Battery and electric apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a battery and an electric apparatus. The battery comprises a plurality of battery cells and a thermal management assembly, wherein the thermal management assembly comprises a heat exchange member and a heating member, the heat exchange member being provided with a flow channel for a heat exchange medium to flow through, the heat exchange member being used for performing heat exchange with the plurality of battery cells, and the heating member being located on the side of the heat exchange member that is away from the battery cells, and being used for heating the heat exchange member. The battery in the present application can improve the heat exchange efficiency and reliability.

Description

Batteries and electrical devices

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202421183928.3, entitled "Battery and Electrical Device", filed on May 28, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery and an electrical device. Background Technology

[0004] With the development of new energy technologies, batteries are being used more and more widely, for example in mobile phones, laptops, electric vehicles, electric cars, electric airplanes, electric ships, electric toy cars, electric toy ships, electric toy airplanes, and power tools.

[0005] The development of battery technology must take into account many design factors. For example, how to ensure that the battery can operate within a suitable temperature range is an important research direction in the field of batteries.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] This application provides a battery and an electrical device that can improve heat exchange efficiency and reliability.

[0008] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery including multiple battery cells and a thermal management component. The thermal management component includes a heat exchanger and a heating element. The heat exchanger is provided with a flow channel for the flow of a heat exchange medium and is used to exchange heat with the multiple battery cells. The heating element is located on the side of the heat exchanger away from the battery cells and is used to heat the heat exchanger.

[0009] The technical solution of this application provides a battery capable of temperature regulation, including multiple battery cells and a thermal management component. The thermal management component includes a heat exchanger and a heating element. It can cool the battery cells through the heat exchanger or indirectly heat the battery cells through the heating element. The heating element is placed on the heat exchanger and does not directly contact the battery cells, which can reduce the possibility of thermal runaway of the battery cells due to heat while ensuring heat exchange efficiency.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, the thermal management component further includes a support structure, with the heat exchanger fixed to the support structure and the heating element located between the support structure and the heat exchanger. The support structure ensures the stable and reliable position of the heat exchanger and allows for the integration of multiple heat exchangers simultaneously.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, the support structure has a recess on the side facing the battery cell, and at least a portion of the heating element is accommodated within the recess. This provides protection for the heating element and improves the reliability of the thermal management assembly.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, at least a portion of the heat exchanger is accommodated within a recess and fixed to the sidewall of the recess. The support structure provides support and protection for the heat exchanger, further improving the reliability of the thermal management assembly.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, the heating element and the bottom wall of the recess are spaced apart. This reduces heat transfer along the support structure and improves the heating efficiency of the heat exchange element.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, battery cells are provided on both sides of the support structure along the first direction; the thermal management component includes multiple heat exchange elements and multiple heating elements, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the support structure in the first direction. Simultaneously providing the thermal management component and battery cells on both sides can improve the space utilization rate of the battery.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this application, in the first direction, multiple heat exchange elements located on the same side of the support structure are arranged sequentially along the second direction, with the first direction, the second direction, and the extension direction of the heat exchange elements intersecting each other. Multiple heat exchange elements located on the same side of the support structure can be arranged sequentially along their own width direction to expand the heat exchange area that the heat exchange elements can provide and improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this application, heating elements and heat exchange elements are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. This allows each heating element to be independently controlled, resulting in more flexible temperature control.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this application, the heating element includes a heating film, which includes an electric heating element and a wear-resistant layer covering the electric heating element. The electric heating element heats up quickly and has sensitive temperature control; the wear-resistant layer can improve the reliability of the thermal management components.

[0018] According to some embodiments of this application, the heating element further includes a connector connected to one end of the electric heating element in the extending direction of the heat exchange element. The connector of the electric heating element is led out from one end to facilitate connection.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this application, the heating element is attached to the heat exchanger. The adhesive connection between the two ensures a strong and reliable connection and facilitates processing.

[0020] According to some embodiments of this application, at least some battery cells are arranged along a second direction, which intersects with the extending direction of the heat exchanger. Multiple battery cells can be arranged sequentially in the second direction, i.e., the width direction of the heat exchanger, so that the same heat exchanger can exchange heat with multiple battery cells, thereby improving the energy density of the battery.

