JP2018018738A - Cooling device for on-vehicle battery pack - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle-mounted battery pack cooling device capable of correcting uneven distribution of a swirling flow of cooling air instead of a rectifying member. A first blower (14A) is arranged in a first corner (42A) formed by a second short side surface (40) and a first long side surface (44), and a central area (66) of cooling air passage spaces (38,48). Is rotated outward from the first longitudinal side surface 44 to the first longitudinal side surface 44. The second blower 14B is rotated outward in a direction opposite to the first blower 14A and from the central region 66 toward the second long side surface 46. Of the swirling flow discharged from the first blower 14A, a relatively small flow rate of the cooling air toward the central region 66 and the swirling flow discharged from the second blower 14B toward the central region 66 of a relatively small flow amount. Since the cooling air merges and flows into the cooling air passage spaces 38 and 48, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the flow rate in the central region 66. [Selection diagram] Fig. 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling device for an in-vehicle battery pack.

  BACKGROUND ART Vehicles that use a rotating electrical machine as a driving source, such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, are equipped with a battery pack that houses a battery module (battery module) and its cooling mechanism.

  When the battery module is cooled by air cooling, the cooling mechanism includes a blower such as a blower or a fan as in Patent Document 1. In addition, the cooling mechanism includes a cooling air passage that sends cooling air from the blower to the battery module.

  The cooling air passage is designed according to the layout of the battery module and the blower. For example, when arranging the battery module and the blower side by side (side by side) in the casing of the battery pack, in order to cool the battery module evenly, the cooling air discharged from the blower is once wrapped around the top or bottom surface of the battery module. A cooling air passage is formed to blow down or blow up later.

  For example, when cooling air is made to wrap around the bottom surface of the battery module, a space is provided between the bottom surfaces of the battery module and the blower, that is, between the bottom surfaces of the battery module and the blower and the inner surface of the bottom plate of the casing, and this is used as a cooling air passage. For example, the blower takes cooling air from the top surface of the battery pack and blows cooling air down to the bottom surface side. The cooling air blown down wraps around the bottom surface of the battery module so as to crawl the inner surface of the bottom plate of the casing. A battery module is comprised including the spacer pinched | interposed between the battery cell (unit cell) and the battery cell, and a battery module is cooled when a cooling wind passes through the slit provided in the spacer (blows up).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-56354

  By the way, by the rotation of the blower, the cooling air is swirled and discharged from the blower. If the discharged swirl flow is directly supplied to the cooling air passage without being rectified, the cooling air flows non-parallel to the side surface 100 as shown in FIG. 5, and as a result, the cooling air flow rate is not constant in the cooling air passage. It becomes uniform. For example, in the example of FIG. 5, the flow rate on the side surface 100A side is greater than the flow rate on the side surface 100B side. As a result, the cooling performance varies between the side surface 100A side and the side surface 100B side of the battery module.

  On the other hand, if a rectifying member such as a damper or a stationary blade is provided in order to make the swirling flow discharged from the blower a uniform flow (a flow parallel to the side surface 100), there is a risk of increasing the size of the battery pack.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the cooling device of a vehicle-mounted battery pack which can correct the deviation of the flow volume of cooling air instead of a rectifying member.

  The present invention relates to a cooling device for an in-vehicle battery pack. The cooling device includes a casing, a first blower, and a second blower. The casing is a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing, and is provided on the battery module housing space provided on the first short side surface side and on the second short side surface side facing the first short side surface. And a fan housing space, and a cooling air passage space provided on the bottom surface side of the battery module housing space and the fan housing space. A 1st air blower is arrange | positioned in the 1st corner formed by the said 2nd short side surface and the 1st long side surface connected to this among the said air blower accommodation spaces, and a rotating shaft is the said casing. Cooling air provided and taken in the height direction is blown down into the cooling air passage space. The second blower is formed by the second short side surface and the second long side surface connected to the second short side surface and opposed to the first long side surface in the blower housing space. The cooling air that is disposed at the second corner, the rotation axis is provided in the height direction of the casing, and taken in is blown down into the cooling air passage space. The first blower is rotated outwardly from the central region between the first long side surface and the second long side surface toward the first long side surface. The second blower is rotated outwardly from the central region toward the second longitudinal side surface in the direction opposite to the first blower. In such a configuration, the cooling air toward the central region of the swirling flow discharged from the first blower and the cooling air toward the central region of the swirling flow discharged from the second blower merge and It flows into the cooling air passage space.

  According to the present invention, a relatively small flow rate of cooling air directed to the central region of the swirling flow discharged from the first blower and a relatively small flow directed to the central region of the swirling flow discharged from the second blower. The cooling air of a flow rate merges and flows into the cooling air passage space. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the flow rate in the central region, and to correct the uneven flow rate of the cooling air.

It is a perspective view which illustrates the battery pack concerning this embodiment. It is side surface sectional drawing (AA cross section) which illustrates the battery pack which concerns on this embodiment. It is a partial section perspective view which illustrates a casing. It is a schematic diagram explaining the flow of the cooling air in the battery pack according to the present embodiment. It is a schematic diagram explaining the flow of the cooling air in the battery pack which concerns on a prior art.

