JP7209220B2 - Cooling device and enclosure - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cooling device that cools battery modules and a housing that accommodates the cooling device.

Patent Document 1 describes a battery temperature control system that reduces heat energy loss and maintains efficiency during temperature control without problems of deterioration of electrical insulation or corrosion, and problems with temperature change and temperature distribution. In order to provide, the battery temperature control system includes a compressor, a pump that flows a temperature control fluid that is a temperature control fluid that cools the battery, an outside air heat exchanger that radiates the heat of the temperature control fluid to the outside, Refrigerant heat exchange part where the refrigerant from the compressor flows, temperature regulated fluid heat exchange part where the temperature regulated fluid flows, inter-cell refrigerant temperature regulated part for temperature regulation by the battery refrigerant, and temperature regulated fluid refrigerant a temperature control portion between the temperature control fluid and the refrigerant for temperature control, wherein the temperature control portion between the battery coolant exists between the battery and the heat exchange portion for the refrigerant; It is described that it exists between the exchanging part and the heat exchanging part for the temperature control fluid.

Patent Document 2 discloses a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet for inflow and discharge of a liquid refrigerant, a plurality of refrigerant pipes communicating with the refrigerant inlet or the refrigerant outlet, and two or more refrigerant pipes communicating with each other. one or more pipe connecting members that connect between them and change or divide the flow of liquid refrigerant between the connected refrigerant pipes, and a hollow type that communicates with at least one of the refrigerant pipes A cooling system and a battery pack including the same are described, which include a plurality of cooling plates each including a flow channel, on one side of which a battery module is mounted, and in which a liquid coolant circulates through the hollow flow channel.

JP 2014-229480 A Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-533167

By the way, cooling devices for cooling battery modules used in vehicles and the like are required to be space-saving and low-cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device that is space-saving and cost-saving.

A cooling device for cooling one or more battery modules is arranged close to the battery modules, a first cooling medium flow path through which a first cooling medium flows, and a cooling device arranged far from the battery modules, and a second cooling medium. and a second cooling medium flow path through which the second cooling medium flow is capable of taking heat from the battery module due to latent heat change in the second cooling medium flow path. A plurality of second cooling medium flow paths are provided for the medium flow path, and gaps are provided between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths. With this configuration, when the cooling device is fixed to a predetermined housing or the like, the unevenness of the housing or the like can be absorbed by the gaps provided between the second cooling medium flow paths, and space can be saved. Also, the second cooling medium can be used locally, and the cost can be reduced.

Further, a cooling device for cooling one or more battery modules is arranged on the side closer to the battery modules, a first cooling medium flow path through which a first cooling medium flows, and a cooling device arranged on the side farther from the battery modules, and a second cooling medium flow path. a second cooling medium flow path through which a cooling medium flows; in the second cooling medium flow path, the second cooling medium can take heat from the battery module due to latent heat change; A plurality of second cooling medium flow paths are provided for one cooling medium flow path, and the first cooling medium flow path includes a wall portion that defines a flow direction of the first cooling medium, and further comprising a second coolant passageway extending between at least two of the two coolant passageways, said second coolant passageway being provided within said wall of said first coolant passageway. . With the above configuration, the second cooling medium transfer passage bypasses the plurality of second cooling medium flow passages, eliminating the need for mutual communication using piping or the like outside the cooling device, thereby saving space and reducing costs. can be

A space-saving and low-cost cooling device can be obtained.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the housing α arranged in the vehicle 100; 1A and 1B are conceptual diagrams showing a cooling device 1 using two types of cooling media, in which FIG. The figure which shows the state accommodated in (alpha). 1 shows a cooling device 1 of the present disclosure; FIG. FIG. 2 is a top view showing the internal structure of the first cooling medium flow path 11; FIG. 2 is a top view of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C; 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a cooling device 1, (a) a diagram showing a state in which a first cooling medium flow path 11 and a second cooling medium flow path 12 are coupled, (b) a first cooling medium and a second cooling medium; A diagram showing the direction of flow of the FIG. 4 is a diagram showing fixing locations of the cooling device 1 ; FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining variations of the positional relationship between the second cooling medium flow path and the battery module; FIG. 2 is a second diagram for explaining variations of the positional relationship between the second cooling medium flow path 12 and the battery module 20; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an arrangement example of a second cooling medium flow path 12 for increasing the strength of the cooling device 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modification of the first cooling medium flow path 11; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cooling device 5 formed by connecting a plurality of cooling plates; The figure which shows the cooling device 1a of this indication. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which three second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C are communicated in series using a second cooling medium crossover flow path P; FIG. 15 is a diagram showing directions of flow of a first cooling medium and a second cooling medium in the configuration shown in FIG. 14; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which three second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C are connected in parallel using a second cooling medium crossover flow path P; FIG. 17 is a diagram showing directions of flow of a first cooling medium and a second cooling medium in the configuration shown in FIG. 16;

Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for a thorough understanding of the present disclosure by those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a housing α arranged in a vehicle 100. FIG. In order to facilitate understanding, an orthogonal coordinate system consisting of x-axis, y-axis and z-axis is defined as shown in FIG. The z-axis is perpendicular to the x-axis and the y-axis and extends in the height direction of the housing α and the vehicle 100 . Also, the positive direction of each axis is defined in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and the negative direction is defined in the direction opposite to the arrow. Here, the positive direction of the x-axis is expressed as "left side", the negative direction of the x-axis is expressed as "right side", the positive direction side of the y-axis is expressed as "rear side", and the negative direction side of the y-axis is expressed as "right side". is expressed as the "front side", the positive side of the z-axis is sometimes expressed as the "upper side", and the negative direction side of the z-axis is sometimes expressed as the "lower side".

In the following description, "parallel" and "perpendicular" include not only perfectly parallel and perpendicular, but also deviate from parallel and perpendicular within a margin of error.

A housing α is installed in a vehicle 100 such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle. The housing α may also be called a battery pack. The housing α accommodates one or more battery modules 20 installed in the lower portion of the vehicle body. Note that three battery modules 20 are shown in the example of FIG. These battery modules 20 supply electric power to the motor, which is the driving source of the vehicle 100 .

Since the battery modules 20 generate heat, the cooling device 1 for cooling the battery modules 20 is accommodated in the housing α. That is, the housing α accommodates the battery module 20 and the cooling device 1 . The cooling device 1 has various shapes, but if a thin plate-type cooling device 1 as shown is used, the housing α that accommodates the cooling device 1 can also be made thin.

In order to cool the battery modules 20, the cooling device 1 uses a cooling medium (not shown). Typical examples of cooling media are refrigerants and water. A specific example of the cooling medium will be described later.

The cooling device 1 shown in FIG. 1 has channels for flowing a cooling medium. A pipe (not shown) is connected from the outside of the cooling device 1 to the flow path inside the cooling device 1 . The cooling medium flows into the cooling device 1 through the pipes, flows through channels in the cooling device 1 , and exits the cooling device 1 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling device 1 may be plate-shaped (cooling plate). In the case of this embodiment, the battery modules 20 are placed on the cooling device 1 (cooling plate), and the battery modules 20 are cooled via the contact surfaces between the battery modules 20 and the cooling device 1 . However, the shape and arrangement of the cooling device 1 and the battery modules 20 are not limited to this embodiment.

2A and 2B are conceptual diagrams showing a cooling device 1 using two types of cooling media, in which FIG. 2A shows the relationship between the battery module 20 and the cooling device 1, and FIG. and are housed in the housing α.

When a refrigerant is used as a cooling medium, the liquid refrigerant may not reach all corners of a flow path such as piping through which the refrigerant flows, resulting in variations in temperature. In order to avoid this temperature variation, the cooling device 1 uses two types of cooling media in the embodiment shown in FIG. The first cooling medium flow path 11 through which the first cooling medium flows is arranged on the side closer to the battery module 20 (the upper side in FIG. 2(a)). A second cooling medium flow path 12 through which the second cooling medium flows is provided on the far side from the battery module 20 (lower side in FIG. 2(a)).

The first cooling medium flowing through the first cooling medium flow path 11 can take heat from the battery module due to sensible heat change. The first cooling medium is a liquid containing water at least in part, and may be engine coolant, cooling liquid, antifreeze, ethylene glycol, or the like. However, it is not limited to these.

On the other hand, the cooling medium flowing through the second cooling medium flow path 12 can take heat from the battery module due to latent heat change. Examples thereof include HFC (R134a) and HFO (R1234yf), which is further considered to prevent global warming. However, it is not limited to these.

In this way, by using two types of cooling media, while the second cooling medium exerts a large cooling capacity, the first cooling medium diffuses the cooling capacity, thereby reducing temperature variations.

There are two problems when such a cooling device 1 is housed mainly in a vehicle casing α (battery pack). The first problem is that the housing α is mainly arranged at the bottom of the vehicle body, and the bottom of the vehicle body is not necessarily flat (see FIG. 2(b)).

In order to maintain strength, reinforcing members such as pillars and ribs are usually present at the bottom of the vehicle body. That is, the bottom portion of the vehicle body has unevenness. Then, the housing α to be installed on the bottom of the vehicle body has a complementary shape along the unevenness. As a result, unevenness is also generated on the inner surface of the housing α (see FIG. 2(b)).