[0021] According to some embodiments of this application, the battery cell includes a casing. The casing includes two first walls opposite each other along a first direction, two second walls opposite each other along a second direction, and two third walls opposite each other along the extending direction of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is opposite to the first walls along the first direction. The area of ​​the second walls is larger than the area of ​​the first walls and the area of ​​the third walls. The first direction, the second direction, and the extending direction of the heat exchanger are perpendicular to each other. This allows the bottom wall of the battery cell to abut against the thermal management component, enabling the bonding between the battery cell and the heat exchanger to be cured by the heating element, further stabilizing and ensuring the structural reliability of the battery module.

[0022] According to some embodiments of this application, the area of ​​the region where the first wall abuts against the heat exchanger is greater than or equal to 80% of the area of ​​the first wall.

[0023] Secondly, this application provides an electrical device including the battery in any embodiment of the first aspect, the battery being used to provide electrical energy. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of a vehicle provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the explosion of a battery provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery module provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management component provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view at point A-A' shown in Figure 3;

[0030] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a heating element provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0031] Reference numerals: 1000-Vehicle; 100-Battery module; 200-Battery; 300-Controller; 400-Motor; 10-Battery cell; 20-Thermal management assembly; 30-Housing; 11-First wall; 12-Second wall; 13-Third wall; 21-Heat exchanger; 22-Heating element; 23-Support structure; 31-First housing section; 32-Second housing section; 33-Receiving section; 221-Electric heating element; 222-Wear-resistant layer; 223-Connector; 231-Recess; 232-Side wall; 233-Bottom wall; X-First direction; Y-Second direction; Z-Extension direction of heat exchanger. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0035] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0036] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0039] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] In this embodiment of the application, the battery cell can be a secondary battery cell, which refers to a battery cell that can be used again after being discharged by recharging to activate the active materials.

[0041] The battery cell can be a lithium-ion battery cell, a sodium-ion battery cell, a sodium-lithium-ion battery cell, a lithium metal battery cell, a sodium metal battery cell, a lithium-sulfur battery cell, a magnesium-ion battery cell, a nickel-metal hydride battery cell, a nickel-cadmium battery cell, a lead-acid battery cell, etc., but the embodiments of this application are not limited to this.

[0042] A single battery cell typically includes an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly consists of a positive electrode and a negative electrode. During the charging and discharging process of a single battery cell, active ions (such as lithium ions) repeatedly insert and extract between the positive and negative electrodes.

[0043] As an example, a battery cell can be a cylindrical battery cell, a prismatic battery cell, a pouch battery cell, or a battery cell of other shapes. Prismatic battery cells include prismatic battery cells, blade-shaped battery cells, and multi-prismatic batteries, such as hexagonal prismatic batteries.

[0044] The battery mentioned in the embodiments of this application refers to a single physical module comprising one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity.

[0045] In some embodiments, the battery can be a battery pack, which includes a housing and individual battery cells, with the individual battery cells or battery modules housed within the housing.

[0046] In some embodiments, the housing may be part of the vehicle's chassis structure. For example, a portion of the housing may be at least a part of the vehicle's floor, or a portion of the housing may be at least a part of the vehicle's crossbeams and longitudinal beams.

[0047] In some embodiments, the battery can be an energy storage device. Energy storage devices include energy storage containers, energy storage cabinets, etc.

[0048] In the battery industry, to ensure optimal battery performance, it is typically necessary to maintain each individual cell within a suitable operating temperature range. Therefore, cooling and heating structures are usually incorporated into the battery depending on the operating environment. The cooling structure can be a liquid-cooled structure with flow channels, while the heating structure can utilize electrically heated electronic components.

[0049] In existing batteries, some batteries adopt a structure in which the cooling structure and the heating structure are set in the housing, and the cooling mechanism and the heating structure are set independently. However, in this structure, the distance between the heating structure and the battery cell is large, which cannot provide a good heat conduction effect. Moreover, the thermal management structure set in the housing cannot be adapted to battery cells with different arrangements.

[0050] Alternatively, some batteries use a structure with a cooling plate and a heating film inside the battery box, and the heating film is placed on the individual cells. This arrangement leads to a decrease in the packing efficiency inside the battery, and at the same time, it is prone to thermal runaway when the individual cells overheat, resulting in a decrease in battery reliability.

[0051] In view of this, the present application provides a technical solution in which the heating element is configured to conduct heat indirectly to the battery cell through the heat exchange element, which can improve the heat exchange efficiency and make the heating effect more uniform, while improving reliability.

