WO2023245502A1

WO2023245502A1 - Thermal management component, thermal management system, battery and electric device

Info

Publication number: WO2023245502A1
Application number: PCT/CN2022/100488
Authority: WO
Inventors: 周聪; 侯跃攀; 宋飞亭; 黄小腾; 胡利军
Original assignee: 宁德时代新能源科技股份有限公司
Priority date: 2022-06-22
Filing date: 2022-06-22
Publication date: 2023-12-28
Also published as: CN116261798A; CN219350408U

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a thermal management component, a thermal management system, a battery and an electric device. The thermal management component comprises a housing and a supporting component, wherein the supporting component is accommodated in the housing and used for defining, in the housing, a flow channel and a cavity, which are separately arranged; the flow channel is used for allowing a heat exchange medium to flow; and the cavity is configured to be deformable when the housing is pressed. When a battery cell inside a battery box swells during use, due to the cavity being provided inside the housing, the housing can deform when being subjected to an acting force of the battery cell, such that the housing of the thermal management component is prevented from exerting excessive reverse action on the battery cell, and tolerance is absorbed for battery cell grouping, thereby avoiding damage to the battery cell.

Description

Thermal management components, thermal management systems, batteries and electrical devices

Technical field

The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and more specifically, to a thermal management component, a thermal management system, a battery and an electrical device.

Background technique

At present, judging from the development of the market situation, the application of power batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power stations, but are also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles and electric cars, as well as in many fields such as military equipment and aerospace. . As the application fields of power batteries continue to expand, their market demand is also constantly expanding.

In the development of battery technology, how to improve the cycle performance of batteries is an important research direction in battery technology.

Contents of the invention

This application provides a thermal management component, a thermal management system, a battery and an electrical device, which can improve the cycle performance of the battery.

In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a thermal management component, which includes a housing and a support component. The support component is accommodated in the housing and used to define flow channels and cavities that are separately arranged in the housing. The flow channels are used for supply and replacement. Thermal medium flows and the cavity is configured to deform when the housing is pressurized.

In the above scheme, the heat exchange medium in the flow channel is used to heat or cool the battery cells. When the battery cells inside the battery box expand during use, since there is a cavity inside the shell, the shell is affected by the force of the battery cells. It can deform when a force is applied to prevent the outer shell of the thermal management component from having an excessive reaction on the battery cells, absorb tolerances for the battery cells in groups, avoid damaging the battery cells, and reduce the heat exchange area between the thermal management components and the battery cells. By a small margin, the cycle performance of the battery cells is improved.

In some embodiments, the support component and the housing are enclosed to form a flow channel.

In the above solution, the casing is configured to be in direct contact with the battery cells, and the support component and the casing are jointly enclosed to form a flow channel. The heat exchange medium can contact the battery cells through the casing, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the battery cells.

In some embodiments, the support component includes a separation component and a support component. The separation component is used to define separately arranged flow channels and cavities in the housing; the support component is used to be disposed in the flow channel or jointly define the flow channel with the separation component. , to support the flow channel.

In the above solution, the interior of the housing is divided into a flow channel and a cavity through a partition assembly, and the assembly is used to support the flow channel, which improves the strength of the flow channel, so that when the thermal management component absorbs expansion and tolerance, the internal structure of the flow channel is reduced. The flow rate of the heat exchange medium does not change, preventing the heat exchange medium from overflowing. At the end of the battery life cycle, the flow channel will not be crushed and blocked.

In some embodiments, the housing includes a first side wall and a second side wall, the second side wall is arranged opposite to the first side wall along a first direction, and the partition assembly is connected to the first side wall and the second side wall respectively.

In the above solution, the connection strength of the first side wall and the second side wall can be enhanced by connecting the partition components to the first side wall and the second side wall respectively.

In some embodiments, the partition assembly includes a first bending plate and a second bending plate. The first bending plate is connected to the first side wall; the second bending plate is connected to the second side wall. The first bending plate and the second bent plate define a cavity.

In the above solution, the cavity space defined by the first bending plate and the second bending plate is large, ensuring the deformation space of the thermal management component.

In some embodiments, the support assembly includes first support ribs and second support ribs, the first support ribs are respectively connected to the first bending plate and the second side wall; the second support ribs are respectively connected to the second bending plate and the second side wall. One side wall connection.

In the above solution, the first support rib increases the connection strength between the first bending plate and the shell, and the second support rib increases the connection strength between the second bending plate and the shell.

In some embodiments, both ends of the first bending plate are connected to the first side wall, and both ends of the second bending plate are connected to the second side wall; in the first direction, the first bending plate and the second side wall are connected to each other. The bending plates are arranged in a staggered manner, and a flow channel is formed between the first support rib and the second support rib.