A reinforcing member may be provided inside the housing α. In this case as well, unevenness occurs inside the housing α.

That is, in any case, the housing α can have unevenness on its inner surface. FIG. 2(b) shows the convex portion R when the concave portion is used as a reference. However, the cooling device 1 housed in the housing α must stably support and cool the battery modules 20 from below.

The second problem is that the space inside the vehicle is limited. Since many parts are mounted on the vehicle body, even if the housing α (battery pack) is to be arranged, there may be restrictions on its arrangement location and arrangement shape. Therefore, it is required to reduce the thickness and size of the housing α.

Therefore, the cooling device 1 of the present disclosure includes a plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C for one first cooling medium flow path 11, as shown in FIG. Gaps are provided between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C. The types of the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium are the same as those shown based on FIG.

Similarly to FIG. 2(b), in FIG. 3 as well, there is a convex portion R on the inner surface of the housing α. However, in the cooling device 1 of the present embodiment, the protrusions R are absorbed by the gaps provided between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C. As a result, the housing α can be made thin and compact.

Further, it is possible to appropriately set a location where the second cooling medium flow path 12 is provided and a location where the second cooling medium flow path 12 is not provided for one first cooling medium flow path 11 . In other words, the number and locations of the second cooling medium flow paths 12 can be appropriately changed according to the unevenness of the inner surface of the housing α. That is, it is possible to flexibly reduce the thickness of the housing α described above according to the required specifications.

Furthermore, the first cooling medium flow path 11 is sandwiched between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C and the battery module 20. As shown in FIG. That is, the first cooling medium flow path 11 common to the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C has the functions of diffusing the cooling capacity and adjusting the temperature. As a result, the temperature deviation among the plurality of second cooling mediums is alleviated, and the battery modules 20 can be uniformly cooled.

The number of second cooling medium flow paths 12 for one first cooling medium flow path 11 is three, 12A, 12B, and 12C in the example of FIG. good.

Next, a device related to the direction of flow of the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium will be described.

FIG. 4 is a top view showing the internal structure of the first cooling medium flow path 11. As shown in FIG. The first cooling medium flow path 11 in this embodiment generally has a horizontally long rectangular shape. The right side (negative direction of the x-axis) of the oblong rectangle is reduced in size in the front-rear direction (y-axis direction). However, there is no intention to limit the shape to this shape, and the shape of the first cooling medium flow path 11 may be appropriately changed according to required specifications.

The first cooling medium flow path 11 has a recess 111 . This recess 111 receives the first cooling medium (typically water). Although not shown, a plate-like lid may cover the concave portion 111 from above (z-axis direction). The battery module 20 is placed on this lid.

The first cooling medium flow path 11 has one or more walls 112 . The wall portion 112 defines the flow direction of the first cooling medium in the first cooling medium flow path 11 . The direction of this flow is indicated in FIG. 4 by white arrows.

In this embodiment, an inlet 113 and an outlet 114 for the first cooling medium are provided on the left side (x-axis direction) of the first cooling medium flow path 11 . The first cooling medium flows in the direction indicated by the white arrow. That is, the first cooling medium that has flowed into the concave portion 111 from the inlet 113 flows rightward (negative direction of the x-axis) by being guided by the wall portion 112, makes a U-turn, and flows leftward (x-axis direction). , out of outlet 114 .

Also, the first cooling medium flow path 11 includes a fixed portion 115 . A bolt or the like is inserted through the fixing portion 115 to fix the cooling device 1 having the first cooling medium flow path 11 to the housing α or the like. Details of the fixing portion 115 will be described later. Also, the significance of the "first group" and "second group" shown in FIG. 4 will be described later.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the three second coolant flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C. Each of the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C in this embodiment has a vertically long shape (in the y-axis direction), and a partition 121 extends in the vertical direction (in the y-axis direction) at the center. In this embodiment, the thickness (z-axis direction) of the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C is small.

In this embodiment, each of the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C has an inlet 123 and an outlet 124 on the front side (negative direction of the y-axis). The second cooling medium flows in the direction indicated by the black arrows. That is, the second cooling medium that has flowed in from the inlet 123 flows rearward (in the y-axis direction), makes a U-turn, flows forward (in the negative direction of the y-axis), and flows out from the outlet 124 .

