JP5656706B2 - Battery temperature control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery temperature control device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a power supply device for a vehicle. The power supply device for a vehicle includes an assembled battery that supplies electric power to a motor that drives the vehicle, and a cooling mechanism that cools the assembled battery. A plurality of prismatic batteries in which the assembled battery is arranged in a stacked state with a predetermined gap, and an insulating cooling spacer that insulates and cools the prismatic battery that is sandwiched between the opposing surfaces of the adjacent prismatic batteries. It has. The insulating cooling spacer is provided with a water-tight cooling fluid passage. The cooling fluid passage is connected to a cooling mechanism, and the insulating cooling spacer is cooled by the coolant supplied from the cooling mechanism. Cool the opposite surface while insulating the battery.

JP 2009-9853 A

  By the way, in order to control the temperature of the battery by flowing a heat medium through the heat exchanger, it is necessary to connect a heat medium supply pipe and a discharge pipe to the heat exchanger. At this time, as a connection structure of the heat exchanger and the supply / discharge pipe of the heat medium, when the projection formed in the heat exchanger is inserted into the through hole formed in the supply / discharge pipe of the heat medium and brazed, Insufficient strength. In particular, if the supply / discharge pipe for the heat medium is arranged on one side of the heat exchanger, the strength tends to be insufficient.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a battery temperature control device capable of avoiding insufficient strength between a heat exchanger having a heat medium passage formed therein and a pipe connected to the heat exchanger.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the heat exchanger is flat and has a heat medium passage formed therein, and is connected perpendicularly to the flat surface of the heat exchanger, which exchanges heat with the battery, A supply pipe for supplying a heat medium into the heat medium passage, and a discharge pipe connected perpendicularly to the flat surface of the heat exchanger for discharging the heat medium from the heat medium passage. The battery temperature control apparatus provided, wherein the supply pipe and the discharge pipe pass through a plurality of the heat exchangers, and each of the plurality of heat exchangers is connected to the supply pipe. and said supported on cantilever structure by the pipes connecting portion between the exhaust pipe as a fixed end, the two pipes, wherein each heat exchange over the entire circumference of the both pipe connection portion between the heat exchanger The gist is that it is joined to the vessel.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the heat exchanger is flat and has a heat medium passage formed therein, and performs heat exchange with the battery. The supply pipe is connected perpendicularly to the flat surface of the heat exchanger, and the heat medium can be supplied into the heat medium passage. The discharge pipe is connected perpendicularly to the flat surface of the heat exchanger, and can discharge the heat medium from the heat medium passage. The heat exchanger is supported in a cantilever structure by both pipes with the connection portion with the supply pipe and the connection portion with the discharge pipe as fixed ends. Here, since both pipes are joined to the heat exchanger over the entire circumference of both pipes at the connection portion with the heat exchanger, it is possible to avoid insufficient strength.

The invention according to claim 2 is summarized in that, in the battery temperature control device according to claim 1, the two pipes are round pipes.
According to invention of Claim 2, when it is a round pipe, it is easy to join a heat exchanger over the perimeter of a pipe.

In invention of Claim 3, in the battery temperature control apparatus of Claim 1 or 2, a flange part is formed in the junction part with the said both pipes in the said several heat exchanger, The said flange part WHEREIN: The gist is that both pipes are brazed.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily braze the pipes with the flanges formed at the joints between the pipes in the heat exchanger.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to avoid insufficient strength between the heat exchanger in which the heat medium passage is formed and the pipe connected to the heat exchanger.

(A) is a top view of the battery temperature control apparatus in this embodiment, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the battery temperature control apparatus in the AA line of (a). The perspective view of a multistage type heat exchange apparatus. The perspective view of a heat exchanger. The perspective view of the plate of a heat exchanger. The perspective view of the pipe connection part in a battery temperature control apparatus. The perspective view of the pipe in a battery temperature control apparatus. The perspective view of the plate of the heat exchanger of another example. The perspective view of the pipe connection part in the battery temperature control apparatus of another example. The top view for demonstrating the channel | path of the heat medium in the battery temperature control apparatus of another example. Sectional drawing which shows the heat exchanger of another example typically. Sectional drawing of the pipe connection part in the battery temperature control apparatus of another example.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a vehicle (automobile) equipped with a traveling battery will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the drawings, the horizontal plane is defined by the orthogonal X and Y directions, and the vertical direction is defined by the Z direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the battery temperature adjustment device 10 includes battery cases 20 and 21. Each battery case 20, 21 has a rectangular box shape (cuboid shape). A battery case 21 is stacked on the battery case 20. Each of the battery cases 20 and 21 is made of a resin, a metal on which an insulating coating film is formed, silicon, or the like.

