JP5762942B2 - Battery cooling structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a battery (particularly an assembled battery). In particular, the present invention relates to an air-cooled battery cooling structure for cooling a battery with cooling air.

In an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and the like, an assembled battery in which secondary batteries are assembled as a power source is used. In the process of charging or discharging, if the battery overheats or the temperature difference between the batteries increases, the performance of the battery may deteriorate or the battery may be damaged. Usually, these assembled batteries are stored in the battery case. Then, cooling air is sent into the battery case to cool the assembled battery.

In cooling, it is necessary to equalize the temperature of a plurality of batteries constituting the assembled battery as much as possible and cool the batteries efficiently. For this reason, various battery cooling structures have been proposed. If the assembled battery is arranged in multiple stages from the upstream side to the downstream side, the cooling air that has cooled the upstream battery is warmed, and the cooling performance of the downstream battery is likely to deteriorate, so the cooling performance for the downstream battery is particularly improved. Technologies are being considered.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery cooling system in which a battery module is disposed between opposing walls, a portion protruding the opposing wall is provided at a position between the battery modules, and the height of the protruding portion is increased on the leeward side. A structure is disclosed. According to the technique described in the cited document 1, the cooling performance of the battery arranged on the downstream side is improved, and the battery temperature is made uniform.

JP 2007-66771 A

However, in the technique described in the cited document 1, it is necessary to dispose a complex-shaped opposing wall (flow control plate) so as to sew between the battery modules. Moreover, in order to make the battery temperature uniform, it is necessary to properly manage the distance (gap) between the battery module and the opposing wall, and therefore the manufacturing accuracy and mounting accuracy of the opposing wall must be increased.

That is, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the opposing wall (cooling air guide) is configured to have a substantially cylindrical guide surface, but the gap between the guide surface and the battery module is partially narrowed. , The cooling of the portion becomes insufficient, which may adversely affect the battery life. In order to prevent this, the gap between the battery and the entire guide surface must be properly managed, and the burden is large. Therefore, a technical means capable of improving the cooling performance of the downstream battery with a simpler structure has been demanded.

That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery cooling structure with a simple structure that can improve the cooling performance of the battery module located downstream of the cooling air flow and contribute to the uniform battery temperature of the assembled battery. It is in.

The inventors of the present invention surprisingly found that if a flow control plate having a specific structure in which a partition plate is erected is provided on the downstream side of the battery module for which cooling performance is desired to be improved, the cooling air is surprisingly It was discovered that the battery module flows along the surface of the battery module, and it was found that the cooling performance of the battery module was enhanced by this flow, and the battery temperature could be made uniform, thereby completing the present invention.

The present invention stores an assembled battery in which a plurality of cylindrical battery modules are arranged in a battery case, introduces cooling air into the battery case from a cooling air inlet provided in the battery case, and Is cooled with cooling air, and the cooling air is discharged out of the battery case from the cooling air outlet provided in the battery case. The battery case has at least a part of the arranged battery modules inside the battery case. In the downstream area, a flow control plate is provided to divide the inside of the battery case into a downstream side and an upstream side, and the flow control plate is provided with a through hole that communicates the upstream side and the downstream side with each other. In addition, a partition plate is erected from the flow control plate so as to reach a space between the battery modules located adjacent to the upstream of the flow control plate, and a gap between the partition plate and the battery module. 3 is 0.04 ≦ h3 / D ≦ 0.10 with respect to the diameter D of the battery module, and the through hole is provided at a position near the center of the adjacent battery module. This is a cooling structure (first invention).

In the present invention, it is preferable that the partition plate is provided so as to reach or exceed the surface connecting the central axes of the battery modules arranged adjacent to the upstream side of the flow control plate (second invention). .

According to the present invention, the flow around the battery module positioned adjacent to the upstream side of the flow control plate is rectified by using the specific flow control plate having the partition plate. That is, the battery module is cylindrical, the partition plate reaches the space between the battery modules, and the gap h3 between the partition plate and the battery module is 0.04 ≦ h3 / D ≦ with respect to the diameter D of the battery module. Since the through hole is provided at a position near the center of the adjacent battery module, the cooling air flow that has passed through the gap between the partition plate and the battery module wraps around the battery module. Thus, it flows along the surface of the battery module. And the effect | action that the said battery module can be cooled effectively by this cooling wind flow, and the temperature of the battery which comprises an assembled battery can be equalized is acquired.