  FIG. 1 illustrates a battery pack 10 according to the present embodiment. 1 to 4, the height direction (vertical direction) of the battery pack 10 is indicated by the Z axis, the length direction (thickness direction) is indicated by the X axis, and the width direction is indicated by the Y axis.

  The battery pack 10 includes a battery module 12, a first blower 14 </ b> A, a second blower 14 </ b> B, a junction block 18, and a casing 20. The battery pack 10 is mounted on an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or the like, and functions as a power source for a rotating electrical machine that is a drive source.

  The battery module 12 includes a battery cell 22 (single cell), a spacer 24, and end plates 26A and 26B. The battery cell 22 is a chargeable / dischargeable secondary battery, such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery, and has a rectangular shape with a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front.

  The plurality of battery cells 22 are stacked in the thickness direction (X-axis direction). At this time, the plurality of battery cells 22 are arranged with their orientations alternately changed so that the positive terminals and the negative terminals are alternately arranged in the stacking direction. A plurality of battery cells 22 are connected in series by connecting positive and negative terminals of adjacent battery cells 22 with a bus bar (not shown).

  The spacer 24 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the battery cells 22. The spacer 24 is made of an insulating material, and a rib extending in the thickness direction (X-axis direction) and extending in the height direction (Z-axis direction) is formed on the surface facing the battery cell 22 in the width direction (Y-axis direction). A plurality of slits 28 are formed between adjacent ribs as shown in FIG. As will be described later, when the cooling air passes through the slit 28, the battery cell 22 is cooled.

  The end plates 26 </ b> A and 26 </ b> B are plate members provided at both ends in the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells 22 and the spacers 24, and are connected by a restraining band 30. That is, the plurality of battery cells 22 and the spacers 24 are sandwiched by the end plates 26A and 26B and the restraining band 30.

  The casing 20 is a rectangular parallelepiped housing that houses the battery module 12, the first blower 14 </ b> A, the second blower 14 </ b> B, and the junction block 18. In the example shown in FIG.1 and FIG.3, the casing 20 is formed in the body box (receiving box) shape by which the top surface side was open | released. Note that a cover plate that covers the battery module 12 and the junction block 18 may be put on the casing 20.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a space for accommodating the battery module 12, the first blower 14 </ b> A, the second blower 14 </ b> B, and the junction block 18 is assigned to the inside of the casing 20. Specifically, the short side surface 32 (first short side surface) side of the casing 20 is a battery housing space 34 (battery module housing space) in which the battery module 12 is housed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, at the bottom of the both sides of the battery housing space 34 in the longitudinal direction, a ridge 36 that extends in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and supports the battery module 12 extends in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction). Formed along. That is, the bottom surface of the battery module 12 is raised from the bottom plate inner surface 52 of the casing 20 by the height of the protrusion 36, and there is a space between the bottom surface of the battery module 12 and the bottom plate inner surface 52 of the casing 20. Is born. This space becomes the cooling air passage space 38 shown in FIG.

  The first blower 14 </ b> A, the second blower 14 </ b> B, and the junction block 18 are accommodated on the second short side face 40 side facing the first short side face 32 of the casing 20. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, blower housing spaces 42 </ b> A and 42 </ b> B are formed at both ends of the second short side surface 40, and the junction block 18 is disposed therebetween.

  The fan housing space 42A (first corner) is formed by the second short side surface 40 and the first long side surface 44 connected thereto, and the first fan 14A is housed therein. The blower housing space 42B (second corner) is formed by a second short side surface 40 and a second long side surface 46 that is connected to the second short side surface 40 and faces the first long side surface 44, and the second long side surface 46 is connected to the second short side surface 40. A blower 14B is accommodated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fan housing spaces 42A, 42B (first and second corners) are provided with a space on the bottom side from the first fan 14A and the second fan 14B, and this is the cooling air passage space. 48.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the blower housing spaces 42 </ b> A and 42 </ b> B (first and second corners) are both surrounded by the housing wall 50. The housing wall 50 of the blower housing space 42 </ b> A has an L shape extending from the second short side surface 40 and the first long side surface 44. Similarly, the housing wall 50 of the blower housing space 42 </ b> B has an L shape extending from the second short side surface 40 and the second long side surface 46.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the height (Z-axis direction length) H <b> 1 of the accommodation wall 50 is less than the side surface height (box depth) H <b> 0 of the casing 20. A gap 53 is provided between the inner surface 52 and the bottom plate inner surface 52 of the casing 20. As will be described later, the cooling air passage space 48 below the blowers 14 </ b> A and 14 </ b> B and the cooling air passage space 38 below the battery module 12 communicate with each other through the gap 53.

