JP7552042B2 - Vehicle battery case and vehicle battery temperature control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle battery case and a vehicle battery temperature control device.

In batteries (e.g., lithium-ion batteries) used in electric vehicles, the internal resistance increases in low-temperature environments, reducing the amount of power that can be extracted, and at high temperatures, degradation (e.g., a decrease in battery capacity due to the growth of an SEI coating on the negative electrode surface) accelerates, shortening the battery's lifespan. In addition, batteries generate heat when charging and discharging. For this reason, in order to prevent or suppress a decrease in battery output and degradation, the battery temperature must be regulated to stay within an appropriate range.

Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning system for an electric vehicle in which the vehicle battery is connected to a refrigerant circuit for cabin air conditioning via a heat exchanger, and the refrigerant circuit is configured to be able to cool or heat the battery and to supply heat from the battery to the refrigerant circuit. This air conditioning system for an electric vehicle can both air condition the cabin and control the temperature of the battery.

Patent Document 2 discloses a thermal management system for an electric vehicle that is configured to cool the battery refrigerant with an air conditioner refrigerant when the temperature of the battery refrigerant is higher than a target temperature, and to heat the battery refrigerant with an electric heater when the temperature of the battery refrigerant is lower than the target temperature. This thermal management system for an electric vehicle can adjust the temperature of the battery by indirectly cooling the battery with the air conditioner refrigerant when the battery is hot, and heating the battery with an electric heater when the battery is cold.

Patent document 3 discloses a thermosiphon-type cooling device for vehicles that cools the battery. This cooling device can keep the battery at a low temperature.

JP 2011-68348 A Patent No. 5860361 JP 2019-132456 A

(Problem to be solved by the invention)
However, in the air conditioning system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the refrigerant circuit for the cabin air conditioning and the temperature adjustment of the battery are shared, so it may be difficult to keep the battery in an appropriate temperature range. Similarly, in the thermal management system for an electric vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 2, the refrigerant for the air conditioner is used to cool the refrigerant for the battery, so it may be difficult to keep the battery in an appropriate temperature range. That is, in general, it is preferable to keep the battery in a range of 10 to 25°C from the viewpoint of efficiency and prevention of deterioration, but if the air conditioning of the cabin is prioritized, it may not be possible to keep the battery in this temperature range. In addition, if the air conditioning system is stopped for defrosting or the like, it becomes impossible to adjust the temperature of the battery. In addition, in the thermal management system for an electric vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 2, an electric heater is used to heat the refrigerant for the battery, so electricity consumption is high. In the cooling device disclosed in Patent Document 3, the battery can be cooled independently of the cabin, but the battery cannot be heated, so a separate heater is required for heating.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle battery case and a vehicle battery temperature control device that can heat and cool the battery independently of the cabin.

(Means for solving the problem)
In order to solve the above problems, the vehicle battery case (10) according to the present invention comprises:
A vehicle battery case (10) having a support member (lower case (11)) on an inner surface (upper surface) of which a battery (15) can be placed,
The support member (lower case (11)) is
a first refrigerant passage portion (111) located on an inner surface (upper surface) side and having a refrigerant path (112) through which a refrigerant can pass;
a second refrigerant passing portion (113) located closer to an outer surface (lower surface) than the first refrigerant passing portion (111) and having a refrigerant path (114) through which a refrigerant can pass;
a heat insulating section (115) provided between the first refrigerant passing section (111) and the second refrigerant passing section (113);
Equipped with
Since the first refrigerant passing section (111) and the second refrigerant passing section (113) are separated from each other, an air layer is provided between the first refrigerant passing section (111) and the second refrigerant passing section (113), and this air layer is a heat insulating section (115).

When the present invention is configured in this manner, it is possible to exchange heat between the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant path (112) of the first refrigerant passing section (111) and the battery (15) mounted on the support member (lower case (11)), and to exchange heat between the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant path (114) of the second refrigerant passing section (113) and the outside air. In other words, the first refrigerant passing section (111) functions as a heat exchange section between the battery (15) and the refrigerant, and the second refrigerant passing section (113) functions as a heat exchange section between the refrigerant and the outside air. Therefore, it is possible to heat and cool the battery (15) without using a heat exchanger separate from the vehicle battery case (10). Furthermore, the temperature of the battery (15) can be adjusted independently of the cabin air conditioner. Therefore, the battery (15) can be maintained at an appropriate temperature without being affected by the temperature setting or operating status of the cabin air conditioner. In addition, because the battery (15) can be heated using a heat pump system, it is possible to reduce the amount of power consumed when heating the battery (15) compared to a system in which an electric heater is used to heat the battery (15).