In the above solution, the first bending plate is connected to the first side wall to form a cavity close to the first side wall, and the second bending plate is connected to the second side wall to form a cavity close to the second side wall. The flow channel is located between the two cavities. The first side wall and the second side wall can be used to contact two adjacent battery cells respectively, so that the two thermal management components can absorb the expansion of the two battery cells at the same time.

In some embodiments, the number of the first bending plates is multiple, and two adjacent first bending plates are separated by a preset distance; and/or the number of the second bending plates is multiple. There is a preset distance between two adjacent second bending plates.

In the above solution, the contact area between the flow channel and the battery cell is increased.

In some embodiments, two ends of the first bending plate are connected to the first side wall to form a flow channel close to the first side wall; two ends of the second bending plate are connected to the second side wall to form a flow channel close to the first side wall. The flow channel of the second side wall.

In the above solution, the two flow channels can be in contact with two adjacent battery cells respectively, which increases the heat exchange area of the thermal management component.

In some embodiments, in the first direction, the first bending plate and the second bending plate are arranged oppositely; the bending part of the first bending plate is connected to the bending part of the second bending plate.

In the above solution, the bending part of the first bending plate is connected to the bending part of the second bending plate, which can enhance the strength of the partition assembly.

In some embodiments, the first bending plate includes a first inclined section and a second inclined section connected to each other, and the first support ribs are respectively connected to the first inclined section and the second inclined section; and/or, the second bending plate The board includes a third inclined section and a fourth inclined section connected to each other, and the second support ribs are connected to the third inclined section and the fourth inclined section respectively.

In the above solution, the connection strength of the first bending plate and/or the second bending plate can be strengthened, and the strength of the flow channel close to the first side wall and/or the strength of the flow channel close to the second side wall can be improved.

In some embodiments, the partition assembly includes a first partition and a second partition, the first partition extends along the second direction, the second partition extends along the first direction, the first direction and the second direction intersect, and the first partition extends along the second direction. The two partitions are respectively connected to the first side wall and the second side wall to define separate flow channels and cavities in the housing.

In the above solution, the second partition can support the first side wall and the second side wall, which improves the structural strength of the thermal management component.

In some embodiments, in the second direction, the cavities and flow channels are arranged alternately.

In the above scheme, the cavities and flow channels are arranged alternately, which can not only ensure the heat exchange efficiency of the battery cells, but also absorb the expansion of the battery cells evenly.

In some embodiments, the cavity and the flow channel are disposed adjacently in the first direction.

In the above solution, the space utilization inside the shell is improved.

In some embodiments, the first support ribs are connected to the first partition and the first side wall respectively, and the second support ribs are connected to the first partition and the second side wall respectively.

In the above solution, the first support rib and the second support rib respectively extend along the first direction. When the first side wall and the second side wall are expanded and squeezed by the battery cells, the flow rate of the flow channel can be prevented from changing.

A second embodiment of the present application provides a thermal management system, including the thermal management component provided in any of the above embodiments, with multiple thermal management components arranged at intervals.

A third embodiment of the present application provides a battery, including a battery cell and the above-mentioned thermal management component, and the thermal management component is configured to be close to the battery cell.

A fourth embodiment of the present application provides an electrical device, including the above-mentioned battery, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

Description of the drawings

In order to explain the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application more clearly, the drawings required to be used in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. Those of ordinary skill in the art can also obtain other drawings based on the drawings without exerting creative efforts.

Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided by some embodiments of the present application;

Figure 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of a battery provided by some embodiments of the present application;

Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management component provided by some embodiments of the present application;

Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point A in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application;

Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the thermal management component shown in Figure 3 from another angle;

Figure 7 is a side view of a thermal management component provided by some embodiments of the present application;

Figure 8 is a side view of a thermal management component provided by other embodiments of the present application;

Figure 9 is an enlarged schematic diagram of B in Figure 7;

Figures 10 and 11 are enlarged schematic views of C in Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a side view of a thermal management component provided by some embodiments of the present application.

In the drawings, the drawings are not drawn to actual scale.

Detailed ways

In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are Apply for some of the embodiments, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of this application.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field of this application; the terms used in the specification of this application are only for describing specific implementations. The purpose of the examples is not intended to limit the application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the description and claims of the application and the above description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the description and claims of this application or the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order or priority relationship.

Reference in this application to "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearances of this phrase in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.

In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly stated and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", "connection" and "attachment" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, It can also be detachably connected or integrally connected; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be internal communication between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

The term "and/or" in this application is just an association relationship describing related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships, for example, A and/or B, which can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, alone There are three situations B. In addition, the character "/" in this application generally indicates that the related objects are an "or" relationship.