Further, in the present invention, as in the second invention, the partition plate is further provided so as to reach or exceed the surface connecting the central axes of the battery modules arranged adjacent to the upstream side of the flow control plate. In this case, the effect of rectifying the cooling air flow between the partition plate and the battery module is enhanced, and the above effect is more reliably exhibited.

It is sectional drawing which shows the battery cooling structure of embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the flow control board vicinity in embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the flow around the battery module in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the simulation result of the cooling air flow around the battery module in Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the simulation result of the cooling air flow around the battery module in the prior art example 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the simulation result of the cooling air flow around the battery module in the prior art example 2. FIG. It is a graph of the simulation result of the surface temperature of a battery module. It is a graph of the simulation result of the pressure loss of cooling air. It is sectional drawing which shows the battery cooling structure in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the flow around the battery module in 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a battery cooling structure of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a battery case that houses an assembled battery for a hybrid vehicle. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the battery cooling structure of the present invention along the flow direction of cooling air. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the vicinity of the flow control plate according to the battery cooling structure of the present embodiment.

In the internal space of the box-shaped battery case 1, rod-shaped battery modules 2 and 2 are arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval. The battery modules 2 and 2 are electrically connected in series or in parallel to form an assembled battery. In the present embodiment, the battery constituting the battery module is a nickel metal hydride battery, and the battery module 2 in which the batteries are connected in series has a cylindrical bar shape. In the present invention, a cylindrical battery module is particularly preferably used. The battery module may be composed of one battery.

In FIG. 1, the battery modules 2 and 2 are arranged so as to extend in the depth direction of the drawing, and 21 battery modules (or dummy modules) are arranged in a 3 × 7 lattice pattern. . Each of the battery modules 2 and 2 has a predetermined interval (gap) between the inner surface of the battery case 1 and an adjacent battery module, and a spacer or a support member allows the cooling air to flow through the gap. The battery case is housed and supported. In the present embodiment, cooling air is made to flow from the upper side to the lower side of the figure as a whole in the vicinity of the battery module. In this sense, the three rows of battery modules arranged in a grid are referred to below. It may be called an upstream (or upper) battery module, a middle (or middle) battery module, or a downstream (or lower) battery module.

The battery case 1 is a hollow box-shaped member formed of metal or synthetic resin. The battery case 1 is provided with a cooling air inlet 11 and a cooling air outlet 12 to cool the internal space of the battery case 1. It becomes a wind passage. The battery case 1 is used for cooling the assembled battery by connecting the cooling air inlet 11 and the cooling air outlet 12 with peripheral members such as a duct and a blower fan to form a series of cooling air passages.

In this embodiment, a blower fan (not shown) is provided on the downstream side of the cooling air outlet 12 and a cooling air duct (not shown) connected to the upstream side of the cooling air inlet 11 at the upper left in the drawing. Then, the cooling air flows into the battery case 1, cools the battery while passing through the gap between the battery modules 2 and 2, and the battery case 1, and warms from the cooling air outlet 12 to the lower right side of the figure. The cooling air that has been drawn flows out.

In the present invention, a flow control plate 14 is provided in the battery case 1 so as to partition the internal space of the battery case into a cooling air inlet side and a cooling air outlet side and to block the flow of the cooling air. Yes. The flow control plate 14 is disposed downstream of the battery module. In the present embodiment, the upstream flow control plate 13 is also arranged on the upstream side of the battery module. However, in the present invention, the upstream flow control plate 13 is not essential. In the case of providing the upstream flow control plate, a known structure, a structure schematically shown in FIG.

The structure and arrangement of the downstream flow control plate 14 (hereinafter simply referred to as “flow control plate”) in the present embodiment will be described in detail.
In the present invention, the flow control plate 14 is provided so as to be adjacent to the downstream side of the battery module whose cooling performance is desired to be improved. In the present embodiment, the flow control plate 14 is located at a position downstream of the downstream (lower) battery module 2d, that is, at a position downstream of all battery modules (assembled batteries). 1 is attached integrally.

