Battery thermal management system structure and battery pack

Abstract

A battery thermal management system structure and a battery pack. The battery thermal management system structure comprises a direct cooling plate (110) and a temperature control assembly, wherein a top surface of the direct cooling plate (110) is connected to bottom surfaces of battery cells (310); a liquid cooling channel (400) is provided in the direct cooling plate (110); a liquid inlet (410) and a liquid outlet (420) in communication with the liquid cooling channel (400) are provided in the direct cooling plate (110); the liquid inlet (410) and the liquid outlet (420) are disposed on the same side of the direct cooling plate (110); the temperature control assembly comprises a controller (240), a temperature sensor (210), a flow regulating valve (230) and a heating film (220); the controller (240) is in signal connection with the temperature sensor (210), the flow regulating valve (230) and the heating film (220); the temperature sensor (210) is disposed on one side of the battery cells (310); the flow regulating valve (230) is provided at the liquid inlet (410) and connected to the liquid cooling channel (400); and the heating film (220) is disposed between the direct cooling plate (110) and the battery cells (310).

Description

Battery thermal management system structure and battery pack

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202423304500.2, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on December 30, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of battery equipment technology, such as a battery thermal management system structure and battery pack.

[0004] Background Technology

[0005] With the rapid development of electric vehicles and other new energy vehicles, pure electric vehicle users have increasingly higher requirements for driving range and charging rate, resulting in larger battery cells. This leads to greater heat generation during cell operation. Furthermore, with the increase in the number of cells and charging rate, temperature consistency becomes more difficult to control. Moreover, in low-temperature environments, it is necessary to heat the battery to ensure its normal operation and provide sufficient driving force for vehicles and other devices.

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] Traditional battery thermal management systems suffer from problems such as uneven heat dissipation or heating, low efficiency, complex structure, and difficulty in controlling the temperature difference of the entire battery cell pack. They cannot effectively manage the thermal of the battery cells, which is not conducive to ensuring the normal operation of the battery cells and results in low safety during battery cell operation.

[0008] Technical solutions

[0009] This application provides a battery thermal management system structure and battery pack. The structure is simple and can accurately control the temperature near the battery cell to maintain it within a suitable operating range, thereby ensuring the performance of the battery cell and improving its service life.

[0010] On the one hand, this application provides a battery thermal management system structure, including a direct cooling plate and a temperature control component. The top surface of the direct cooling plate is connected to the bottom surface of the battery cell. A liquid cooling channel is provided inside the direct cooling plate. The direct cooling plate is provided with an inlet and an outlet that are respectively connected to the liquid cooling channel. The inlet and outlet are located on the same side of the direct cooling plate.

[0011] The temperature control component includes a controller, a temperature sensor, a flow regulating valve, and a heating film. The controller is connected to the temperature sensor, the flow regulating valve, and the heating film respectively. The temperature sensor is located on one side of the battery cell, the flow regulating valve is located at the liquid inlet and is connected to the liquid cooling channel, and the heating film is located between the direct cooling plate and the battery cell.

[0012] On the other hand, this application also provides a battery pack, including the above-mentioned battery thermal management system structure, and further including a housing and a battery module. The battery module includes multiple cells arranged side by side. The direct cooling plate and the housing are integrally formed. The housing includes a frame connected to the direct cooling plate. The frame and the direct cooling plate surround a placement cavity. A pressure beam is provided in the placement cavity. The pressure beam divides the placement cavity into a battery compartment for placing the battery module and an electrical compartment for placing electronic components.

[0013] Beneficial effects

[0014] This application discloses a battery thermal management system structure. The top surface of a direct cooling plate is connected to the bottom surface of the battery cell. Coolant circulates within the liquid cooling channel via an inlet and an outlet, allowing the direct cooling plate to rapidly cool the battery cell. This effectively reduces the heat generated during battery cell operation, preventing overheating that could lead to performance degradation or even safety issues. A temperature control component is included, with a temperature sensor positioned on one side of the battery cell to monitor the temperature near the cell in real time. The corresponding temperature signal is fed back to a controller, which controls the flow regulating valve to regulate the coolant flow rate or activates a heating film to heat the cell. This precisely controls the temperature near the battery cell, maintaining it within a suitable operating range, ensuring battery cell performance and extending its lifespan. Placing the inlet and outlet on the same side of the direct cooling plate helps neutralize the temperature difference between the entering and exiting coolant, preventing excessive temperature differences between cells near the inlet and outlet that could negatively impact battery cell performance.

[0015] Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 is a partial structural exploded view of the battery thermal management system structure in some embodiments;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the liquid cooling channel structure in some embodiments;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sub-group in some embodiments;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the liquid outlet pipe in some embodiments;

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the battery pack structure in some embodiments;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the battery pack (with the battery module omitted) in some embodiments;

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the gasket structure in some embodiments;

[0023] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of the box in some embodiments;

[0024] Figure 9 is an enlarged structural diagram of part A in Figure 8;

[0025] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the through-wall pipe head and connecting nozzle in some embodiments.

