (300), which includes a first collecting channel (204), a second collecting channel (205) and at least two branching channels (206), one end of each branching channel (206) is connected to the first collecting channel (204), and the other end of each branching channel (206) is connected to the second collecting channel (205), and at least two branching channels (206) are parallel to each other.

2. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first collecting channel (204) and / or the second collecting channel (205) are perpendicular to the branching channel (206).

3. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: At least two of the diverging flow channels (206) have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths.

4. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The radius of the inscribed circle (210) at the intersection of each of the branch flow channels (206) and the first collecting flow channel (204) and / or the second collecting flow channel (205) is different.

5. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The battery heat exchanger (1000) comprises at least two parallel flow structures (300) and a first branch flow channel (203), wherein the first collecting channels (204) of at least two of the parallel flow structures (300) are connected to the first branch flow channel (203), and the first branch flow channel (203) is located between the two parallel flow structures (300).

6. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The battery heat exchanger (1000) comprises at least two parallel flow structures (300) and at least two first branch flow channels (203); the first collecting channel (204) of one parallel flow structure (300) is connected to one first branch flow channel (203); the first collecting channel (204) of another parallel flow structure (300) is connected to another first branch flow channel (203); and the first branch flow channel (203) is located between the two parallel flow structures (300).

7. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: At least two of the first branch flow channels (203) are connected to the first main flow channel (202); and / or, the second collecting channel (205) of each of the parallel flow structures (300) is connected to the second branch flow channel (207), and at least two of the second branch flow channels (207) are connected to the second main flow channel (201).

8. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: When a working medium flows in the battery heat exchanger (1000), the flow direction of the working medium in the first branch flow channel (203) is opposite to the flow direction of the working medium in the diverging flow channel (206).

9. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The maximum width and / or maximum depth of at least two of the first branch flow channels (203) are different; or the maximum width and / or maximum depth of at least two of the second branch flow channels (207) are different.

10. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 7 or 9, characterized in that: At least two of the first main flow channels (202) have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths; or at least two of the second main flow channels (201) have different maximum widths and / or maximum depths.

11. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to any one of claims 7, 9 and 10, characterized in that: The first main flow channels (202) and the second main flow channels (201) are arranged alternately.

12. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to any one of claims 7, 9, 10 and 11, characterized in that: The first branch flow channels (203) of the two parallel flow structures (300) are arranged adjacent to the first connection point (217) of the first collecting channel (204), and the second branch flow channels (207) of the two parallel flow structures (300) are arranged opposite to the second connection point (218) of the second collecting channel (205).

13. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 12, characterized in that: The first branch flow channels (203) of the two parallel flow structures (300) are at least partially adjacent to each other, and the diverging flow channels (206) of the two parallel flow structures (300) are located between the first branch flow channel (203) and the second branch flow channel (207).

14. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The branch flow channel (206) includes a first branch flow channel (2061) and a second branch flow channel (2062), the distance between the first branch flow channel (2061) and the first connection point (217) is smaller than the distance between the second branch flow channel (2062) and the first connection point (217), and the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the first branch flow channel (2061) is greater than the maximum width and / or maximum depth of the second branch flow channel (2062).

15. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claims 5-14, characterized in that: At least a portion of the first branch flow channel (203) is arranged corresponding to the middle portion (401) of the battery cell (4), and at least a portion of the at least two branch flow channels (206) is arranged corresponding to the end portion of the battery cell (4).

16. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claims 5-15, characterized in that: The invention comprises a plurality of parallel flow units, wherein the parallel flow units comprise the parallel flow structure (300) and the first branch flow channel (203), one parallel flow unit is arranged corresponding to a group of the battery cells (4), a group of the battery cells (4) comprises a plurality of the battery cells (4), and the extension direction of the branch flow channel (206) is the same as the arrangement direction of the battery cells (4).

17. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 16, characterized in that: It comprises two parallel flow units. When working fluid flows in the two parallel flow units, the flow directions of the working fluid in the diverging flow channels (206) of the two parallel flow units are opposite.

18. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 16, characterized in that: It comprises a first parallel flow unit and a second parallel flow unit, wherein the inlet of the first branch flow channel (203) of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel (203) of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the heat exchanger.

19. The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to claim 18, characterized in that: It also includes a third parallel flow unit, the second parallel flow unit is located between the first parallel flow unit and the third parallel flow unit, the inlet of the first branch flow channel (203) of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel (203) of the second parallel flow unit are located on different sides of the battery heat exchanger (1000), and the inlet of the first branch flow channel (203) of the first parallel flow unit and the inlet of the first branch flow channel (203) of the third parallel flow unit are located on the same side of the battery heat exchanger (1000).

20. A battery pack (2000), characterized in that: include: Battery cells (4); and The battery heat exchanger (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the battery cell (4) exchanges heat with the battery heat exchanger (1000).

21. The battery pack (2000) according to claim 20, characterized in that: Each of the battery cells (4) exchanges heat with at least two of the parallel flow structures (300), the branch flow channels (206) of the two parallel flow structures (300) are parallel to each other, and the length direction of the battery cell (4) intersects with the length direction of the branch flow channels (206).

22. The battery pack (2000) according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that: The length direction of the battery core (4) is perpendicular to the length direction of the branch flow channel (206).

23. The battery pack (2000) according to any one of claims 20-22, characterized in that: The first collecting channels (204) of the two parallel flow structures (300) are located on a first side (404) of the battery cell (4), the second collecting channels (205) of the two parallel flow structures (300) are located on a second side (405) of the battery cell (4), a first branching channel (203) connecting the first collecting channels (204) is at least partially located in a middle portion (401) of the battery cell (4), and a second branching channel (207) connecting the second collecting channels (205) is at least partially located at an end portion of the battery cell (4).

24. The battery pack (2000) according to claim 23, characterized in that: The battery heat exchanger (1000) can be in a first operating condition or a second operating condition; in the first operating condition, the refrigerant flows into the second branch flow channel (207) through the first branch flow channel (203), the first collecting flow channel (204), the diverging flow channel (206), and the second collecting flow channel (205); in the second operating condition, the refrigerant flows into the first branch flow channel (203) through the second branch flow channel (207), the second collecting flow channel (205), the diverging flow channel (206), and the first collecting flow channel (204).

25. A vehicle (3000), characterized in that A battery heat exchanger (1000) comprising any one of claims 1 to 19, or a battery pack (2000) comprising any one of claims 20 to 24.

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