In the embodiments of the present application, the same reference numerals represent the same components, and for the sake of simplicity, detailed descriptions of the same components in different embodiments are omitted. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width and other dimensions of various components in the embodiments of the present application shown in the drawings, as well as the overall thickness, length and width of the integrated device, are only illustrative illustrations and should not constitute any limitation to the present application. .

"Plural" appearing in this application means two or more (including two).

In this application, battery cells may include lithium ion secondary battery cells, lithium ion primary battery cells, lithium sulfur battery cells, sodium lithium ion battery cells, sodium ion battery cells or magnesium ion battery cells, etc., The embodiments of the present application are not limited to this. The battery cell may be in the shape of a cylinder, a flat body, a rectangular parallelepiped or other shapes, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

In this application, battery cells may include lithium ion secondary battery cells, lithium ion primary battery cells, lithium sulfur battery cells, sodium lithium ion battery cells, sodium ion battery cells or magnesium ion battery cells, etc., The embodiments of the present application are not limited to this. The battery cell may be in the shape of a cylinder, a flat body, a rectangular parallelepiped or other shapes, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this. Battery cells are generally divided into three types according to packaging methods: cylindrical battery cells, rectangular battery cells and soft-pack battery cells, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

The battery mentioned in the embodiments of this application refers to a single physical module including one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. For example, the battery mentioned in this application may include a battery module or a battery pack. Batteries generally include a box for packaging one or more battery cells. The box can prevent liquid or other foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

The battery cell includes an electrode assembly and an electrolyte. The electrode assembly consists of a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet and a separator. Battery cells mainly rely on the movement of metal ions between the positive and negative electrodes to work. The positive electrode sheet includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive electrode current collector. The current collector that is not coated with the positive electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector that is coated with the positive electrode active material layer. The current collector coated with the positive electrode active material layer is laminated to form a positive electrode tab. Taking lithium-ion batteries as an example, the material of the positive electrode current collector can be aluminum, and the positive electrode active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium or lithium manganate, etc. The negative electrode sheet includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer. The negative electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative electrode current collector. The current collector that is not coated with the negative electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector that is coated with the negative electrode active material layer. The current collector coated with the negative electrode active material layer is laminated to serve as the negative electrode tab. The material of the negative electrode current collector can be copper, and the negative electrode active material can be carbon or silicon. The material of the isolation film can be PP (polypropylene, polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene, polyethylene), etc. In addition, the electrode assembly may have a rolled structure or a laminated structure, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

The battery cells disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be used in, but are not limited to, electrical devices such as vehicles, ships, or aircrafts. The power supply system of the electrical device can be composed of battery cells, batteries, etc. disclosed in this application, which is beneficial to improving the stability of battery performance and battery life.

Batteries will show different electrical cycle performance under different ambient temperatures. When the ambient temperature is too high or too low, the cycle performance of the battery will decrease and even its service life will be shortened. In order to ensure the safety, stable performance and excellent operation of new energy vehicles, effective thermal management of the battery must be carried out to control the battery to always operate within a suitable temperature range.

The inventor installed a thermal management component in the battery. The thermal management component can be used to exchange heat with the battery cells to effectively manage the heat of the battery and make the battery cells operate within a suitable temperature range.

The inventor found that during the process of charging and discharging, the battery cells are prone to expansion. Since the thermal management components cannot deform, the thermal management components cannot absorb the expansion tolerance, causing a large reaction force on the thermal management components, which is easily damaged. The thermal conductivity area of the battery cell and the thermal management component is reduced, which reduces the heat exchange efficiency and affects the cycle life of the battery cell.

In order to solve the problem that the thermal management component cannot absorb the expansion tolerance of the battery cells, the inventor, after in-depth research, designed a thermal management component, which includes a casing and a supporting component. The supporting component is accommodated in the casing and used to define partitions in the casing. A flow channel and a cavity are provided, the flow channel is used for the heat exchange medium to flow, and the cavity is configured to be deformable when the shell is pressurized. In the above scheme, the heat exchange medium in the flow channel is used to heat or cool the battery cells. When the battery cells inside the battery box expand during use, since there is a cavity inside the shell, the shell is affected by the force of the battery cells. It can deform when a force is applied to prevent the outer shell of the thermal management component from having an excessive reaction on the battery cells, absorb tolerances for the battery cells in groups, avoid damaging the battery cells, and reduce the heat exchange area between the thermal management components and the battery cells. By a small margin, the cycle performance of the battery cells is improved.

Embodiments of the present application provide an electrical device that uses a battery as a power source. The electrical device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric vehicle, a ship, a spacecraft, etc. Among them, electric toys can include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, electric airplane toys, etc., and spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, spaceships, etc.