[0026] In the picture:

[0027] 100. Battery pack; 110. Direct cooling plate; 120. Housing; 121. Frame; 130. Placement cavity; 131. Battery compartment; 1311. Sub-compartment; 132. Electrical compartment; 140. Pressure beam; 150. Gasket; 160. Crossbeam; 170. Through-wall pipe head; 180. Connecting nozzle; 181. Liquid inlet; 182. Liquid outlet; 190. Seal; 210. Temperature sensor; 220. Heating film; 230. Flow regulating valve; 240. Controller; 300. Battery module; 310. Battery cell; 400. Liquid cooling channel; 410. Liquid inlet; 420. Liquid outlet; 430. Liquid inlet pipe; 431. Sub-pipe group; 4311. First main pipe; 4312. First branch pipe; 440. Liquid outlet pipe; 441. Second main pipe; 442. Second branch pipe.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a battery thermal management system structure of this embodiment includes a direct cooling plate 110 and a temperature control component. The top surface of the direct cooling plate 110 is connected to the bottom surface of the battery cell 310. A liquid cooling channel 400 is provided inside the direct cooling plate 110. An inlet 410 and an outlet 420, respectively communicating with the liquid cooling channel 400, are provided on the direct cooling plate 110. The inlet 410 and the outlet 420 are located on the same side of the direct cooling plate 110. The temperature control component includes a controller 240, a temperature sensor 210, a flow regulating valve 230, and a heating film 220. The controller 240 is connected to the temperature sensor 210, the flow regulating valve 230, and the heating film 220. The temperature sensor 210 is located on one side of the battery cell 310. The flow regulating valve 230 is located at the inlet 410 and is connected to the liquid cooling channel 400. The heating film 220 is located between the direct cooling plate 110 and the battery cell 310. The structure and principle of the flow regulating valve 230 are the same as those of commonly used flow regulating valves.

[0030] In this embodiment, the top surface of the direct cooling plate 110 is connected to the bottom surface of the battery cell 310, and the coolant circulates within the liquid cooling channel 400 through the inlet 410 and outlet 420. This allows the direct cooling plate 110 to quickly cool the battery cell 310, effectively reducing the heat generated during operation and preventing overheating that could lead to performance degradation or even safety issues. Optionally, a temperature control component is also provided, with a temperature sensor 210 positioned on one side of the battery cell 310 to detect the temperature near the cell in real time and feed the corresponding temperature signal back to the controller 240. The controller 240 then controls the flow regulating valve 230 to control the coolant flow rate or activates the heating film 220 for heating, thereby precisely controlling the temperature near the battery cell 310 to maintain it within a suitable operating range, ensuring the performance of the battery cell 310, and extending its service life. Optionally, the inlet 410 and the outlet 420 are located on the same side of the direct cooling plate 110, which is conducive to achieving temperature neutralization of the coolant entering and exiting, and avoiding excessive temperature difference between the cell 310 near the inlet 410 and the cell 310 near the outlet 420, which would affect the working performance of the cell 310.

[0031] As shown in the figure, in some embodiments, the liquid cooling channel 400 includes an inlet pipe 430 and an outlet pipe 440. The inlet pipe 430 is connected to the inlet port 410. The inlet pipe 430 includes multiple branch pipe groups 431. The multiple branch pipe groups 431 are evenly arranged in parallel directly below the battery cell 310 to achieve uniform cooling of the battery cell 310, avoid large temperature differences between the battery cells 310, and help ensure the operating performance of the battery cell 310. In addition, the first end of the liquid outlet pipe 440 is connected to the end of the multiple branch pipe groups 431 away from the liquid inlet 410, and the second end of the liquid outlet pipe 440 is connected to the liquid outlet 420. The coolant enters the liquid inlet pipe 430 from the liquid inlet 410 and exchanges heat with the battery cell 310 to cool the battery cell 310. It flows until it enters the liquid outlet pipe 440 at the end away from the liquid inlet 410, and then flows back through the liquid outlet pipe 440 to the liquid outlet 420 on the side near the liquid outlet 420 for discharge. This helps to achieve temperature neutralization between the liquid inlet pipe 430 and the liquid outlet pipe 440, reduce the temperature difference of the cooling plate, and also achieve uniform cooling of the battery cell 310, reduce the temperature difference between the battery cells 310, and help to ensure the operating performance of the battery cell 310.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, in some embodiments, the branch pipe assembly 431 includes multiple liquid distribution pipes that are bent and connected to each other. Each liquid distribution pipe includes a first main pipe 4311 and multiple first branch pipes 4312. The multiple first branch pipes 4312 are connected in parallel, and both ends of each first branch pipe 4312 are connected to the first main pipe 4311, thereby improving the uniformity of coolant flow and distribution and enhancing the overall cooling uniformity. Simultaneously, the design of multiple staggered liquid cooling channels 400 effectively neutralizes the temperature, reduces the temperature difference between the overall battery cells 310, maintains the temperature uniformity of the battery cells 310, and ensures the operational performance of the battery cells 310.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, in some embodiments, the outlet pipe 440 includes a second main pipe 441 and multiple second branch pipes 442. The multiple second branch pipes 442 are connected in parallel, and their two ends are respectively connected to the second main pipe 441. After the coolant exchanges heat with the battery cell 310 in the inlet pipe 430 to cool the battery cell 310, the coolant temperature rises. By setting multiple second branch pipes 442 in the outlet pipe 440 to divert and return the coolant, it is beneficial to avoid excessive concentration of high-temperature coolant, which would cause the battery cell 310 near the outlet pipe 440 to have an excessively high operating temperature. This helps to maintain the overall temperature uniformity of the battery cell 310 and ensure the operating performance of the battery cell 310.

