Thermal runaway prevention and control device, battery pack and electric equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a thermal runaway prevention and control device, a battery pack and electric equipment.The thermal runaway prevention and control device is suitable for being installed in a shell of the battery pack and comprises a shell and a gas generation assembly, and the shell is provided with a containing cavity and a first communicating hole communicating with the containing cavity; the gas generation assembly is arranged in the accommodating chamber and is suitable for being triggered to form inert gas when the battery pack is under a preset condition; wherein the inert gas enters the shell of the battery pack through the first communication hole to dilute and / or flame-retardant the thermal runaway product in the shell. The risk of detonation of the thermal runaway product can be reduced or even avoided, and the safety performance of the battery pack is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of energy storage technology, and in particular to a thermal runaway prevention and control device, a battery pack, and electrical equipment. Background Art

[0002] With the widespread adoption of new energy vehicles, batteries are widely used as their power output devices. However, battery thermal stability issues are becoming increasingly prominent, making them prone to thermal runaway. During thermal runaway, thermal runaway products (such as high-temperature flammable gases and / or flames) accumulate within the battery and are released into the battery pack through the battery's explosion-proof valve.

[0003] However, thermal runaway products will accumulate inside the battery pack casing, significantly increasing the possibility of explosion and reducing the safety performance of the battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a thermal runaway prevention and control device, a battery pack and an electrical device, which can reduce or even avoid the risk of explosion of thermal runaway products and improve the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0005] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a thermal runaway prevention and control device suitable for installation in a battery pack housing, comprising:

[0007] a housing, the housing comprising a housing chamber and a first communicating hole communicating with the housing chamber;

[0008] A gas generating assembly is disposed in the accommodating chamber and is suitable for being triggered to form an inert gas when the battery pack is under preset conditions; wherein the inert gas enters the outer casing of the battery pack through the first connecting hole to dilute and / or retard the thermal runaway products in the outer casing.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the gas generating assembly is disposed on an inner wall of the shell.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the thermal runaway prevention and control device further includes a support member, which is connected to the housing and is located in the accommodating chamber;

[0011] The gas generating assembly is disposed on at least one side of the support member in a thickness direction of the support member.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the support member has a circuit groove and a notch connected to the circuit groove, the circuit groove is suitable for allowing a connecting wire harness to pass through, and one end of the connecting wire harness is electrically connected to the gas generating assembly through the notch.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the support member is further provided with a plurality of fifth communication holes, and the plurality of fifth communication holes are used to connect the accommodating chambers located on both sides of the support member.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the gas generating assembly includes a main body and a gas generating agent heating portion, the main body having a reaction chamber and a second communicating hole interconnected with the reaction chamber, and the reaction chamber contains a gas generating agent;

[0015] The gas generating agent heating portion is disposed in the reaction chamber and in contact with the gas generating agent;

[0016] When the battery pack is under a preset condition, the heating unit is triggered to generate heat, so that the gas generating agent generates an inert gas at a preset temperature.

[0017] In a possible implementation, both ends of the heating portion are respectively connected to the inner wall of the main body, and the gas generating agent is passed through.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the gas generating agent includes nitroguanidine or guanidine nitrate, or the gas generating agent includes cyclotrimethylene trinitramine.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the gas generating assembly further includes a protective cover, which is disposed outside the main body and connected to the main body;

[0020] The protective cover is provided with a third communicating hole, and the third communicating hole is used to connect the area between the protective cover and the main body with the accommodating chamber.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the gas generating assembly further includes a restraining member, which is disposed between the protective cover and the main body and is connected to the protective cover and the main body, respectively.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the restraining member includes an arcuate portion, a first folded portion, and a second folded portion; in a direction from the protective cover to the main body, the first folded portion and the second folded portion are respectively connected to two ends of the arcuate portion and extend in a direction away from the center of the arcuate portion;

[0023] The first folding portion is connected to the main body, and the second folding portion is connected to the protective cover.