For the convenience of explanation in the following embodiments, an electric device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application is used as an example.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided by some embodiments of the present application. The vehicle 1000 may be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. The battery 100 is disposed inside the vehicle 1000 , and the battery 100 may be disposed at the bottom, head, or tail of the vehicle 1000 . The battery 100 may be used to power the vehicle 1000 , for example, the battery 100 may serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000 . The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300 . The controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to provide power to the motor 300 , for example, for starting, navigating and driving the vehicle 1000 .

In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can not only be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000 , but also can be used as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000 , replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000 .

Please refer to FIG. 2 , which is an exploded view of the battery 100 provided by some embodiments of the present application. The battery 100 includes a battery box and battery cells 20 . In some embodiments, the battery box may include an upper cover 10 and a box body 30 . The upper cover 10 and the box body 30 cover each other. The upper cover 10 and the box body 30 jointly define an accommodation cavity for accommodating the battery cells 20 . The box 30 can be a hollow structure with one end open, and the upper cover 10 can be a plate-like structure. The upper cover 10 is closed on the open side of the box 30 so that the upper cover 10 and the box 30 jointly define a containing cavity; the upper cover 10 can be a plate-shaped structure. 10 and the box body 30 can also be hollow structures with one side open, and the open side of the upper cover 10 is closed with the open side of the box body 30 . Of course, the battery box formed by the upper cover 10 and the box body 30 can have various shapes, such as a cylinder, a rectangular parallelepiped, etc.

In the battery 100, there may be a plurality of battery cells 20, and the plurality of battery cells 20 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in mixed connection. Mixed connection means that the plurality of battery cells 20 are connected in series and in parallel. Multiple battery cells 20 can be directly connected in series, in parallel, or mixed together, and then the whole composed of multiple battery cells 20 can be accommodated in the box; of course, the battery 100 can also have multiple battery cells 20 connected in series first. They can be connected in parallel or mixed to form a battery module, and multiple battery modules can be connected in series, parallel or mixed to form a whole, and be accommodated in the box. The battery 100 may also include other structures. For example, the battery 100 may further include a bus component for realizing electrical connections between multiple battery cells 20 .

Each battery cell 20 may be a secondary battery cell or a primary battery cell; it may also be a lithium-sulfur battery cell, a sodium-ion battery cell or a magnesium-ion battery cell, but is not limited thereto. The battery cell 20 may be in the shape of a cylinder, a flat body, a rectangular parallelepiped or other shapes.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management component provided by some embodiments of the present application; Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point A in Figure 3. In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a thermal management component 40, which includes a housing 50 and a support component 60. The support component 60 is accommodated in the housing 50 and used to define separate flow channels 40b and cavities in the housing 50. 40a, the flow channel 40b is used for the flow of heat exchange medium, and the cavity 40a is configured to be deformable when the shell 50 is pressurized.

The heat exchange medium can be water, ethylene glycol and other liquids, and the temperature of the heat exchange medium in the flow channel 40b can be adjusted. When the temperature of the battery cell 20 is too high, the thermal management component 40 can cool down the battery cell; When the temperature of the cell is too low, the thermal management component 40 can keep the battery cell 20 warm and extend the service life of the battery. The thermal management component 40 can be disposed at the bottom or side of the battery box to fully contact the battery cells 20, or it can be disposed between two adjacent battery cells 20 as shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 shows some examples of this application. The embodiment provides a schematic structural diagram of the thermal management system; the thermal management component is in contact with the side with the largest area of the battery cell 20 to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the battery. The battery cell 20 is located between two adjacent thermal management components 40 such that both sides of each battery cell 20 are in contact with two thermal management components 40 respectively. Multiple thermal management components 40 are connected through connecting pipes 70 to The connection between the various thermal management components 40 and the circulation of the heat exchange medium are realized.

Both ends of the flow channel 40b are designed with openings for the flow of heat exchange medium. The heat exchange medium makes the flow channel 40b have a certain strength and generally will not be compressed and deformed. Both ends of the cavity 40a are designed to be sealed so that the heat exchange medium will not enter the cavity 40a. The volume of the cavity 40a accounts for 10%-90%, so it is prone to deformation. The casing 50 and the supporting member 60 can be made of the same material through an integrated molding process. The casing 50 can also be made of a material with greater elasticity than the supporting member 60 , so that when the casing 50 is subjected to the expansion force of the battery cell 20 , the casing 50 can be hollowed out. Cavity 40a is deformable.