Furthermore, if a heat insulating section (115) is provided between the first refrigerant passing section (111) and the second refrigerant passing section (113), heat transfer between the first refrigerant passing section (111) and the second refrigerant passing section (113) can be suppressed.

Furthermore, when the present invention is configured in this manner, the support member (lower case (11)) can be easily molded and the weight of the support member (lower case (11)) does not increase. Furthermore, with this configuration, when an impact is applied to the underside of the support member (lower case (11)) due to an object colliding with it, the insulating section (115) functions as a crushable zone. This reduces the impact on the battery (15). Furthermore, even if the second refrigerant passing section (113) is damaged by an impact and the refrigerant leaks, the leaked refrigerant is prevented or suppressed from entering the internal space formed by the support member (lower case (11)).

The present invention may be configured such that a heat dissipation section (116) is provided on the outer surface of the support member (lower case (11)) for discharging the refrigerant passing through the second refrigerant passage section (113) to the outside of the vehicle battery case (10).

When the present invention is configured in this manner, the efficiency of heat exchange between the refrigerant passing through the second refrigerant passage (113) and the outside air can be increased. Therefore, the efficiency of cooling and heating the battery (15) can be increased.

The heat dissipation section (116) may be configured as a vertical wall-shaped fin that protrudes toward the outside of the vehicle battery case (10).

When the present invention is configured in this manner, the heat dissipation section (116) functions as a crushable zone. In other words, when an object strikes the vehicle battery case (10) from below, the fins of the heat dissipation section (116) deform to absorb the impact, thereby reducing the impact on the battery (15).

The vehicle battery temperature control device (20) of the present invention comprises:
A battery case (10) for a vehicle having a first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)) configured to be able to exchange heat between a battery (15) accommodated therein and a refrigerant, and a second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)) configured to be able to exchange heat between outside air and the refrigerant;
A compressor (22) capable of compressing and discharging a refrigerant;
a switching valve (four-way valve (24)) for switching whether the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (22) flows into the first heat exchange section (the first refrigerant passing section (111)) or the second heat exchange section (the second refrigerant passing section (113));
an intermediate connection path (30) that connects the first heat exchange section (the first refrigerant passing section (111)) and the second heat exchange section (the second refrigerant passing section (113)) so that a refrigerant can flow therethrough;
having
When the battery (15) is heated, the switching valve (four-way valve (24)) connects the compressor (22) to the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)) so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (22) flows into the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)), and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (22) flows through the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)), the intermediate connection path (30), and the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)) in this order, thereby providing heat from the refrigerant to the battery (15) in the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111));
When cooling the battery (15), the switching valve (four-way valve (24)) connects the compressor (22) and the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)) so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (22) flows into the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)), and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (22) flows sequentially through the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)), the intermediate connection path (30), and the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)), thereby dissipating heat of the refrigerant to the outside air in the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)) and removing heat from the battery (15) by the refrigerant in the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)). In this case, the vehicle battery temperature control device (20) of the present invention may have a control device (21) that controls a switching valve (four-way valve (24)) so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (20) flows into the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)) when heating the battery (15) and so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (20) flows into the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)) when cooling the battery (15).

When the present invention is configured in this manner, heat is exchanged with the battery (15) in the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)) provided in the vehicle battery case (10), and heat is exchanged with the air outside the vehicle battery case (10) in the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)). Therefore, a separate independent heat exchanger is not required, and the temperature control device (20) can be made smaller. In addition, since the heat exchange between the battery (15) and the refrigerant and the heat exchange between the outside air and the refrigerant can be completed in the vehicle battery case (10), there is no need to exchange heat with the refrigerant of the cabin air conditioner. Therefore, the battery (15) can be adjusted to an appropriate temperature without being affected by the operation of the cabin air conditioner. In addition, since the configuration uses a refrigerant to heat the battery (15), the amount of power consumed during heating can be reduced compared to a configuration using an electric heater, for example.