[0052] The technical solutions described in this application are applicable to batteries and electrical devices that use batteries. These electrical devices include, for example, mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, electric toys, and power tools. Spacecraft include, for example, airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spaceships. Electric toys include, for example, stationary or mobile electric toys, specifically, game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys. Power tools include, for example, metal cutting power tools, grinding power tools, assembly power tools, and railway power tools, specifically, electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact drills, concrete vibrators, and electric planers.

[0053] The batteries described in this application are not limited to the electrical devices described above, but for the sake of brevity, the following embodiments are all illustrated using electric vehicles as an example.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a simplified schematic diagram of a vehicle provided in some embodiments of this application. The vehicle 1000 can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or range-extended electric vehicles, etc. A battery 200 can be installed inside the vehicle 1000; specifically, for example, the battery 200 can be installed at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 200 can be used to power the vehicle 1000; for example, the battery 200 can serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 300 and a motor 400. The controller 300, for example, is used to control the battery to supply power to the motor 400. The battery 200 can be used for starting the vehicle 1000, navigation, etc. Of course, the battery 200 can also be used to drive the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing gasoline or natural gas to provide propulsion for the vehicle 1000.

[0055] Figure 2 is an exploded view of a battery 200 provided in some embodiments of this application. As shown in Figure 2, the battery 200 includes a housing 30 and a battery cell 10, with the battery cell 10 housed within the housing 30.

[0056] The housing 30 is used to accommodate the battery cell 10, and the housing 30 can have various structures. In some embodiments, the housing 30 may include a first housing portion 31 and a second housing portion 32, which overlap each other, and together define a receiving portion 33 for accommodating the battery cell 10. The second housing portion 32 may be a hollow structure with one end open, and the first housing portion 31 may be a plate-like structure, with the first housing portion 31 covering the open side of the second housing portion 32 to form a housing 30 with the receiving portion 33; alternatively, both the first housing portion 31 and the second housing portion 32 may be hollow structures with one side open, with the open side of the first housing portion 31 covering the open side of the second housing portion 32 to form a housing 30 with the receiving portion 33. Of course, the first housing portion 31 and the second housing portion 32 can be various shapes, such as cylinders, cuboids, etc.

[0057] In battery 200, there can be one or more battery cells 10. If there are multiple battery cells 10, they can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed manner. A mixed connection means that multiple battery cells 10 are connected in both series and parallel. Multiple battery cells 10 can be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed manner, and then the whole assembly of multiple battery cells 10 is housed in the housing 30. Alternatively, multiple battery cells 10 can first be connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed manner to form a battery module, and then multiple battery modules can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed manner to form a whole assembly, which is then housed in the housing 30.

[0058] The structure of the battery and the power-consuming device will now be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6.

[0059] Please refer to Figures 3 to 5 together. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery module provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management component provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view at A-A' shown in Figure 3.

[0060] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery 200, including a plurality of battery cells 10 and a thermal management component 20. The thermal management component 20 includes a heat exchanger 21 and a heating element 22. The heat exchanger 21 is provided with a flow channel for the flow of a heat exchange medium. The heat exchanger 21 is used to exchange heat with the battery cells 10. The heating element 22 is located on the side of the heat exchanger 21 away from the battery cells 10 and is used to heat the heat exchanger 21.

[0061] This application provides a battery 200, including a battery cell 10 and a thermal management component 20 for regulating the temperature of the battery cell 10. The thermal management component 20 includes a heat exchanger 21 and a heating element 22. The thermal management component 20 is connected to or adjacent to the battery cell 10 to exchange heat with the battery cell 10, increasing the possibility that the battery cell 10 can operate within a preset temperature range. The thermal management component 20 may have both heating and cooling functions, for example, by using heat exchange media of different temperatures to exchange heat with the battery cell 10.

[0062] The heat exchanger 21 has internal flow channels through which the cooling medium can flow. Optionally, the heat exchanger 21 can be configured as a harmonica tube or a serpentine tube. The heating element 22 is located on the side of the heat exchanger 21 away from the battery cell 10, and can indirectly heat the battery cell 10 by heating the heat exchange medium in the heat exchanger 21.