As shown in FIG. 2, the flow control plate 14 has a substantially flat control plate main body 141 and a plurality of through holes (opening holes) 142, 142 along the length direction of the battery module. 2 (in the depth direction of the paper surface in FIG. 2), and a plurality of partition plates 143 are provided upright from the control plate body 141 along the length direction of the battery module.
The internal space of the battery case 1 divided into the upstream side and the downstream side by the flow control plate 14 communicates with the upstream side and the downstream side through these through holes 142, 142, and the assembled battery (particularly the lower stage) The cooling air that has cooled the battery modules 2d, 2d) flows to the cooling air outlet 12 on the downstream side through these through holes.

The through holes 142 and 142 provided in the control plate main body 141 are formed so that each through hole becomes a long hole or a slit shape extending in the length direction of the battery module. These through holes are provided over the entire length of each battery module 2d. In the present embodiment, for each of the lower battery modules 2d, the through hole 142 is disposed adjacent to the upstream side of the control plate body 141 at a portion between the partition plate of the control plate body 141 and the partition plate. It is provided at a position near the center of the battery module 2d. Note that “near the center” means that the substantially flat control board body 141 extends in the direction (left and right direction in the figure) when viewed along the length direction of the battery module as shown in FIG. This means that the through-hole 142 is provided in the vicinity of the center of the battery module 2d while being separated from the partition plate 143.

The through hole 142 is positioned so as to coincide with the center of the battery module 2d, or the offset amount α between the through hole and the battery center is such that the diameter of the battery module is D and α / D is 0.25 or less. It is preferable that α / D be 0.15 or less.

The partition plates 143 and 143 erected on the control plate main body 141 will be described in detail. The partition plates 143 and 143 are rib-shaped along the length direction of the battery module from the control plate main body 141 toward the space between the lower battery modules 2d and 2d disposed adjacent to the upstream side of the flow control plate. (Flat plate). The partition plates 143 and 143 are provided in such a length that the leading end of each of the spaces between the lower battery modules reaches the space C between the lower battery modules. Here, the space C is a space between the battery modules adjacent to each other in the lower stage, and the region is surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. In the present embodiment, the partition plates 143 and 143 are provided for all the spaces between the lower battery modules, and the partition plates 143 and 143 reach the vicinity of the surface m connecting the central axes of the lower battery modules. The length is set. In addition, the front-end | tip part of a partition plate does not necessarily need to reach the surface m.

The relationship between the front end of the partition plate 143 and the surface m connecting the center axis of the lower battery module is that the distance d3 between the front end of the partition plate 143 and the surface m is d3 <r, where r is the radius of the battery module. More preferably, d3 <0.5 * r, and even more preferably, d3 <0.2 * r. In the present embodiment, d3 = 0. That is, in this embodiment, the tip of the partition plate 143 coincides with the surface m connecting the central axes of the lower battery modules.

Here, it is also a preferred embodiment that the tip of the partition plate 143 is provided to extend upstream (upper side in the drawing) from the surface m connecting the centers of the lower battery modules. The protrusion amount in this case is also preferably set in the same numerical range as d3.

In the present invention (this embodiment), the gap h3 between the partition plate 143 and the (lower) battery module 2d is 0.04 ≦ h3 / D ≦ 0.10 with respect to the diameter D of the battery module. The gap h3 is set so that In the present embodiment, h3 / D = 0.057.

And in this embodiment, the partition plate 143 is provided so that the magnitude | size of the clearance gap between a partition plate and a battery module may become equal on the right and left of a battery module. Note that the size of the gap between the partition plate and the battery module may be different on the left and right sides of the battery module as long as h3 / D falls within the above range.

An expansion chamber-shaped expansion space surrounded by the lower battery module 2d, the partition plate 143, and the control plate main body 141 will be described. On the upstream side of the space, a gap portion between the lower battery module 2d and the partition plate becomes a cooling air inlet portion with a narrow flow path. A space surrounded by the partition plate 143 and the control plate main body 141 is formed in a space that is wider (expanded) than the cooling air inlet portion. On the further downstream side, the flow path is narrowed again between the lower battery module 2 d and the control plate main body 141, and a cooling air outlet portion toward the through hole 142 is formed.