  Inside the battery case 20, the cylindrical batteries 30 are arranged adjacent to each other in a row in the horizontal direction with the axis thereof being horizontal. In addition, the cylindrical battery 30 is arranged in a staggered manner in two upper and lower stages inside the battery case 20. That is, the cylindrical batteries 30 are arranged in a staggered manner by shifting the phases.

  Similarly, inside the battery case 21, the cylindrical batteries 30 are arranged adjacent to each other in a line in the horizontal direction with the axis thereof being horizontal. In addition, the cylindrical battery 30 is arranged in a staggered manner in two upper and lower stages inside the battery case 21. That is, the cylindrical batteries 30 are arranged in a staggered manner by shifting the phases.

Each cylindrical battery 30 is a secondary battery.
In addition, terminal plates (positive electrode terminal plate, negative electrode terminal plate) that connect the electrodes (positive electrode, negative electrode) of the respective cylindrical batteries 30 in the battery case are arranged inside the battery case 20 and the battery case 21. The battery case 20 and the battery case 21 are provided with counterbore holes having the same diameter as the cylindrical battery 30, and the cylindrical battery 30 is positioned by the counterbore holes.

  The battery temperature control device 10 is provided with a multistage heat exchange device 40. The multi-stage heat exchange device 40 can control the temperature of the cylindrical battery 30 inside the battery cases 20 and 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the multistage heat exchange device 40 includes a lower heat exchanger 50 that forms a flat rectangle and an upper heat exchanger 51 that forms a flat rectangle. A heat medium supply pipe 60 and a heat medium discharge pipe 61 are connected to the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51. The lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 are disposed horizontally and facing each other. The heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 are both round pipes, are arranged in an upright state, and extend in the vertical direction. One heat medium supply pipe 60 and one heat medium discharge pipe 61 penetrate the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50. That is, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 are aggregated pipes of the multistage heat exchange device 40 in which the heat exchanger is multistaged.

  Further, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 are arranged close to each other on one side of the long lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51. Therefore, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 are connected to the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 in a cantilever structure. In other words, the heat exchangers 50 and 51 are supported in a cantilever structure by both pipes with the connection portion with the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the connection portion with the heat medium discharge pipe 61 as fixed ends. By adopting the cantilever structure, it is possible to save space in a state where the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 are arranged inside the battery cases 20 and 21 (see FIG. 1). The lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 extend in the horizontal direction with a certain distance therebetween.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lower heat exchanger 50 is inserted between the battery cases 20 and is positioned between the cylindrical batteries 30 arranged in two upper and lower stages inside the battery case 20. Therefore, the cylindrical batteries 30 are arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the lower heat exchanger 50, and heat is transferred between the cylindrical batteries 30 and the lower heat exchanger 50. At this time, a high thermal conductive resin or the like is injected (filled) into the gap between the cylindrical batteries 30, and the thermal conduction and the holding of the cylindrical batteries 30 are performed by this resin or the like.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper heat exchanger 51 is inserted into the battery case 21 and is positioned between the cylindrical batteries 30 arranged in two stages in the upper and lower sides inside the battery case 21. . Therefore, the cylindrical battery 30 is arranged on both the upper and lower surfaces of the upper heat exchanger 51, and heat moves between the cylindrical battery 30 and the upper heat exchanger 51. At this time, a high thermal conductive resin or the like is injected (filled) into the gap between the cylindrical batteries 30, and the thermal conduction and the holding of the cylindrical batteries 30 are performed by this resin or the like.

  The lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 have the same configuration. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 are flat and have a heat medium passage formed therein, and perform heat exchange with the cylindrical battery 30 to adjust the temperature. To do.

  The lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 are configured by using two plates 70 shown in FIG. 4, and a heat medium passage is formed inside by superposing and brazing a pair of upper and lower plates 70. The That is, the lower outer shell plate and the upper outer shell plate are formed in a bowl shape at the outer peripheral edge, and are joined at the outer peripheral edge (the flange), and the lower outer shell plate and the upper outer shell plate are A heat medium passage is formed between the two.

  The plate 70 extends in the X direction. Pipe insertion holes 71 and 72 are formed at one end in the X direction so as to be separated from each other in the Y direction. A heat medium passage 80 extending in the X direction from the pipe insertion hole 71 and a heat medium passage 81 extending in the X direction from the pipe insertion hole 72 are formed, and a heat medium passage 80 extending in the X direction from the pipe insertion hole 71; The heat medium passage 81 extending in the X direction from the pipe insertion hole 72 communicates with the tip end side. That is, the heat medium passage is folded once. Therefore, the heat medium flowing through the folded heat medium passage becomes a counter flow, and each cylindrical battery 30 exchanges heat with the heat medium that has become the counter flow.