The first cooling medium flow path 11 shown in FIG. 4 and the three second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C shown in FIG. A cooling device 1 is formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 6B, the flow of the first cooling medium (white arrow) and the flow of the second cooling medium (black arrow) are at least partially orthogonal. With such a configuration, temperature variations in the cooling medium flowing through the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C are actively mitigated by the first cooling medium flowing through the first cooling medium flow path 11. be. 6, which has already been described, is a diagram showing the structure of the cooling device 1. (a) A diagram showing a state in which the first cooling medium flow path 11 and the second cooling medium flow path 12 are connected, (b) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing directions of flow of a first cooling medium and a second cooling medium;

Based on the above, the configuration of the fixed portion 115 included in the first cooling medium flow path 11 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and the like again.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the first cooling medium flow path 11 has a fixed portion 115 . As mentioned above, recess 111 receives a first cooling medium (usually water). The island region ILD at the top of the fixed portion 115 protrudes to a higher position (z-axis direction) so that the first cooling medium does not leak out. A through hole H is provided in this island region ILD. By inserting a bolt through the through hole H, the cooling device 1 is fixed to the housing α or the like.

Next, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing fixing locations of the cooling device 1. As shown in FIG. The gaps S121, S122 between the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C receive the protrusion R of the housing α. A fixing portion 115 having a through hole H is arranged above the gaps S121 and S122 (in the z-axis direction).

Then, the outer side (lower side) of the housing α and the fixed portion 115 are bolted at the positions shown in FIG. A bolt may be inserted from the fixed portion 115 side to fasten together the housing α and the vehicle body located further below. Further, the bolt may be inserted from the fixed portion 115 side, or conversely, the bolt may be inserted from the housing α or the vehicle body side (lower side).

Next, the relationship between the fixed portion 115 and the flow of the first cooling medium will be described with reference to FIG. 4 again. FIG. 4 shows the first group and the second group of locations where the fixing portion 115 is arranged.

The fixing portion 115 belonging to the first group is as follows. The battery modules 20 placed on the cooling device 1 (see FIG. 3, etc.) are not always at a uniform temperature. Therefore, the temperature of the first cooling medium used for cooling also varies depending on the location.

Therefore, the fixing portion 115 belonging to the first group is arranged at a position directly facing the flow of the first cooling medium. By arranging the fixed portion 115 at such a position, the flow of the first cooling medium collides with the island-shaped fixed portion 115 and is diffused to its surroundings. That is, a turbulent flow of the first cooling medium occurs. For example, when the first cooling medium is water, the water mixes. Therefore, the above temperature variation is reduced.

On the other hand, the fixing portion 115 belonging to the second group is arranged at a position not facing the flow of the first cooling medium. That is, it is arranged at a position that does not obstruct the flow of the first cooling medium as much as possible. Then, the first cooling medium flows smoothly without being obstructed, and the cooling efficiency is improved.

Next, the relationship between the fixed portion 115 and strength will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, two or more (two or four) through-holes H are provided for one fixing portion 115 . Here, as described above, the fixing portion 115 is provided to fix the cooling device 1 to the housing α or the like. The area of the island-shaped region ILD of the fixing portion 115 is large, and the number of bolts inserted into one fixing portion increases, thereby increasing the fixing strength using the fixing portion 115 .

Next, an arrangement example of the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C for cooling the battery modules 20 more efficiently will be described.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating variations of the positional relationship between the second cooling medium flow path and the battery module. Between the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C and the battery module 20, the first cooling medium flow paths 11 exist, and the first cooling medium flow paths 11 diffuse the cooling effect. is alleviated. On the other hand, however, it is not always possible to make the temperature completely uniform. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8A, at least part of the second cooling medium flow path 12 is arranged so as to overlap with the battery module 20 . With the above configuration, the battery modules 20 can be cooled more efficiently.

Under the battery module 20 (in the negative direction of the z-axis), gaps S121 and S122 between the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C exist, rather than the second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, The presence of 12C increases the cooling efficiency of the battery module 20 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8B, the gaps S121 and S122 are arranged so that the gaps S201 and S202 between the battery modules 20 correspond to the gaps S121 and S122. This arrangement improves the cooling efficiency.

FIG. 9 is a second diagram illustrating variations of the positional relationship between the second cooling medium flow path 12 and the battery module 20. FIG. 9, the battery module 20 is viewed from above. The heat load of the battery modules 20 is not necessarily the same everywhere. Therefore, the second cooling medium flow path may be arranged at a position of the battery module 20 where the heat load is high. With this arrangement, it is possible to intensively cool a portion of the battery module 20 where the heat load is high, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

As a more specific example, the battery module 20 arranged at the center (center of gravity) of the plurality of battery modules 20 tends to retain heat and has a high thermal load. In the example of FIG. 9, the circled battery module 20 has a particularly high heat load. Therefore, the second cooling medium flow path 12 is arranged so as to overlap the battery module arranged in the center of the plurality of battery modules. With this arrangement, it is possible to intensively cool a portion of the battery module 20 where the heat load is high, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

Next, a configuration for increasing the strength of the cooling device 1 using the second cooling medium flow path 12 will be described.