In this case, the vehicle battery case (10) may have a support member (lower case (11)) configured so that a battery (15) can be placed on its inner surface, and the support member (lower case (11)) may be provided with a first refrigerant passing portion (111) located on the inner surface side and provided with a refrigerant path (112) through which a refrigerant can pass, a second refrigerant passing portion (113) located on the outer surface side of the first refrigerant passing portion (111) and provided with a refrigerant path (114) through which a refrigerant can pass, and a heat insulating portion (115) provided between the first refrigerant passing portion (111) and the second refrigerant passing portion (113), and the first refrigerant passing portion (111) may be a first heat exchange portion, and the second refrigerant passing portion (113) may be a second heat exchange portion.

The first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)) and the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)) may be separated from each other, so that an air layer is provided between the first heat exchange section (first refrigerant passing section (111)) and the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passing section (113)), and the air layer may be the heat insulating section (115).

The outer surface of the support member (lower case (11)) may be provided with a heat dissipation section (116) for discharging the refrigerant passing through the second heat exchange section (second refrigerant passage section (113)) to the outside of the vehicle battery case (10).

The heat dissipation section (116) may be configured as a vertical wall-shaped fin that protrudes toward the outside of the vehicle battery case (10).

When the present invention is configured in this way, it can achieve the same effects as those described above.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a battery case. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional structure of a battery case. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a temperature adjustment device.

The vehicle battery case and vehicle battery temperature control device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The vehicle battery case and vehicle battery temperature control device according to the embodiment of the present invention are mounted on an electric vehicle. The vehicle battery case according to the embodiment houses a battery that is a power source for driving the electric vehicle. The vehicle battery temperature control device according to the embodiment regulates the temperature of the battery housed in the vehicle battery case. For ease of explanation, in the following explanation, the vehicle battery case according to the embodiment of the present invention may be abbreviated to "battery case" and the vehicle battery temperature control device may be abbreviated to "temperature control device."

(Battery case)
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view, as viewed from below, that typically shows an example of the configuration of the battery case 10. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows an example of the configuration of the battery case 10. In Figs. 1 and 2, the upper side of the battery case 10 is indicated by an arrow Up, and the lower side is indicated by an arrow Dw. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the battery case 10 has a lower case 11 and a cover 12.

The lower case 11 is an example of a support member. The lower case 11 has a plate-like configuration with a predetermined thickness, and is configured so that a battery 15 can be placed on the upper surface, which is an example of an inner surface. Note that the upper surface of the lower case 11 only needs to be configured so that the battery 15 can be placed on it, and the specific configuration is not limited. For example, a lithium-ion battery can be used as the battery 15.

The lower case 11 has a first refrigerant passage section 111, a second refrigerant passage section 113, a heat insulating section 115, and a heat dissipation section 116. The first refrigerant passage section 111 and the second refrigerant passage section 113 are each provided with a refrigerant path 112, 114 through which a refrigerant for adjusting the temperature of the battery 15 can pass. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the first refrigerant passage section 111 and the second refrigerant passage section 113 each have a plate-like configuration with a predetermined thickness. The refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage section 111 has a hole extending in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the first refrigerant passage section 111. Similarly, the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passage section 113 has a hole extending in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the second refrigerant passage section 113.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the first refrigerant passage 111 is provided with a plurality of refrigerant paths 112 that are approximately parallel to each other. Furthermore, the lower case 11 is provided with two refrigerant inlets and outlets for allowing the refrigerant to flow from the outside into the first refrigerant passage 111 or for allowing the refrigerant to flow out of the lower case 11. The two ends of each of the plurality of refrigerant paths 112 are connected in series with each other by a U-shaped tube (not shown) or the like, and one end of each of any two of the plurality of refrigerant paths 112 is connected to each of the two refrigerant inlets and outlets. With this configuration, the refrigerant that flows in from one of the refrigerant inlets and outlets passes through each of the plurality of refrigerant paths 112 provided in the first refrigerant path 111 and flows out of the battery case 10 from the other refrigerant inlet and outlet.

Alternatively, one end of each of the multiple refrigerant paths 112 of the first refrigerant passing section 111 may be connected to an inlet/outlet of one refrigerant via a manifold (not shown), and the other end of each of the multiple refrigerant paths 112 of the first refrigerant passing section 111 may be connected to an inlet/outlet of the other refrigerant via another manifold (not shown). With this configuration, the refrigerant that flows into the inlet/outlet of one refrigerant flows into each of the multiple refrigerant paths 112 via the manifold, and the refrigerant that passes through each of the multiple refrigerant paths 112 flows out of the lower case 11 from the inlet/outlet of the other refrigerant via the other manifold.

