JP7022935B2 - Vehicle and heat exchange plate - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to vehicles and heat exchange plates.

Hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles are equipped with in-vehicle batteries that supply electric power to the motor that is the drive source. A hybrid heat exchanger that simultaneously supplies both a refrigerant and a coolant in order to suppress an increase in the temperature of an in-vehicle battery is known (see Patent Document 1).

Patent Document 1 describes a battery block formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells, a cooling plate that is thermally coupled to the battery cells and cools the battery cells with the supplied refrigerant, and a cooling mechanism that supplies the refrigerant to the cooling plate. It is a power supply device for vehicles equipped with a control circuit that controls the cooling mechanism to control the cooling state of the cooling plate, and reduces the temperature difference of the battery cell while cooling the battery efficiently and quickly. It is disclosed to prevent the harmful effects of imbalance.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-50000

Patent Document 1 discloses that the battery cell is cooled with a refrigerant while being water-cooled, but since the temperature rise in the central portion is not taken into consideration, the temperature of the cell in the central portion of the battery cell becomes high. There is a problem of closing it.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle and a heat exchange plate in which temperature variation in temperature control of an in-vehicle battery is reduced.

The vehicle of the present disclosure has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a coolant layer for circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface. A group of battery modules having a heat exchange plate provided with a refrigerant layer for circulating a refrigerant between the second surface and the second surface, and a plurality of battery modules, which are arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate. The first wheel is formed by using the heat exchange plate, the vehicle body accommodating the battery module group, the first wheel and the second wheel coupled to the vehicle body, and the electric power supplied from the battery module group. A vehicle comprising a driving motor and capable of traveling in a first direction using the first wheel and the second wheel, wherein the coolant layer is arranged along the first direction and the refrigerant. The layers are arranged along the first direction, at least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer, and the heat exchange plate is a refrigerant input for the refrigerant to enter toward the refrigerant layer. The refrigerant layer includes a unit and a refrigerant output unit from which the refrigerant is discharged from the refrigerant layer. The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant flows from the refrigerant input unit toward the refrigerant output unit, and the refrigerant passage is the first. It has at least one refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage, and the refrigerant passage includes a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage. Further having a coupling portion to be coupled, at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is arranged along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and at least a part of the second refrigerant passage is said. Arranged along a second direction, the coolant layer comprises a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, the first portion of the coolant passage being arranged along the first direction of the coolant passage. The second portion is arranged along the first direction, the coolant of the first portion flows in the first direction, and the coolant of the second portion flows in the direction opposite to the first direction.

The heat exchange plate of the present disclosure has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and has a coolant layer for circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface. A heat exchange plate comprising a refrigerant layer for circulating a refrigerant between one surface and the second surface, which has a plurality of battery modules and is arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate. The vehicle body can be accommodated in a vehicle body having the battery module group, and the vehicle body has an electric motor that connects the first wheel and the second wheel and drives the first wheel by using the electric power supplied from the battery module group. , The first wheel and the second wheel can be used to construct a vehicle capable of traveling in the first direction, and the refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction. The refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction, at least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer, and the heat exchange plate has the refrigerant toward the refrigerant layer. A refrigerant input unit for entering and a refrigerant output unit for discharging the refrigerant from the refrigerant layer are provided, and the refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant flows from the refrigerant input unit toward the refrigerant output unit. Has at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage, and the refrigerant passage has a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage. Further having a coupling portion to which the refrigerant passages are coupled, at least a part of the first refrigerant passage can be arranged along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and at least the second refrigerant passage. A portion can be arranged along the second direction, the coolant layer comprises a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, and a first portion of the coolant passage is arranged along the first direction. It is possible, the second portion of the coolant passage can be arranged along the first direction, the coolant in the first portion flows in the first direction, and the coolant in the second portion is said. It flows in the direction opposite to the first direction.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle and a heat exchange plate in which temperature variation in temperature control of an in-vehicle battery is reduced.

Conceptual diagram showing an example of the battery temperature control system 1 according to the present disclosure. Sectional view of battery temperature control system 1 An exploded perspective view of the heat exchange plate 21 Conceptual diagram showing an example of mounting the heat exchange plate 21 on the vehicle 100 The figure which shows the 1st modification of the refrigerant passage 41 The figure which shows the 2nd modification of the refrigerant passage 41 The figure which shows the 1st modification of the coolant passage 31 It is a figure which shows the inner fin INF which is an example of a reinforcing member, (a) the figure which shows the shape example of the inner fin INF, (b) the sectional view of the heat exchange plate 21 provided with the inner fin INF. It is a figure which shows the dimple DMP which is an example of a reinforcing member, (a) the figure which shows the shape example of the dimple DMP, (b) the sectional view of the heat exchange plate 21 provided with the dimple DMP. It is a figure which shows the process which reverses the direction in which the cooling liquid flows in a coolant passage 31 in the opposite direction, (a) the figure which shows the flow in a normal direction, (b) the figure which shows the flow in the reverse direction. A circuit diagram showing a configuration example of a battery temperature control system 1 provided with a heat exchange plate 21. In the battery temperature control system 1 shown in FIG. 11, a circuit diagram showing that the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant pipe 62 is reversed. A flowchart showing a first embodiment in a process of switching the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 (flow path change process). A flowchart showing a second embodiment in a process of switching the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 (flow path change process). It is a figure which shows the 3rd Embodiment in the switching process (flow path change process) of the direction which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31, (a) the flowchart which shows the 3rd Embodiment, (b) the battery temperature. The figure which illustrates the predetermined position to measure A flowchart showing a fourth embodiment in a process of switching the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 (flow path change process). Side view showing the battery pack α installed in the vehicle 100

Hereinafter, embodiments in which the vehicle, heat exchange plate, and battery pack according to the present disclosure are specifically disclosed (hereinafter referred to as “the present embodiment”) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters and duplicate explanations for substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy of the following description and to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the battery temperature control system 1 according to the present disclosure.

The battery temperature control system 1 includes a battery module group 10 and a heat exchange plate 21. The battery module group 10 has a plurality of battery modules 11. The battery module 11 is, for example, a battery that stores electric energy that is a drive source for a traveling motor in a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, and is a component that requires temperature control such as cooling.

The heat exchange plate 21 is a component that controls the temperature of the battery module 11 included in the battery module group 10 by using a coolant and a refrigerant described later. The heat exchange plate 21 has a first surface 22 and a second surface 23 opposite to the first surface 22. As shown, the battery module group 10 is arranged along the first surface 22 of the heat exchange plate 21. In FIG. 1, the battery modules 11 are arranged in two rows on the first surface 22 of the heat exchange plate 21 so that five battery modules 11 are mounted, but the arrangement of the battery modules 11 is not particularly limited. Therefore, in the following description, a plurality of battery modules 11 may be collectively illustrated and represented as one member.

Here, for ease of understanding, as shown in each figure, an orthogonal coordinate system including an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis is defined. The z-axis is perpendicular to the x-axis and the y-axis. Further, the positive direction of each axis is defined by the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and the negative direction is defined by the direction opposite to the arrow. Here, the positive direction of the x-axis is expressed as "front side", the negative direction of the x-axis is expressed as "rear side", the positive direction side of the y-axis is expressed as "right side", and the negative direction side of the y-axis is expressed. May be expressed as "left side", the positive direction side of the z-axis may be expressed as "upper side", and the negative direction side of the z-axis may be expressed as "lower side".

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the battery temperature control system 1.

Similar to FIG. 1, the battery module group 10 is arranged along the first surface 22 of the heat exchange plate 21. The heat exchange plate 21 includes a coolant layer 30 and a refrigerant layer 40. The coolant layer 30 circulates the coolant between the first surface 22 of the heat exchange plate 21 and the second surface 23 (see FIG. 3). The coolant is, for example, an antifreeze solution containing ethylene glycol. The refrigerant layer 40 circulates the refrigerant between the first surface 22 and the second surface 23 of the heat exchange plate 21 (see FIG. 3). The refrigerant may be in a two-phase state in which a gas and a liquid are mixed, and one example is HFC (Hydrofluorocarbon). However, the refrigerant may be something other than HFC. There may be a third surface 24 between the coolant layer 30 and the refrigerant layer 40. The third surface 24 is arranged between the first surface 22 and the second surface 23.

At least a part of the coolant layer 30 is arranged so as to overlap with the refrigerant layer 40. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 2, almost the entire coolant layer 30 is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer 40. However, for example, when the dimension of the refrigerant layer 40 in the x-axis direction is smaller than the dimension of the coolant layer 30 in the x-axis direction, a part of the coolant layer 30 overlaps with the refrigerant layer 40. In this case, heat exchange is performed between the coolant and the refrigerant at the portion where the coolant layer 30 and the refrigerant layer 40 overlap. Although not shown, the structure may be such that the refrigerant layer 40 having a small size in the x-axis direction is embedded near the center of the coolant layer 30 having a large size in the x-axis direction.