In the above solution, the battery cells 20 are heated or cooled by the heat exchange medium in the flow channel 40b. When the battery cells 20 inside the battery box expand during use, since there is a cavity 40a inside the casing 50, The casing 50 can deform when subjected to the force of the battery cells 20, preventing the casing 50 of the thermal management component 40 from having an excessive reaction on the battery cells 20, absorbing tolerances for the battery cells 20 in groups, and avoiding damage to the battery cells 20. Reduce the heat exchange area between the thermal management component 40 and the battery cell 20 to improve the cycle performance of the battery cell 20 .

In some embodiments, the support component 60 and the housing 50 are enclosed to form a flow channel 40b. The support member 60 can be connected with the casing 50 to form a flow channel 40b. The number of the flow channels 40b can be multiple. The multiple flow channels 40b are adjacent or spaced apart to fully exchange heat for the battery cells 20.

In the above solution, the casing 50 is configured to be in direct contact with the battery cells 20, and the support member 60 and the casing 50 are jointly enclosed to form a flow channel 40b. The heat exchange medium can contact the battery cells 20 through the casing 50, thereby improving the efficiency of the battery cells. Heat transfer efficiency of 20%.

As shown in FIG. 6 , FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the thermal management component shown in FIG. 3 from another angle. The support component 60 includes a partition component 61 and a support component 62. The partition component 61 is used to define a flow channel 40b and a cavity 40a arranged separately in the housing 50; the support component 62 is used to be arranged in the flow channel 40b or with the partition component 61. Together, the flow channel 40b is defined to support the flow channel 40b.

The partition component 61 is connected to the support component 62 and is respectively connected to the housing 50 to define the flow channel 40b and the cavity 40a. The support component 62 can be disposed inside the flow channel 40b to support the flow channel 40b, or the support component 62 can be used as a side of the flow channel 40b, connected to the shell 50 and the partition component 61, and enclosed to form the flow channel 40b, which can also achieve convection. Road 40b supports.

In the above solution, the interior of the housing 50 is divided into the flow channel 40b and the cavity 40a through the partition assembly 61, and the flow channel 40b is supported through the support assembly 62, thereby improving the strength of the flow channel 40b, so that the thermal management component 40 absorbs expansion and When the tolerance is set, the volume inside the flow channel 40b is prevented from being reduced, the flow rate of the heat exchange medium inside the flow channel 40b is changed, and the heat exchange medium is prevented from overflowing. At the end of the battery life cycle, the flow channel 40b will not be crushed and blocked.

The housing 50 includes a first side wall 50a and a second side wall 50b. The second side wall 50b is arranged opposite to the first side wall 50a along the first direction X. The partition assembly 61 is respectively connected with the first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b. connect.

The first direction X is the X direction as shown in FIG. 6 , and may be the thickness direction of the thermal management component 40 . The first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b can be configured as the side walls with the largest area of the thermal management component 40, and the thermal management component 40 can be disposed at the bottom or side of the battery box, the first side wall 50a or the second side wall 50b is in contact with the battery cell 20 to fully exchange heat with the battery cell 20; the thermal management component 40 can also be disposed between two adjacent battery cells 20, the first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b They are respectively in contact with two adjacent battery cells 20 to exchange heat with different battery cells 20 and improve the heat exchange efficiency of the battery.

In the above solution, by connecting the partition components 61 to the first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b respectively, the connection strength of the first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b can be strengthened, and the overall strength of the thermal management component 40 can be improved.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, Figure 7 is a side view of a thermal management component provided by some embodiments of the present application; Figure 8 is a side view of a thermal management component provided by other embodiments of the present application. The partition assembly 61 includes a first bending plate 611 and a second bending plate 612. The first bending plate 611 is connected to the first side wall 50a; the second bending plate 612 is connected to the second side wall 50b. The plate 611 and the second bent plate 612 define the cavity 40a.

The first bending plate 611 is connected to the first side wall 50a and can define a cavity 40a close to the first side wall 50a. The second bending plate 612 is connected to the second side wall 50b and can define a cavity 40a close to the second side wall. The cavity 40a of 50b; or the cavity 40a is formed between the first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612.

In the above solution, the first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612 both have a bending shape, and the first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612 can define a larger space of the cavity 40a, ensuring that The deformation space of the thermal management component 40 improves the space utilization inside the housing 50 .

In some embodiments, the support assembly 62 includes first support ribs 621 and second support ribs 622. The first support ribs 621 are respectively connected to the first bending plate 611 and the second side wall 50b; the second support ribs 622 are respectively connected to the first bending plate 611 and the second side wall 50b. The second bending plate 612 is connected to the first side wall 50a.