The connection structure between the multiple refrigerant paths 112 provided in the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the connection structure between the refrigerant paths 112 and the refrigerant inlet/outlet are not limited to the above-mentioned structure. In short, it is sufficient if the refrigerant can be made to flow from the outside of the lower case 11 into the refrigerant paths 112 of the first refrigerant passing section 111 from the outside of the lower case 11, and the refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant paths 112 can be made to flow out to the outside of the lower case 11. Although not explained here, a similar configuration can also be applied to the refrigerant paths 114 of the second refrigerant passing section 113.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first refrigerant passing portion 111 is provided on the side of the surface on which the battery 15 is placed. The second refrigerant passing portion 113 is provided on the outer side (lower side) of the battery case 10 than the first refrigerant passing portion 111. The first refrigerant passing portion 111 forms part of the inner surface of the battery case 10, and the second refrigerant passing portion 113 forms part of the outer surface of the battery case 10. Therefore, heat exchange is possible between the battery 15 placed on the upper surface of the lower case 11 and the refrigerant passing through the first refrigerant passing portion 111. In addition, heat exchange is possible between the air outside the battery case 10 and the refrigerant passing through the second refrigerant passing portion 113.

A heat insulating section 115 is provided between the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113. This heat insulating section 115 prevents heat from moving between the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113 are separated from each other, and therefore an air layer (cavity) exists between the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113. This air layer functions as the heat insulating section 115. Note that the heat insulating section 115 is not limited to an air layer. For example, a heat insulating member (a member made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113) may be arranged between the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113. In short, it is sufficient that a layer having a lower thermal conductivity than the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113 is provided between the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113.

The first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113 may have a portion in contact with each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113 may be joined to each other at the periphery.

In this way, the battery case 10 has a double bottom (double structure) in which the plate-shaped first refrigerant passing portion 111 and second refrigerant passing portion 113 overlap. Of the first refrigerant passing portion 111 and second refrigerant passing portion 113 that constitute the double bottom, the first refrigerant passing portion 111 is located on the inner circumferential side (upper side) of the battery case 10, thereby forming the inner circumferential surface (upper surface of the bottom plate) of the battery case 10. In addition, the second refrigerant passing portion 113 is located on the outer circumferential side (lower side) of the battery case 10, thereby forming the outer circumferential surface (lower surface of the bottom plate) of the battery case 10.

The heat dissipation section 116 has a function of increasing the efficiency of heat exchange (the function of increasing the amount of heat exchanged) between the outside air and the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passing section 113. The heat dissipation section 116 is a vertical wall-shaped fin that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the second refrigerant passing section 113 (i.e., the outer surface of the battery case 10). The fins that are the heat dissipation section 116 are integrally provided with the second refrigerant passing section 113. In other words, the fins that are the heat dissipation section 116 are integrally provided with the lower case 11.

The lower case 11 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and is formed, for example, by extrusion. In this case, the fins of the first refrigerant passage 111, the second refrigerant passage 113, and the heat dissipation section 116 are integrally formed. Then, the openings of the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage 111 and the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passage 113 appear on the end face of the lower case 11, and by connecting a U-shaped pipe or a manifold to the end face of the lower case 11, a refrigerant inlet and outlet for connecting the outside of the lower case 11 to the refrigerant paths 112 and 114 is formed. The lower case 11 is not limited to an aluminum alloy, and various metal materials such as aluminum or steel can be used in addition to the aluminum alloy. However, it is preferable that the lower case 11 is formed of a material with high thermal conductivity except for the heat insulating section 115. The manufacturing method of the lower case 11 is also not limited to extrusion, and various manufacturing methods such as pressing or die casting can be used.

The cover 12 is a member that is attached to the upper side of the lower case 11. The cover 12 has a box-like (in other words, dome-like) configuration that is open on the bottom, and is configured to be able to cover the battery 15 placed on the upper surface of the lower case 11 (in other words, able to house the battery 15). Note that the specific configuration of the cover 12 is not particularly limited as long as it is configured to cover the battery 15 so that it is not exposed to the outside of the battery case 10. Furthermore, the material of the cover 12 is not particularly limited, and various materials such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel material, and resin material can be used.