  The first blower 14A and the second blower 14B are constituted by, for example, a blower or a fan, and more specifically, a sirocco fan or a centrifugal turbo fan. For example, the first blower 14A and the second blower 14B are configured from the same model. The first blower 14 </ b> A and the second blower 14 </ b> B may be capable of rotational speed control by, for example, PID control, and control the rotational speed according to the temperature detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) attached to the battery module 12. You may make it do.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first blower 14 </ b> A and the second blower 14 </ b> B each include a housing 54, an impeller 56, a shaft 58, and a motor 60. The rotation axes of the first blower 14A and the second blower 14B, that is, the shaft 58, are provided in parallel to the height direction of the casing 20, that is, the Z-axis direction of FIG. Further, the suction port 62 of the first blower 14 </ b> A and the second blower 14 </ b> B is disposed on the top surface side of the casing 20, and the discharge port 64 is disposed on the bottom plate inner surface 52 side of the casing 20. In such an arrangement, the cooling air taken into the first blower 14A and the second blower 14B from the top surface side of the casing 20 is blown down into the cooling air passage space 48 immediately below the first and second blowers 14A and 14B. It is. Further, the cooling air flows (blows down) into the cooling air passage space 38 below the battery module 12 from the gap 53 of the housing wall 50.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the cooling air flowing through the cooling air passage spaces 38 and 48. The impeller 56 of the first blower 14 </ b> A rotates outward from the central region 66 between the first long side surface 44 and the second long side surface 46 around the first long side surface 44. Further, the impeller 56 of the second blower 14 </ b> B is reversely rotated (opposite direction) from the impeller 56 of the first blower 14 </ b> A, and rotates outward from the central region 66 to the second long side surface 46.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the cooling air that has become a counterclockwise swirling flow by the impeller 56 of the first blower 14 </ b> A is biased to the first long side surface 44 side and is directed to the first short side surface 32. It flows toward. Further, the cooling air that has been turned in the clockwise direction by the impeller 56 of the second blower 14B flows toward the first short side surface 32 while being biased toward the second long side surface 46 side.

  Here, among the cooling air discharged from each of the blowers 14A and 14B, the cooling air flowing into the central region 66 and having a relatively small flow rate becomes a merged flow as shown by a one-dot chain line circle in FIG. . In this way, the flow of the cooling air flowing through the central region 66 is earned, in other words, the flow rate, by the flow of relatively small flow rates that are discharged from the first blower 14A and the second blower 14B toward the central region 66. Can be suppressed.

<Other embodiments>
In addition, in embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, although it was the structure which makes cooling air wrap around the bottom face side of the battery module 12, it is not restricted to this form. For example, the cooling air may be taken from the bottom surface and the cooling air may be circulated to the ceiling side.

  Specifically, the entire ceiling surface of the battery pack 10 is covered with a cover plate, and the bottom plates of the fan housing spaces 42A and 42B of the casing 20 are penetrated (extracted) to be opened. Further, the first blower 14A and the second blower 14B are turned upside down so that the suction port 62 faces the opening of the bottom plate and the discharge port 64 faces the inner surface of the lid plate. The space between the first blower 14 </ b> A, the second blower 14 </ b> B, and the battery module 12 and the inner surface of the lid plate becomes a cooling air passage space, and the cooling air flows around the top surface of the battery module 12.

  Also in this embodiment, the rotation direction of the first blower 14A and the second blower 14B is set to be outward. The cooling air discharged from each of the blowers 14A and 14B and turned into a swirl flow becomes a flow that is biased toward the first longitudinal side surface 44 and the second longitudinal side surface 46, while being relatively small toward the central region 66. The flow of flow merges. As a result, a decrease in the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through the central region 66 can be suppressed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Battery pack, 12 Battery module, 14A, 14B 1st and 2nd air blower, 18 Junction block, 20 Casing, 32 1st short side surface, 34 Battery accommodation space, 38 Cooling air passage space under battery module, 40 1st 2 short side surfaces, 42A, 42B blower housing space (first and second corners), 44 first long side surface, 46 second long side surface, 48 cooling air passage space under the blower, 54 housing, 56 Impeller, 58 shaft, 60 motor, 62 inlet, 64 outlet, 66 central region.

Claims (1)

A rectangular parallelepiped housing having a battery module housing space provided on the first short side surface and a blower housing provided on the second short side surface facing the first short side surface A casing provided with a space, and a cooling air passage space provided on the bottom side of the battery module housing space and the blower housing space;
It arrange | positions in the 1st corner formed by the said 2nd short side surface and the 1st long side surface connected to this among the said fan accommodation spaces, and a rotating shaft is provided in the height direction of the said casing. A first blower in which the cooled air taken in and blown down into the cooling air passage space;
Of the blower housing space, a second corner formed by the second short side surface and a second long side surface connected to the second short side surface and opposed to the first long side surface. A second blower, wherein the cooling air is disposed in the cooling air passage space, and the cooling air that is provided in the height direction of the casing is taken down into the cooling air passage space;
With
The first blower is rotated outward from a central region between the first long side surface and the second long side surface toward the first long side surface,
The second blower is rotated outwardly from the central region toward the second longitudinal side surface in the opposite direction to the first blower,
Of the swirling flow discharged from the first blower, the cooling air toward the central region and the cooling air toward the central region of the swirling flow discharged from the second blower merge and flow into the cooling air passage space. The
An in-vehicle battery pack cooling device.

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