FIG. 10 shows an arrangement example of the second cooling medium flow path 12 for increasing the strength of the cooling device 1. As shown in FIG. As described above, the battery module 20 is placed on the cooling device 1, and the cooling device 1 must withstand this load.

Here, a member such as a plate is required to have strength on its outside. The stronger the outside, the stronger the plate itself.

On the other hand, the cooling device 1 has two types of flow paths, a first cooling medium flow path 11 and a second cooling medium flow path 12 . The portion where the two types of flow paths overlap (two-layered portion) is stronger than the portion where they do not overlap (one-layered portion). Therefore, the portion where the first cooling medium flow path 11 and the second cooling medium flow path 12 are overlapped to form two layers is interpreted as a reinforcing member of the plate, and the portion where the strength of the plate is required. Arrangement is preferred.

That is, the strength of the cooling device 1 itself can be increased by arranging the second cooling medium flow path 12 near the outer edge of the cooling device 1 (cooling plate).

For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the distance between the outer edge of the cooling device 1 and the second cooling medium flow path 12A closest to the outer edge is S1. Let S2 be the distance of the gap between the plurality of second coolant passages (here, between 12A and 12B). At this time, if the second cooling medium flow path 12A is arranged so that S1<S2, the second cooling medium flow path 12A is arranged near the outer edge of the cooling device 1. FIG. As a result, the outside of the cooling device 1 is reinforced by the second cooling medium flow path 12A, and the cooling device 1 with high strength is obtained.

Next, the contrivance of arrangement of piping will be described. As already shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, when the direction in which the first cooling medium flows and the direction in which the second cooling medium flows are perpendicular to each other, the inlets and outlets of the respective cooling mediums are located on different sides of the cooling device 1. will be placed in Then, the piping extending from the entrance and exit to the outside of the cooling device 1 presses the space inside the housing α (see FIG. 3).

From this point of view, it is preferable to partially change the direction in which the cooling medium flows so that the inlet/outlet for the first cooling medium and the inlet/outlet for the second cooling medium are arranged on the same side of the cooling device 1 .

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a modification of the first cooling medium flow path 11 for arranging the inlet/outlet for the first cooling medium and the inlet/outlet for the second cooling medium on the same side of the cooling device 1 . The first cooling medium flow path 11 shown in FIG. 11 has the same configuration as the first cooling medium flow path 11 shown in FIG. However, some of the walls 112 that define the direction in which the first cooling medium flows are arranged in a manner bent back and forth by 90 degrees. In this way, by controlling the flow direction of the first cooling medium based on the arrangement and shape of the wall portion 112, the first cooling medium inlets and outlets 113 and 114 can be replaced with the second cooling medium inlets and outlets 123 and 124 (FIG. 5). ) can be aligned on the same side. Then, since the pipes coming out of the cooling device 1 are arranged on one side, the pipes outside the cooling device 1 become compact, and the piping can be easily routed. As a result, it is possible to save space for the cooling device 1 and the housing α that accommodates it.

Next, a modified example of the cooling device 1 of the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as a cooling device 1a) will be described. The members of the cooling device 1a that are the same as those of the cooling device 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

First, a comparative example for the cooling device 1a of the present disclosure is shown. FIG. 12 shows a cooling device 5 formed by connecting a plurality of cooling plates. The cooling device 5 includes a first cooling medium flow path 51 through which the first cooling medium flows, and a second cooling medium flow path 52 through which the second cooling medium flows.

The first cooling medium flow path 51 is formed by interconnecting three flow paths 51A, 51B, 51C via external piping. The second cooling medium flow path 52 is similarly formed by interconnecting three flow paths 52A, 52B, 52C via external piping. By interconnecting a plurality of flow paths in this manner, the area of the cooling device 5 is increased, and a greater number of battery modules can be cooled.

However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 12, a large number of pipes for interconnecting each flow path are arranged outside the cooling device 5 . These external pipes occupy a lot of space within the enclosure α. Therefore, the space for mounting the battery module 20 is squeezed, and the size of the housing α cannot be reduced.

On the other hand, the cooling device 1a of the present disclosure does not require external piping for interconnecting the flow paths, so space and cost can be reduced. The configuration for that purpose will be described below.

A cooling device 1a of the present disclosure, shown in FIG. and a second cooling medium flow path through which a medium flows, and a plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C are provided for one of the first cooling medium flow paths 11 . However, the number of second cooling medium flow paths 12 does not have to be three, and may be two or four or more.