In the portion where the coolant layer 30 and the refrigerant layer 40 overlap, the coolant layer 30 can be arranged between the refrigerant layer 40 and the battery module group 10. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 2, the coolant layer 30 is arranged above the refrigerant layer 40 (the side closer to the battery module group 10). However, the positional relationship between the coolant layer 30 and the refrigerant layer 40 may be the opposite. That is, in the portion where the coolant layer 30 and the refrigerant layer 40 overlap, the refrigerant layer 40 can be arranged between the coolant layer 30 and the battery module group 10.

The coolant layer 30 includes a coolant passage 31 through which the coolant flows. The refrigerant layer 40 includes a refrigerant passage 41 through which the refrigerant flows. The volume of the refrigerant passage 41 may be smaller than the volume of the coolant passage 31. The coolant passage 31 and the refrigerant passage 41 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 3 and 3.

The average value of the heights of the coolant passages 31 (length in the z direction in the figure) is hcool, and the average value of the heights of the refrigerant passages 41 (lengths in the z direction in the figure) is ref. At this time, the average value href of the height of the refrigerant passage 41 may be smaller than the average value hcool of the height of the coolant passage 31.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the heat exchange plate 21 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a mounting example in which the heat exchange plate 21 is mounted on the vehicle 100. The structure of the heat exchange plate 21 and an example of mounting the heat exchange plate 21 on the vehicle 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

First, the vehicle 100 will be described with reference to FIG. The vehicle 100 includes wheels 101 and a vehicle body 102. The vehicle body 102 accommodates the heat exchange plate 21. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, since the battery module group 10 is arranged along the first surface 22 of the heat exchange plate 21, the vehicle body 102 also accommodates the battery module group 10. That is, the vehicle body 102 accommodates the heat exchange plate 21 and the battery module group 10. In the illustrated example, the heat exchange plate 21 and the battery module group 10 are mounted on the bottom surface 103 of the vehicle body 102 and the vehicle body 102.

The wheel 101 includes a first wheel 101a, a second wheel 101b, a third wheel 101c, and a fourth wheel 101d. The first wheel 101a, the second wheel 101b, the third wheel 101c, and the fourth wheel 101d are each coupled to the vehicle body 102. The second wheel 101b and the fourth wheel 101d are the front wheels, and the first wheel 101a and the third wheel 101c are the rear wheels. In the vehicle 100, the second wheel 101b and the fourth wheel 101d are steering wheels and driving wheels (front wheel drive). Alternatively, the second wheel 101b and the fourth wheel 101d may be used as steering wheels, and the first wheel 101a and the third wheel 101c may be used as driving wheels (rear wheel drive). Alternatively, the second wheel 101b and the fourth wheel 101d may be used as steering wheels, and the first wheel 101a, the second wheel 101b, the third wheel 101c, and the fourth wheel 101d may be used as driving wheels (all-wheel drive). The vehicle 100 is typically a four-wheeled vehicle, but is a vehicle having wheels other than four wheels, such as a two-wheeled motorcycle, a three-wheeled auto three-wheeled vehicle, and a six-wheeled or more truck. You may.

The vehicle 100 can travel in a predetermined direction (referred to as the first direction) by using the first wheel 101a and the second wheel 101b. The vehicle body 102 can form such a vehicle 100. The direction orthogonal to the first direction is defined as the second direction. The second direction may be the horizontal direction of the vehicle 100.

Next, the configuration of the heat exchange plate 21 that can be accommodated in the vehicle 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The coolant layer 30 of the heat exchange plate 21 can be arranged along the above-mentioned first direction. The refrigerant layer 40 of the heat exchange plate 21 can be arranged along the above-mentioned first direction.

The heat exchange plate 21 has a first width in the above-mentioned first direction. The heat exchange plate 21 has a second width in the above-mentioned second direction. At this time, the first width can be longer than the second width. In the illustrated example in which the second direction is the horizontal direction of the vehicle 100, the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange plate 21 is along the first direction, and the lateral direction of the heat exchange plate 21 is along the second direction. ing.

The heat exchange plate 21 includes a refrigerant input unit 40A in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer 40, and a refrigerant output unit 40B in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer 40. As shown, the refrigerant input unit 40A and the refrigerant output unit 40B may be arranged at one end in the heat exchange plate 21 in the first direction. By arranging the refrigerant input unit 40A and the refrigerant output unit 40B at one end, the piping through which the refrigerant flows can be integrated into one place (one end), so that the heat exchange plate 21 housed in the vehicle body 102 can be combined. The outer piping can be further saved in space. Further, the layout of the piping can be facilitated in the limited space inside the vehicle 100.

The refrigerant input unit 40A and the refrigerant output unit 40B are connected to a refrigerant circuit 5 described later with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. Although the refrigerant circuit 5 will be described later, typically, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant decompressed through the expansion valve 53 enters the refrigerant layer 40 from the refrigerant input unit 40A and flows through the refrigerant layer 40. The refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant layer 40 absorbs heat received from the coolant layer and the like, gradually gasifies, and exits through the refrigerant output unit 40B. That is, the refrigerant passage 41 included in the refrigerant layer 40 allows the refrigerant to flow from the refrigerant input unit 40A toward the refrigerant output unit 40B. The direction in which this refrigerant flows is indicated by an arrow in FIGS. 3 and 4. The same applies to FIGS. 5 and later.

Here, the heat exchange plate 21 has the other end portion opposite to the above-mentioned one end portion in the above-mentioned first direction. One end of the heat exchange plate 21 may be closer to the front part of the vehicle 100 than the other end of the heat exchange plate 21. The front portion of the vehicle 100 refers to the side of the vehicle 100 where the driver's seat with the steering wheel is located. Alternatively, the front portion of the vehicle 100 can be regarded as a front portion in the normal traveling direction. In the illustrated example, the end of the heat exchange plate 21 on the front side (x-axis) of the vehicle 100 in the traveling direction is one end, and the end of the heat exchange plate 21 is on the rear side (x-axis) of the vehicle 100 in the traveling direction. The end in the negative direction of) is the other end. Then, as shown in the figure, one end of the heat exchange plate 21 including the refrigerant input portion 40A and the refrigerant output portion 40B is arranged on the side closer to the front portion of the vehicle 100. When the refrigerant circuit 5 described later is arranged in the front portion of the vehicle 100, the piping for connecting the refrigerant input unit 40A and the refrigerant output unit 40B and the refrigerant circuit 5 can be short, and the refrigerant circuit 5 is arranged in the vehicle interior space. It is possible to save space in the set of the heat exchange plate 21 and the refrigerant circuit 5.

On the other hand, when the refrigerant circuit 5 is arranged at the rear portion of the vehicle 100, the positional relationship between one end and the other end of the heat exchange plate 21 may be reversed. That is, in this case, one end of the heat exchange plate 21 including the refrigerant input portion 40A and the refrigerant output portion 40B may be on the side farther from the front portion of the vehicle 100 than the other end portion.

Further, the refrigerant passage 41 includes a branched refrigerant passage 411. The branched refrigerant passage 411 is a refrigerant passage branched into several passages. That is, there are at least two branched refrigerant passages. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerant passage 41 is branched into four branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D, and in the example shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerant passage 41 is a branched refrigerant passage 411A to 411F. It is branched into 6 branched refrigerant passages. The number of branched refrigerant passages may be 3 or less, 5 or 7 or more. Therefore, when the branched refrigerant passages 411A, 411B, 411C, 411D ... Are expressed as the first refrigerant passage, the second refrigerant passage, the third refrigerant passage, the fourth refrigerant passage, and so on, the refrigerant passage 41 , It will have at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage.

In addition, from the refrigerant passage 41 having two or more (4 in the example of FIG. 3 and 6 in the example of FIG. 4) branched refrigerant passages, any two branched refrigerant passages are selected, and each is the first refrigerant passage. And can be expressed as a second refrigerant passage. Here, at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is arranged closer to one end in the first direction than at least a part of the second refrigerant passage.

The refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant passage 41 branches into a plurality of branches at the inlet (branch portion) of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F), and joins at the outlet (joining portion) of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F). That is, the refrigerant passage 41 has a branch portion that branches into a first refrigerant passage (for example, a branched refrigerant passage 411A) and a second refrigerant passage (for example, a branched refrigerant passage 411B), and the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage are coupled to each other. It has a joint.

At least a part of the first refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411A) can be arranged along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction described above. At least a part of the second refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411B) can be arranged along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction described above. In the illustrated example, the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D have a linear shape, and the entire first refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411A) and the second refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411B) are in the second direction. It is arranged along. However, the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F) do not always have a linear shape, and there may be a portion that does not follow the second direction.