[0063] Optionally, the heat exchanger 21 may have one or more flow channels inside, and inlet and outlet ports may be provided at opposite ends in its extension direction Z, so as to connect the inlet and outlet ports to the cooling medium circulation pipeline. Alternatively, the inlet and outlet ports of the heat exchanger 21 may be located at the same end in its extension direction Z.

[0064] Optionally, the material of the heat exchanger 21 may include at least one of the following: copper and its alloys, aluminum and its alloys, resin, etc.

[0065] The heating element 22 is used to heat the heat exchange element 21 and the heat exchange medium therein. The heating element 22 can be electrically heated, and can be made of materials such as metal wire. A protective layer structure is provided on the outer layer of the heating element to cover it. The heating element 22 is disposed on the heat exchange element 21, and can be disposed in contact with the heat exchange element 21 for heat exchange, so that the heating element 22 can heat the heat exchange medium in the flow channel through the wall of the heat exchange element 21.

[0066] Optionally, the battery cell 10 and the heating element 22 can be respectively disposed on both sides and abut against each other with the heat exchanger 21 to improve heat exchange efficiency. Each heat exchanger 21 can be disposed for multiple battery cells 10. For example, the heat exchanger 21 can have a large extension dimension, and multiple battery cells 10 can be arranged sequentially in its extension direction Z. The surfaces of these battery cells 10 can abut against the heat exchanger 21 respectively. Optionally, the heating element 22 can have the same or similar extension dimension as the heat exchanger 21 and extend in the same direction as the heat exchanger 21.

[0067] Optionally, the battery cells 10 and thermal management components 20 in the battery 200 can be configured as a battery module 100, which is then placed in the housing 30. For example, each battery module 100 may include at least one heat exchanger 21, a heating element 22 corresponding to the heat exchanger 21, and multiple battery cells 10. These structures are connected to form the battery module 100, which is then placed in the housing 30.

[0068] Optionally, the battery 200 may be provided with multiple battery modules 100, which may be arranged sequentially along the first direction X, and their connection method may be parallel, series or mixed.

[0069] Optionally, in adjacent battery modules 100, the flow channels in the heat exchanger 21 can be interconnected so that the cooling medium flows through sequentially, saving the space required to set up inlet and outlet ports separately.

[0070] The heat exchanger 21 in battery 200 can influence the temperature of the battery cell 10 by adjusting the temperature of the internal heat exchange medium. In high-temperature environments, the heating element 22 can be omitted, and the battery cell 10 can be cooled by the heat exchanger 21 and the lower-temperature heat exchange medium. In low-temperature environments, the heating element 22 heats the heat exchange medium inside the heat exchanger 21, thereby heating the battery cell 10. By placing the heating element 22 within the heat exchanger 21 without direct contact with the battery cell 10, the possibility of thermal runaway in the battery cell 10 due to heat can be reduced while ensuring heat exchange efficiency.

[0071] In some alternative embodiments, the thermal management assembly 20 further includes a support structure 23, a heat exchanger 21 fixed to the support structure 23, and a heating element 22 located between the support structure 23 and the heat exchanger 21.

[0072] The thermal management assembly 20 includes a support structure 23 for supporting the heat exchanger 21 and the heating element 22. For example, the support structure 23 and the heat exchanger 21 can extend in the same direction, and the size of the support structure 23 can be slightly smaller than that of the heat exchanger 21 so as to provide liquid inlet and outlet ports at both ends of the heat exchanger 21.

[0073] Optionally, the support structure 23 can be a support beam, support rod, or a support frame composed of multiple support rods, and can be selected according to the required arrangement of the battery cells 10. Optionally, multiple heat exchange components 21 can be connected to each support structure 23, and can also be configured according to the required arrangement of the battery cells 10.

[0074] The heat exchanger 21 is fixed to the support structure 23. Both the heat exchanger 21 and the support structure 23 can be made of metal, and they can be welded together to make the connection stable. At least a portion of the surface of the heat exchanger 21 near the support structure 23 is spaced apart from the support structure 23 to allow the heating element 22 to be placed in the gap.

[0075] By setting the support structure 23, the position of the heat exchanger 21 can be made stable and reliable, and multiple heat exchangers 21 can be integrated at the same time.

[0076] In some alternative embodiments, the support structure 23 has a recess 231 on the side facing the battery cell 10, and the heating element 22 is accommodated in the recess 231.

[0077] The support structure 23 is provided with a recess 231 corresponding to the heating element 22. The recess 231 can extend in the same direction as the heat exchange element 21 and has a rectangular cross-section.