According to such a battery case 10, it is possible to heat and cool the battery 15 without using a heat exchanger separately from the battery case 10. Specifically, when heating the battery 15, the battery 15 can be heated by passing a high-temperature refrigerant through the first refrigerant passing section 111. Then, the refrigerant that has passed through the first refrigerant passing section 111 can receive heat from the outside air by passing the refrigerant through the second refrigerant passing section 113. When cooling the battery 15, the refrigerant can be passed through the second refrigerant passing section 113 to release heat from the refrigerant to the outside air, and the refrigerant that has released heat to the outside air can be passed through the first refrigerant passing section 111 to cool the battery 15. Also, the battery 15 can be cooled by passing a low-temperature refrigerant through the first refrigerant passing section 111, and the refrigerant that has passed through the first refrigerant passing section 111 can be passed through the second refrigerant passing section 113 to release heat taken from the battery to the outside of the battery case 10.

And with this configuration, the temperature of the battery 15 can be adjusted independently of the cabin air conditioner. Therefore, the battery 15 can be maintained at an appropriate temperature without being affected by the temperature setting or operating conditions of the cabin air conditioner. Also, with this configuration, the battery 15 can be heated using a heat pump system, so it is possible to reduce the amount of power consumed when heating the battery 15 compared to a system in which an electric heater is used to heat the battery 15.

When the insulating section 115 is provided between the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113, heat transfer between the first refrigerant passing section 111 and the second refrigerant passing section 113 can be suppressed. Therefore, when the battery 15 is heated, the amount of heat transferred from the first refrigerant passing section 111 to the second refrigerant passing section 113 can be reduced, thereby increasing the amount of heat given to the battery 15 (in other words, the reduction in the amount of heat can be prevented or suppressed). When the battery 15 is cooled, the amount of heat transferred from the second refrigerant passing section 113 to the first refrigerant passing section 111 can be reduced, thereby increasing the amount of heat taken away by the refrigerant from the battery 15 (in other words, the reduction in the amount of heat can be prevented or suppressed).

If the insulating section 115 is an air layer (a cavity provided inside the lower case 11), molding is easy and the weight of the lower case 11 does not increase. Furthermore, with this configuration, if an impact is applied to the lower side of the lower case 11, such as when an object collides with it, the insulating section 115 functions as a crushable zone. This reduces the impact on the battery 15. Furthermore, even if the second refrigerant passage section 113 is damaged by the impact and the refrigerant leaks, the leaked refrigerant is prevented or suppressed from entering the internal space formed by the lower case 11 and the cover 12.

When the heat dissipation section 116 is provided on the outer surface of the second refrigerant passing section 113, the efficiency of heat exchange between the refrigerant passing through the second refrigerant passing section 113 and the outside air can be increased (in other words, the amount of heat exchanged between the refrigerant and the outside air can be increased). Therefore, the efficiency of cooling and heating the battery 15 can be increased.

When the heat dissipation section 116 is a vertical wall-like fin that protrudes downward, the heat dissipation section 116 functions as a crushable zone. In other words, if an object collides with the battery case 10 from below, the fins that are the heat dissipation section 116 deform to absorb the impact and mitigate the impact on the battery 15. Therefore, if an object collides with the battery case 10 from below, the battery 15 can be protected.

(Temperature control device)
Next, the temperature control device 20 will be described. The temperature control device 20 is configured to be able to heat and cool the battery 15 housed in the battery case 10 according to this embodiment. The temperature control device 20 is a so-called heat pump type device, and is configured to be able to heat and cool the battery 15 by utilizing the latent heat generated when the refrigerant evaporates and condenses. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the temperature control device 20. In FIG. 3, the flow of the refrigerant during the heating operation of the battery 15 is indicated by solid arrows, and the flow of the refrigerant during the cooling operation of the battery 15 is indicated by dashed arrows. As shown in FIG. 3, the temperature control device 20 includes the battery case 10 according to this embodiment, a control device 21, a compressor 22, a driving force source 23, a four-way valve 24 which is an example of a switching valve, an accumulator 26, and an expansion valve bridge circuit 25.

As described above, the battery case 10 has a first refrigerant passing section 111 and a second refrigerant passing section 113. In the temperature control device 20, the first refrigerant passing section 111 functions as a first heat exchange section, and the second refrigerant passing section 113 functions as a second heat exchange section.

The control device 21 controls the devices included in the temperature control device 20. The control device 21 has a computer having a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The ROM has computer programs stored in advance for controlling each device included in the temperature control device 20. The CPU reads out the computer programs stored in advance in the ROM, expands them into the RAM, and executes them. This controls each device included in the temperature control device 20 (i.e., realizes control of the temperature control device 20), and realizes temperature regulation of the battery 15 by the temperature control device 20.