The first support ribs 621 and the second support ribs 622 can be respectively located in the flow channel 40b, or can be used as the sides of the flow channel 40b, both of which can support the flow channel 40b. The first support ribs 621 improve the first bending plate 611 The second support rib 622 improves the connection strength between the second bending plate 612 and the shell 50, and both the first support rib 621 and the second support rib 622 increase the strength of the flow channel 40b. When the heat is When the management component 40 is compressed by the expansion force of the battery cell 20, the first support ribs 621 and the second support ribs 622 can prevent the flow channel 40b from deforming, thereby ensuring that the internal volume of the flow channel 40b does not change and the heat exchange medium does not change. will overflow. At the same time, at the end of the battery's life cycle, it can prevent the flow channel 40b from being crushed and causing blockage and thermal performance failure.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , FIG. 9 is an enlarged schematic view of B in FIG. 7 . Both ends of the first bending plate 611 are connected to the first side wall 50a, and both ends of the second bending plate 612 are connected to the second side wall 50b; in the first direction The bending plates 612 are arranged in a staggered manner, and a flow channel 40b is formed between the first support rib 621 and the second support rib 622 .

The first bending plate 611 is connected to the first side wall 50a to form a cavity 40a close to the first side wall 50a, and the second bending plate 612 is connected to the second side wall 50b to form a cavity 40a close to the second side wall 50b. The cavity 40a and the flow channel 40b are located between the two cavities 40a. A plurality of flow channels 40b are arranged adjacently, and the first support ribs 621 and the second support ribs 622 jointly support the flow channels 40b, thereby improving the strength of the flow channels 40b. The first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b can be used to contact two adjacent battery cells 20 respectively, so that the positions of the first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b corresponding to the cavity 40a can be deformed, Thermal management component 40 is capable of absorbing the expansion of both battery cells 20 simultaneously. The first side wall 50 a and the second side wall 50 b are the side walls with the largest area of the housing 50 , and are respectively in contact with the side portions with the largest area of the battery cells 20 to improve the absorption of expansion of the battery cells 20 .

In some embodiments, there are multiple first bending plates 611 , two adjacent first bending plates 611 are spaced apart by a preset distance, and the first side wall 50 a includes two adjacent first bending plates 611 . Through the first interval L1 between the plates 611, the flow channel 40b can contact the battery cell 20 abutting the first side wall 50a, thereby improving the stability of the battery cell 20 abutting the first side wall 50a. contact area to increase heat transfer efficiency.

In some embodiments, there are multiple second bending plates 612 , two adjacent second bending plates 612 are spaced apart by a preset distance, and the second side wall 50 b includes two adjacent second bending plates 612 . Through the second interval L2 between the plates 612, the flow channel 40b can contact the battery cell 20 abutting the second side wall 50b, thereby improving the stability of the battery cell 20 abutting the second side wall 50b. contact area to increase heat transfer efficiency.

In other embodiments, the number of the first bending plates 611 is multiple, and two adjacent first bending plates 611 are separated by a preset distance, and the number of the second bending plates 612 is multiple. The two adjacent second bending plates 612 are spaced apart by a preset distance, which can simultaneously improve the heat exchange of the battery cells 20 that are close to the first side wall 50a and the battery cells 20 that are close to the second side wall 50b. efficiency.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 , FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic view of C in FIG. 8 . Both ends of the first bending plate 611 are connected to the first side wall 50a to form a flow channel 40b close to the first side wall 50a; both ends of the second bending plate 612 are connected to the second side wall 50b to form a flow channel 40b close to the first side wall 50a. The flow channel 40b of the second side wall 50b.

The flow channel 40b close to the first side wall 50a and the flow channel 40b close to the second side wall 50b may be arranged oppositely along the first direction X, that is, there are two flow channels 40b in the first direction X. The first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612 enclose a rhombus-shaped cavity 40a. The flow channel 40b close to the first side wall 50a is used to contact the battery cells 20 close to the first side wall 50a, and the flow channel 40b close to the second side wall 50b is used to contact the battery cells 20 close to the second side wall 50b. The battery cells 20 are in contact.

In the above solution, the two flow channels 40b can respectively contact the two adjacent battery cells 20, thereby increasing the heat exchange area of the thermal management component 40.

In some embodiments, in the first direction X, the first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612 are arranged oppositely; connect.

The first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612 can be in the shape of a triangle, and the flow channel 40b and the space are relatively large. The bending point of the first bending plate 611 is away from the first side wall 50a, and the bending point of the second bending plate 612 is The folding point is away from the second side wall 50b, the two folding points are connected, and the structure is stable. In other embodiments, the first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612 may also be L-shaped, arc-shaped, or other shapes.

In the above solution, the bending portion of the first bending plate 611 and the bending portion of the second bending plate 612 are connected, which can enhance the strength of the partition assembly 61 .