Next, the coolant passage 31 included in the coolant layer 30 will be described. The coolant passage 31 has two portions, a first portion 31A and a second portion 31B. The first portion 31A of the coolant passage 31 can be arranged along the first direction described above. The second portion 31B of the coolant passage 31 can also be arranged along the above-mentioned first direction. However, the direction in which the coolant flows is opposite to that of the first portion 31A of the coolant passage 31 and the second portion 31B of the coolant passage 31. That is, the coolant in the first portion 31A of the coolant passage 31 flows in the above-mentioned first direction, and the coolant in the second portion 31B of the coolant passage 31 flows in the direction opposite to the above-mentioned first direction.

The heat exchange plate 21 includes a coolant input unit 30A in which the coolant enters toward the coolant layer 30, and a coolant output unit 30B in which the coolant exits from the coolant layer 30. As shown, the coolant input unit 30A and the coolant output unit 30B may be arranged at one end of the heat exchange plate 21 in the first direction. By arranging the coolant input unit 30A and the coolant output unit 30B at one end, the piping through which the coolant flows can be integrated in one place (one end), so that the heat exchange housed in the vehicle body 102 can be exchanged. The piping on the outside of the plate 21 can be further saved in space. Further, the layout of the piping can be facilitated in the limited space inside the vehicle 100.

The coolant that has entered from the coolant input unit 30A toward the coolant layer 30 flows back through the second portion 31B of the coolant passage 31 and then turns back, flows through the first portion 31A of the coolant passage 31, and the coolant. It goes out from the output unit 30B. The corners (Cor1 to Cor4) of the coolant passage 31 will be described later with reference to FIG. 7. The coolant input unit 30A and the coolant output unit 30B are connected to a coolant circuit 6 described later with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, and the coolant is flowed by a pump P included in the coolant circuit 6.

The coolant flows along the longitudinal direction (positive and negative directions of the x-axis) of the coolant passage 31. The direction in which the coolant flows is indicated by an arrow in FIGS. 3 and 4. The same applies to FIGS. 5 and later.

However, as will be described later with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 is reversed by switching the direction in which the coolant flows by the flow path switching valve 61. In this case, the input unit and the output unit of the coolant are reversed, and the first portion and the second portion of the coolant passage 31 are reversed, but for convenience of explanation, the reference numeral 30A is the coolant input unit. , Reference numeral 30B is a coolant output unit, reference numeral 31A is a first portion of the coolant passage 31, and reference numeral 31B is a second portion of the coolant passage 31, and the following description will be given.

In the configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the branched refrigerant passage 411 in the refrigerant passage 41 branches along the longitudinal direction (the first width direction described above) of the heat exchange plate 21. Further, the coolant in the coolant passage 31 flows along the longitudinal direction (the first width direction described above) of the heat exchange plate 21. With such a configuration, temperature variation can be reduced as described below. A plurality of battery modules 11 included in the battery module group 10 are arranged side by side as shown in FIG. 1, and the battery module located at the center of the battery module group 10 tends to retain heat. Therefore, by flowing the cooling liquid in the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange plate 21, the heat of the central portion of the battery module group 10 can be dissipated in the longitudinal direction, and the temperature variation can be reduced. Further, by configuring the branched refrigerant passage 411 to branch along the longitudinal direction (the first width direction described above) of the heat exchange plate 21, the lengths of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F) (described above). (Corresponding to the second width of) can be made shorter. Therefore, the pressure loss of the refrigerant can be reduced and the temperature variation can be reduced.

Further, at least a part of each of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F) can be arranged along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction described above. Therefore, the flow of the refrigerant in at least a part of each of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F) is along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction. On the other hand, the coolant in the coolant passage 31 flows in the first direction or the direction opposite to the first direction described above. Then, in the portion where the coolant layer 30 and the refrigerant layer 40 overlap, the direction in which the refrigerant flows and the direction in which the coolant flows are substantially orthogonal to each other. With this configuration, the temperature variation of the refrigerant is positively alleviated by the coolant.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first modification of the refrigerant passage 41. The refrigerant that has flowed into the refrigerant passage 41 from the refrigerant input portion 40A branches into a plurality of branches at the inlet (branch portion) of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F), and exits (coupling portion) of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F). ), And exit from the refrigerant output unit 40B. Here, in the first modification of the refrigerant passage 41, the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F) are configured so that the more distant the branch is from the refrigerant input portion 40A, the lower the resistance to the refrigerant. The farther the refrigerant is from the refrigerant input portion 40A, the more the pressure of the refrigerant tends to decrease due to the pressure loss. Then, a sufficient amount of refrigerant may not reach the branched refrigerant passages 411E and 411F far from the refrigerant input unit 40A, which causes temperature variation. Therefore, the more the branch is made at a position farther from the refrigerant input unit 40A, the smaller the resistance on the refrigerant passage side is configured. For example, the cross-sectional area of the branch portion and the branch refrigerant passage 411 is increased as the branch is made at a position farther from the refrigerant input portion 40A. This makes it possible for the refrigerant to flow more uniformly in the refrigerant passage 41. The temperature variation can be reduced by allowing the refrigerant to flow more uniformly.

Therefore, as described above, at least a part of the first refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411A) is closer to one end in the first direction than at least a part of the second refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411B). Be placed. The first cross-sectional area of the first refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411A) at the branch portion is smaller than the second cross-sectional area of the second refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411B) at the branched portion. As a result, the farther the branch is from the refrigerant input unit 40A, the larger the cross-sectional area and the lower the resistance to the refrigerant. As a result, the temperature variation can be reduced by allowing the refrigerant to flow more uniformly.

Further, the third cross-sectional area of at least a part of the first refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411A) is smaller than the fourth cross-sectional area of at least a part of the second refrigerant passage (for example, the branched refrigerant passage 411B). As a result, the farther the branch is from the refrigerant input unit 40A, the larger the cross-sectional area and the lower the resistance to the refrigerant. As a result, the temperature variation can be reduced by allowing the refrigerant to flow more uniformly.

In addition to the above, as shown in FIG. 5, the cross-sectional area of the merging portion may be increased so as to merging at a position closer to the refrigerant output portion 40B. Since the refrigerant near the refrigerant output section 40B is gasified and has a large volume, the cross-sectional area is increased to smoothly discharge the increased volume refrigerant from the refrigerant output section 40B to the outside of the heat exchange plate 21. be able to.

Further, the refrigerant passage 41 is divided into three regions: a branched refrigerant passage 411, an upstream side in the direction in which the refrigerant flows from the branched refrigerant passage 411, and a downstream side in the direction in which the refrigerant flows from the branched refrigerant passage 411. be able to. That is, the refrigerant passage 41 includes a first region closer to the refrigerant input portion 40A than the inlet of the branched refrigerant passage 411, a second region from the inlet of the branched refrigerant passage 411 to the outlet of the branched refrigerant passage 411, and the branched refrigerant passage 411. It may be provided with a third region closer to the refrigerant output unit 40B than the outlet. At this time, the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage 41 in the first region is 10 mm ² or more and 100 mm ² or less, and the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage 41 in the second region is 0.5 times the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage 41 in the first region. The cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage 41 in the third region may be in the range of 1.5 to 5 times the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage 41 in the first region.

As described above, by configuring the refrigerant passage 41 so that the cross-sectional area increases from the upstream to the downstream of the refrigerant, the refrigerant can flow more uniformly in the refrigerant passage 41, and The refrigerant whose volume has increased due to the progress of gasification can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the heat exchange plate 21.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second modification of the refrigerant passage 41.

A second modification of the refrigerant passage 41 will be described as compared with the first modification of the refrigerant passage 41. In the configuration of the refrigerant passage 41 shown in FIG. 5, the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant passage 41 depending on which of the branched refrigerant passages 411A to 411D (F) the refrigerant passes through. The distance is different. For example, the distance that the refrigerant passing through the branched refrigerant passage 411F flows in the refrigerant passage 41 is larger than the distance that the refrigerant passing through the branched refrigerant passage 411A flows in the refrigerant passage 41. Here, if the distance through which the refrigerant flows is short, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant may not be used up. On the contrary, if the distance through which the refrigerant flows is long, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant may be gasified in the middle, and the cooling capacity may not be exhibited thereafter. Therefore, if the distance through which the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant passage 41 is different, the cooling capacity cannot be efficiently exerted or temperature variation may occur.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the branch start point in the refrigerant passage 41 and the refrigerant output unit 40B are arranged diagonally (opposite side on the diagonal line) in the heat exchange plate 21. By arranging in this way, the distance through which the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant passage 41 becomes the same length regardless of which branch refrigerant passage (any of 411A to 411G) passes through. Therefore, the cooling capacity can be efficiently exhibited by the above-mentioned arrangement. In addition, with the above arrangement, the refrigerant can exhibit a substantially uniform cooling capacity, and temperature variation can be reduced.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first modification of the coolant passage 31.

