IP Library Granted Patent US 11,133,538
Granted Patent B2
US 11,133,538 · App. 16/340,602 · Granted Sep 28, 2021

Heat exchanger for cooling battery

Inventors: Zengfang Ge (Shanghai, CN); Qi Zhang (Shanghai, CN); James Deng (Shanghai, CN); Li Ma (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: NIO (ANHUI) HOLDING CO., LTD.
H01M10/613F28F13/06F28F13/12H01M10/653H01M10/6554H01M10/6556H01M10/6568
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,133,538
App. No.
16/340,602
Granted
Sep 28, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of batteries of new energy vehicle, and in particular to a heat exchanger for cooling battery. The present invention aims to solve the problem that existing heat exchangers in the prior art have low heat exchange efficiency and lack of expandability. For this purpose, the heat exchanger for cooling battery according to the present invention comprises a first liquid collection unit, a second liquid collection unit and at least one cooling plate unit provided between the first liquid collection unit and the second liquid collection unit, the first liquid collection unit at least comprising a first liquid collection area, the second liquid collection unit at least comprising a second liquid collection area, and the cooling plate unit comprising a plurality of flow guide elements. Through a modular design, the present invention can make combinations and changes according to variation of size of a battery pack, bring about great degree of freedom in size, reduce cost and shorten production cycle. In addition, a coolant flows in all directions under the action of the flow guide elements, which is advantageous for a uniform distribution of speed in the cooling plate unit and a more uniform distribution of temperature over the entire region of the cooling plate unit. Meanwhile, heat conducting elements play the role of enhancing heat exchange, which is advantageous for an improvement of heat exchange efficiency of the cooling plate.

Claims (24)

1. A heat exchanger for cooling a battery, characterized in that the heat exchanger for cooling battery comprises a first liquid collection unit, a second liquid collection unit, and multiple cooling plate units arranged between the first liquid collection unit and the second liquid collection unit,

the first liquid collection unit at least comprises a first liquid collection area,

the second liquid collection unit at least comprises a second liquid collection area, and

each of the cooling plate units comprises a plurality of flow guide elements;

wherein an inner wall of the first liquid collection unit, an inner wall of the second liquid collection unit, inner walls of multiple cooling plate units and the flow guide elements together form a flow space for coolants by connecting the inner walls of multiple cooling plate units, and the coolants are distributed over the entire width of the interconnected inner walls of multiple cooling plate units.

2. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 1 , wherein the flow guide elements are of a cylindrical shape, and are arranged alternately on the cooling plate unit in a coolant flow direction.

3. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling plate unit comprises a first connection structure and a second connection structure; the first liquid collection unit is provided with a third connection structure matching with the first connection structure; the second liquid collection unit is provided with a fourth connection structure matching with the second connection structure; and

the first connection structure and the third connection structure, as well as the second connection structure and the fourth connection structures are respectively connected together in a way of being inserted into each other.

4. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 3 , wherein the first connection structure of the cooling plate unit is connectable to the second connection structure in a way of being inserted into each other, so that the cooling plate unit can be added between the first liquid collection area and the second liquid connection area.

5. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 4 , wherein the first connection structure and the third connection structure, the second connection structure and the fourth connection structure, as well as the first connection structure and the second connection structure are respectively connected together in a way of being inserted into each other, and are sealed by adhesive, fusion welding or laser welding.

6. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 1 , wherein the first liquid collection unit, the second liquid collection unit and the cooling plate unit are all made of thermally conductive plastic material.

7. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 6 , wherein the cooling plate unit and the flow guide elements are formed integrally through injection molding.

8. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 1 , wherein the first liquid collection unit further comprises a third liquid collection area, and a first liquid inlet in communication with the first liquid collection area and a first liquid outlet in communication with the third liquid collection area, a first partition is provided between the third liquid collection area and the first liquid collection area, and the cooling plate unit at least comprises a first cooling plate unit and a second cooling plate unit,

the first cooling plate unit and the second cooling plate unit each have one end in sealing connection with the first liquid collection unit, and the other end in sealing connection with the second liquid collection unit, and

a coolant flows in through the first liquid inlet, passes through the first liquid collection area, the first cooling plate unit, the second liquid collection area, the second cooling plate unit and the third liquid collection area in sequence, and flows out through the first liquid outlet.

9. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 2 , wherein the first liquid collection unit further comprises a third liquid collection area, and a first liquid inlet in communication with the first liquid collection area and a first liquid outlet in communication with the third liquid collection area, a first partition is provided between the third liquid collection area and the first liquid collection area, and the cooling plate unit at least comprises a first cooling plate unit and a second cooling plate unit,

the first cooling plate unit and the second cooling plate unit each have one end in sealing connection with the first liquid collection unit, and the other end in sealing connection with the second liquid collection unit, and

a coolant flows in through the first liquid inlet, passes through the first liquid collection area, the first cooling plate unit, the second liquid collection area, the second cooling plate unit and the third liquid collection area in sequence, and flows out through the first liquid outlet.

10. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 3 , wherein the first liquid collection unit further comprises a third liquid collection area, and a first liquid inlet in communication with the first liquid collection area and a first liquid outlet in communication with the third liquid collection area, a first partition is provided between the third liquid collection area and the first liquid collection area, and the cooling plate unit at least comprises a first cooling plate unit and a second cooling plate unit,

the first cooling plate unit and the second cooling plate unit each have one end in sealing connection with the first liquid collection unit, and the other end in sealing connection with the second liquid collection unit, and

a coolant flows in through the first liquid inlet, passes through the first liquid collection area, the first cooling plate unit, the second liquid collection area, the second cooling plate unit and the third liquid collection area in sequence, and flows out through the first liquid outlet.

11. The heat exchanger for cooling a battery according to claim 4 , wherein the first liquid collection unit further comprises a third liquid collection area, and a first liquid inlet in communication with the first liquid collection area and a first liquid outlet in communication with the third liquid collection area, a first partition is provided between the third liquid collection area and the first liquid collection area, and the cooling plate unit at least comprises a first cooling plate unit and a second cooling plate unit,

the first cooling plate unit and the second cooling plate unit each have one end in sealing connection with the first liquid collection unit, and the other end in sealing connection with the second liquid collection unit, and

a coolant flows in through the first liquid inlet, passes through the first liquid collection area, the first cooling plate unit, the second liquid collection area, the second cooling plate unit and the third liquid collection area in sequence, and flows out through the first liquid outlet.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2020
From: NIO NEXTEV LIMITED
To: NIO (ANHUI) HOLDING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054280/0562 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2020
From: GE, ZENGFANG; ZHANG, QI; DENG, JAMES; MA, LI
To: NIO NEXTEV LIMITED
Reel/Frame 052579/0174 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201610881121.0 · Oct 9, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190237827A1 · Aug 1, 2019
Cited By (4)
US 12,471,245 US 12,525,671 US 12,542,330 US 12,573,694