The compressor 22 is configured to operate by the driving force output by the driving force source 23. The compressor 22 has a refrigerant suction port 221 and a refrigerant discharge port 222, and is configured to compress the refrigerant drawn in from the refrigerant suction port 221 and discharge it from the refrigerant discharge port 222. An electric motor can be used as the driving force source 23. Note that the configurations of the compressor 22 and the driving force source 23 are not particularly limited, and various known configurations can be used.

The four-way valve 24 has four ports: a first port 241, a second port 242, a third port 243, and a fourth port 244. The first port 241 is connected to the refrigerant discharge port 222 of the compressor 22 via the compressor discharge port path 27. The second port 242 is connected to one end (refrigerant inlet/outlet) of the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passing section 111 of the battery case 10 via the first connection path 28. The third port 243 is connected to one end (refrigerant inlet/outlet) of the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passing section 113 of the battery case 10 via the second connection path 29. The fourth port 244 is connected to the refrigerant inlet 261 of the accumulator 26.

The four-way valve 24 is configured to be able to selectively realize a first state and a second state. In the first state, the first port 241 and the second port 242 communicate with each other, and the third port 243 and the fourth port 244 communicate with each other. In the second state, the first port 241 and the third port 243 communicate with each other, and the second port 242 and the fourth port 244 communicate with each other. The four-way valve 24 is set to the first state by the control device 21 when the battery 15 is heated, and to the second state when the battery 15 is cooled.

The other end of the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage 111 of the battery case 10 (the refrigerant inlet/outlet on the opposite side to the side connected to the third port 243 of the four-way valve 24) and the other end of the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passage 113 (the refrigerant inlet/outlet on the opposite side to the side connected to the second port 242 of the four-way valve 24) are connected by an intermediate connection path 30. An expansion valve bridge circuit 25 is provided on this intermediate connection path 30. The expansion valve bridge circuit 25 has an expansion valve 251 that expands the refrigerant flowing in a predetermined direction, and four check valves 252 (one-way valves) for restricting the direction of the refrigerant flowing through the expansion valve 251 to the predetermined one direction. The configuration of the expansion valve bridge circuit 25 is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known configuration can be applied. In short, the expansion valve bridge circuit 25 is configured so that the refrigerant flows in one predetermined direction (the direction that expands the refrigerant) through the expansion valve 251 in both cases where the refrigerant flows from the first refrigerant passing section 111 to the second refrigerant passing section 113 and where the refrigerant flows from the second refrigerant passing section 113 to the first refrigerant passing section 111.

The accumulator 26 has a refrigerant inlet 261 and a refrigerant outlet 262. The accumulator 26 is configured so that the refrigerant (a two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant) flowing in from the refrigerant inlet 261 is separated into a gas phase refrigerant and a liquid phase refrigerant, and the gas phase refrigerant flows out from the refrigerant outlet 262. The refrigerant inlet 261 of the accumulator 26 is connected to the fourth port 244 of the four-way valve 24 via the accumulator inlet path 31. The refrigerant outlet 262 of the accumulator 26 is connected to the refrigerant suction port 221 of the compressor 22 via the compressor suction port path 32.

Next, the heating operation of the battery 15 by the temperature control device 20 will be described. During the heating operation of the battery 15, the control device 21 holds the four-way valve 24 in the first state. When the compressor 22 is operated by the driving force of the driving force source 23, it sucks in a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-phase refrigerant from the refrigerant suction port 221 and compresses it, and discharges a high-temperature, high-pressure gas-phase refrigerant from the refrigerant discharge port 222. The refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant discharge port 222 passes through the compressor discharge port path 27 and flows into the first port 241 of the four-way valve 24, flows out from the second port 242, passes through the first connection path 28, and flows into the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passing portion 111 of the battery case 10. Then, while passing through the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passing portion 111 of the battery case 10, the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant exchanges heat with the battery 15 housed in the battery case 10, and a part of it condenses (liquefies). At this time, the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant path 112 releases heat, heating the battery 15.

The refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage 111 of the battery case 10 is reduced in pressure by passing through the expansion valve 251 of the expansion valve bridge circuit 25 provided on the intermediate connection path 30. The reduced-pressure refrigerant flows into the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passage 113 of the battery case 10. The refrigerant that has flowed into the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passage 113 of the battery case 10 exchanges heat with the air outside the battery case 10 and evaporates (vaporizes). At this time, the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant path 114 takes heat from the outside air. The evaporated refrigerant flows through the second connection path 29 into the third port 243 of the four-way valve 24.