The cooling device 1a of the present disclosure interconnects the second coolant flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C. A wall portion 112 provided in the first cooling medium flow path 11 is utilized for this mutual communication.

More specifically, the first cooling medium flow path 11 comprises a wall defining the direction of flow of the first cooling medium and spans between at least two of the second cooling medium flow paths. 2 cooling medium crossover passages P are further provided, and the second cooling medium crossover passages P are provided in the wall portion 112 of the first cooling medium flow passage 11 .

An example of the above configuration is illustrated in FIGS. 14 to 17. FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which the three second cooling medium passages 12A, 12B, and 12C are communicated in series using the second cooling medium crossover passage P. As shown in FIG. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding with the drawings, some of the originally existing members are omitted.

As already explained in FIG. 4 and as shown in FIG. 14, the first cooling medium flow path 11 flows to the right (negative direction of the x-axis) and makes a U-turn. and return to the left side (x-axis direction). It is the already-described wall portion 112 that defines the direction in which the first cooling medium flows.

A second cooling medium crossover passage P is provided inside the wall portion 112 included in the first cooling medium flow passage 11 . Openings A1 to A10 are provided in the lower portion of the second cooling medium crossover passage P (in the negative direction of the z-axis). The openings A1 to A10 communicate with three second coolant flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C indicated by broken lines.

FIG. 15 illustrates the flowing directions of the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium in the configuration shown in FIG. The second cooling medium that has flowed in from the inlet 123 provided on the left side of the cooling device 1a passes through the second cooling medium crossing passage P provided in the wall portion 112 and reaches the opening as indicated by the black arrow. It flows through A1 into the second coolant flow path 12A.

The second cooling medium flows counterclockwise in the drawing through the second cooling medium flow path 12A and returns to the second cooling medium crossover flow path P through the opening A2. This cooling medium continues to the right side of the drawing and flows into the central second cooling medium flow path 12B.

The second cooling medium similarly travels between the second cooling medium passage and the second cooling medium crossing passage P, and flows into the second cooling medium passage 12C. The second cooling medium then flows counterclockwise inside the second cooling medium flow path 12C and returns to the second cooling medium crossover flow path P through the opening A6.

Similarly, the second cooling medium passes through the openings A6, A7, and A8, traverses between the second cooling medium flow path and the second cooling medium crossover flow path P, and reaches the opening A9.

The second cooling medium that has passed through the opening A9 flows into the second cooling medium flow path 12A, flows counterclockwise, and returns to the second cooling medium crossover flow path P through the opening A10.

Finally, the second cooling medium flows out through an outlet 124 provided on the left side of the first cooling medium flow path 11 in the figure.

In this way, the second cooling medium crossover passage P exhibits a bridging function so that the second cooling medium flows in series between the plurality of second cooling medium passages 12A to 12C. As a result, the inlets and outlets of the second cooling medium for the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A to 12C can be arranged on one side (the left side in the drawing) of the cooling device 1a.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a state in which the three second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C are communicated in parallel using the second cooling medium crossover flow path P. As shown in FIG. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding with the drawings, some of the originally existing members are omitted.

The first coolant flow path, as shown, is such that the first coolant flows to the right, makes a U-turn, and returns to the left. The wall 112 already described defines the flow of this cooling medium.

A second cooling medium crossover passage P is provided inside the wall portion 112 included in the first cooling medium flow passage 11 . Openings A1 to A6 are provided in the lower portion of the second cooling medium crossover passage P. As shown in FIG. The openings A1 to A6 communicate with the three illustrated second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C.

FIG. 17 illustrates the flowing directions of the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium in the configuration shown in FIG. A part of the second cooling medium that has flowed in from the inlet 123 provided on the left side of the first cooling medium flow path 11 passes through the second cooling medium crossover flow path P provided in the wall portion 112, It flows into the second coolant flow path 12A through the opening A1. The remaining portion of the second cooling medium passes through the second cooling medium crossover passage P and flows to the second cooling medium flow passage 12B.

The second cooling medium that has flowed into the second cooling medium flow path 12A flows counterclockwise in the figure through the second cooling medium flow path 12A and returns to the second cooling medium crossover flow path P through the opening A2. . Then, it flows out to the outside through an outlet 124 provided on the left side of the first cooling medium flow path 11 in the figure.

On the other hand, the remaining portion of the second cooling medium that has flowed into the second cooling medium flow path 12B further flows into the second cooling medium flow path 12B through the opening A3. The remaining cooling medium passes through the second cooling medium crossover passage P and flows to the second cooling medium passage 12C.

The second cooling medium that has flowed into the second cooling medium flow path 12B flows counterclockwise in the figure through the second cooling medium flow path 12B and returns to the second cooling medium crossover flow path P through the opening A4. . Then, it passes through the second cooling medium flow path 12A and flows out to the outside through the outlet 124 provided on the left side of the first cooling medium flow path 11 in the figure.