A first modification of the coolant passage 31 shown in FIG. 7 will be described as compared with the coolant passage 31 shown in FIG. In the coolant passage 31 shown in FIG. 4, it is difficult for the coolant to flow in the vicinity of the corners (Cor1 to Cor4) of the coolant passage 31. Therefore, temperature variation may occur in the vicinity of the corners (Cor1 to Cor4). Therefore, in the first modification shown in FIG. 7, the coolant passage 31 includes a coolant direction adjusting member 312 for flowing the coolant through the corners (Cor1 to Cor4) of the coolant passage 31. .. The direction adjusting member 312 may be ribs 312A to 312C provided in the coolant passage 31. By adjusting the direction in which the coolant flows by using the direction adjusting member 312, the coolant can be sufficiently distributed to the corners Cor1 to Cor4 of the coolant passage 31 and the temperature variation can be reduced.

Next, the reinforcing member arranged in the heat exchange plate 21 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. As described above based on FIG. 5, in the inside of the refrigerant passage 41, the cross-sectional area of the branch portion and the branched refrigerant passage 411 is increased so as to branch at a position farther from the refrigerant input portion 40A. As a result, the refrigerant flows more uniformly, and temperature variation can be reduced. On the other hand, the above configuration newly raises a problem regarding the strength of the heat exchange plate 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery module group 10 is mounted on the heat exchange plate 21. Therefore, the heat exchange plate 21 needs to maintain its strength so as to be able to withstand the weight of the battery module group 10. On the other hand, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coolant layer 30 provided with the coolant passage 31 and the refrigerant layer 40 provided with the refrigerant passage 41 are formed in a thin layer. Therefore, in the coolant passage 31 and the refrigerant passage 41, where the cross-sectional area is large, the strength becomes relatively small, and there is a possibility that the weight of the battery module group 10 cannot be withstood.

Therefore, the strength of the heat exchange plate 21 can be maintained by inserting a reinforcing member into a portion having a large cross-sectional area in the refrigerant passage 41 or the coolant passage 31.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an inner fin INF which is an example of a reinforcing member, (a) a diagram showing a shape example of the inner fin INF, and (b) a cross-sectional view of a heat exchange plate 21 provided with the inner fin INF. ..

As shown in FIG. 8A, the inner fin INF may have a structure in which the plate material is processed by press molding to repeat unevenness in the width direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 8A. .. The inner fin INF may have a structure in which the above-mentioned unevenness is repeated by shifting the unevenness by a predetermined length in the flow direction of the coolant or the refrigerant. However, the structure of the inner fin INF shown in the figure is merely an example, and other structures may be used as long as the above-mentioned strength can be maintained.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the heat exchange plate 21 has a first surface 22, a second surface 23, and a third surface 24 between the first surface 22 and the second surface 23. You may be prepared. At this time, the inner fin INF1 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the third surface 24 and the second surface 23. As a result, the strength of the portion of the refrigerant layer 40 in the heat exchange plate 21 is improved. As shown, the inner fin INF2 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the first surface 22 and the third surface 24. As a result, the strength of the portion of the coolant layer 30 in the heat exchange plate 21 is improved. However, only one of the inner fin INF1 and the inner fin INF2 may be arranged in the heat exchange plate 21.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a dimple DMP which is an example of a reinforcing member, (a) a diagram showing a shape example of the dimple DMP, and (b) a cross-sectional view of a heat exchange plate 21 provided with the dimple DMP.

The dimple DMP may be formed by providing a recess in the plate material. The dent when viewed from a certain surface of the plate material becomes a convex portion when viewed from the opposite surface of the plate material. A plate material having a plurality of the convex portions is shown in FIG. 9 (a). However, the convex portion may be formed by means such as welding a material to be a convex portion on the plate material.

As shown in FIG. 9B, the heat exchange plate 21 has a first surface 22, a second surface 23, and a third surface 24 between the first surface 22 and the second surface 23. You may be prepared. The dimple DMP1 is formed so as to form a convex portion from the third surface 24 to the second surface 23. As a result, the strength of the portion of the refrigerant layer 40 in the heat exchange plate 21 is improved. Further, the dimple DMP2 is formed so as to form a convex portion from the third surface 24 to the first surface 22. As a result, the strength of the portion of the coolant layer 30 in the heat exchange plate 21 is improved. However, only one of the dimple DMP1 and the dimple DMP2 may be provided in the heat exchange plate 21.

Further, ribs may be provided as a reinforcing member between the above-mentioned third surface 24 and the first surface 22, or between the third surface 24 and the second surface 23. The shape of the rib is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a shape such as the ribs 312A to 312C shown in FIG. 7.

Although the inner fin INF, dimples, and ribs have been illustrated above as the reinforcing member, a reinforcing member other than these may be used. The reinforcing member may be arranged over the entire surface of the coolant layer 30 and the refrigerant layer 40. However, on the other hand, there is a possibility that the strength for withstanding the weight of the battery module group 10 may be insufficient at a portion having a large cross-sectional area in the passage through which the refrigerant or the coolant flows. Therefore, the reinforcing members may be centrally arranged at a portion having such a large cross-sectional area. For example, reinforcing members such as inner fins INF, dimples, and ribs are arranged in a portion closer to the refrigerant output portion 40B than the branched refrigerant passage 411 in the refrigerant passage 41, which is a portion through which a refrigerant that has been gasified and has a large volume flows. May be done.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a process of reversing the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 in the opposite direction, showing (a) a flow in a normal direction and (b) a flow in the reverse direction.

See also FIG. The battery module group 10 generates heat when supplying electric power to the electric motor. The battery module group 10 is cooled by the heat exchange plate 21, and in the heat exchange plate 21, the coolant layer 30 is arranged so as to overlap with the refrigerant layer 40. Therefore, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant passage 41 included in the refrigerant layer 40 cools the coolant flowing through the coolant passage 31 included in the coolant layer 30. The cooling liquid cooled by the refrigerant uniformly diffuses the cold air in the cooling liquid layer 30. Therefore, the temperature variation when the heat exchange plate 21 cools the battery module group 10 is reduced.

Here, when FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are compared, the direction in which the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant passage 41 included in the refrigerant layer 40 is the same, while the cooling liquid passage 31 included in the coolant layer 30 is provided. The directions in which the coolant flows are opposite to each other.

The direction in which the coolant flows (normal direction) illustrated in FIG. 10A is effective when the cooling load of the battery module group 10 is small. When the cooling load of the battery module group 10 is small, the speed at which the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant passage 41 becomes relatively slow. Then, the refrigerant entering from the refrigerant input unit 40A passes through the branched refrigerant passage 411A, the branched refrigerant passage 411B, and the like provided on the side closer to the refrigerant input unit 40A. Therefore, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant is concentrated in the vicinity of the refrigerant output portion 40B of the refrigerant passage 41 (the portion of FIG. 10A in which "cold" is written in a circle).

Therefore, when the cooling load of the battery module group 10 is small, heat exchange is performed between the coolant and the refrigerant in the vicinity of the refrigerant output unit 40B, which is a portion where the cooling capacity of the refrigerant is high. Then, the well-cooled coolant carries the cold air along the direction in which the coolant flows. That is, since the cold air is evenly distributed in the coolant passage 31, the battery module group 10 can be efficiently cooled.

On the other hand, the direction in which the coolant flows (reverse direction) illustrated in FIG. 10B is effective when the cooling load of the battery module group 10 is large. When the cooling load of the battery module group 10 is large, the heat exchange plate 21 must cool the battery module group 10 more strongly, so that the speed at which the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant passage 41 becomes relatively high. Then, the refrigerant entering from the refrigerant input unit 40A passes through the branched refrigerant passage 411E, the branched refrigerant passage 411F, and the like provided on the side far from the refrigerant input unit 40A. Therefore, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant is concentrated in the vicinity of the branch portion on the opposite side of the refrigerant passage 41 from the refrigerant output portion 40B (the portion marked “cold” in the circle in FIG. 10 (b)).

If heat is exchanged with the refrigerant on the upstream side of the flow of the coolant as much as possible, the coolant will spread the cold air more evenly. Therefore, the vicinity of the branch portion of the refrigerant passage 41 opposite to the refrigerant output portion 40B (the portion marked "cold" in the circle in FIG. 10B) is on the upstream side in the flow of the coolant. In addition, the direction in which the coolant flows is reversed. That is, it is preferable to flow the coolant in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10 (b).

