Cooling plate, direct-cooling assembly and battery pack

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a cooling plate, a direct-cooling assembly and a battery pack. The cooling plate comprises a cooling pipe, at least one pipe connector and a sealing member, wherein the at least one pipe connector is connected to one end of the cooling pipe so as to communicate with the cooling pipe; and the sealing member is disposed between the pipe connector and the one end of the cooling pipe.

Description

A cooling plate, a direct cooling assembly, and a battery pack

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202423298240.2, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on December 30, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a heat spreader, a direct cooling assembly, and a battery pack. Background Technology

[0003] Thermal management has always been a focus for new energy vehicles. As the energy density and power density of new energy vehicle power batteries increase, the heat generated by the batteries also increases, making heat dissipation systems with characteristics such as fast cooling speed and high heat transfer coefficient increasingly important. In related technologies, large cylindrical battery packs mainly use serpentine cooling plates that contact the sides of the battery for thermal management. Invention Overview

[0004] The cost of serpentine cooling plates is relatively high. In order to reduce costs, the material of the collectors at both ends of the serpentine tube is replaced with plastic or other materials, resulting in poor sealing of the serpentine cooling plate.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a cooling plate, comprising:

[0006] Cooling pipes;

[0007] At least one pipe fitting is connected to one end of the cooling pipe to connect the cooling pipe; and,

[0008] A seal is located between the pipe joint and one end of the cooling pipe.

[0009] Secondly, this application also provides a direct cooling assembly. The direct cooling assembly includes a cooling plate, and the cooling plate includes:

[0010] Cooling pipes;

[0011] At least one pipe fitting is connected to one end of the cooling pipe to connect the cooling pipe; and,

[0012] A seal is located between the pipe joint and one end of the cooling pipe.

[0013] Thirdly, this application also provides a battery pack. The battery pack includes a cooling assembly, the direct cooling assembly including a cooling plate, the cooling plate including:

[0014] Cooling pipes;

[0015] At least one pipe fitting is connected to one end of the cooling pipe to connect the cooling pipe; and,

[0016] A seal is located between the pipe joint and one end of the cooling pipe. Beneficial effects

[0017] In the technical solution of this application, the cooling pipe is configured to contact the battery to cool the battery. The pipe joint is located at one end of the cooling pipe to connect the cooling pipe. The sealing element is located between the pipe joint and the cooling pipe. The sealing element plays a sealing role, so that the pipe joint and the cooling pipe are tightly connected to avoid gaps, thereby solving the technical problem of poor sealing of the cooling plate in related technologies. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cooling plate provided in some implementations of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the cooling plate in Figure 1;

[0020] Figure 3 is an enlarged schematic diagram of A in Figure 2;

[0021] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the pipe joint in Figure 1;

[0022] Figure 5 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the cooling plate in Figure 1 from the front view.

[0023] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 5;

[0024] Figure 7 is an enlarged schematic diagram of C in Figure 6;

[0025] Figure 8 is an enlarged schematic diagram of D in Figure 6.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] 100. Cooling plate; 10. Cooling pipe; 11. Bending section; 12. Connecting section; 13. Sub-channel; 14. First end; 15. Second end; 20. Pipe connector; 21. Receiving cavity; 22. Inlet pipe; 23. Outlet pipe; 24. First sub-channel; 25. Second sub-channel; 30. Seal; 31. Snap-fit ​​protrusion; 40. Adhesive layer; 50. Connecting block. Embodiments of the present invention

[0028] In related technologies, large cylindrical battery packs mainly use serpentine cooling plates that contact the sides of the battery for thermal management. However, serpentine cooling plates are expensive. In order to reduce costs, the material of the current collectors at both ends of the serpentine tube is replaced with plastic or other materials, resulting in poor sealing of the serpentine cooling plate.

[0029] In view of this, this application proposes a cooling plate 100. Figures 1 to 8 are schematic diagrams of an embodiment of the cooling plate 100 provided in this application. The cooling plate 100 provided in this application has low cost and good sealing performance. The cooling plate 100 will be described in detail below with reference to the main drawings.

[0030] Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3. This application provides a cooling plate 100, which includes a cooling pipe 10, at least one pipe joint 20 and a sealing element 30; at least one pipe joint 20 is connected to one end of the cooling pipe 10 to communicate with the cooling pipe 10; the sealing element 30 is disposed between the pipe joint 20 and one end of the cooling pipe 10.