[0078] For example, the support structure 23 can be a support beam, and can be further selected as an I-beam. That is, the support structure 23 can be configured as having a main plate-like structure and a narrow end plate-like structure that protrudes from the opposite ends of the main plate-like structure. Thus, the inwardly recessed sides of the I-beam can be configured as recesses 231.

[0079] The heating element 22 is housed in the recess 231, and the space formed by the recess 231 indenting away from the heat exchange element 21 can accommodate the heating element 22, thereby providing protection for the heating element 22 against external environmental influences such as impact.

[0080] In some alternative embodiments, at least a portion of the heat exchanger 21 is accommodated within the recess 231 and fixed to the sidewall 232 of the recess 231.

[0081] Similar to the arrangement of the heating element 22, the heat exchanger 21 may be at least partially disposed within the recess 231, or alternatively, all of the heat exchanger 21 may be disposed within the recess 231. The heat exchanger 21 is connected to the side wall 232 of the recess 231, or alternatively, it may be fixedly connected to a portion of the side wall 232 of the recess 231 near the opening, so that space is created between the two for disposing of the heating element 22.

[0082] By placing the heat exchanger 21 in the recess 231, the support structure 23 can also provide support and protection for the heat exchanger 21, further improving the overall reliability of the thermal management assembly 20.

[0083] In some alternative embodiments, the heating element 22 is spaced apart from the bottom wall 233 of the recess 231.

[0084] Optionally, the heating element 22 can be connected to the heat exchanger 21 and spaced apart from the bottom wall 233 of the recess 231. Alternatively, the heat exchanger 21 and the side wall 232 of the recess 231 can also be spaced apart from each other, so that the heating element 22 is only connected to the heat exchanger 21. This spaced arrangement means that the heating element 22 and the support structure 23 do not directly contact each other, but a gap of a certain size is provided between them.

[0085] Optionally, the bottom wall 233 of the recess 231 may be arranged parallel or nearly parallel to the side surface of the heating element 22 facing the bottom wall 233, and the distance between the surface and the bottom wall 233 may be less than or equal to 2 mm.

[0086] By configuring the heating element 22 to not directly contact the bottom wall 233 of the recess 231, the heat transferred by the heating element 22 along the support structure 23 during operation can be reduced, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the heat exchange element 21.

[0087] In some optional embodiments, the support structure 23 is provided with battery cells 10 on both sides along the first direction X; the thermal management component 20 includes a plurality of heat exchange elements 21 and a plurality of heating elements 22, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the support structure 23 in the first direction X.

[0088] Optionally, the support structure 23 may be provided with heat exchange elements 21 on opposite sides in the first direction X, and heating elements 22 may be provided on each side respectively, with the heating element 22 on each side disposed between the heat exchange element 21 and the support structure 23 on the same side.

[0089] For example, the provision of multiple heat exchangers 21 and multiple heating elements 22 on both sides of the support structure 23 means that each side of the support structure 23 can be provided with one heat exchanger 21 and one heating element 22; or, it can also mean that each side of the support structure 23 is provided with at least two heat exchangers 21 and at least two heating elements 22.

[0090] Optionally, the heat exchange components 21 on both sides of the support structure 23 can exchange heat with the battery cells 10 respectively, that is, battery cells 10 can be provided on both sides of the support structure 23.

[0091] Optionally, the orthographic projections of multiple heat exchange elements 21 located on the same side of the support structure 23 along the first direction X can be staggered to expand the area that can contact the battery cell 10; or, the aforementioned orthographic projections can overlap at the locations where the heat exchange elements 21 are provided with liquid inlets and / or liquid outlets to facilitate the flow of the cooling medium.

[0092] Optionally, the battery module 100 can be arranged symmetrically in the first direction X, or optionally symmetrically about the vertical first direction X.

[0093] Simultaneously setting thermal management components 20 and battery cells 10 on both sides of the support structure 23 can improve the space utilization of the battery module 100.

[0094] In some optional embodiments, in the first direction X, a plurality of heat exchange elements 21 located on the same side of the support structure 23 are arranged sequentially along the second direction Y, and the first direction X, the second direction Y and the extension direction Z of the heat exchange elements 21 are arranged to intersect each other.