As described above, it is preferable that the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 can be switched between the normal direction and the reverse direction depending on the situation. The configuration for switching the direction in which the coolant flows will be described later with reference to FIGS. 11 to 16.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration example of the battery temperature control system 1 provided with the heat exchange plate 21. FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram showing that in the battery temperature control system 1 shown in FIG. 11, the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant pipe 62 is reversed. Hereinafter, a configuration example of the battery temperature control system 1 and reversal of the direction in which the coolant flows will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

The battery temperature control system 1 includes a refrigerant circuit 5, a coolant circuit 6, and a processing device 7. The battery temperature control system 1 further includes a heat exchange plate 21, a battery module group 10, and an outside air temperature sensor TEMP.

The refrigerant circuit 5 includes a compressor 51, a condenser 52, and an expansion valve 53, and the refrigerant flows in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing. A heat exchange plate 21 (of which, the refrigerant passage 41) is connected to the downstream of the expansion valve 53, and the battery module group 10 is placed on the heat exchange plate 21. A sensor 12 is attached to the battery module group 10, and the sensor 12 includes, for example, a battery temperature sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, and the like.

The coolant circuit 6 includes a pump P and a flow path switching valve 61. The coolant pipe 62 is connected to the flow path switching valve 61. The coolant pipe 62 is connected to the heat exchange plate 21 (of which, the coolant passage 31). The pump P functions to flow the coolant in the coolant circuit 6, and the coolant flows in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure.

The processing device 7 may be typically an ECU, but a CPU or other information processing device may be used as the processing device 7. The processing device 7 acquires information from the sensor 12 attached to the battery module group 10. The processing device 7 acquires outside air temperature data from the outside air temperature sensor TEMP. Then, the processing device 7 controls the compressor 51, the pump P, and the flow path switching valve 61. The processing device 7 transmits a control signal to the compressor 51. Due to this control signal, the output of the compressor 51 fluctuates, and the speed of the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit 5 changes.

The processing device 7 transmits a control signal to the flow path switching valve 61. By this control signal, the state of the flow path switching valve 61 is switched between the first state V1 and the second state V2. By switching the state of the flow path switching valve 61, the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 of the heat exchange plate 21 is switched. The first state V1 corresponds to the state of the flow path switching valve 61 shown in FIG. 11 and corresponds to the normal direction of the coolant shown in FIG. 10A. The second state V2 corresponds to the state of the flow path switching valve 61 shown in FIG. 12 described later, and also corresponds to the reversing direction shown in FIG. 10 (b).

The processing device 7 transmits a control signal to the pump P. The output of the pump P fluctuates due to this control signal. When the pump P itself has a direction switching function, the direction itself for sending out the coolant may be switched by this control signal. In this case, the flow path switching valve 61 becomes unnecessary, and the pump P itself switches the direction in which the coolant is sent out, so that the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 is switched between the normal direction and the reverse direction.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment in a process of switching the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 (flow path changing process).

In the first embodiment of the flow path changing process, the flow path of the coolant is changed based on the rotation speed of the compressor 51 arranged on the refrigerant circuit 5 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. When the rotation speed of the compressor 51 is high, the speed of the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit 5 becomes high, so that the speed of the refrigerant flowing in the coolant passage 31 also becomes high. Therefore, the flow path of the coolant can be changed based on the rotation speed of the compressor 51.

In step St1-1, the processing device 7 acquires the rotation speed Rc of the compressor 51 (see the circuit diagram of FIGS. 11 and 12). In step St1-2, the processing device 7 compares the rotation speed Rc with a predetermined threshold value Rc1. When Rc <Rc1 (step St1-2: Yes), the process transitions to step St1-3. When Rc ≧ Rc1 (step St1-2: No), the process transitions to step St1-4. In step St1-3, the processing device 7 sets the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the first state V1. In step St1-4, the processing device 7 changes the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the second state V2.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment in the switching process (flow path changing process) of the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31.

In the second embodiment of the flow path change process, the flow path of the coolant is changed based on the temperature of the batteries included in the battery module group 10 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. This is because the higher the battery temperature, the higher the cooling load. The battery module group 10 has a plurality of battery modules 11 and is arranged along the first surface 22 of the heat exchange plate 21 (see FIG. 1 and the like).

There are various methods for measuring the temperature of the battery, but as an example, a flowchart for measuring the average temperature of the batteries included in the battery module group 10 is shown below. However, other methods of measuring the temperature of the battery may be adopted.

In step St2-1, the processing device 7 has the battery temperatures Tb1, Tb2, ... Tbn of the battery modules 11 from the battery temperature sensors (sensors 12) attached to the battery modules 11 included in the battery module group 10. (See the circuit diagram of FIGS. 11 and 12). n means the number of battery modules 11 to be measured. In step St2-2, the processing device 7 calculates the average battery temperature Tbav = (Tb1 + Tb2 + ... Tbn) / n, which is the average value of the battery temperatures of the battery modules 11. In step St2-3, the processing apparatus 7 compares the average battery temperature Tbav with a predetermined threshold Tbc. When Tbav <Tbc (step St2-3: Yes), the process transitions to step St2-4. When Tbav ≧ Tbc (step St2-3: No), the process transitions to step St2-5. In step St2-4, the processing device 7 sets the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the first state V1. In step St2-5, the processing device 7 changes the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the second state V2.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a third embodiment in a process of switching the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 (flow path changing process), and (a) a flowchart showing the third embodiment, (a). b) It is a figure which illustrates the predetermined position which measures the battery temperature.

Here, in the above-mentioned second embodiment, a battery temperature sensor (sensor 12) is attached to each of the battery modules 11 included in the battery module group 10, and the average of the values measured by the battery temperature sensor is used. The average battery temperature Tbav was used as a reference for changing the flow path. On the other hand, in the third embodiment described below, the flow path of the coolant is based on the battery temperature of the battery module 11 placed in the vicinity of the predetermined position (above the predetermined position, etc.) in the coolant passage 31. Make changes.

In this example, the predetermined position in the coolant passage 31 may be a position as shown in FIG. 15 (b). That is, the predetermined position in the coolant passage 31 is the coolant output portion 30B side (corresponding to the battery temperature Tb1) in the second portion 31B of the coolant passage 31, and the coolant output portion 30B in the second portion 31B of the coolant passage 31. (Corresponding to the battery temperature Tb2), the opposite side of the coolant input portion 30A in the first portion 31A of the coolant passage 31 (corresponding to the battery temperature Tb3), and the coolant in the first portion 31A of the coolant passage 31. It may be at four positions on the input unit 30A side (corresponding to the battery temperature Tb4).

In step St3-1, the processing device 7 has the battery temperatures Tb1, Tb2, Tb3 and Tb4 of the battery modules 11 arranged so as to overlap with the above-mentioned four predetermined positions among the battery modules 11 included in the battery module group 10. Get the value. In step St3-2, the processing device 7 combines the sum of the battery temperatures at the two predetermined positions on the second portion 31B side (Tb1 + Tb2) and the sum of the battery temperatures at the two predetermined positions on the first portion 31A side (Tb3 + Tb4). To compare. When (Tb1 + Tb2) <(Tb3 + Tb4) (step St3-2: Yes), the process transitions to step St3-3. When (Tb1 + Tb2) ≧ (Tb3 + Tb4) (step St3-2: No), the process transitions to step St3-4. In step St3-3, the processing device 7 sets the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the first state V1. In step St3-4, the processing device 7 changes the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the second state V2.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a fourth embodiment in a process of switching the direction in which the coolant flows in the coolant passage 31 (flow path changing process).

In the fourth embodiment of the flow path change process, the flow path of the coolant is changed based on the value of the battery output current of the battery included in the battery module group 10 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The electric power stored in the battery module group 10 is supplied to an electric motor or the like that drives the first wheel 101a (see FIG. 4) of the vehicle 100. When this power supply is large, the amount of heat generated in the battery module group 10 increases, and the cooling load increases. Therefore, the flow path of the coolant can be changed based on the above-mentioned current value.

In step St4-1, the processing device 7 acquires the value (current value) A1 of the current flowing through the battery included in the battery module group 10 from the current sensor (sensor 12) attached to the battery module group 10. In step St4-2, the processing apparatus 7 compares the current value A1 with a predetermined threshold value Ax. When A1 <Ax (step St4-2: Yes), the process transitions to step St4-3. When A1 ≧ Ax (step St4-2: No), the process transitions to step St4-4. In step St4-3, the processing device 7 sets the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the first state V1. In step St4-4, the processing device 7 changes the state V of the flow path switching valve 61 to the second state V2.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing the battery pack α installed in the vehicle 100.