[0024] In a possible implementation, the gas generating assembly further includes a fairing, which is sleeved on the protective cover, and is provided with a plurality of fourth communication holes arranged at intervals.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the housing includes a frame, a first end plate, and a second end plate. The frame has two oppositely disposed openings in a thickness direction of the frame. The first end plate and the second end plate are respectively connected to the frame and cover the corresponding openings.

[0026] The first communicating hole is provided on the frame body.

[0027] In a possible implementation, the frame is a rectangular frame, and the number of the first communication holes includes a plurality;

[0028] The frame includes a first side plate and a second side plate that are opposite to each other along a length direction thereof, a portion of the first communicating holes are arranged on the first side plate, and the remaining portion of the first communicating holes are arranged on the second side plate.

[0029] In a possible implementation, a reinforcement chamber is provided in at least one of the first side plate and the second side plate, and a reinforcement plate is provided in the reinforcement chamber.

[0030] In a possible implementation, the reinforcement plate includes a reinforcement frame and a plurality of reinforcement ribs disposed in the reinforcement frame, wherein the plurality of reinforcement ribs are sequentially arranged along a thickness direction of the frame;

[0031] Each of the reinforcing ribs includes a plurality of arc segments connected to each other, and among two adjacent reinforcing ribs, the arc segment of one of the reinforcing ribs is located between the two arc segments of the other reinforcing rib.

[0032] In a possible implementation, the housing further includes at least one protective plate, the at least one protective plate being disposed on at least one side of the frame in a width direction, and the at least one protective plate and the frame enclose forming a protective cavity;

[0033] Buffer foam is arranged in the protection cavity.

[0034] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack, comprising a battery cell group and the thermal runaway prevention and control device according to the first aspect, wherein the battery cell group comprises a plurality of battery cells arranged sequentially in a first direction;

[0035] The thermal runaway prevention and control device is located on at least one side of the battery cell group in the first direction and is arranged in close contact with the battery cell group; or, one thermal runaway prevention and control device is arranged between at least two adjacent battery cells.

[0036] In a possible implementation, the thermal runaway prevention and control device includes a frame and a first communication hole provided in the frame, wherein the first communication hole is used for allowing the inert gas generated by the thermal runaway prevention and control device to pass through;

[0037] The side plate where the first communicating hole is located intersects with the first direction.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the battery pack further includes a housing and a pressure relief channel, the housing including a bottom plate and at least two side beams, the at least two connecting beams are spaced apart along the first direction and connected to the bottom plate to enclose a cavity, and the cavity is suitable for accommodating the battery cell group;

[0039] The pressure relief channel is provided on the shell and communicates with the cavity and the external space.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the battery pack further includes a controller and a detection component connected to the controller, the detection component being adapted to detect parameters within the housing, the detection component including at least one of a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, and a pressure sensor;

[0041] The controller is also connected to the gas generating assembly and is used to control the working state of the gas generating assembly according to the parameters.

[0042] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electrical device, comprising an electrical device and the battery pack described in the second aspect, wherein the battery pack is electrically connected to the electrical device for providing electrical energy to the electrical device.

[0043] An embodiment of the present application provides a thermal runaway prevention and control device, a battery pack, and an electrical device. A thermal runaway prevention and control device is arranged in the outer shell of the battery pack. The thermal runaway prevention and control device includes a shell and a gas generating component. The gas generating component is arranged in a accommodating chamber and is suitable for being triggered to form an inert gas when the battery pack is under preset conditions; the inert gas enters the outer shell of the battery pack through the connecting hole of the shell to dilute and / or flame retard the thermal runaway products in the outer shell, thereby avoiding the accumulation of thermal runaway products in the outer shell, reducing or even avoiding the possibility of explosion, and improving the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0044] In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the present application described above, the technical features that constitute the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by the technical features of these technical solutions, other technical problems that can be solved by the thermal runaway prevention and control device, battery pack, and electrical equipment provided by the embodiments of the present application, other technical features included in the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by these technical features will be further described in detail in the specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0046] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a thermal runaway prevention and control device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 2 A three-dimensional diagram of a partial structure of the thermal failure prevention and control device provided in an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0048] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The main view;