[0034] In some embodiments, the liquid inlet pipe 430 is disposed on the inner side of the direct cooling plate 110, and the liquid outlet pipe 440 is disposed on the outer side of the direct cooling plate 110, so that after the coolant enters the liquid inlet pipe 430 from the liquid inlet 410, it can quickly cool down the battery cell 310 located on the inner side of the direct cooling plate 110. After completing the heat exchange, it is discharged from the liquid outlet pipe 440 on the outer side of the cooling plate, which can make full use of the coolant and improve the efficiency of coolant use.

[0035] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 5 to 10, a battery pack is provided. The battery pack 100 includes the aforementioned battery thermal management system structure. The battery pack 100 also includes a housing 120 and a battery module 300. The battery module 300 includes multiple cells 310 arranged side by side. The direct cooling plate 110 and the housing 120 are integrally formed, which helps to improve the overall strength and ensure the stability of the overall structure of the battery pack 100. The housing 120 includes a frame 121 connected to the direct cooling plate 110. The frame 121 and the direct cooling plate 110 enclose a placement cavity 130. A pressure beam 140 is provided in the placement cavity 130. The pressure beam 140 divides the placement cavity 130 into a battery compartment 131 for placing the battery module 300 and an electrical compartment 132 for placing electronic components, thus avoiding mutual interference between the battery module 300 and the electronic components.

[0036] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, a heating film 220 is disposed inside the battery compartment 131. One end of the heating film 220 passes through the pressure beam 140 and the electrical compartment 132 and is connected to electronic components. The heating film 220 is powered and driven by the electronic components. A gasket 150 is disposed between the pressure beam 140 and the heating film 220. By disposing of the gasket 150, the pressure beam 140 can effectively prevent the heating film 220 from being squeezed due to flatness or expansion of the battery cell 310, which would cause damage to the heating film 220.

[0037] In some embodiments, the distance between the bottom of the pressure beam 140 and the direct cooling plate 110 is set to X, the thickness of the heating film 220 is set to Y, and the thickness of the gasket 150 is set to Z, where X > Y + 1 mm and Y + 0.4 mm ≤ Z ≤ X - 0.4 mm. This ensures a favorable relationship between the distance between the bottom of the pressure beam 140 and the cooling plate, the thickness of the heating film 220, and the thickness of the gasket 150. This guarantees that the pressure beam 140 effectively separates the battery compartment 131 and the electrical compartment 132, reduces the squeezing impact of the pressure beam 140 on the heating film 220, and ensures that the gasket 150 has a corresponding protective function, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the entire battery pack 100.

[0038] In some embodiments, at least one crossbeam 160 is provided within the battery compartment 131, dividing the battery compartment 131 into at least two sub-compartments 1311. Battery modules 300 are placed separately within their respective sub-compartments 1311, reducing mutual interference between battery modules 300 and facilitating thermal management of the battery modules 300. Each sub-compartment 1311 is provided with a heating film 220, and multiple heating films 220 are connected in series to achieve synchronous heating of the battery modules 300 in different sub-compartments 1311. This ensures the overall temperature difference of the battery pack 100 and maintains a consistent operating temperature difference among the battery modules 300 in multiple sub-compartments 1311, thereby guaranteeing the battery's performance.

[0039] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, a through-wall pipe head 170 is also provided on the housing 120. The through-wall pipe head 170 is disposed through the frame 121. One end of the through-wall pipe head 170 located outside the placement cavity 130 is connected to an external coolant device, and the other end of the through-wall pipe head 170 located inside the placement cavity 130 is connected to the inlet 410 and the outlet 420 respectively via a connecting nozzle 180. A flow regulating valve 230 can be disposed between the through-wall pipe head 170 and the external coolant device to regulate the flow rate of coolant input to the external coolant device and adjust the cooling rate of the coolant, thereby regulating the operating temperature of the battery cell 310 inside the placement cavity 130.