A battery pack α is installed at the bottom of the vehicle body 102 of the vehicle 100. The battery pack α includes a housing α1, and the housing α1 houses the battery temperature control system 1. In the illustrated example, the battery temperature control system 1 includes three battery module groups 10 and three heat exchange plates 21. However, a plurality of battery module groups 10 may be mounted on one heat exchange plate 21. The number of the heat exchange plate 21 and the battery module group 10 included in the battery temperature control system 1 is not particularly limited.

The housing α1 includes a first housing surface α11 arranged along the first surface 22 of the heat exchange plate 21 and a second housing surface α12 arranged along the second surface 23 of the heat exchange plate 21. The battery module group 10 and the heat exchange plate 21 are arranged between the first housing surface α11 and the second housing surface α12.

The housing α1 includes a housing end surface α13 connecting the first housing surface α11 and the second housing surface α12, and the housing end surface α13 is a refrigerant input unit α51 (to the refrigerant input unit 40A) into which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer 40. (Corresponding) and a refrigerant output unit α52 (corresponding to the refrigerant output unit 40B) from which the refrigerant is discharged from the refrigerant layer 40 are provided. The refrigerant input unit α51 and the refrigerant output unit α52 may be composed of a pipe and are connected to the refrigerant circuit 5 shown in FIG. The refrigerant circuit 5 may be for vehicle interior air conditioning, and may not only circulate the refrigerant to the heat exchange plate 21 but also circulate the refrigerant to the vehicle interior air conditioner (car air conditioner).

Further, the housing end face α13 includes a coolant input unit α31a (corresponding to the coolant input unit 30A) in which the coolant enters toward the coolant layer 30, and a coolant output unit α31b (corresponding to the coolant input unit 30A) in which the coolant is discharged from the coolant layer 30. (Corresponding to the coolant output unit 30B) may be further provided. The coolant input unit α31a and the coolant output unit α31b may be composed of pipes, each of which is connected to the coolant circuit 6 shown in FIG.

Here, as shown in the figure, there may be a plurality of housing end faces α13. The housing end face α13 includes at least a first housing end face α131 and a second housing end face α132. The first housing end face α131 is arranged so as to face the second housing end face α132. The coolant input unit α31a, the coolant output unit α31b, the refrigerant input unit α51, and the refrigerant output unit α52 are arranged on the first housing end face α131. By arranging these pipes in a concentrated manner on the end surface α131 of the first housing, the pipes extending to the outside of the battery pack α can be compactly organized and the length of the pipes can be shortened. However, the coolant input unit α31a, the coolant output unit α31b, the refrigerant input unit α51, and the refrigerant output unit α52 may be arranged on different housing end faces (α131, α132, etc.). Which end face of the plurality of housing end faces the pipe is extended to is appropriately determined according to the shape of the bottom surface 103 of the vehicle body 102 and the shape of the empty space.

As described above, in the portion where the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer overlap, the coolant layer is arranged between the refrigerant layer and the battery module group. Alternatively, in the portion where the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer overlap, the refrigerant layer is arranged between the coolant layer and the battery module group. Thereby, the temperature of the battery module group can be adjusted after heat exchange is performed between the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer at the portion where the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer overlap.

The heat exchange plate has a first width in the first direction, a second width in the second direction, and the first width is longer than the second width. Thereby, the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange plate can be arranged along the traveling direction of the vehicle.

The second direction may be the horizontal direction of the vehicle. As a result, the heat exchange plate can be arranged along the horizontal direction of the vehicle while being along the traveling direction of the vehicle.

The refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit may be arranged at one end in the heat exchange plate in the first direction. As a result, the piping through which the refrigerant flows can be integrated in one place (one end), so that the piping on the outside of the heat exchange plate housed in the vehicle body can be further saved in space. In addition, the layout of piping can be facilitated in the limited space inside the vehicle.

The heat exchange plate further includes a coolant input section in which the coolant enters toward the coolant layer and a coolant output section in which the coolant exits from the coolant layer, and the coolant input and the cooling. The liquid output unit is arranged at one end of the heat exchange plate in the first direction. As a result, by arranging the coolant input unit and the coolant output unit at one end, the piping through which the coolant flows can be integrated in one place (one end), so that the heat exchange housed in the vehicle body can be exchanged. The piping on the outside of the plate can be further saved in space. In addition, the layout of piping can be facilitated in the limited space inside the vehicle.

The heat exchange plate has an other end portion opposite to the one end portion in the first direction, and the one end portion is closer to the front portion of the vehicle than the other end portion. As a result, the refrigerant input unit, the refrigerant output unit, the coolant input unit, and the coolant output unit can be integrated in the front portion of the vehicle.

The at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is arranged closer to the one end portion in the first direction than the at least part of the second refrigerant passage, and the first break of the first refrigerant passage in the branch portion. The area is smaller than the second cross-sectional area of the second refrigerant passage at the branch. As a result, the farther the branch is from the refrigerant input portion, the larger the cross-sectional area and the lower the resistance to the refrigerant. As a result, the temperature variation can be reduced by allowing the refrigerant to flow more uniformly.

The third cross-sectional area of at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is smaller than the fourth cross-sectional area of at least a part of the second refrigerant passage. As a result, the farther the branch is from the refrigerant input portion, the larger the cross-sectional area and the lower the resistance to the refrigerant. As a result, the temperature variation can be reduced by allowing the refrigerant to flow more uniformly.

The present disclosure also has the following features.
(Feature 1)
A heat exchange plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface.
A coolant layer for circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface and a refrigerant layer for circulating a refrigerant between the first surface and the second surface are provided.
A refrigerant input unit into which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer are provided.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant flows from the refrigerant input unit to the refrigerant output unit.
The refrigerant passage includes a branched refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant branches along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange plate.
The coolant layer comprises a coolant passage through which the coolant flows along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange plate.
Heat exchange plate.
(Feature 2)
The branched refrigerant passage is configured such that the farther the branch is from the refrigerant input portion, the lower the resistance to the refrigerant.
The heat exchange plate according to feature 1.
(Feature 3)
The heat exchange plate according to feature 2, wherein the branched refrigerant passage has a larger cross-sectional area as the branched refrigerant passage is branched at a position farther from the refrigerant input portion.
(Feature 4)
The heat exchange plate according to any one of features 1 to 3, wherein the coolant passage includes a cooling liquid direction adjusting member for flowing the cooling liquid at a corner of the cooling liquid passage.
(Feature 5)
The heat exchange plate according to any one of features 1 to 4, further comprising a flow path switching mechanism for reversing the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage.
(Feature 6)
The heat exchange plate according to feature 5, wherein the flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the number of revolutions of the compressor connected to the refrigerant passage.
(Feature 7)
The flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the temperature of the batteries included in the battery module group having the plurality of battery modules arranged along the first surface. , The heat exchange plate according to feature 5.
(Feature 8)
The flow of the coolant in the coolant passage is based on the value of the current flowing through the battery included in the battery module group having a plurality of battery modules in which the flow path switching mechanism is arranged along the first surface. The heat exchange plate according to feature 5, which inverts.
(Feature 9)
The heat exchange plate according to any one of features 1 to 8, wherein the branch start point in the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output unit are arranged diagonally in the heat exchange plate.
(Feature 10)
The first region in which the refrigerant passage is closer to the refrigerant input portion than the inlet of the branched refrigerant passage, the second region from the inlet of the branched refrigerant passage to the outlet of the branched refrigerant passage, and the outlet of the branched refrigerant passage. With a third region closer to the refrigerant output section than
The cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the first region is 10 mm ² or more and 100 mm ² or less.
The cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the second region is within a range of 0.5 to 3 times the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the first region.
The cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the third region is within the range of 1.5 to 5 times the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the first region.
The heat exchange plate according to any one of features 1 to 9.
(Feature 11)
The heat exchange plate according to any one of features 1 to 10, wherein a reinforcing member is arranged in a portion of the refrigerant passage closer to the refrigerant output portion than the branched refrigerant passage.
(Feature 12)
The heat exchange plate according to any one of features 1 to 11, wherein the volume of the refrigerant passage is smaller than the volume of the coolant passage.
(Feature 13)
The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein the average value of the heights of the refrigerant passages is smaller than the average value of the heights of the coolant passages.
(Feature 14)
It has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface,
A heat exchange plate having a coolant layer for circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and a refrigerant layer for circulating a refrigerant between the first surface and the second surface.
A battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules and a group of battery modules arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate.
The heat exchange plate includes a refrigerant input unit in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer, and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant flows from the refrigerant input unit to the refrigerant output unit.
The refrigerant passage includes a branched refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant branches along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange plate.
The coolant layer comprises a coolant passage through which the coolant flows along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange plate.
Battery pack.
(Feature 15)
The battery pack according to feature 14, wherein the branched refrigerant passage is configured such that the farther the branch is from the refrigerant input portion, the lower the resistance to the refrigerant.
(Feature 16)
The battery pack according to feature 15, wherein the branched refrigerant passage has a larger cross-sectional area as the branched refrigerant passage branches at a position farther from the refrigerant input portion.
(Feature 17)
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 16, wherein the coolant passage includes a cooling liquid direction adjusting member for flowing the cooling liquid at a corner of the cooling liquid passage.
(Feature 18)
A flow path switching mechanism for reversing the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage is provided.
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 17.
(Feature 19)
The flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the number of revolutions of the compressor connected to the refrigerant passage.
The battery pack according to feature 18.
(Feature 20)
The battery pack according to feature 18, wherein the flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the temperature of the battery included in the battery module group.
(Feature 21)
The battery pack according to feature 18, wherein the flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the value of the current flowing through the battery included in the battery module group.
(Feature 22)
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 21, wherein the branch start point in the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output unit are arranged diagonally in the heat exchange plate.
(Feature 23)
The first region in which the refrigerant passage is closer to the refrigerant input portion than the inlet of the branched refrigerant passage, the second region from the inlet of the branched refrigerant passage to the outlet of the branched refrigerant passage, and the outlet of the branched refrigerant passage. With a third region closer to the refrigerant output section than
The cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the first region is 10 mm ² or more and 100 mm ² or less.
The cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the second region is within a range of 0.5 to 3 times the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the first region.
The cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the third region is within the range of 1.5 to 5 times the cross-sectional area of the refrigerant passage in the first region.
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 22.
(Feature 24)
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 23, wherein a reinforcing member is arranged in a portion of the refrigerant passage closer to the refrigerant output portion than the branched refrigerant passage.
(Feature 25)
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 24, wherein the volume of the refrigerant passage is smaller than the volume of the coolant passage.
(Feature 26)
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 25, wherein the average height of the refrigerant passages is smaller than the average height of the coolant passages.
(Feature 27)
A housing for accommodating the battery module group and the heat exchange plate is provided.
The housing comprises at least a first housing end face and a second housing end face.
The first housing end face is arranged so as to face the second housing end face.
The refrigerant input unit, the refrigerant output unit, the coolant input unit in which the coolant enters toward the coolant layer, and the coolant output unit in which the coolant is discharged from the coolant layer are the first. Placed on the end face of the housing,
The battery pack according to any one of features 14 to 26.

