Battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a battery pack and a vehicle. The battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells, and is provided with first cooling channels and a cooling cavity, wherein the first cooling channels are used for the circulation of a first cooling medium, and the cooling cavity is used for the circulation of a second cooling medium; the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium are used for dissipating heat from the plurality of battery cells; the first cooling channels come into contact with the cooling cavity, so that the first cooling medium is cooled by means of the second cooling medium; and the first cooling medium is different from the second cooling medium.

Description

Battery packs and vehicles

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411587637.5, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on November 7, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of batteries, specifically to a battery pack and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0003] In related technologies, to avoid large temperature differences between multiple cells inside the battery pack, multiple cells are usually placed between two layers of liquid cooling plates. This allows the ends of each cell closest to the liquid cooling plates to be effectively cooled, resulting in smaller temperature differences between different parts of each cell and ensuring the safety of the battery pack. Invention Overview

[0004] However, this structural design has the following drawbacks: the two liquid cooling plates occupy a large space, resulting in low battery pack space utilization, and the cost of the two liquid cooling plates is higher when they are in operation.

[0005] Therefore, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a battery pack. The battery pack includes multiple battery cells, and the battery pack is provided with a first cooling channel and a cooling cavity. The first cooling channel is used to circulate a first cooling medium, and the cooling cavity is used to circulate a second cooling medium. The first cooling medium and the second cooling medium are used to dissipate heat for the multiple battery cells. The first cooling channel is thermally connected to the cooling cavity to cool the first cooling medium through the second cooling medium. The first cooling medium and the second cooling medium are different.

[0007] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle that includes a battery pack as described in the first aspect. Beneficial effects

[0008] This application provides a battery pack comprising multiple battery cells and a first cooling channel and a cooling cavity. The first cooling channel circulates a first cooling medium to dissipate heat from the multiple battery cells, and the cooling cavity circulates a second cooling medium to dissipate heat from the multiple battery cells. The first cooling channel is thermally connected to the cooling cavity to dissipate heat from the first cooling medium via the second cooling medium. The first and second cooling media are different. Compared with the double-layer liquid cooling plate method used in related technologies, this embodiment does not require frequent replacement of the cooling medium in the liquid cooling plate. Instead, it fully utilizes the heat dissipation capacity of the cooling cavity, allowing the first cooling medium to be cooled by the second cooling medium, thereby reducing material costs. Furthermore, the first cooling channel does not require pipe assemblies to input and output the cooling medium, thus avoiding the space occupation required by pipe assemblies and effectively improving the space utilization rate of the battery pack.

[0009] The vehicle provided in this application has all the advantages of the aforementioned battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery pack provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0011] Figure 2 is an exploded view of Figure 1;

[0012] Figure 3 is a top view of the battery pack in Figure 1;

[0013] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack in type 3;

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the top cover in Figure 1;

[0015] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the base plate in Figure 1;

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0017] 100. Battery pack; 110. First cooling channel; 120. Battery cell; 130. Cooling chamber; 140. Piping assembly; 150. Second cooling channel; 151. Main body; 152. Connecting part; 153. Edge part; 160. Air guide; 170. Air supply part; 180. Top cover; 190. Base plate. Embodiments of the present invention

[0018] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6. Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the battery pack 100 provided in the embodiment of this application. Figure 2 is an exploded view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a top view of the battery pack 100 in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack 100 in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the top cover in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the bottom plate in Figure 1.

[0019] To address the limited heat dissipation capacity of the top liquid cooling plate in battery packs employing double-layer liquid cooling plates for cooling multiple battery cells in related technologies, embodiments of this application provide a battery pack 100. Please refer to Figures 1 to 5. The battery pack 100 accommodates multiple battery cells 120 and is provided with a first cooling channel 110 and a cooling cavity 130. The first cooling channel 110 circulates a first cooling medium, and the cooling cavity 130 circulates a second cooling medium. Both the first and second cooling media can provide heat dissipation for the multiple battery cells 120, and the first and second cooling media are different. Furthermore, the first cooling channel 110 is thermally connected to the cooling cavity 130, allowing the second cooling medium in the cooling cavity 130 to dissipate heat from the first cooling medium in the first cooling channel 110.

[0020] Specifically, one side of the cooling cavity 130 is close to multiple battery cells 120, while the other side is thermally connected to the first cooling channel 110. This allows the second cooling medium in the cooling cavity 130 to dissipate heat for the multiple battery cells 120 while also cooling the first cooling medium in the first cooling channel 110, so that the first cooling medium can dissipate heat for the battery cells 120 after cooling, thus achieving recycling.