[0040] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10, the side of the connecting nozzle 180 connected to the through-wall pipe head 170 is provided with an inlet hole 181 communicating with the inlet port 410 and an outlet hole 182 communicating with the outlet port 420, respectively. A sealing element 190 is provided in both the inlet hole 181 and the outlet hole 182 to achieve sealing and waterproofing. In actual operation, the sealing element 190 adopts an O-ring structure to effectively achieve sealing and waterproofing effects.

Claims

1. A battery thermal management system structure, comprising: A direct cooling plate (110) is provided, the top surface of which is connected to the bottom surface of the battery cell (310). A liquid cooling channel (400) is provided inside the direct cooling plate (110). An inlet (410) and an outlet (420) are provided on the direct cooling plate (110) respectively communicating with the liquid cooling channel (400). The inlet (410) and the outlet (420) are located on the same side of the direct cooling plate (110). The temperature control component includes a controller (240), a temperature sensor (210), a flow regulating valve (230), and a heating film (220). The controller (240) is connected to the temperature sensor (210), the flow regulating valve (230), and the heating film (220) respectively. The temperature sensor (210) is located on one side of the battery cell (310). The flow regulating valve (230) is located at the liquid inlet (410) and is connected to the liquid cooling channel (400). The heating film (220) is located between the direct cooling plate (110) and the battery cell (310).

2. The battery thermal management system structure according to claim 1, wherein, The liquid cooling channel (400) includes an inlet pipe (430) and an outlet pipe (440). The inlet pipe (430) is connected to the inlet port (410). The inlet pipe (430) includes multiple branch pipe groups (431). The multiple branch pipe groups (431) are evenly arranged in parallel directly below the battery cell (310). The first end of the outlet pipe (440) is connected to the end of the multiple branch pipe groups (431) away from the inlet port (410). The second end of the outlet pipe (440) is connected to the outlet port (420).

3. The battery thermal management system structure according to claim 2, wherein, The branch pipe group (431) includes a plurality of liquid distribution pipes that are bent and connected to each other. The liquid distribution pipe includes a first main pipe (4311) and a plurality of first branch pipes (4312). The plurality of first branch pipes (4312) are connected in parallel to each other and the two ends of the plurality of first branch pipes (4312) are respectively connected to the first main pipe (4311).

4. The battery thermal management system structure according to claim 2, wherein, The liquid outlet pipe (440) includes a second main pipe (441) and a plurality of second branch pipes (442), the plurality of second branch pipes (442) are connected in parallel to each other and the two ends of the plurality of second branch pipes (442) are respectively connected to the second main pipe (441).

5. The battery thermal management system structure according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, The liquid inlet pipe (430) is located on the inner side of the direct cooling plate (110), and the liquid outlet pipe (440) is located on the outer side of the direct cooling plate (110).

6. A battery pack, comprising a battery thermal management system structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a housing (120) and a battery module (300), wherein the battery module (300) comprises a plurality of battery cells (310) arranged side by side, the direct cooling plate (110) and the housing (120) are integrally formed, the housing (120) comprises a frame (121) connected to the direct cooling plate (110), the frame (121) and the direct cooling plate (110) enclosing a placement cavity (130), wherein a pressure beam (140) is provided in the placement cavity (130), the pressure beam (140) dividing the placement cavity (130) into a battery compartment (131) for placing the battery module (300) and an electrical compartment (132) for placing electronic components.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein, The heating film (220) is disposed in the battery compartment (131). One end of the heating film (220) passes through the pressure beam (140) and the electrical compartment (132) and is connected to the electronic component. A gasket (150) is disposed between the pressure beam (140) and the heating film (220).

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, wherein, The distance between the bottom of the pressure beam (140) and the direct cooling plate (110) is set to X, the thickness of the heating film (220) is set to Y, and the thickness of the gasket (150) is set to Z, where X > Y + 1 mm, Y + 0.4 mm ≤ Z ≤ X - 0.4 mm.

9. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein, The battery compartment (131) is provided with at least one crossbeam (160), which divides the battery compartment (131) into at least two sub-compartments (1311). Each sub-compartment (1311) is provided with a heating film (220), and multiple heating films (220) are connected in series.

10. The battery pack according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein, The housing (120) is also provided with a through-wall pipe head (170), which is disposed through the frame (121). The end of the through-wall pipe head (170) located outside the placement cavity (130) is configured to be connected to an external coolant device, and the end of the through-wall pipe head (170) located inside the placement cavity (130) is connected to the liquid inlet (410) and the liquid outlet (420) respectively through a connecting nozzle (180).

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