[0095] The thermal management component 20 in the battery module 100 includes a support structure 23 and a plurality of heat exchange components 21 respectively arranged on both sides in the first direction X. Optionally, a plurality of heat exchange components 21 can be arranged on the same side of the support structure 23. These heat exchange components 21 are arranged sequentially along the second direction Y and can be located in the same plane.

[0096] The second direction Y intersects with the first direction X. Optionally, the second direction Y may intersect with the extension direction Z of the heat exchanger 21. Alternatively, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the extension direction Z of the heat exchanger 21 may be arranged perpendicularly to each other. For example, multiple heat exchangers 21 located on the same side of the support structure 23 may extend in the same direction as the support structure 23 and be arranged at intervals in the second direction Y. The liquid inlets and outlets at both ends of the multiple heat exchangers 21 may be connected to the heat exchange medium pipeline, or the liquid inlets / outlets of the multiple heat exchangers 21 may be connected in parallel before being connected to the heat exchange medium pipeline.

[0097] Optionally, in embodiments where multiple heat exchange elements 21 are provided, the heat exchange elements 21 and the heating elements 22 may be configured in a one-to-one correspondence, or the same heat exchange element 21 may be configured in a correspondence with multiple heating elements 22, or the same heating element 22 may be configured in a correspondence with multiple heat exchange elements 21.

[0098] For example, the support structure 23 may be provided with a heat exchanger 21 and two heating elements 22 on one side in the first direction X. The heat exchanger 21 may have a large area, and the two heating elements 22 may extend parallel to each other and be arranged along the second direction Y, so as to be provided on the heat exchanger 21 at the same time.

[0099] By arranging multiple heat exchange elements 21 on the same side of the support structure 23 in sequence in the second direction Y, the heat exchange area that the thermal management component 20 can provide can be expanded, so that it can accommodate more battery cells 10 or provide higher heat exchange efficiency to the battery cells 10.

[0100] In some alternative embodiments, the heating element 22 and the heat exchange element 21 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0101] Optionally, the heat exchanger 21 can exchange heat with multiple battery cells 10 simultaneously, and the heating element 22 and the heat exchanger 21 can be configured in a one-to-one correspondence. Adjacent heating elements 22 can be configured in parallel to reduce the possibility that a failure of any heating element 22 will affect other heating elements 22.

[0102] Optionally, the heating element 22 and the heat exchanger 21 can extend in the same direction and have the same or similar extension dimensions. In the width direction perpendicular to the extension direction Z of both, the width of the heating element 22 can be less than or equal to the width of the heat exchanger 21. Optionally, the width of the heating element 22 can be the same as or similar to the width of the flow channel in the heat exchanger 21.

[0103] Setting the heating element 22 and the heat exchanger 21 in a one-to-one correspondence structure allows for more flexible temperature control of the heat exchanger 21 through independent adjustment of the heating element 22, thereby making the operating temperature of the battery cell 10 more stable and further improving the reliability of the battery module 100.

[0104] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a heating element provided in some embodiments of this application. In some optional embodiments, the heating element 22 includes a heating film, which includes an electric heating element 221 and a wear-resistant layer 222 covering the electric heating element 221.

[0105] Optionally, the heating element 22 can be configured as a film structure, making it easy to conform to other structures and have a large contact area. Specifically, the heating element 22 may include a heating film, which includes an electric heating element 221 disposed in the core layer and a wear-resistant layer 222 that at least partially covers the electric heating element 221.

[0106] Optionally, the electric heating element 221 can be made of various components with electric heating function, such as copper wire or a heating resistor made of PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) material. The wear-resistant layer 222 can be made of materials with certain wear resistance and heat resistance, such as PI (Polyimide) or PET (Polyethylene terephthalate). Optionally, the wear-resistant layer 222 can cover the surface of the electric heating element 221 near the heat exchanger 21, or the wear-resistant layer 222 can completely cover the electric heating element 221 except for the area connected to the joint, to improve reliability.

[0107] The electric heating element 221 heats up quickly and its temperature is easy to control. It is installed inside the battery 200 so that it can easily obtain power. At the same time, the wear-resistant layer 222 can improve the overall reliability and service life of the thermal management component 20.

[0108] In some alternative embodiments, the heating element 22 further includes a connector 223 connected to one end of the electric heating element 221 in the extension direction Z of the heat exchange element 21.