[0021] In this embodiment, the battery pack 100, located in the first cooling channel 110, experiences a corresponding temperature increase after absorbing heat generated by the battery cell 120. At this time, through the thermally conductive connection between the first cooling channel 110 and the cooling chamber 130, the second cooling medium not only provides heat dissipation for the battery cell 120 but also rapidly absorbs the heat from the first cooling medium, effectively cooling it. The cooled first cooling medium can then be recycled. Compared to related technologies that employ double-layer liquid cooling plates and frequently replace the cooling medium, this embodiment fully utilizes the cooling chamber 130, thereby reducing material costs. Furthermore, the first cooling channel 110 does not require pipe assemblies for input and output of the cooling medium, thus avoiding the space occupied by pipe assemblies and effectively improving the space utilization rate of the battery pack 100.

[0022] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 4 and 6. In the battery pack 100, a first cooling channel 110 is disposed on top of multiple battery cells 120. Its main function is to use air as a first cooling medium to effectively reduce the temperature of the top of the battery cells 120. During the operation of the battery pack 100, the battery cells 120 generate heat during charging and discharging. The first cooling channel 110 inputs cold air from one end, fully absorbs the heat released by the battery cells 120, and then outputs hot air from the other end to keep the battery cells 120 within a safe operating temperature range. By using air as the first cooling medium, not only is the structure of the first cooling channel 110 simpler, but using air to dissipate heat from the top of the battery cells 120 can avoid the sublimation phenomenon that may occur when liquid cooling plates are used to dissipate heat from the top of multiple battery cells 120 in related technologies, thereby ensuring the safety of the battery pack 100.

[0023] The cooling chamber 130 is located at the bottom of the multiple battery cells 120 and is filled with a liquid second cooling medium. The flow of the second cooling medium keeps the temperature of the cooling chamber 130 low, thereby absorbing heat from the bottom of the battery cells 120. The use of the liquid cooling medium makes the cooling chamber 130 have a strong cooling effect, which can quickly absorb the heat generated by the battery cells 120 to ensure that the temperature of the battery cells 120 is within a safe operating temperature range.

[0024] Specifically, the cooling chamber 130 is connected to a piping assembly 140 for conveying a second cooling medium. This piping assembly 140 consists of an input pipe for receiving the second cooling medium and an output pipe for discharging the second cooling medium. The input pipe introduces a lower-temperature second cooling medium from an external cooling medium source and delivers it from the outside of the battery pack 100 to the cooling chamber 130 inside the battery pack 100. During its flow within the cooling chamber 130, the second cooling medium effectively absorbs heat from the cooling chamber 130, thereby reducing its temperature. This allows the cooling chamber 130 to serve as a heat dissipation mechanism at the bottom of the multiple battery cells 120, efficiently absorbing the heat generated by the multiple battery cells 120 to ensure stable operation of the battery cells 120 within a safe temperature range.

[0025] Meanwhile, the first cooling medium flowing in the first cooling channel 110 also plays a crucial role in heat dissipation. The first cooling medium flows along the extension direction of the first cooling channel 110 to provide heat dissipation to the tops of the multiple battery cells 120. When the first cooling medium flows out from one end of the first cooling channel 110, it has already fully absorbed the heat generated by the battery cells 120, and at this point, the temperature of the first cooling medium is relatively high. Subsequently, the first cooling medium flows along the height direction of the battery pack 100 and downwards to the bottom of the battery pack 100. After reaching the bottom of the battery pack 100, the first cooling medium flows along the length direction of the cooling cavity 130, passing through the cooling cavity 130 and flowing from one end of the bottom of the cooling cavity 130 to the other end.

[0026] During this process, since the multiple battery cells 120 are located on both sides of the cooling cavity 130, the side of the cooling cavity 130 furthest from the cooling cavity 130 has a lower temperature, allowing this side to fully absorb the heat from the first cooling medium and effectively reduce its temperature. After the first cooling medium flows out from the other end of the bottom of the cooling cavity 130, it flows back along the height direction of the battery pack 100, eventually reaching the other end of the first cooling channel 110. Through this cycle, the first cooling medium re-enters the first cooling channel 110, providing continuous heat dissipation for the tops of the multiple battery cells 120.

[0027] In some embodiments, referring to FIG4, the battery pack 100 is further provided with a second cooling channel 150 communicating with the first cooling channel 110. At least a portion of the second cooling channel 150 is located below the cooling cavity 130 and is thermally connected to the first cooling channel 110.