  Ribs (internal flow path ribs) 90a and 90b extending in the X direction are formed in the top plate portion (and bottom plate portion) constituting the heat medium passages 80 and 81 in the plate 70, and the flow of the heat medium is caused by the ribs 90a and 90b. Rectified. Further, the brazing area can be increased by the ribs 90a and 90b, and the strength of the plate 70 can be improved.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the heat medium supply pipe 60 is connected to the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 so as to communicate with the heat medium passage. Similarly, the heat medium discharge pipe 61 is also connected to the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 so as to communicate with the heat medium passage. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, through holes 100 and 101 are formed in the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61, and the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe are passed through the through holes 100 and 101. 61 and the heat medium passages of the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 communicate with each other. The heat medium can be supplied to the heat medium passage and discharged, and the heat medium can be discharged through the heat medium passage. It can be shed. That is, the heat medium is distributed to the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 by making holes in the pipes 60 and 61. A coolant (LLC) can be used as the heat medium.

In addition, the entire circumference of the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 is joined to the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 by brazing.
Here, as shown in FIG. 5, a flange portion 110 is formed at a joint portion between the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 in the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50, and the flange portion 110. The heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 are brazed. That is, the pipes 60 and 61 are disposed inside the flange portion 110, and the outer peripheral portion is brazed. The plates 70 constituting the lower heat exchanger 50, the plates 70 constituting the upper heat exchanger 51, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61, the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51, and Are brazed together (in a lump).

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the flange portions 110 are provided on both sides of the pair of plates of the heat exchanger 51. The flange portion 110 may be provided only on one of the pair of plates of the heat exchanger.

The multistage heat exchanger 40 (the lower heat exchanger 50, the upper heat exchanger 51) and the battery cases 20, 21 are fixed with an adhesive, a bolt, a belt, or the like.
Next, the effect | action of the battery temperature control apparatus 10 comprised in this way is demonstrated.

  A heat medium is supplied from the outside through the heat medium supply pipe 60. This heat medium enters a heat medium passage formed inside the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50. The heat medium flows in the X direction through the heat medium passages of the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50, folds back at the leading end sides of the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50, and flows in the X direction. The heat medium enters the heat medium discharge pipe 61 and is discharged to the outside through the heat medium discharge pipe 61.

The cylindrical battery 30 disposed inside the battery cases 20 and 21 is temperature-controlled by heat exchange with the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 in the multistage heat exchanger 40.
More specifically, at the time of starting, the cylindrical battery 30 is heated using the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 of the multistage heat exchanger 40. After startup, the cylindrical battery 30 is cooled using the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 of the multistage heat exchanger 40.

  In this way, as shown in FIG. 2, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 as a collecting pipe entering and exiting one side of the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 are arranged, The heat medium passage (flow path) in the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 of the multistage heat exchange device 40 is folded back. Therefore, in the case of a configuration in which the heat medium flows in one direction, a temperature difference is generated between the batteries. However, the temperature variation of the cylindrical battery 30 can be reduced by turning the heat medium passage back and making it a counter flow. Furthermore, even when the number of cylindrical batteries 30 increases, the same effect can be maintained by simply extending the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 of the multistage heat exchanger 40.

  In addition, the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 of the multistage heat exchange device 40 and the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 that are aggregate pipes are integrally brazed to prevent leakage. Assembling work efficiency can be improved.

This will be described in more detail.
Conventionally, when the connection part of the heat exchanger for liquid media exists in a battery case, there exists a possibility that a battery may short-circuit when a leak occurs. In addition, when the supply pipe and the discharge pipe (collection pipe) and the heat exchanger are separate parts, work such as pipe connection occurs. Furthermore, when a supply pipe and a discharge pipe are provided on both sides of the heat exchanger and a heat medium is passed through the heat exchanger, a temperature difference occurs between the batteries.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 of the multistage heat exchanger 40 and the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 (collection pipe) are integrally brazed. Leakage can be prevented and the assembly work efficiency can be improved. Further, the temperature distribution between the cylindrical batteries 30 can be eliminated. Furthermore, it becomes a highly expandable structure that can cope with an increase or decrease in the number of cylindrical batteries 30.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The battery temperature control device 10 is flat and has a heat medium passage formed therein, and heat exchangers 50 and 51 for exchanging heat with the battery 30, and flatness of the heat exchangers 50 and 51 Connected perpendicularly to the surface and connected perpendicularly to the heat medium supply pipe 60 as a supply pipe for supplying the heat medium into the heat medium passage, and the flat surfaces of the heat exchangers 50 and 51, the heat medium is heated. And a heat medium discharge pipe 61 as a discharge pipe for discharging from the medium passage. The heat exchangers 50 and 51 are supported in a cantilever structure by both the pipes 60 and 61 with a connection portion with the heat medium supply pipe 60 and a connection portion with the heat medium discharge pipe 61 as fixed ends. Both pipes 60 and 61 are joined to the heat exchangers 50 and 51 over the entire circumference of both pipes 60 and 61 at the connection portions with the heat exchangers 50 and 51. Therefore, insufficient strength of the heat exchangers 50 and 51, the heat medium supply pipe 60, and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 can be avoided.