[0109] In embodiments where the heating film employs an electric heating element 221, the heating element 22 may further include a connector 223 for transmitting electricity. The connector 223 may include wires and plugs. The connector 223 extends from one end of the electric heating element 221; specifically, it may extend from one end in the Z-direction of the heat exchange element 21, thereby reducing the required extension dimension of the connector 223, facilitating connection, and minimizing the possibility of wire breakage.

[0110] In some alternative embodiments, the heating element 22 is attached to the heat exchanger 21.

[0111] Optionally, the heating element 22 can be directly disposed on one side surface of the heat exchanger 21 and the two can be fixedly connected. It can be an adhesive connection, that is, the heating element 22 can be attached to the side surface of the heat exchanger 21 that is away from the battery cell 10.

[0112] Bonding the two together makes the connection between the heat exchanger 21 and the heating element 22 strong, reliable and easy to process. At the same time, the adhesive can be cured by the heat generated by the heating element 22 itself.

[0113] In some alternative embodiments, at least some of the battery cells 10 are arranged along a second direction Y, which intersects with the extension direction Z of the heat exchanger 21.

[0114] Optionally, the heat exchanger 21 can extend along a preset direction and have a certain extension dimension, and the heating element 22 can extend in the same direction as the heat exchanger 21 and have the same or similar extension dimension. The battery cells 10 can be arranged in an array in the area of ​​the heat exchanger 21 where heat exchange can be performed. Specifically, some battery cells 10 can be arranged in a group along the extension direction Z of the heat exchanger 21, and multiple groups can be arranged simultaneously along the second direction Y on the side of the heat exchanger 21 away from the heating element 22, that is, some battery cells 10 can be arranged along the second direction Y.

[0115] Optionally, two sets of battery cells 10 can be provided on the same side of the heat exchanger 21, and the number of battery cells 10 in each set can be the same and they can be set in the second direction Y.

[0116] Optionally, in an embodiment where only one heat exchanger 21 is provided on the same side of the support structure 23, the heat exchanger 21 can have a large width and be connected to multiple battery cells 10 at the same time; or, in an embodiment where multiple heat exchangers 21 are provided on the same side of the support structure 23, the multiple heat exchangers 21 can be provided in a one-to-one correspondence with multiple battery cells 10.

[0117] Multiple battery cells 10 arranged sequentially can be provided in the second direction Y, that is, the width direction of the heat exchanger 21, so that the heat exchanger 21 can exchange heat with multiple battery cells 10 and improve the energy density of the battery 200.

[0118] In some optional embodiments, the battery cell 10 includes a housing, which includes two first walls 11 opposite each other along a first direction X, two second walls 12 opposite each other along a second direction Y, and two third walls 13 opposite each other along the extension direction Z of the heat exchanger 21. The heat exchanger 21 is opposite to the first walls 11 along the first direction X, and the area of ​​the second walls 12 is larger than the area of ​​the first walls 11 and the area of ​​the third walls 13. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the extension direction Z of the heat exchanger 21 are perpendicular to each other.

[0119] The battery cell 10 has a housing and structural components such as electrode assemblies disposed on the housing. Optionally, the housing may be in the shape of a cuboid and have two first walls 11 disposed opposite to each other in the first direction X. One of the two first walls 11 is disposed opposite to the heat exchanger 21 and may be bonded to each other. The other wall may be provided with components required by the battery cell 10, such as electrode terminals and pressure relief mechanism.

[0120] The outer casing also has two second walls 12 arranged opposite each other in the second direction Y and two third walls 13 arranged opposite each other in the extension direction Z of the heat exchanger 21. The second walls 12 have a larger area than the first walls 11 and the third walls 13. When the battery 200 is in operation, the second walls 12 can be arranged perpendicular to the vertical direction, so that the battery cells 10 are stacked in the vertical direction through the side wall with the larger area, and the battery cells 10 exchange heat with the heat exchanger 21 through their own bottom wall.

[0121] Optionally, during the manufacturing process of the battery module 100, an adhesive layer can be applied to the surfaces of the heat exchanger 21 and / or the battery cell 10 that are close to each other, and the adhesive layer can be heated and cured by the heating element 22 after the two are aligned and bonded, so as to make the connection between the heat exchanger 21 and the battery cell 10 more stable and increase the processing efficiency of the battery module 100.

[0122] In some alternative embodiments, the area of ​​the first wall 11 that abuts against the heat exchanger 21 is greater than or equal to 80% of the area of ​​the first wall 11.