[0031] In the technical solution of this application, the cooling pipe 10 is configured to contact the battery to cool the battery. The pipe joint 20 is located at one end of the cooling pipe 10 to connect the cooling pipe 10. The sealing element 30 is located between the pipe joint 20 and the cooling pipe 10. The sealing element 30 plays a sealing role, so that the pipe joint 20 and the cooling pipe 10 are tightly connected to avoid gaps, thereby solving the technical problem of poor sealing performance of the cooling plate 100 in related technologies.

[0032] In some embodiments, the pipe connector 20 includes a plastic pipe connector, and the cooling pipe 10 includes a metal cooling pipe. Replacing the material of the pipe connector 20 with a plastic material can save costs. At the same time, the main function of the pipe connector 20 is to transport the cooling medium, delivering the external cooling medium to the cooling pipe 10. The cooling pipe 10 is in contact with the battery to cool it. Therefore, replacing the material of the pipe connector 20 with a plastic material while the material of the cooling pipe 10 remains metal will not affect the cooling effect.

[0033] In some embodiments, the material of the pipe fitting 20 can be any one of PA66 (polyhexamethylene adipamide), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PPE (polyphenylene ether plastic), and PA12 (polydodecyl lactam). The above materials have good heat resistance, strong corrosion resistance, and high strength.

[0034] In some embodiments, each cooling plate 100 further includes a first end 14, with an inlet end and an outlet end located at the first end 14. This arrangement can extend the length of the cooling channel, allowing the cooling medium in the cooling channel to flow through the same battery at least twice, thereby improving cooling efficiency and preventing thermal runaway.

[0035] Optionally, the pipe connector 20 has a receiving cavity 21, and a partition is provided in the receiving cavity 21. The partition divides the receiving cavity 21 into a first sub-channel 24 and a second sub-channel 25 that are not interconnected. A first through hole is formed on the cavity wall of the first sub-channel 24, and a second through hole is formed on the cavity wall of the second sub-channel 25. The cooling plate 100 also includes an inlet pipe 22 and an outlet pipe 23. The inlet pipe 22 communicates with the first through hole, and the outlet pipe 23 communicates with the second through hole. The inlet end is connected to the outlet end, and the second sub-channel 25 communicates with the outlet end.

[0036] In some embodiments, please refer to FIG4, a cooling channel is formed in the cooling pipe 10. The cooling channel includes a plurality of sub-channels 13. The plurality of sub-channels 13 are spaced apart along the height direction of the cooling plate 100 and extend along the length direction of the cooling plate 100. Some sub-channels 13 are connected to the first sub-channel 24 and some sub-channels 13 are connected to the second sub-channel 25.

[0037] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cooling plate 100 further includes a second end 15, which is provided with a connecting block 50. Multiple sub-channels 13 are connected to the pipe connector 20 via the connecting block 50. Specifically, the pipe connector 20 is located at one end of the cooling pipe 10, and the connecting block is located at the other end of the pipe connector 20. In the actual cooling process, please refer to Figures 5 and 6. The cooling medium enters the first sub-channel 24 from the inlet pipe 22, then enters a portion of the sub-channel 13 connected to the first sub-channel 24, then enters the connecting block 50, and then flows through the connecting block 50 into the remaining portion of the sub-channel 13 connected to the second sub-channel 25, and finally flows into the outlet pipe 23, completing the cooling cycle.

[0038] It should be noted that during the cooling process, the temperature of the cooling medium continuously rises as it flows; that is, the temperature of the cooling medium in the inlet pipe 22 is lower than the temperature of the cooling medium in the outlet pipe 23. In this embodiment, the cooling medium in the cooling channel can flow through the same battery at least twice. The battery that is cooled first is cooled later, and vice versa. Since the temperature of the cooling medium gradually rises and its cooling effect gradually decreases during the cooling process, the battery that has a better cooling effect when the cooling medium flows through it for the first time will have a worse cooling effect when the cooling medium flows through it for the second time, and vice versa. This back-and-forth cooling effect can balance the cooling effect obtained by the batteries in the same row, keeping multiple batteries in a uniform temperature state, avoiding local high temperature phenomena, and improving the service life of multiple batteries.

[0039] It should be noted that the type of cooling medium in the above embodiments is not limited, and can be selected according to the actual application. For example, the cooling medium can be lubricating oil, water, cold air, alcohol compounds, etc.