[0028] The battery pack 100 also includes a second cooling channel 150 connected to the first cooling channel 110, wherein at least a portion of the second cooling channel 150 is located below the cooling chamber 130 and is thermally connected to the first cooling channel 110. This structural design allows the first cooling channel 110 to effectively cool the second cooling channel 150, thereby reducing its temperature and improving overall heat dissipation performance. Specifically, the construction of the second cooling channel 150 ensures good thermal contact with the first cooling channel 110, allowing for efficient heat exchange of the cooling medium during flow. The second cooling channel 150 has a channel for the flow of the first cooling medium, allowing hot air flowing out of the first cooling channel 110 at one end to enter the second cooling channel 150 through one end of this channel. During the flow through the second cooling channel 150, the first cooling medium exchanges heat with the lower-temperature second cooling channel 150, effectively reducing the temperature of the first cooling medium. After cooling, the first cooling medium will flow out from the other end of the second cooling channel 150 and return to the other end of the first cooling channel 110 to continuously provide effective heat dissipation for the top of the multiple cells 120.

[0029] In this embodiment, the design of the second cooling channel 150 not only ensures close connection with the first cooling channel 110, but also appropriately restricts the flow path of the first cooling medium, making the flow direction of the cooling medium more regular. This structural optimization ensures that the cooling chamber 130 can efficiently and stably cool the first cooling medium, thereby guaranteeing temperature control of the battery pack 100 during high-performance operation and improving battery safety and lifespan.

[0030] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 2 and 4, the battery pack 100 further includes at least one air guide assembly located on at least one side of the plurality of battery cells 120. Each air guide assembly includes a plurality of air guide elements 160, which are connected between the first cooling channel 110 and the second cooling channel 150. Each air guide element 160 can connect the first cooling channel 110 and the second cooling channel 150 to form an efficient first cooling medium flow path.

[0031] Specifically, a plurality of air guides 160 are disposed on at least one side of a plurality of battery cells 120, wherein one end of each air guide 160 is close to a first cooling channel 110 and the other end is close to a second cooling channel 150. The purpose of the air guides 160 is to promote the flow of the first cooling medium and ensure that the first cooling medium can flow smoothly from the first cooling channel 110 into the second cooling channel 150. Each air guide 160 is provided with a channel for the flow of the first cooling medium, allowing the first cooling medium with a higher temperature to enter the second cooling channel 150 from one end of the first cooling channel 110, and / or allowing the first cooling medium with a lower temperature to enter the first cooling channel 110 from the other end of the second cooling channel 150, thereby achieving efficient first cooling medium transport.

[0032] In this embodiment, by configuring these air-guiding components on at least one side of the plurality of battery cells 120, the first cooling medium can flow efficiently between the first cooling channel 110 and the second cooling channel 150, thereby significantly improving the cooling efficiency of the cooling chamber 130 for the cooling medium. This structural design not only defines the flow path of the first cooling medium but also ensures the stability and continuity of the airflow, contributing to improving the cooling efficiency of the cooling chamber 130 for the first cooling medium. As a result, the operating temperature of the battery cells 120 can be maintained within a safe range, avoiding overheating and thus improving the safety of the battery pack 100.

[0033] In some embodiments, referring to FIG4, the second cooling channel 150 includes a main body portion 151 and at least one connecting portion 152 that are interconnected. The main body portion 151 is located below the first cooling channel 110. The top of each connecting portion 152 protrudes from the first cooling channel 110 and is connected to the first cooling channel 110 through a plurality of air guides 160 of a corresponding air guide assembly.

[0034] The second cooling channel 150 includes a main body 151 and at least one connecting portion 152, with the main body 151 and the connecting portion 152 communicating with each other. The main body 151 is located below the first cooling channel 110, and to ensure effective thermal management, the top of the connecting portion 152 protrudes beyond the first cooling channel 110. This structural design allows the first cooling medium to be efficiently transferred between the airflow assembly and the first cooling channel 110.

[0035] Specifically, since all the cells 120 are located above the cooling chamber 130, and the air guide assembly is configured on at least one side of the cooling chamber 130, and for ease of design and production, it typically extends along the height direction of the battery pack 100, this results in a certain gap between the opening of the air guide assembly near the second cooling channel 150 and the second cooling channel 150, which causes a portion of the first cooling medium to flow out from the gap.

[0036] To ensure stable and efficient transfer of the first cooling medium between the air guide assembly and the second cooling channel 150, in this embodiment, the second cooling channel 150 includes not only a main body portion 151 located below the first cooling channel 110, but also a connecting portion 152 connected to the main body portion 151, which occupies the space of the gap. The interconnectivity of these two portions ensures that the first cooling medium can flow efficiently and stably between the air guide assembly and the main body portion 151 through the connecting portion 152. Through this structural design, the cooling chamber 130 can effectively cool the first cooling medium during transfer, thereby improving the overall thermal management capability of the battery pack 100.