The specific shape of the partition plate 143 erected on the control plate main body 141 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ease of manufacturing, the partition plate 143 is erected in a flat plate shape and substantially perpendicular to the control plate main body 141. It is preferred that Further, from the same viewpoint, it is preferable that the partition plate 143 is provided with substantially the same thickness from the connection portion with the control plate body to the front end portion of the partition plate. The partition plate 143 may be provided in a hollow shape.

The main specific dimensions of the arrangement of the battery modules and the flow control plate 14 in the present embodiment are as follows. The battery modules 2 and 2 are arranged in a grid of 3 rows × 7, the diameter of the battery module 2 is 32.3 mm, and the left and right intervals between the centers of the battery modules are 42 mm.

The flow control plate 13 is provided so that the control plate main body 141 is located at a position 3 mm downstream from the most downstream (lower) battery module surface. The width of the through hole 142 provided in the control plate main body 141 of the flow control plate (left and right direction in FIG. 2) is 4 mm. The partition plate 143 is erected with a thickness of 6 mm and extends to a position reaching the surface m connecting the central axes of the lower battery modules. The distance h3 between the battery module and the partition plate is 1.85 mm.

The battery case constituting the battery cooling structure can be manufactured by a known manufacturing method. For example, the battery case 1 is made of a synthetic resin (for example, polypropylene resin) in which a case member divided into an open box and a lid is formed. It can be formed by injection molding. The flow control plate 14 can also be formed by injection molding of a synthetic resin (for example, polypropylene resin), and may be integrally formed with the case member of the battery case 1 if possible. Of course, the flow control plate 14 may be formed separately from the case by injection molding of a metal plate or synthetic resin and attached at a predetermined position when the battery case is assembled.

A battery case in which battery modules are arranged at predetermined positions in the battery case 1, wiring between the battery modules is established, the lid of the battery case is closed in a state where the flow control plate is incorporated, and the assembled battery of the above embodiment is stored And the battery cooling structure is completed.

The operation and effect of the battery cooling structure of the present invention will be described.
In the battery cooling structure of the present invention, the flow between the flow control plate 14 and the battery module 2 is caused by the interaction between the partition plates 143 and 143 erected on the flow control plate 14 and the cylindrical battery modules 2 and 2. The cooling air that has been improved and passed between the partition plate 143 and the battery module 2 flows along the surface of the battery module 2 so as to wrap around the battery module.

Describing based on the above embodiment, in FIG. 3, the cooling air that cools and flows into the upper and middle battery modules from the upper part of the drawing flows into the peripheral part upstream of the lower battery module 2 d, and then the partition plate 143. And the lower battery module 2d, flows into the space surrounded by the flow control plate 143 and the lower battery module 2d, passes through the through hole 142, and flows downstream.

Here, the partition plates 143 and 143 provided on the flow control plate 14 are provided so as to reach the space C between the lower battery modules, and further, the gap h3 between the partition plate 143 and the lower battery module 2d. Is 0.04 ≦ h3 / D ≦ 0.10 with respect to the diameter D of the battery module, so that it is narrowed down by the gap between the battery module 2d and the partition plates 143 and 143, and on the downstream side. The flow of the cooling air that blows out toward the bottom is a flow along the battery surface that wraps around the lower battery module 2d.

The flow that flows so as to wind around the battery module from the left and right gaps of the battery module 2d effectively cools the battery surface, joins at the lower center of the battery module, and is discharged downstream from the through hole 142. The Thus, according to the present invention, the cooling air can flow along the surface of the lower battery module, the lower battery can be effectively cooled, and the battery temperature of the assembled battery can be made uniform.

It is speculated that the influence of the Coanda effect is dominant in the mechanism of the cooling air flow flowing along the lower battery module so as to be explained below. That is, when an air flow is caused to flow along the object surface, a so-called Coanda effect is generated in which the air flow tends to bend along the surface shape of the object. This effect is also produced in the airflow passing through the side portion of the lower battery module. When 0.04 ≦ h3 / D ≦ 0.10, the Coanda effect is remarkably generated, and the lower battery module 2u. Cooling air flows as if it wraps around.