[0040] Referring to Figures 2 and 4, in some embodiments, one end of the cooling pipe 10 is snapped into the receiving cavity 21, and the sealing member 30 is located inside the receiving cavity 21 and sleeved on the outer periphery of the cooling pipe 10. The sealing member 30 is clamped and fixed between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20, thereby ensuring a sealing effect between the pipe joint 20 and the cooling pipe 10.

[0041] In some embodiments, the seal 30 includes a sealing ring, the material of which includes any one of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber), TPE (tissue rubber), and NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber). These materials have good impact resistance and stable chemical properties.

[0042] To improve the sealing performance of the cooling plate 100, in this embodiment, the seal 30 and the pipe connector 20 are integrally formed. It should be noted that the forming method of the seal 30 and the pipe connector 20 is not limited and can be selected according to the actual situation. For example, in some embodiments, the seal 30 and the pipe connector 20 are integrally formed by vulcanization. In other embodiments, the seal 30 and the pipe connector 20 are integrally formed by injection molding.

[0043] Optionally, the dimensions of the seal 30 need to be compatible with the dimensions of the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20. If the seal 30 is too large, it will be difficult or impossible for the cooling pipe 10 to be inserted into the pipe connector 20. If the seal 30 is too small, there will be a gap between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20, resulting in a poor sealing effect. Specifically, please refer to Figures 6 and 7. The overlapping length of the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20 is X, the length of the seal 30 is Y, and the wall thickness of the seal 30 is a, where a+1≤Y≤X-1. When Y is less than a+1, the length of the seal 30 is too short. During use, even a slight displacement of the seal 30 will cause it to deform and fail to provide a seal. When Y is greater than X-1, the length of the seal 30 is too long, increasing the space occupied in the receiving cavity 21 of the pipe connector 20, affecting the flow rate of the cooling medium, and reducing the cooling effect of the cooling plate 100. For example, in one specific embodiment, the length of the seal 30 is 3mm, the wall thickness of the seal 30 is 1mm, and the overlap length of the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20 is 5mm. At this time, the length of the seal 30 satisfies the requirement of the relation a+1≤Y≤X-1.

[0044] To ensure a good seal, the seal 30 is interference-fitted with the cooling pipe 10. When the cooling pipe 10 is inserted into the pipe connector 20, it compresses the seal 30, causing deformation in its thickness direction. After the cooling pipe 10 is fully engaged, the seal 30 rebounds, filling the space between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20, thus improving the seal. Specifically, please refer to Figures 6 and 8. The wall thickness of the seal 30 cannot be too thick or too thin. If the seal 30 is too thick, the cooling pipe 10 will not be able to be inserted into the pipe connector 20; if the seal 30 is too thin, the rebound amount will be insufficient, resulting in a poor seal. Specifically, the wall thickness of the seal 30 is 'a', the original wall thickness of the seal 30 including the interference fit is 'b', and the interference fit of the seal 30 is 'd', where 'd' = (ba) / b, and 20% ≤ d ≤ 90%. Specifically, d can be 20%, 25%, 30%, 32%, 35%, 38%, 40%, 45%, 48%, 50%, 55%, 65%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or other unlisted data.

[0045] In one specific embodiment, the thickness of the seal 30 is 1 mm, and the original wall thickness of the seal 30 including the interference is 2 mm. Therefore, the interference of the seal 30 is 50%, which meets the range requirement of d.

[0046] It should be noted that there are no restrictions on the way the seal 30 and the cooling pipe 10 are fitted, as long as they are interference fit.

[0047] In some embodiments, the seal 30 has a through hole, and the wall of the through hole is provided with a snap-fit ​​protrusion 31. The snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 abuts against one end of the cooling pipe 10 so that the pipe connector 20 and the cooling pipe 10 are in an interference fit. During actual installation, when the cooling pipe 10 is snapped into the pipe connector 20, the cooling pipe 10 will squeeze the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31, causing the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 to deform. When the cooling pipe 10 is snapped into the appropriate position, the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 rebounds and abuts against the outer surface of the cooling pipe 10, thereby achieving an interference fit between the pipe connector 20 and the cooling pipe 10 and improving the reliability of the connection between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20.

[0048] In some embodiments, to improve the connection effect, the cooling plate 100 further includes an adhesive layer 40, which is disposed at the opening of the receiving cavity 21 of the pipe joint 20. The adhesive layer 40 can fill between the seal 30 and the cooling pipe 10, and can also fill between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20, thereby improving the sealing performance of the cooling plate 100.