Finally, the remaining portion of the second cooling medium that has flowed into the second cooling medium flow path 12C flows through the opening A5 into the second cooling medium flow path 12C. The second cooling medium that has flowed into the second cooling medium flow path 12C flows counterclockwise in the drawing through the second cooling medium flow path 12C and returns to the second cooling medium crossover flow path P through the opening A6. . Then, it passes through the second cooling medium flow paths 12B and 12A and flows out to the outside through an outlet 124 provided on the left side of the first cooling medium flow path 11 in the figure.

In this way, the second cooling medium crossover passage P exhibits a bridging function so that the second cooling medium flows in parallel between the plurality of second cooling medium passages 12A, 12B, and 12C. As a result, the inlets and outlets 123, 124 of the second coolant flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C for the plurality of second coolant flow paths 12A, 12B, 12C can be arranged on one side (the left side in the drawing) of the cooling device 1a.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, the direction in which the first cooling medium flows in the first cooling medium passage 11 and the direction in which the second cooling medium flows in the second cooling medium passages 12A, 12B, and 12C are are at least partially orthogonal. With such a configuration, the temperature variation of the second cooling medium flowing through the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C is positively corrected by the first cooling medium flowing through the first cooling medium flow path 11. mitigated.

As is clear from FIGS. 14 to 17, by providing the second cooling medium crossover passage P inside the wall portion 112 of the first cooling medium flow passage 11, the inlet/outlet 113 of the first cooling medium flow passage, 114 and the inlets and outlets 123, 124 of the second cooling medium flow path can be provided on the same side of the cooling device.

As the wall portion 112 on which the second cooling medium crossover passage P is provided, the wall portion 112 that crosses the first cooling medium flow passage 11 from side to side (in the x-axis direction) is used. It can be in any direction. However, it is limited to the wall portion 112 having a position and length that can bridge the second cooling medium between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths.

It should be noted that the above-described embodiment in which the second cooling medium crossover passage P is provided can achieve similar effects even if there are no gaps between the plurality of second cooling medium flow passages 12A, 12B, and 12C. .

Further, as in the above, the second cooling medium flow path 12 can be arranged near the outer edge of the cooling device 1a to increase the strength of the cooling device.

As in the example of FIG. 10 already described, the distance between the outer edge of the cooling device 1a and the second cooling medium flow path 12A closest to the outer edge is defined as S1. Let S2 be the distance of the gap between the plurality of second coolant passages (here, between 12A and 12B). At this time, if the second cooling medium flow path 12A is arranged so that S1<S2, the second cooling medium flow path 12A is arranged near the outer edge of the cooling device 1a. As a result, the outside of the cooling device 1a is reinforced by the second cooling medium flow path 12, and the cooling device 1a with high strength is obtained.

The cooling device of the present disclosure has the configuration as described above. may be at least partially orthogonal. With the above configuration, temperature variations in the cooling medium flowing through the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A, 12B, and 12C are actively mitigated by the first cooling medium flowing through the first cooling medium flow path 11. FIG.

In the above configuration, the first cooling medium may be water. Also, the second cooling medium may be a refrigerant. With the above configuration, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant is diffused by the water, so that temperature variations can be reduced.

In the above configuration, one or more fixing portions that fix the cooling device to a predetermined housing that accommodates the cooling device may be provided between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths. With the above configuration, the cooling device 1 (1a) can be fixed to the housing α without interposing the second cooling medium flow path. Therefore, the thickness can be reduced and the space of the housing α can be saved.

In the above configuration, the cooling device may include the fixed portion arranged at a position directly facing the flow of the first cooling medium. With the above configuration, the flow of the first cooling medium collides with the fixed portion 115 and is diffused around it. That is, the fixed portion 115 has a function of diffusing the flow, thereby improving the temperature variation.

In the above configuration, the fixed portion may be arranged at a position not facing the flow of the first cooling medium. With this configuration, the first cooling medium flows smoothly without being obstructed, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

The said structure WHEREIN: The said fixing|fixed part may be equipped with the through-hole for letting a fastening member pass. By inserting the bolt through the through hole H, the cooling device 1 can be fixed to the housing α or the like.

The said structure WHEREIN: The said fixing|fixed part may be equipped with the said two or more said through-holes. With the above configuration, the island region ILD of the fixing portion 115 is large, and the number of bolts to be inserted into one fixing portion increases, thereby increasing the strength of fixing by the fixing portion 115 .