That is, if the size of the gap h3 between the partition plate 143 and the battery module 2d is determined according to the battery diameter D, the above effect can be obtained.

When the tip of the partition plate 143 is provided so as to reach the surface m connecting the central axes of the lower battery modules or to extend upstream beyond the surface m, the side of the battery module 2d The rectifying effect of the cooling air passing through the battery module is enhanced, so that the cooling air passing between the partition plate 143 and the battery module flows more securely around the battery module, and the cooling performance of the lower battery module is improved. More enhanced.

The state of the flow field in the above embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 as a flow velocity distribution diagram obtained by numerical fluid simulation. FIG. 4 is a velocity distribution in a region surrounded by a broken line in FIG. 1 as a result of the numerical simulation performed by the battery cooling structure of the first embodiment shown in FIG. In the figure, the dark part indicates the high flow area, and the light part indicates the low flow area.

As shown in the simulation results, the cooling air that flows in the vicinity of the lower battery module flows so as to blow out from between the lower battery module and the partition plate, flows so as to wrap around the lower battery module, and is opposed to the lower side of the lower battery module. It merges with the flow from the side and flows out of the through hole.

On the other hand, when a numerical simulation of a conventional example (conventional example 1) using a conventionally known cooling air control plate in which a through hole is arranged in the center of the lower battery module but does not have a partition plate is shown in FIG. A solution like this was obtained. In the analysis result of Conventional Example 1 in FIG. 5, the cooling air flow flowing from the upstream battery module flows around the lower battery module without increasing the flow velocity so much, and the portion where the cooling air flow is fast and the lower battery module It can be seen that a stagnation region with a low flow velocity exists between them. Such a flow of cooling air cannot effectively cool the lower battery module.

FIG. 6 shows a flow of a conventional example (conventional example 2) in which a cylindrical surface-shaped cooling air guide provided at a predetermined interval (1.85 mm) from the battery surface is provided downstream of the lower battery module. The result of simulation is shown. Conventional example 2 is a simulation example corresponding to the known technique described in cited document 1. In the flow in Conventional Example 2, it can be seen that the cooling air is concentrated and flows along the surface of the battery module at a portion where the cooling air guide is present.

4 and 6 are compared, according to the present invention, a simple partition plate is provided on the flow control plate without using a cooling air guide having a cylindrical surface shape as in Conventional Example 2. It can be seen that the same cooling air flow as in Example 2 can be realized.
And the shape of the partition plate or flow control plate of the present invention is very simple and easy to manufacture, and the part requiring dimensional control with the battery module is the partition plate. Since only the vicinity of the tip portion is required, it is more advantageous than the technique described in the cited document 1 in maintaining the manufacturing accuracy of the battery cooling structure. In the technique described in the cited document 1, it is necessary to maintain the accuracy of the gap dimension between the battery module and the entire planar guide member.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively improve the cooling air flow around the battery module adjacent to the upstream side of the flow control plate, effectively cool the battery module, and effectively reduce the battery temperature. Can be made uniform.

In order to illustrate the effect of uniformizing the battery temperature according to the present invention, numerical fluid simulations are performed on the following examples, reference examples, and conventional examples, and each battery module is set with a predetermined calorific value. A battery module cooling temperature simulation was performed.

Example 1
The simulation was performed for the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (Example 1). The arrangement of the battery modules and the main specific dimensions of the flow control plate 14 in Example 1 are as described above.

(Other Examples and Comparative Examples)
Examples 2 and 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are examples in which the dimension h3 between the partition plate 14 and the lower battery module is changed with respect to Example 1 (Table 1). H3 (h3 / D) is increased in the order of Comparative Example 1, Example 2, Example 1, Example 3, and Comparative Example 2, and Table 1 lists them in that order. In addition, the conventional example 1 provided with the flow control plate without the partition plate corresponding to FIG. 5 and the conventional example 2 provided with the cylindrical flow guide corresponding to FIG. A cooling temperature simulation was performed.