[0049] Optionally, one end of the adhesive layer 40 abuts against the end of the snap-fit ​​protrusion 31 facing the opening of the pipe joint 20, and the other end of the adhesive layer 40 extends to the opening of the pipe joint 20. This arrangement not only improves the sealing effect of the cooling plate 100, but also prevents the adhesive layer 40 from penetrating into the interior of the pipe joint 20, thus avoiding internal blockage of the pipe joint 20.

[0050] The adhesive layer 40 can be made from any one of polyurethane adhesive, epoxy adhesive, or acrylic adhesive, depending on the specific requirements. Specifically, after the pipe connector 20 is snapped into place with the cooling pipe 10, the cooling plate 100 is placed vertically (with the opening of the pipe connector 20 facing upwards). Adhesive is injected into the receiving cavity 21 of the pipe connector 20 until the adhesive is flush with the opening of the receiving cavity 21. After the adhesive solidifies to form the adhesive layer 40, the cooling plate 100 is laid flat. This arrangement ensures that the adhesive layer 40 fills the space between the sealant 30 and the cooling pipe 10, as well as between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe connector 20, preventing gaps and improving the sealing performance of the cooling plate 100.

[0051] In some embodiments, the maximum wall thickness of the adhesive layer 40 is c, and the wall thickness of the sealant 30 is a, where c > a. It should be noted that when c is less than a, the thickness of the adhesive layer 40 is too small, which may prevent the area between the cooling pipe 10 and the pipe joint 20 from being sealed, potentially leading to leakage.

[0052] In some embodiments, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is Z, where 1 ≤ Z ≤ Xa-1. When Z is less than 1 mm, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is small, and there is a gap between the part of the tube structure near the opening and the cooling tube 10, which can easily lead to leakage problems. When Z is greater than Xa-1, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is too long, which occupies space, wastes resources, and increases costs.

[0053] In one specific embodiment, the wall thickness of the seal 30 is 1 mm, the length of the adhesive layer 40 is 5 mm, and the length of the adhesive layer 40 is 3 mm. The length of the adhesive layer 40 satisfies the above relationship and meets the requirements.

[0054] In some embodiments, the cooling pipe 10 includes an aluminum pipe, which is lightweight and highly corrosion-resistant, thus extending the service life of the cooling plate 100. It should be noted that the cooling pipe 10 can also be made of copper, depending on the specific circumstances.

[0055] In some embodiments, the cooling plate 100 is provided with a plurality of curved sections 11, which are adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the battery, so that the cooling plate 100 can be in close contact with the battery, thereby improving the cooling effect.

[0056] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the cooling pipe 10 also includes a connecting section 12, which is located between any two curved sections 11, smoothly connecting the two curved sections 11. It should be noted that the shape of the connecting section 12 is not limited and can be selected according to the actual situation. For example, when two adjacent batteries are arranged close together, the connecting section 12 is an arc-shaped section to facilitate battery arrangement. When a gap is formed between two adjacent batteries, the connecting section 12 is a straight section to facilitate heat dissipation.

[0057] It should be noted that the cooling plate 100 provided in this application can be applied to various battery models. In some embodiments, when the battery being cooled is a cylindrical battery, the bending section 11 is arc-shaped. In other embodiments, when the battery being cooled is a prismatic battery, the bending section 11 is square. In some embodiments, when the battery being cooled is a long blade battery, the bending section 11 is rectangular.

[0058] According to a second aspect of this application, a direct cooling assembly is provided, including at least one of the aforementioned cooling plates 100. The specific structure of the cooling plate 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this direct cooling assembly adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it possesses at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0059] In some embodiments, multiple cooling plates 100 are provided, and the multiple cooling plates 100 are spaced apart. A cooling cavity is formed between two adjacent cooling plates 100. The cooling cavity is used to accommodate the battery. The cooling plates 100 can cool the battery from two sides, resulting in high cooling efficiency. At the same time, each cooling plate 100 is provided with multiple curved sections 11, which are adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the battery, so that the cooling plate 100 can be in close contact with the battery, thereby improving the cooling effect.