Although the vehicle, heat exchange plate, and battery pack embodiment according to the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and even examples within the scope of the claims. It is naturally understood that it belongs to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

The vehicles, heat exchange plates, and battery packs of the present disclosure are useful in fields where it is desired to reduce temperature variations in temperature control of in-vehicle batteries.

1 Battery temperature control system 5 Refrigerant circuit 6 Refrigerant circuit 7 Processing device 10 Battery module group 11 Battery module 12 Sensor 21 Heat exchange plate 30 Coolant layer 30A Coolant input section 30B Coolant output section 31 Coolant passage 31A First part 31B Second part 40 Refrigerant layer 40A Refrigerant input part 40B Refrigerant output part 41 Refrigerant passage 51 Compressor 52 Condenser 53 Expansion valve 61 Flow path switching valve (flow path switching mechanism)
62 Cooling liquid pipe 100 Vehicle 101 Wheel 102 Body 103 Bottom surface 312 Direction adjustment member 312A to 312C Rib 411 Branch refrigerant passage DMP Dimple INF Inner fin P Pump α Battery pack α1 Housing α11 First housing surface α12 Second housing surface α13 Housing End face α131 First housing end face α132 Second housing end face α31a Coolant input unit α31b Coolant output unit α51 Refrigerant input unit α52 Refrigerant output unit

Claims (28)