[0037] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 4 and 6, the battery pack 100 further includes at least one edge portion 153, each edge portion 153 being located on the side of the corresponding connecting portion 152 away from the main body portion 151, and the top of the edge portion 153 having a height difference from the top wall of the connecting portion 152.

[0038] The edge portion 153 is used to connect the housing of the battery pack 100 to provide a sealed environment for the battery cell 120. In order to ensure the airtightness of the battery pack 100, a first seal is usually provided at the connection between the housing and the edge portion 153 to fill the small gap between the housing and the edge portion 153. At the same time, in order to ensure the airtightness between the air guide assembly and the connecting portion 152, a second seal is also provided at the connection between the air guide assembly and the connecting portion 152 to fill the small gap between the housing and the edge portion 153.

[0039] Specifically, in this embodiment, the top of the edge portion 153 and the top wall of the connecting portion 152 are designed to have a height difference. This facilitates the positioning of seals when placing them between the edge portion 153 and the housing, and between the connecting portion 152 and the air guide assembly, and reduces the likelihood of interference between the first and second seals. This structural design not only improves the installation efficiency of the seals but also effectively enhances the sealing performance of the battery pack 100, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the battery pack 100.

[0040] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 5, and 6, the battery pack 100 includes a top cover 180 and a bottom plate 190. The top cover 180 is connected to the bottom plate 190 to form a mounting cavity for mounting a plurality of battery cells 120. The top cover 180 is provided with a first cooling channel 110, and the bottom plate 190 is provided with a second cooling channel 150 and a cooling cavity 130, and includes at least one edge portion 153.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first cooling channel 110 is located on the top cover 180 near the multiple battery cells 120, while the second cooling channel 150, the edge portion 153 of the cooling cavity 130, and the edge portion 153 are located on the bottom plate 190. Compared to related technologies that design the cooling system and the battery pack housing independently, the battery pack 100 provided in this embodiment places the first cooling channel 110 on the top cover 180 and the second cooling channel 150, the cooling cavity 130, and the edge portion 153 on the bottom plate 190, which can improve the space utilization of the battery pack 100 to a certain extent.

[0042] In some embodiments, referring to FIG4, a wind guide assembly is respectively provided on both sides of the plurality of battery cells 120. In order to improve the transmission efficiency of the first cooling medium between the first cooling channel 110, the wind guide assembly, and the second cooling channel 150, the battery pack 100 further includes two air supply assemblies, each air supply assembly being connected to a corresponding wind guide assembly. Each air supply assembly includes a plurality of air supply elements 170, each air supply element 170 being connected to a corresponding wind guide element 160. The air supply elements 170 can accelerate the flow rate of the first cooling medium to improve its transmission efficiency. The air supply directions of the two air supply assemblies are opposite, that is, one air supply assembly can accelerate the intake of the first cooling medium from the first cooling channel 110 and deliver it to the wind guide assembly, and the other air supply assembly can accelerate the release of the first cooling medium from the wind guide assembly and deliver it to the first cooling channel 110.

[0043] To ensure the efficiency of the air supply components in drawing air from the first cooling channel 110 and in blowing air from the air guide 160 into the first cooling channel 110, in some embodiments, when the gas flow rate of the plurality of air supply components 170 is 20 CFM to 60 CFM, the distance between the plurality of air supply components 170 and the first cooling channel 110 in the extending direction of the first cooling channel 110 is set to 20 mm to 50 mm. This structural design can reduce the resistance to airflow to a certain extent, thereby improving the efficiency of air intake into the air guide 160 and air blowing into the first cooling channel 110.

[0044] In some embodiments, there are multiple first cooling channels 110, which are arranged at intervals along a first direction. The extending direction of each first cooling channel 110 is the same as the second direction, and the interval between two adjacent first cooling channels 110 is 2 mm to 10 mm. Specifically, the smaller the interval between two adjacent first cooling channels 110, the greater the airflow of all first cooling channels 110. Therefore, in this embodiment, the interval between two adjacent first cooling channels 110 is set to 2 mm to 10 mm, which can greatly improve the airflow of all first cooling channels 110 and make the first cooling channels 110 easier to manufacture.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first direction is designated as the length direction of the battery cell 120, and the second direction is designated as the width direction of the battery cell 120, and the two intersect. It is easy to understand that in other possible embodiments, the first direction and the second direction may differ depending on the arrangement of the battery cells 120, including but not limited to the first direction being the same as the width direction of the battery cell 120 and the second direction being the same as the length direction of the battery cell 120.