[0060] This application also proposes a battery pack, which includes multiple batteries and a direct cooling assembly. The multiple batteries are disposed between two adjacent cooling plates 100. The specific structure of the direct cooling assembly is as described in the above embodiments. Since this battery pack adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0061] Furthermore, this application also proposes an electrical device that includes the aforementioned battery pack. The specific structure of the battery pack is described in the above embodiments. Since this electrical device employs all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it possesses at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0062] It is understood that electrical equipment includes, but is not limited to, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, automobiles, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc. Automobiles can include gasoline-powered cars, natural gas-powered cars, and new energy vehicles.

Claims

1. A cooling plate (100), comprising: Cooling pipe (10); At least one pipe fitting (20) is connected to one end of the cooling pipe (10) to communicate with the cooling pipe (10); as well as, A sealing element (30) is provided between one end of the pipe joint (20) and the cooling pipe (10).

2. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The pipe fitting (20) includes a plastic pipe fitting, and the cooling pipe (10) includes a metal cooling pipe.

3. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The material of the pipe fitting (20) includes any one of PA66, PPS, PPE, and PA12.

4. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The pipe joint (20) is provided with a receiving cavity (21) to receive one end of the cooling pipe (10), wherein the sealing element (30) is located in the receiving cavity (21) and sleeved on the outer periphery of the cooling pipe (10).

5. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The sealing element (30) is integrally formed with the pipe connector (20).

6. The cooling plate (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The overlapping length of the cooling pipe (10) and the pipe joint (20) is X, the length of the sealing element (30) is Y, the wall thickness of the sealing element (30) is a, and a+1≤Y≤X-1.

7. The cooling plate (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The wall thickness of the seal (30) is a, the original wall thickness of the seal (30) including the interference is b, the interference of the seal (30) is d, d=(ba) / b, 20%≤d≤90%.

8. The cooling plate (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The sealing element (30) has a through hole, and the hole wall of the through hole is provided with a snap-fit ​​protrusion (31). The snap-fit ​​protrusion (31) abuts against one end of the cooling pipe (10) so that the pipe joint (20) and the cooling pipe (10) are interference fit.

9. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 8 further includes an adhesive layer (40) disposed between the seal (30) and the cooling pipe (10), one end of the adhesive layer (40) abutting against the end of the snap-fit ​​protrusion (31) facing the opening of the pipe joint (20), and the other end of the adhesive layer (40) extending to the opening of the pipe joint (20).

10. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 9, wherein, The maximum wall thickness of the adhesive layer (40) is c, and the wall thickness of the sealant (30) is a, where c > a.

11. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 10, wherein, The length of the adhesive layer (40) is Z, and the overlap length of the cooling pipe (10) and the pipe joint (20) is X, 1≤Z≤Xa-1.

12. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 9, wherein, The adhesive layer (40) is made of any one of polyurethane adhesive, epoxy adhesive, or acrylic adhesive.

13. The cooling plate (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The cooling pipe (10) includes a first end (14), with the liquid inlet end and the liquid outlet end of the cooling pipe located at the first end (14).

14. The cooling plate (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The pipe joint (20) has a first sub-channel (24) and a second sub-channel (25) that are not interconnected. The cooling plate (100) further includes an inlet pipe (22) and an outlet pipe (23), the inlet pipe (22) being connected to the first sub-channel (24) and the outlet pipe (23) being connected to the second sub-channel (25).

15. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 14, wherein, The cooling pipe (10) has multiple sub-channels (13) formed inside. The multiple sub-channels (13) are spaced apart along the height direction of the cooling plate (100). Some sub-channels (13) are connected to the first sub-channel (24), and some sub-channels (13) are connected to the second sub-channel (25).

16. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 15, wherein, The cooling pipe (10) also includes a second end (15), which is provided with a connecting block (50), and the plurality of sub-channels (13) are connected through the connecting block (50) and the pipe joint (20).

17. The cooling plate (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The cooling pipe (10) is provided with multiple curved sections (11), which are adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the battery.

18. The cooling plate (100) according to claim 17, wherein, The cooling pipe (10) also includes a connecting section (12) located between any two of the curved sections (11), and the connecting section (12) smoothly connects the two curved sections (11).

19. A direct cooling assembly comprising a cooling plate (100) as described in any one of claims 1-18.

20. The direct-cooling assembly according to claim 19, wherein, The cooling plate (100) is provided in multiple ways, and the multiple cooling plates (100) are spaced apart. A cooling cavity is formed between two adjacent cooling plates (100), and the cooling cavity is configured to accommodate the battery.

21. A battery pack comprising a cooling plate (100) as described in any one of claims 1-18 or a direct cooling assembly as described in any one of claims 19-20.

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