During the heating operation of the battery 15, the four-way valve 24 is in the first state, and the third port 243 and the fourth port 244 are in communication. Therefore, the refrigerant that flows into the third port 243 of the four-way valve 24 passes through the fourth port 244 and the accumulator inlet path 31, and flows into the refrigerant inlet 261 of the accumulator 26. In this way, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant that has returned from the battery case 10 flows into the accumulator 26.

The refrigerant that flows into the accumulator 26 is separated into gas phase refrigerant and liquid phase refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas phase refrigerant then passes through the compressor suction port path 32 and flows into the refrigerant suction port 221 of the compressor 22. This circulation cycle of the refrigerant is repeated, thereby continuing to heat the battery 15.

Next, the cooling operation of the battery 15 by the temperature control device 20 will be described. As in the heating operation, a high-temperature, high-pressure gas-phase refrigerant is discharged from the refrigerant discharge port 222 of the compressor 22, and the discharged refrigerant passes through the compressor discharge port path 27 and flows into the first port 241 of the four-way valve 24. During the cooling operation of the battery 15, the four-way valve 24 is in the second state (a state in which the first port 241 and the third port 243 are connected). Therefore, the refrigerant that flows into the first port 241 of the four-way valve 24 flows out from the third port 243, passes through the second connection path 29, and flows into the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passing portion 113 of the battery case 10. Then, while passing through the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passing portion 113 of the battery case 10, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the air outside the battery case 10 and a part of the refrigerant is condensed (liquefied). At this time, the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant path 114 releases heat to the outside of the battery case 10.

The refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant path 114 of the second refrigerant passage 113 of the battery case 10 passes through the intermediate connection path 30 and flows into the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage 111 of the battery case 10. The intermediate connection path 30 is provided with an expansion valve bridge circuit 25, and the refrigerant expands (is reduced in pressure) by passing through the expansion valve bridge circuit 25. For this reason, the refrigerant that has expanded (is reduced in pressure) so as to be easily evaporated flows into the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage 111 of the battery case 10. The refrigerant that has flowed into the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage 111 of the battery case 10 exchanges heat with the battery 15 while passing there, and evaporates (vaporizes). At this time, the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant path 112 takes heat from the battery 15, thereby cooling the battery 15. The refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant path 112 of the first refrigerant passage 111 of the battery case 10 passes through the first connection path 28 and flows into the second port 242 of the four-way valve 24.

During the cooling operation of the battery 15, the four-way valve 24 is in the second state, and the second port 242 and the fourth port 244 are in communication. Therefore, the refrigerant that flows into the second port 242 of the four-way valve 24 flows out of the fourth port 244, passes through the accumulator inlet path 31, and flows into the refrigerant inlet 261 of the accumulator 26. In this way, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant that has returned from the battery case 10 flows through the accumulator inlet path 31, just as during the heating operation of the battery 15. Then, just as during the heating operation of the battery 15, the refrigerant is separated into gas and liquid in the accumulator 26, and the low-temperature, low-pressure gas-phase refrigerant flows into the compressor 22 through the compressor suction port path 32. This circulation cycle of the refrigerant is repeated, thereby continuing the cooling of the battery 15.

In this way, heat is exchanged with the battery 15 in the first refrigerant passage 111 provided in the battery case 10, and heat is exchanged with the air outside the battery case 10 in the second refrigerant passage 113. Therefore, a separate independent heat exchanger is not required, and the temperature control device 20 can be made smaller. In addition, since the heat exchange between the battery 15 and the refrigerant and the heat exchange between the outside air and the refrigerant can be completed in the battery case 10, there is no need to exchange heat with the refrigerant of the cabin air conditioner. Therefore, the battery 15 can be adjusted to an appropriate temperature without being affected by the operation of the cabin air conditioner. In addition, since a refrigerant is used to heat the battery 15, the amount of power consumed during heating can be reduced compared to a configuration using an electric heater, for example.