[0046] To ensure that the cooling chamber 130 can adequately cool the first cooling medium flowing in the second cooling channel 150, in some embodiments, the ratio of the height H1 of the cooling chamber 130 to the height H2 of the second cooling channel 150 is set to be greater than 2. Experiments have shown that when the ratio of the height H1 of the cooling chamber 130 to the height H2 of the second cooling channel 150 is greater than 2, the first cooling medium flowing in the second cooling channel 150 can be adequately cooled by the cooling chamber 130.

[0047] This application provides a battery pack 100. The battery pack 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 120 and is provided with a first cooling channel 110 and a cooling cavity 130. The first cooling channel 110 is used to circulate a first cooling medium to dissipate heat from the plurality of battery cells 120, and the cooling cavity 130 is used to circulate a second cooling medium to dissipate heat from the plurality of battery cells 120. The first cooling channel 110 is thermally connected to the cooling cavity 130 to dissipate heat from the first cooling medium through the second cooling medium. The first cooling medium and the second cooling medium are different.

[0048] Compared to the double-layer liquid cooling plate method used in related technologies, this embodiment does not require frequent replacement of the cooling medium in the liquid cooling plate. Instead, it fully utilizes the heat dissipation capacity of the cooling chamber 130, allowing the first cooling medium to be cooled by the second cooling medium, thereby reducing material costs. Furthermore, the first cooling channel 110 does not require pipe assemblies for input and output of the cooling medium, thus avoiding the space occupied by pipe assemblies and effectively improving the space utilization rate of the battery pack 100.

[0049] This application also provides a vehicle including a battery pack 100. The vehicle provided by this application does not require frequent replacement of the cooling medium in the liquid cooling plate, thereby reducing material costs. Furthermore, it effectively improves space utilization.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells, the battery pack having a first cooling channel and a cooling cavity, the first cooling channel being configured to circulate a first cooling medium, the cooling cavity being configured to circulate a second cooling medium, the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium being configured to dissipate heat from the plurality of battery cells; wherein, The first cooling channel is thermally connected to the cooling cavity to cool the first cooling medium through the second cooling medium, and the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium are different.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein, The first cooling channel is located at the top of the plurality of battery cells, and the first cooling medium is air; the cooling cavity is located at the bottom of the plurality of battery cells, and the second cooling medium is a liquid cooling medium.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein, The battery pack is further provided with a second cooling channel that connects to the first cooling channel, at least a portion of which is located below the cooling cavity and is thermally connected to the cooling cavity.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3 further includes at least one air guide assembly located on at least one side of the plurality of battery cells, each air guide assembly including a plurality of air guide elements, the plurality of air guide elements being connected between the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein, The second cooling channel includes an interconnected main body and at least one connecting portion. The main body is located below the first cooling channel. The top of each connecting portion protrudes from the first cooling channel and is connected to the first cooling channel through a plurality of air guides of the corresponding air guide assembly.

6. The battery pack of claim 5 further includes at least one edge portion, each said edge portion being located on the side of the corresponding connecting portion away from the main body portion, the top of said edge portion having a height difference with the top wall of the connecting portion.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein, The battery pack includes a top cover and a bottom plate, the top cover being connected to the bottom plate to form a mounting cavity for mounting a plurality of battery cells; wherein, the top cover is provided with a first cooling channel, the bottom plate is provided with a second cooling channel and the cooling cavity, and the bottom plate includes at least one of the edge portions.

8. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein, At least one air guide assembly includes two air guide assemblies located on opposite sides of the plurality of battery cells; the battery pack also includes two air supply assemblies, each air supply assembly being connected to a corresponding air guide assembly, each air supply assembly including a plurality of air supply elements, each air supply element being connected to a corresponding air guide assembly, wherein the air supply directions of the two air supply assemblies are opposite.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein, The gas flow rate of the plurality of air supply components is 20 CFM to 60 CFM, and the distance between the plurality of air supply components and the first cooling channel in the extension direction of the first cooling channel is 20 mm to 50 mm.

10. The battery pack according to any one of claims 3-8, wherein, The ratio of the height of the cooling cavity to the height of the second cooling channel is greater than 2.

11. The battery pack according to any one of claims 3-8, wherein, The battery pack is provided with a plurality of the first cooling channels, and the interval between any two adjacent first cooling channels is 2 mm to 10 mm.

12. A vehicle comprising the battery pack according to any one of claims 1-11.

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