In the above configuration, the inlet/outlet of the first cooling medium flow path and the inlet/outlet of the second cooling medium flow path may be provided on the same side of the cooling device. With the above configuration, the pipes coming out of the cooling device 1 are arranged on one side, so that the pipes outside the cooling device 1 (1a) can be made compact, and the piping can be easily routed. As a result, it is possible to save space for the cooling device 1 (1a) and the housing α that accommodates it.

In the above configuration, at least part of the second cooling medium flow path may be arranged so as to overlap with the battery module. With the above configuration, the battery modules 20 can be cooled more efficiently.

In the above configuration, the battery modules cooled by the cooling device may be a plurality of battery modules, and gaps between the plurality of battery modules may correspond to gaps between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths. With this configuration, it is possible to intensively cool a portion of the battery module 20 where the heat load is high, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

In the above configuration, the battery modules cooled by the cooling device may be a plurality of battery modules, and the second cooling medium flow path may be arranged at a position of the battery module where the heat load is high. With the above configuration, it is possible to intensively cool the portion of the battery module 20 where the heat load is high, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

In the above configuration, the second cooling medium flow path may be arranged so as to overlap with the battery module arranged at the center of the plurality of battery modules. With this configuration, it is possible to intensively cool a portion of the battery module 20 where the heat load is high, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

In the above configuration, the distance between the outer edge of the cooling device and the second cooling medium flow path closest to the outer edge is smaller than the distance of the gap between the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths, The second cooling medium flow path may be arranged. With the above configuration, the second cooling medium flow path 12A is arranged near the outer edge of the cooling device 1. As shown in FIG. As a result, the outside of the cooling device 1 is reinforced by the second cooling medium flow path 12, and the cooling device 1 with high strength is obtained.

In the above configuration, the second cooling medium crossover passages may be arranged such that the second cooling medium flows in series or in parallel through the plurality of second cooling medium passages. With the above configuration, as a result, the inlets and outlets 123 and 124 of the second cooling medium for the plurality of second cooling medium flow paths 12A to 12C can be arranged on one side of the cooling device 1a. Therefore, the space for piping is reduced, and the space of the housing α can be saved.

Moreover, the housing may comprise one or more battery modules and the cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, which cools the battery modules. With the above configuration, a space-saving and cost-saving housing (battery pack) can be obtained.

Various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or modifications within the scope described in the claims, and these also belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Understood. Moreover, each component in the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 Cooling Device 1a Cooling Device 5 Cooling Device 11 First Cooling Medium Channel 12 Second Cooling Medium Channels 12A to 12C Second Cooling Medium Channel 20 Battery Module 51 First Cooling Medium Channel 52 Second Cooling Medium Channel 51A ~ 51C Channels 52A to 52C Channel 111 Recessed portion 112 Wall portion 113 Inlet 114 Outlet 115 Fixed portion 121 Partition 123 Inlet 124 Outlet A1 to A10 Opening H Through hole ILD Island region P Channel R Convex portion S121 Gap S122 Gap α Housing body

Claims (7)

A cooling device for cooling one or more battery modules,
a first cooling medium flow path arranged on the side closer to the battery module and through which the first cooling medium flows;
a second cooling medium flow path arranged far from the battery module and through which a second cooling medium flows;
with
In the first cooling medium flow path, the first cooling medium can take heat from the battery module due to sensible heat change,
In the second cooling medium flow path, the second cooling medium can take heat from the battery module due to latent heat change,
A plurality of second cooling medium flow paths are provided for one of the first cooling medium flow paths,
the first cooling medium flow path includes a wall portion that defines a direction in which the first cooling medium flows;
further comprising a second coolant passageway that traverses between at least two of the second coolant passageways;
the second coolant passage is provided within the wall portion of the first coolant passage;
Cooling system. A cooling device according to claim 1,
a direction of flow of the first cooling medium in the first cooling medium flow path and a direction of flow of the second cooling medium in the second cooling medium flow path are at least partially orthogonal;
Cooling system. The cooling device according to claim 1 or claim 2 ,
the second cooling medium crossover passages are arranged such that the second cooling medium flows in series through the plurality of second cooling medium passages;
Cooling system. The cooling device according to claim 1 or claim 2 ,
the second cooling medium crossover passages are arranged such that the second cooling medium flows in parallel through the plurality of second cooling medium passages;
Cooling system. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The inlet/outlet of the first cooling medium flow path and the inlet/outlet of the second cooling medium flow path are provided on the same side of the cooling device,
Cooling system. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
a distance between an outer edge of the cooling device and the second coolant flow path closest to the outer edge is less than a gap distance between a plurality of the second coolant flow paths;
Cooling system. being a housing,
one or more battery modules;
The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , which cools the battery module,
housing.

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