As shown in Figure 11, Figure 11 is an enlarged schematic diagram of C in Figure 8. The first bending plate 611 includes a first inclined section 611a and a second inclined section 611b that are connected to each other. The first supporting ribs 621 are connected to the first inclined section 611a and the second inclined section 611b respectively. The bending part of the first support rib 621 is connected to the first side wall 50a, and both ends are connected to the first inclined section 611a and the second inclined section 611b respectively, which improves the connection between the first bending plate 611 and the first side wall 50a. The strength improves the strength of the flow channel 40b close to the first side wall 50a. The first support rib 621 can be triangular and has a stable structure. In other embodiments, the first support rib 621 can also be set in an L-shaped or arc-shaped shape, or the first support rib 621 includes two separate sections, one section is connected to the first side wall 50a and the first inclined section 611a respectively. connected, and the other section is connected to the second side wall 50b and the second inclined section 611b respectively.

In some embodiments, the second bending plate 612 includes a third inclined section 612a and a fourth inclined section 613b connected to each other, and the second support rib 622 is connected to the third inclined section 612a and the fourth inclined section 613b respectively. The bending part of the second support rib 622 is connected to the second side wall 50b, and both ends are connected to the third inclined section 612a and the fourth inclined section 613b respectively, which improves the connection between the second bending plate 612 and the second side wall 50b. The strength improves the strength of the flow channel 40b close to the second side wall 50b. The second support rib 622 may be triangular and has a stable structure. In other embodiments, the second support rib 622 can also be configured in an L-shaped or arc-shaped shape, or the second support rib 622 includes two separate sections, one section is connected to the second side wall 50b and the third inclined section 612a respectively. connected, and the other section is connected to the second side wall 50b and the fourth inclined section 613b respectively.

In other embodiments, the first bending plate 611 includes a first inclined section 611a and a second inclined section 611b that are connected to each other, and the first support rib 621 is connected to the first inclined section 611a and the second inclined section 611b respectively, and The second bending plate 612 includes a third inclined section 612a and a fourth inclined section 613b that are connected to each other. The second supporting ribs 622 are respectively connected to the third inclined section 612a and the fourth inclined section 613b. The connection strength of the first bending plate 611 and the second bending plate 612 can be strengthened, and the strength of the flow channel 40b close to the first side wall 50a and the strength of the flow channel 40b close to the second side wall 50b can be improved.

Figure 12 is a side view of a thermal management component provided by some embodiments of the present application. In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the partition assembly 61 includes a first partition 613 and a second partition 614. The first partition 613 extends along the second direction Y, and the second partition 614 extends along the first direction X. , first direction .

The second direction Y is the Y direction shown in FIG. 12, and the first direction X and the second direction Y can be arranged vertically, so that the flow channel 40b and the cavity 40a are rectangular. The second partition 614 can support the first side wall 50a and the second side wall 50b, thereby improving the structural strength of the thermal management component 40.

In some embodiments, in the second direction Y, the cavities 40a and the flow channels 40b are alternately arranged. The cavities 40a and flow channels 40b are alternately arranged, which can not only ensure the heat exchange efficiency of the battery cells 20, but also absorb the expansion of the battery cells 20 evenly.

In the first direction X, the cavity 40a and the flow channel 40b are arranged adjacently, which improves the space utilization inside the housing 50. It is ensured that the flow channels 40b and the cavities 40a are evenly arranged alternately near the first side wall 50a to fully exchange heat for the battery cell 20 that is close to the first side wall 50a and to absorb the expansion force of the battery cell 20. . It is ensured that the flow channels 40b and the cavities 40a are evenly arranged alternately close to the second side wall 50b to fully exchange heat for the battery cell 20 that is close to the second side wall 50b and to absorb the expansion of the battery cell 20 force.

In some embodiments, the first support ribs 621 are connected to the first partition 613 and the first side wall 50a respectively, and the second support ribs 622 are connected to the first partition 613 and the second side wall 50b respectively.

The first support rib 621 is located in the flow channel 40b close to the first side wall 50a, and the second support rib 622 is located in the flow channel 40b close to the second side wall 50b. The first support ribs 621 and the second support ribs 622 respectively extend along the first direction The height is compressed to prevent the volume of the flow channel 40b from changing, ensuring the heat exchange effect on the battery cells 20 close to the first side wall 50a and the battery cells 20 close to the second side wall 50b.

The second embodiment of the present application provides a thermal management system, including the thermal management component 40 provided in any of the above embodiments, with multiple thermal management components 40 arranged at intervals. The battery cell 20 is located between two adjacent thermal management components 40 such that both sides of each battery cell 20 are in contact with two thermal management components 40 respectively. Multiple thermal management components 40 are connected through connecting pipes 70 to The connection between the various thermal management components 40 and the circulation of the heat exchange medium are realized.