A coolant layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface and the second surface. A heat exchange plate with a refrigerant layer that circulates the refrigerant between them,
A group of battery modules having a plurality of battery modules and arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate,
A vehicle body accommodating the heat exchange plate and the battery module group,
The first wheel and the second wheel, which are coupled to the vehicle body and arranged along the first direction,
An electric motor for driving the first wheel using the electric power supplied from the battery module group is provided.
A vehicle capable of traveling in the first direction using the first wheel and the second wheel.
At least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer.
At least a part of the heat exchange plate is arranged so as to overlap the midline between the first wheel and the second wheel.
The coolant layer is arranged along the first direction.
The refrigerant layer is arranged along the first direction.
The coolant layer comprises a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, a first portion of the coolant passage is arranged along the first direction, and a second portion of the coolant passage is in the first direction. Arranged along the heat exchange plate, the heat exchange plate includes a refrigerant input unit in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer, and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage that connects the refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit and allows the refrigerant to flow.
The refrigerant passage has at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage.
The refrigerant passage further includes a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a coupling portion that combines the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage.
At least a portion of the first refrigerant passage is arranged along a second direction that intersects the first direction.
At least a part of the second refrigerant passage is arranged along the second direction.
At least a part of the first portion of the coolant passage is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage, and at least a part of the second portion of the coolant passage. Is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage.
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is the same, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. The first state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion in the first direction is the same,
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is opposite, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. It has at least a second state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion is opposite to that of the first direction.
The coolant passage includes a coolant direction adjusting member for flowing the coolant through the corners of the coolant passage.
vehicle. A coolant layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface and the second surface. A heat exchange plate with a refrigerant layer that circulates the refrigerant between them,
A group of battery modules having a plurality of battery modules and arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate,
A vehicle body accommodating the heat exchange plate and the battery module group,
The first wheel and the second wheel, which are coupled to the vehicle body and arranged along the first direction,
An electric motor for driving the first wheel using the electric power supplied from the battery module group is provided.
A vehicle capable of traveling in the first direction using the first wheel and the second wheel.
At least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer.
At least a part of the heat exchange plate is arranged so as to overlap the midline between the first wheel and the second wheel.
The coolant layer is arranged along the first direction.
The refrigerant layer is arranged along the first direction.
The coolant layer comprises a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, a first portion of the coolant passage is arranged along the first direction, and a second portion of the coolant passage is in the first direction. Arranged along the heat exchange plate, the heat exchange plate includes a refrigerant input unit in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer, and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage that connects the refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit and allows the refrigerant to flow.
The refrigerant passage has at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage.
The refrigerant passage further includes a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a coupling portion that combines the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage.
At least a portion of the first refrigerant passage is arranged along a second direction that intersects the first direction.
At least a part of the second refrigerant passage is arranged along the second direction.
At least a part of the first portion of the coolant passage is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage, and at least a part of the second portion of the coolant passage. Is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage.
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is the same, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. The first state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion in the first direction is the same,
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is opposite, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. It has at least a second state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion is opposite to that of the first direction.
Further provided with a flow path switching mechanism for reversing the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage.
The flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the number of revolutions of the compressor connected to the refrigerant passage.
vehicle. A coolant layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface and the second surface. A heat exchange plate with a refrigerant layer that circulates the refrigerant between them,
A group of battery modules having a plurality of battery modules and arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate,
A vehicle body accommodating the heat exchange plate and the battery module group,
The first wheel and the second wheel, which are coupled to the vehicle body and arranged along the first direction,
An electric motor for driving the first wheel using the electric power supplied from the battery module group is provided.
A vehicle capable of traveling in the first direction using the first wheel and the second wheel.
At least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer.
At least a part of the heat exchange plate is arranged so as to overlap the midline between the first wheel and the second wheel.
The coolant layer is arranged along the first direction.
The refrigerant layer is arranged along the first direction.
The coolant layer comprises a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, a first portion of the coolant passage is arranged along the first direction, and a second portion of the coolant passage is in the first direction. Arranged along the heat exchange plate, the heat exchange plate includes a refrigerant input unit in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer, and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage that connects the refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit and allows the refrigerant to flow.
The refrigerant passage has at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage.
The refrigerant passage further includes a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a coupling portion that combines the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage.
At least a portion of the first refrigerant passage is arranged along a second direction that intersects the first direction.
At least a part of the second refrigerant passage is arranged along the second direction.
At least a part of the first portion of the coolant passage is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage, and at least a part of the second portion of the coolant passage. Is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage.
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is the same, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. The first state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion in the first direction is the same,
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is opposite, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. It has at least a second state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion is opposite to that of the first direction.
Further provided with a flow path switching mechanism for reversing the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage.
The flow of the coolant in the coolant passage is based on the value of the current flowing through the battery included in the battery module group having a plurality of battery modules in which the flow path switching mechanism is arranged along the first surface. Invert,
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .
In the portion where the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer overlap, the coolant layer is arranged between the refrigerant layer and the battery module group.
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .
In the portion where the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer overlap, the refrigerant layer is arranged between the coolant layer and the battery module group.
vehicle. The vehicle according to claim 2 or claim 3 .
The flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the temperature of the batteries included in the battery module group having the plurality of battery modules arranged along the first surface. ,
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .
The branch start point in the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output unit are arranged diagonally in the heat exchange plate.
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7 .
The heat exchange plate has a first width in the first direction and a second width in the second direction.
The first width is longer than the second width.
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8 .
The second direction is the horizontal direction of the vehicle.
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9 .
The refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit are arranged at one end in the heat exchange plate in the first direction.
vehicle. The vehicle according to claim 10 .
The heat exchange plate further includes a coolant input section in which the coolant enters toward the coolant layer, and a coolant output section in which the coolant exits from the coolant layer.
The coolant input unit and the coolant output unit are arranged at one end of the heat exchange plate in the first direction.
vehicle. The vehicle according to claim 10 or 11 .
The heat exchange plate has the other end opposite to the one end in the first direction.
The one end is closer to the front of the vehicle than the other end.
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 10 to 12 .
The at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is arranged closer to the one end portion in the first direction than the at least part of the second refrigerant passage.
The first cross-sectional area of the first refrigerant passage in the branch portion is smaller than the second cross-sectional area of the second refrigerant passage in the branch portion.
vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 10 to 13 .
The third cross-sectional area of at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is smaller than the fourth cross-sectional area of at least a part of the second refrigerant passage.
vehicle. A coolant layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface and the second surface. A heat exchange plate provided with a refrigerant layer that circulates the refrigerant between them.
It can be accommodated in a vehicle body having a plurality of battery modules and having a group of battery modules arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate.
The vehicle body includes an electric motor that connects the first wheel and the second wheel arranged along the first direction and drives the first wheel by using the electric power supplied from the battery module group. A vehicle capable of traveling in the first direction can be configured by using the first wheel and the second wheel.
At least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer.
At least a part of the heat exchange plate can be arranged so as to overlap the midline between the first wheel and the second wheel.
The coolant layer can be arranged along the first direction.
The refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction, and the refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction.
The coolant layer includes a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, a first portion of the coolant passage can be arranged along the first direction, and a second portion of the coolant passage is the first portion. Can be placed along the direction,
The heat exchange plate includes a refrigerant input unit in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer, and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage that connects the refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit and allows the refrigerant to flow.
The refrigerant passage has at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage.
The refrigerant passage further includes a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a coupling portion that combines the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage.
At least a part of the first refrigerant passage can be arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction.
At least a part of the second refrigerant passage can be arranged along the second direction.
At least a part of the first portion of the coolant passage is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage, and at least a part of the second portion of the coolant passage. Is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage.
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is the same, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. The first state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion in the first direction is the same,
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is opposite, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. It is set to have at least a second state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion is opposite to that of the first direction .
The coolant passage includes a coolant direction adjusting member for flowing the coolant through the corners of the coolant passage.
Heat exchange plate. A coolant layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface and the second surface. A heat exchange plate provided with a refrigerant layer that circulates the refrigerant between them.
It can be accommodated in a vehicle body having a plurality of battery modules and having a group of battery modules arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate.
The vehicle body includes an electric motor that connects the first wheel and the second wheel arranged along the first direction and drives the first wheel by using the electric power supplied from the battery module group. A vehicle capable of traveling in the first direction can be configured by using the first wheel and the second wheel.
At least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer.
At least a part of the heat exchange plate can be arranged so as to overlap the midline between the first wheel and the second wheel.
The coolant layer can be arranged along the first direction.
The refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction, and the refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction.
The coolant layer includes a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, a first portion of the coolant passage can be arranged along the first direction, and a second portion of the coolant passage is the first portion. Can be placed along the direction,
The heat exchange plate includes a refrigerant input unit in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer, and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage that connects the refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit and allows the refrigerant to flow.
The refrigerant passage has at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage.
The refrigerant passage further includes a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a coupling portion that combines the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage.
At least a part of the first refrigerant passage can be arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction.
At least a part of the second refrigerant passage can be arranged along the second direction.
At least a part of the first portion of the coolant passage is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage, and at least a part of the second portion of the coolant passage. Is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage.
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is the same, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. The first state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion in the first direction is the same,
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is opposite, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. It is set to have at least a second state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion is opposite to that of the first direction.
A flow path switching mechanism for reversing the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage is provided.
The flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the number of revolutions of the compressor connected to the refrigerant passage.
Heat exchange plate. A coolant layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and circulating a coolant between the first surface and the second surface, and the first surface and the second surface. A heat exchange plate provided with a refrigerant layer that circulates the refrigerant between them.
It can be accommodated in a vehicle body having a plurality of battery modules and having a group of battery modules arranged along the first surface of the heat exchange plate.
The vehicle body includes an electric motor that connects the first wheel and the second wheel arranged along the first direction and drives the first wheel by using the electric power supplied from the battery module group. A vehicle capable of traveling in the first direction can be configured by using the first wheel and the second wheel.
At least a part of the coolant layer is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerant layer.
At least a part of the heat exchange plate can be arranged so as to overlap the midline between the first wheel and the second wheel.
The coolant layer can be arranged along the first direction.
The refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction, and the refrigerant layer can be arranged along the first direction.
The coolant layer includes a coolant passage through which the coolant flows, a first portion of the coolant passage can be arranged along the first direction, and a second portion of the coolant passage is the first portion. Can be placed along the direction,
The heat exchange plate includes a refrigerant input unit in which the refrigerant enters toward the refrigerant layer, and a refrigerant output unit in which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer.
The refrigerant layer includes a refrigerant passage that connects the refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit and allows the refrigerant to flow.
The refrigerant passage has at least a first refrigerant passage and a second refrigerant passage.
The refrigerant passage further includes a branch portion that branches into the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a coupling portion that combines the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage.
At least a part of the first refrigerant passage can be arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction.
At least a part of the second refrigerant passage can be arranged along the second direction.
At least a part of the first portion of the coolant passage is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage, and at least a part of the second portion of the coolant passage. Is arranged so as to overlap the portion between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage.
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is the same, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. The first state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion in the first direction is the same,
The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing into the first portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the refrigerant passage in the first direction, and the refrigerant. The direction of the flow of the refrigerant flowing in the portion between the refrigerant input portion and the branch portion of the passage in the first direction is opposite, and between the coupling portion and the refrigerant output portion of the refrigerant passage. The direction of the flow of the coolant flowing through the second portion of the coolant passage arranged so as to overlap the portion in the first direction, and the direction between the coupling portion of the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output portion. It is set to have at least a second state, in which the direction of flow of the refrigerant flowing through the portion is opposite to that of the first direction.
A flow path switching mechanism for reversing the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage is provided.
The flow of the coolant in the coolant passage is based on the value of the current flowing through the battery included in the battery module group having a plurality of battery modules in which the flow path switching mechanism is arranged along the first surface. Invert,
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 15 to 17 .
In the portion where the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer overlap, the coolant layer can be arranged between the refrigerant layer and the battery module group.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 15 to 17 .
In the portion where the coolant layer and the refrigerant layer overlap, the refrigerant layer can be arranged between the coolant layer and the battery module group.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to claim 16 or 17 .
The flow path switching mechanism reverses the flow of the coolant in the coolant passage based on the temperature of the batteries included in the battery module group having the plurality of battery modules arranged along the first surface. ,
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 15 to 20 .
The branch start point in the refrigerant passage and the refrigerant output unit are arranged diagonally in the heat exchange plate.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 15 to 21 .
The heat exchange plate has a first width in the first direction and a second width in the second direction.
The first width can be longer than the second width.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 15 to 22 .
The second direction can be the horizontal direction of the vehicle body.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 15 to 23 .
The refrigerant input unit and the refrigerant output unit can be arranged at one end of the heat exchange plate in the first direction.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to claim 24 .
Further, a coolant input unit for entering the coolant toward the coolant layer and a coolant output unit for exiting the coolant from the coolant layer are further provided.
The coolant input unit and the coolant output unit can be arranged at one end portion in the first direction.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to claim 24 or 25 .
It has the other end opposite to the one end in the first direction.
The one end can be arranged closer to the front of the vehicle than the other end.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 24 to 26 .
The at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is arranged closer to the one end portion in the first direction than the at least part of the second refrigerant passage.
The first cross-sectional area of the first refrigerant passage in the branch portion is smaller than the second cross-sectional area of the second refrigerant passage in the branch portion.
Heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate according to any one of claims 24 to 27 .
The third cross-sectional area of at least a part of the first refrigerant passage is smaller than the fourth cross-sectional area of at least a part of the second refrigerant passage.
Heat exchange plate.

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