In the cooling temperature simulation for each specification, the temperature difference between the middle battery module 2m and the lower battery module 2d is evaluated, and the same cooling air volume and specifications (case shape excluding flow control plate, battery diameter and arrangement, heat generation, etc.) ) And compared between specifications. The results are shown in Table 1. Table 1 shows the temperature difference between the average battery temperature of the middle battery module and the average battery temperature of the lower battery module in each specification. Moreover, in each specification, the pressure loss required to flow a predetermined cooling air flow rate is also shown.

The average surface temperature of the battery is evaluated by averaging the battery surface temperature of the battery module in the battery circumferential direction for the middle battery module and the lower battery module shown in FIG. The average was calculated for the middle battery and the lower battery, and the middle battery average temperature and the lower battery average temperature were determined. The temperature difference between the middle battery and the lower battery is evaluated based on the difference between the average battery temperatures of the middle and lower batteries.

The graph of FIG. 7 shows the relationship between the gap h3 (h3 / D) between the partition plate 14 and the lower battery module 2d and the temperature difference between the middle and lower batteries. Moreover, the graph of FIG. 8 shows the relationship between the gap h3 (h3 / D) between the partition plate 14 and the lower battery module 2d and the pressure loss.

Looking at Examples 1, 2, and 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, regarding the temperature difference of the batteries, it can be seen that the smaller the h3 / D, the smaller the temperature difference of the middle and lower batteries. This is presumably because when h3 / D is smaller, the flow is throttled and the flow velocity is increased, and the Coanda effect is more prominent. In Examples 1, 2, and 3 (and Comparative Example 1) in the range of h3 / D ≦ 0.10, the temperature difference between the middle and lower batteries can be reduced by half compared to Conventional Example 1. It has been. This effect is comparable to the conventional example 2 in which the cylindrical cooling air guide is provided. On the other hand, if h3 / D exceeds 0.10, the temperature difference between the middle and lower batteries increases.

As for pressure loss, when Examples 1, 2, and 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are viewed (FIG. 8), it can be seen that the pressure loss tends to increase as h3 / D decreases. In Examples 1, 2, and 3 (and Comparative Example 2) in the range of h3 / D ≧ 0.04, the pressure loss is similar to that of Conventional Example 1 and Conventional Example 2. When h3 / D is significantly less than 0.04, the pressure loss increases rapidly.

Therefore, if the range of 0.04 ≦ h3 / D ≦ 0.10 is satisfied, the battery cooling performance equivalent to that of the conventional example 2 having the cooling air guide having a complicated cylindrical surface shape while using the flow control plate 14 having a simple structure. It can be seen that the ventilation performance can be obtained.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. However, in the following description, portions different from the above-described embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of the same portions will be omitted.

First, an example of changing the through holes provided in the flow control plate will be described. The through hole provided in the flow control plate is not particularly limited as long as it extends in the longitudinal direction of the battery module. As described in the above embodiment, when the through hole is provided near the center of the battery module, the cooling air is effectively wound and the cooling that flows along the surface from both sides of the battery. It is preferable that the wind can join and flow out immediately above the through hole.

Further, the position where the flow control plate is provided is not limited to the downstream of the most downstream battery module. You may provide in the downstream of another battery module. In short, the flow control plate can be arranged so as to be adjacent to the downstream side of the battery module whose cooling performance is desired to be improved. FIG. 9 shows such an embodiment.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 9, two flow control plates according to the present invention are provided. In the battery cooling structure of the second embodiment, in addition to the battery cooling structure of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a flow in which a partition plate 153 is erected on the downstream side of the middle-stage battery modules 2m and 2m. A control plate 15 is provided. The flow control plate 15 has the same structure as the flow control plate 14. A gap h4 between the partition plate 153 and the battery module 2m is in a range of 0.04 ≦ h4 / D ≦ 0.10.
According to the battery cooling structure having such a configuration, the flow control plate 15 enhances the cooling performance of the middle battery module 2m by the same mechanism as the effect in the first embodiment, and the flow control plate 14 lowers the lower battery module. The cooling performance of 2d is enhanced.

Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the cooling air that flows downstream from the through hole 152 of the flow control plate 15 after cooling the middle battery module 2m flows so as to blow directly to the lower battery module 2d. The cooling efficiency of the module can be further increased.

From the viewpoint of further improving the cooling performance of the lower battery module 2d, in the present embodiment, the gap between the middle battery module 2m and the partition plate 153 is larger than the gap between the lower battery module 2d and the partition plate 143. It is preferable to do.

For example, the flow control plate according to the present invention may be provided only for the middle-stage battery module, and another cooling promotion means may be provided at the other stages. In short, the flow control plate according to the present invention may be provided on the downstream side of the battery module whose cooling performance is desired to be improved.

Further, in the description of the above embodiment, the form in which the assembled battery is stored in the hollow box-shaped battery case 1 has been described, but the embodiment of the battery case is limited to a hollow box-shaped one that is molded exclusively for the case. The battery case may be configured by combining a plurality of members such as a panel member and a block member. For example, an assembled battery is arranged on a floor panel of a vehicle body, a heat insulating panel or an electrode panel is provided so as to surround the assembled battery, and a battery case having a cooling air passage between the floor panel, the heat insulating panel, and the electrode panel is provided. It can also be configured. As described above, the battery case according to the present invention includes a battery case constituted by using / combining a member arranged around the assembled battery, in addition to the battery case constituted by a dedicated component member.

Examples of the battery constituting the assembled battery include a primary battery, a secondary battery (such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel hydride battery, and a nickel cadmium battery), a double electric capacitor, and the like. In the above-described embodiment, the battery module has been described as a rod shape, particularly a cylindrical shape. However, the battery module is not limited to a complete columnar shape, and may have an elliptical shape as long as the flow can be deflected by the Coanda effect. A cylindrical shape like a rice ball shape may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the battery module of the assembled battery is arranged in an example in which the battery modules are arranged in a three-stage lattice pattern from upstream to downstream of the flow around the battery module. The arrangement is not limited to three stages, but may be two or four or more stages along the flow direction, or may be one in which batteries are arranged in only one stage. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the cooling efficiency of the battery module of the stage located in the upstream of a flow control board can be improved effectively.

In addition to the above configuration, the battery cooling structure of the present invention can be used with other flow control members and structures such as a flow control plate on the upstream side of the assembled battery.

The purpose and application for which the assembled battery is used are not limited to those for automobiles. For example, a secondary battery is used for the purpose of leveling generated power in a wind power generator or a solar battery power generator. The present invention can be utilized for cooling a battery pack used for a wide range of applications.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for cooling large-capacity assembled batteries used in electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, power generators, etc., and the batteries constituting the assembled batteries are uniformly cooled to effectively improve the performance of the batteries. The industrial utility value is high.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Battery case 11 Cooling air inlet 12 Cooling air outlet 13 Upstream flow control plate 14 Flow control plate 141 Control plate main body 142 Through hole 143 Partition plate 15 Flow control plate 151 Control plate main body 152 Through hole 153 Partition plate 2 Battery module

Claims (2)

A battery pack in which a plurality of cylindrical battery modules are arranged is stored in a battery case,
Cooling air is introduced into the battery case from the cooling air inlet provided in the battery case, the battery module is cooled by the cooling air, and the cooling air is discharged outside the battery case from the cooling air outlet provided in the battery case. A battery cooling structure,
Inside the battery case, a flow control plate is provided in a region downstream of at least a part of the arranged battery modules so as to partition the inside of the battery case into a downstream side and an upstream side,
The flow control plate is provided with a through hole that communicates the upstream side and the downstream side with each other,
A partition plate is erected from the flow control plate so as to reach a space between battery modules located adjacent to the upstream of the flow control plate,
The gap h3 between the partition plate and the battery module is 0.04 ≦ h3 / D ≦ 0.10 with respect to the diameter D of the battery module,
The battery cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the through hole is provided at a position near a center of an adjacent battery module. 2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the partition plate is provided so as to reach or exceed a surface connecting the central axes of the battery modules arranged adjacent to the upstream side of the flow control plate. Cooling structure.