A third embodiment of the present application provides a battery, including a battery cell 20 and the thermal management component 40 of any of the above embodiments. The thermal management component 40 is configured to abut against the battery cell 20 .

According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application provides a thermal management component 40, which includes a housing 50 and a support component 60. The support component 60 is accommodated in the housing 50 and used to define

separate flow channels

40b and 40b in the housing 50. The cavity 40a and the flow channel 40b are used for the heat exchange medium to flow, and the cavity 40a is configured to be deformable when the shell 50 is pressurized. In the above solution, the battery cells 20 are heated or cooled by the heat exchange medium in the flow channel 40b. When the battery cells 20 inside the battery box expand during use, since there is a cavity 40a inside the casing 50, The casing 50 can deform when subjected to the force of the battery cells 20, preventing the casing 50 of the thermal management component 40 from having an excessive reaction on the battery cells 20, absorbing tolerances for the battery cells 20 in groups, and avoiding damage to the battery cells 20. Reduce the heat exchange area between the thermal management component 40 and the battery cell 20 to improve the cycle performance of the battery cell 20 .

It should be noted that, as long as there is no conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present application, but not to limit it; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that it can still be Modifications may be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions may be made to some of the technical features, but these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

A thermal management component including:

shell;

A support component, accommodated in the housing and used to define spaced flow channels and cavities in the housing, the flow channels being used for flow of heat exchange medium, and the cavities being configured to be in the housing. Can deform under pressure.
The thermal management component according to claim 1, wherein the support component and the housing are enclosed to form the flow channel.
The thermal management component of claim 1, wherein the support component includes:

A partition assembly for defining separately arranged flow channels and cavities within the housing;

A support component is configured to be disposed in the flow channel or define the flow channel together with the separation component to support the flow channel.
The thermal management component of claim 3, wherein the housing includes:

first side wall;

The second side wall is arranged opposite to the first side wall along the first direction, and the partition components are connected to the first side wall and the second side wall respectively.
The thermal management component of claim 4, wherein the partition assembly includes:

A first bending plate connected to the first side wall;

A second bending plate is connected to the second side wall, and the first bending plate and the second bending plate define the cavity.
The thermal management component of claim 5, wherein the support assembly includes:

The first support ribs are respectively connected to the first bending plate and the second side wall;

The second support ribs are respectively connected to the second bending plate and the first side wall.
The thermal management component according to claim 6, wherein two ends of the first bending plate are connected to the first side wall, and two ends of the second bending plate are connected to the second side wall. ;

In the first direction, the first bending plate and the second bending plate are arranged in an offset manner, and the flow channel is formed between the first support rib and the second support rib.
The thermal management component according to claim 7, wherein the number of the first bending plates is multiple, and two adjacent first bending plates are separated by a preset distance; and/or,

There are multiple second bending plates, and two adjacent second bending plates are spaced apart by a preset distance.
The thermal management component according to claim 6, wherein two ends of the first bending plate are connected to the first side wall to form the flow channel close to the first side wall;

Both ends of the second bent plate are connected to the second side wall to form the flow channel close to the second side wall.
The thermal management component according to claim 9, wherein in the first direction, the first bending plate and the second bending plate are arranged oppositely;

The bending part of the first bending plate is connected to the bending part of the second bending plate.
The thermal management component according to claim 9, wherein the first bending plate includes a first inclined section and a second inclined section connected to each other, and the first support rib is connected to the first inclined section and the second inclined section respectively. Two inclined sections are connected;

And/or, the second bending plate includes a third inclined section and a fourth inclined section connected to each other, and the second support rib is connected to the third inclined section and the fourth inclined section respectively.
The thermal management component of claim 4, wherein the partition assembly includes:

a first partition extending along the second direction,

A second partition extends along the first direction, the first direction and the second direction intersect, and the second partition is connected to the first side wall and the second side wall respectively to connect the The flow channels and cavities arranged separately are defined in the housing.
The thermal management component according to claim 12, wherein in the second direction, the cavities and the flow channels are arranged alternately.
The thermal management component of claim 12, wherein the cavity and the flow channel are adjacently disposed in the first direction.
The thermal management component according to claim 12, wherein the first support ribs are respectively connected to the first partition and the first side wall, and the second support ribs are respectively connected to the first partition. connected to the second side wall.
A thermal management system, which includes a plurality of thermal management components according to any one of claims 1 to 15, and the plurality of thermal management components are arranged at intervals.
A battery, including:

Battery cells;

The thermal management component according to any one of claims 1-15, which is abutted against the battery cell.
An electrical device, comprising the battery according to claim 17, the battery being used to provide electrical energy.