[0123] The heat exchanger 21 is used to exchange heat with the battery cell 10. The outer shell of the battery cell 10 can abut against the heat exchanger 21 through the first wall, or the two can be bonded together.

[0124] Optionally, there should be a contact area of ​​a certain size between the first wall 11 and the heat exchanger 21. The area of ​​the contact area can be adjusted accordingly by adjusting the shape, size and setting position of the heat exchanger 21, and the area of ​​the contact area should account for more than 80% of the area of ​​the first wall 11 to improve the heat exchange efficiency.

[0125] Secondly, this application provides an electrical device including the battery 200 in any embodiment of the first aspect, the battery 200 being used to provide electrical energy.

[0126] The electrical device provided in this application embodiment has all the beneficial effects of the battery 200 in any of the embodiments of the first aspect. For details, please refer to the specific description of the battery 200 in the above embodiments. This embodiment will not repeat the description here.

[0127] This application provides a battery 200, including a battery cell 10 and a thermal management assembly 20. The thermal management assembly 20 includes a heat exchanger 21, a heating element 22, and a support structure 23. The heat exchanger 21 has a flow channel for the flow of a heat exchange medium and is used for heat exchange with the battery cell 10. The heating element 22 is located on the side of the heat exchanger 21 away from the battery cell 10 and is used to heat the heat exchanger 21. The support structure 23 has a recess 231 on the side facing the battery cell 10. At least a portion of the heat exchanger 21 is accommodated in the recess 231 and fixed to the side wall of the recess 231. The heating element 22 is accommodated in the recess 231 and spaced apart from the bottom wall of the recess 231. Battery cells 10 are provided on both sides of the support structure 23 in the first direction X. The thermal management assembly 20 includes multiple heat exchangers 21 and multiple heating elements 22, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the support structure 23 in the first direction X.

[0128] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising: Multiple battery cells; A thermal management component includes a heat exchanger and a heating element. The heat exchanger has a flow channel for the flow of a heat exchange medium and is used to exchange heat with a plurality of battery cells. The heating element is located on the side of the heat exchanger away from the battery cells and is used to heat the heat exchanger.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein, The thermal management component further includes a support structure, the heat exchanger is fixed to the support structure, and the heating element is located between the support structure and the heat exchanger.

3. The battery according to claim 2, wherein, The support structure has a recess on the side facing the battery cell, and at least a portion of the heating element is accommodated within the recess.

4. The battery according to claim 3, wherein, At least a portion of the heat exchanger is housed within the recess and fixed to the sidewall of the recess.

5. The battery according to claim 3, wherein, The heating element is spaced apart from the bottom wall of the recess.

6. The battery according to claim 2, wherein, The battery cells are provided on both sides of the support structure along the first direction; The thermal management component includes a plurality of heat exchange elements and a plurality of heating elements, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the support structure in the first direction.

7. The battery according to claim 6, wherein, In the first direction, a plurality of heat exchange elements located on the same side of the support structure are arranged sequentially along the second direction, and the first direction, the second direction and the extension direction of the heat exchange elements are arranged to intersect each other.

8. The battery according to claim 1, wherein, The heating element and the heat exchange element are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence.

9. The battery according to claim 1, wherein, The heating element includes a heating film, which includes an electric heating element and a wear-resistant layer covering the electric heating element.

10. The battery according to claim 9, wherein, The heating element further includes a connector, which is connected to one end of the electric heating element in the extension direction of the heat exchange element.

11. The battery according to claim 1, wherein, The heating element is attached to the heat exchanger.

12. The battery according to claim 1, wherein, At least some of the battery cells are arranged along a second direction, which intersects with the extension direction of the heat exchanger.

13. The battery according to claim 12, wherein, The battery cell includes a housing, which includes two first walls opposite each other along a first direction, two second walls opposite each other along a second direction, and two third walls opposite each other along the extension direction of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is opposite to the first walls along the first direction. The area of ​​the second walls is greater than the area of ​​the first walls and the area of ​​the third walls. The first direction, the second direction, and the extension direction of the heat exchanger are perpendicular to each other.

14. The battery according to claim 13, wherein, The area of ​​the first wall that abuts against the heat exchanger is greater than or equal to 80% of the area of ​​the first wall.

15. An electrical device comprising a battery as claimed in any one of claims 1-14, the battery being used to provide electrical energy.

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