(2) Since the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 are round pipes, it is easy to join the upper heat exchanger 51 and the lower heat exchanger 50 over the entire circumference of the pipe.
(3) A flange portion 110 is formed at the joint between the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 in the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51, and the heat medium supply pipe 60 and Since the heat medium discharge pipe 61 is brazed, the flange portion 110 can be easily brazed to the pipe.

The embodiment is not limited to the above, and may be embodied as follows, for example.
In FIG. 4, the inside of the heat exchanger is rectified by the ribs 90 a and 90 b, but instead of this, as shown in FIG. 7, the inside of the heat exchanger may be provided with corrugated fins 120. Note that when the ribs 90a and 90b are used as shown in FIG. 4, the fins 120 are not necessary, and the number of parts can be reduced.

  -It is good also as a structure without the flange part 110 as shown in FIG. 8 instead of FIG. In this case, after brazing the plates 70 constituting the lower heat exchanger 50 and the plates 70 constituting the upper heat exchanger 51, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 and the lower heat The exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 are brazed.

  -In FIG. 4, although the heat-medium channel | path formed in the inside of a heat exchanger turned back 1 time, the return | turnback may not be 1 degree. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, it may be folded three times (two counterflows may be formed). As the number of turns increases, the temperature variation can be further reduced.

  The heat exchanger uses two plates 70 to form a heat medium passage in its interior, but instead of this, it is composed of three plates 130, 131, 132 including an intermediate plate as shown in FIG. Also good. That is, the outer peripheral edge portion of the lower outer shell plate 130 and the outer peripheral edge portion of the upper outer shell plate 131 may be joined with the intermediate plate 132 interposed therebetween to form a heat medium passage therein.

  In FIG. 6, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 as the collective pipe penetrate the heat exchanger, but as shown in FIG. 11, the heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium as the collective pipe The discharge pipe 61 may not penetrate the heat exchanger.

The heat medium supply pipe 60 and the heat medium discharge pipe 61 may be other than round pipes, for example, square pipes.
In the above embodiment, the battery case 20 and the battery case 21 are arranged so as to overlap each other, and the cylindrical battery 30 is arranged in two upper and lower stages inside each battery case 20, 21. Even if a cylindrical battery 30 is arranged in four stages, a heat exchanger is inserted between the first stage and the second stage from the bottom, and a heat exchanger is inserted between the third stage and the fourth stage from the bottom Good.

  In the above embodiment, the two-stage heat exchange device having the lower heat exchanger 50 and the upper heat exchanger 51 is used. However, the heat exchanger has only one stage, or a multistage having three or more stages of heat exchangers. It is good also as a formula heat exchanger.

  In the above embodiment, the present invention is embodied in a vehicle equipped with a battery for traveling. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be embodied in, for example, a battery temperature control device for home use.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Battery temperature control apparatus, 30 ... Cylindrical battery, 50 ... Lower heat exchanger, 51 ... Upper heat exchanger, 60 ... Heat medium supply pipe, 61 ... Heat medium discharge pipe, 80 ... Heat medium passage, 81 ... Heat medium passage, 110 ... flange portion.

Claims (3)

A plurality of heat exchangers that are flat and have a heat medium passage formed therein, and perform heat exchange with the battery,
A supply pipe connected perpendicularly to the flat surface of the heat exchanger, for supplying a heat medium into the heat medium passage;
A discharge pipe connected perpendicularly to the flat surface of the heat exchanger, for discharging the heat medium from the heat medium passage;
A battery temperature control device comprising:
The supply pipe and the discharge pipe pass through a plurality of the heat exchangers,
A plurality of said heat exchanger is supported the cantilever structure by the pipes as a fixed end of the connecting portion between the connecting part and the discharge pipe of each of the supply pipe,
Wherein both pipes are battery temperature regulating device, wherein the said to become joined to the respective heat exchanger over the entire circumference of the both pipe connection portion between the heat exchangers.   The battery temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pipes are round pipes. 3. The battery temperature according to claim 1, wherein a flange portion is formed at a joint portion between the two pipes in the plurality of heat exchangers, and the two pipes are brazed at the flange portion. Preparation device.

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