I. Battery Cooling and Battery Water Cooling Plate
In the application of battery cooling systems, liquid cooling has become the mainstream cooling method. The heat generated by automotive batteries during operation is transferred away through contact with electronic components and the surface of water cooling plates, ultimately carried away by coolant flowing through internal channels of the plates.
The design of water cooling plates varies, primarily based on battery type and overall layout. To ensure temperature uniformity in high-energy battery packs, the longer the cooling channels, the more challenging the temperature uniformity control.
II. Evolution of Battery Water Cooling Plate Technology
As electric vehicles have evolved from conventional engine oils to electric power, water cooling plate technology has also undergone significant changes.
First-generation product — Extruded aluminum profile water cooling plate
The material used for water cooling plates is generally 6-series aluminum profiles, and the manufacturing process is complex. For creating a large plate without large molds, two or three plates need to be friction stir welded together, which increases the complexity of the process. Additionally, welding heads are consumables, thus raising costs.
Second-generation product — Small stamped plates and serpentine tubes
The performance of water cooling plates directly affects the performance of battery packs and hence the durability of electric vehicles. Due to their weight, which can easily exceed 10 to 20 kilograms, water cooling plates significantly limit battery performance.
The market has shifted focus to lighter stamped plates and serpentine tubes, with water cooling plates employing brazing technology entering the mainstream. Brazing is widely used and mature in the automotive industry, applied in front radiators, condensers, and plate heat exchangers. Typically, brazing involves applying brazing material or brazing strips to the welding surface of 3-series aluminum materials and then welding them in a high-temperature (approximately 600°C) vacuum brazing furnace. Mature brazing technology is crucial to the success of products.
Third-generation product — Integration and consolidation of liquid cooling plates
When the energy density of individual units reaches a bottleneck, larger modules are required to accommodate more battery cells in battery packs, sometimes eliminating the module concept altogether and directly inserting boxes onto the battery pack, known as CTP (Cell-to-Pack). Meanwhile, battery water cooling plates are moving towards larger panels, either integrated into boxes or modules, or made as large stamped plates laid flat on the bottom of boxes or covering the tops of batteries.
III. Welding and Processing Technology of Battery Water Cooling Plates
Stamping and welding of liquid cooling plates are relatively complex processes. Regardless of the water cooling plate processing technology used, welding is a crucial step. Currently, welding and processing technologies for water cooling plates mainly include vacuum brazing and friction stir welding. Vacuum brazing is preferred in the electric vehicle field due to its flexible structural design and higher welding efficiency.
With the increasing diversification of liquid cooling plate structures, the demand for welding technology is rising. The development of welding technology is progressing in the following directions:
1) Improving welding energy efficiency and reducing welding costs;
2) Enhancing the mechanization and automation levels in workshops to improve welding quality stability;
3) Continuous development in new industries is driving the advancement of welding technology;
4) Research and development of heat sources;
5) Energy-saving technologies remain a widely addressed concern.
Lori can provide customized battery water cooling plate services for you. Feel free to contact us if needed.
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