When the battery case 10 having the above-mentioned configuration is applied to the temperature control device 20, the temperature control device 20 has the same effect as the battery case 10.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention, and these modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the cover 12 has a box-like shape that is open on the bottom, and the lower case 11 has a plate-like shape, but the cover 12 may be plate-like and the lower case 11 may have a box-like shape that is open on the top. Also, the cover 12 may have a box-like shape that is open on the bottom, and the lower case 11 may have a box-like shape that is open on the top. In these cases, it is sufficient that the bottom of the lower case 11 has the first refrigerant passing portion 111 and the second refrigerant passing portion 113.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the battery case 10 is substantially quadrilateral when viewed from the top and bottom, but the shape of the battery case 10 is not particularly limited. The shape of the battery case 10 is appropriately set according to the shape of the installation space for the battery case 10.

10...battery case, 11...lower case, 111...first refrigerant passing portion of lower case, 112...refrigerant path of first refrigerant passing portion of lower case, 113...second refrigerant passing portion of lower case, 114...refrigerant path of second refrigerant passing portion of lower case, 115...insulating portion, 116...heat dissipating portion, 15...battery, 20...vehicle battery temperature control device, 22...compressor, 24...four-way valve

Claims (8)

A vehicle battery case having a support member configured so that a battery can be placed on an inner surface thereof,
The support member is
a first refrigerant passage portion located on the inner surface side and having a refrigerant passage through which a refrigerant can pass;
a second refrigerant passing portion located closer to an outer surface than the first refrigerant passing portion and having a refrigerant path through which the refrigerant can pass;
a heat insulating section provided between the first refrigerant passing section and the second refrigerant passing section;
Equipped with
The first refrigerant passing portion and the second refrigerant passing portion are spaced apart from each other, so that an air layer is provided between the first refrigerant passing portion and the second refrigerant passing portion, and the air layer is the heat insulating portion.
Vehicle battery case. The vehicle battery case according to claim 1 ,
a heat dissipation portion for discharging the refrigerant passing through the second refrigerant passing portion to the outside of the vehicle battery case, on an outer surface of the support member;
Vehicle battery case. The vehicle battery case according to claim 2 ,
The heat dissipation portion is a vertical wall-shaped fin protruding toward the outside of the vehicle battery case.
Vehicle battery case. A battery case for a vehicle including a first heat exchanger configured to be able to exchange heat between a battery accommodated therein and a refrigerant, and a second heat exchanger configured to be able to exchange heat between outside air and the refrigerant;
A compressor capable of compressing and discharging the refrigerant;
a switching valve for switching whether the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows into the first heat exchange unit or the second heat exchange unit;
an intermediate connection path that connects the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit so that the refrigerant can flow therethrough;
having
When the battery is heated, the switching valve connects the compressor and the first heat exchange unit so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows into the first heat exchange unit, and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows through the first heat exchange unit, the intermediate connection path, and the second heat exchange unit in this order, thereby providing heat of the refrigerant to the battery in the first heat exchange unit;
When cooling the battery, the switching valve connects the compressor and the second heat exchange unit so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows into the second heat exchange unit, and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows through the second heat exchange unit, the intermediate connection path, and the first heat exchange unit in this order, so that heat contained in the refrigerant is released to the outside in the second heat exchange unit, and heat is removed from the battery by the refrigerant in the first heat exchange unit.
Vehicle battery temperature control device. 5. The vehicle battery temperature control device according to claim 4 ,
The vehicle battery case has a support member configured so that the battery can be placed on an inner surface of the support member,
The support member includes:
a first refrigerant passage portion located on the inner surface side and having a refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant can pass;
a second refrigerant passing portion located closer to an outer surface than the first refrigerant passing portion and having a refrigerant path through which the refrigerant can pass;
a heat insulating section provided between the first refrigerant passing section and the second refrigerant passing section;
There is a system in place,
The first refrigerant passing section is the first heat exchange section, and the second refrigerant passing section is the second heat exchange section.
Vehicle battery temperature control device. 6. The vehicle battery temperature control device according to claim 5 ,
The first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit are spaced apart from each other, so that an air layer is provided between the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit, and the air layer is the thermal insulation unit.
Vehicle battery temperature control device. 7. The vehicle battery temperature control device according to claim 5 ,
a heat dissipation portion for discharging the refrigerant passing through the second heat exchange portion to the outside of the vehicle battery case, on an outer surface of the support member;
Vehicle battery temperature control device. 8. The vehicle battery temperature control device according to claim 7 ,
The heat dissipation portion is a vertical wall-shaped fin protruding toward the outside of the vehicle battery case.
Vehicle battery temperature control device.

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