[0049] Figure 4 A three-dimensional diagram of a partial structure of the thermal failure prevention and control device provided in an embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0050] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The main view;

[0051] Figure 6 For the Figure 5 Cross-sectional view in the AA direction;

[0052] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a housing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The main view;

[0054] Figure 9 For the Figure 8 Cross-sectional view in the middle BB direction;

[0055] Figure 10 A three-dimensional diagram of a gas generating assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 11 for Figure 10 The main view;

[0057] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a reinforcement plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] Figure 13 for Figure 12 The main view;

[0059] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the battery pack provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0060] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the battery pack provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0061] Figure 16 This is a control logic diagram of the battery pack provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0062] Description of reference numerals:

[0063] 1: Battery pack;

[0064] 10: Thermal runaway prevention and control device;

[0065] 100: Housing; 110: Accommodating chamber; 120: First communicating hole; 130: Frame; 131: First side panel; 132: Second side panel; 133: Reinforced chamber; 140: First end panel; 150: Reinforced plate; 151: Reinforced frame; 152: Reinforced rib; 1521: Arc segment; 160: Protective plate; 170: Cushioning foam; 180: Triangular reinforcement rib;

[0066] 200: Gas generating assembly; 210: Main body; 211: Second communicating hole; 220: Gas generating agent; 230: Heating unit; 240: Protective cover; 241: Third communicating hole; 250: Constraint; 251: Arc-shaped portion; 252: First folding portion; 253: Second folding portion; 260: Fairing; 261: Fourth communicating hole;

[0067] 300: support member; 310: circuit slot; 320: notch; 330: fifth communication hole;

[0068] 20: battery pack; 21: battery cell;

[0069] 30: Shell; 31: Bottom plate; 32: Side beam;

[0070] 40: controller;

[0071] 50: temperature sensor;

[0072] 60: gas sensor;

[0073] 70: Pressure sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] Thermal runaway battery conditions can lead to high temperatures, high oxygen levels, and high concentrations of combustibles, leading to severe explosions if no countermeasures are taken. In related technologies, thermal insulation components are typically installed between adjacent battery cells. These components contain a built-in gas generator. This gas causes the expansion portion to expand, creating a barrier between the target object and the insulation component. This prevents the target object from bulging and coming into contact with the insulation component after thermal runaway, thereby reducing the spread of thermal runaway.

[0075] This thermal insulation structure design effectively utilizes the swelling characteristics of the battery cell before failure. It squeezes the battery cell through external force to open the valve as soon as possible and spray electrolyte outward, thereby reducing the reaction heat of battery cell runaway, thereby reducing the impact of heat spread. However, the expansion part of the above-mentioned thermal insulation component discharges the thermal runaway products formed by the battery cell failure into the outer shell of the battery pack, causing the thermal runaway products to accumulate in the outer shell, greatly increasing the possibility of explosion, and reducing the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0076] In response to the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a thermal runaway prevention and control device, a battery pack and an electrical equipment. A thermal runaway prevention and control device is arranged in the outer shell of the battery pack. The thermal runaway prevention and control device includes a shell and a gas generating component. The gas generating component is arranged in the accommodating chamber and is suitable for being triggered to form an inert gas when the battery pack is under preset conditions; the inert gas enters the outer shell of the battery pack through the connecting hole of the shell to dilute and / or flame retard the thermal runaway products in the outer shell, thereby avoiding the accumulation of thermal runaway products in the outer shell, reducing or even avoiding the possibility of explosion, and improving the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0077] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0078] Please refer to Figure 1 , an embodiment of the present application provides a thermal runaway prevention and control device, which is suitable for installation in the outer shell of a battery pack to prevent the battery pack from exploding, thereby improving the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0079] The thermal runaway prevention and control device includes a housing 100 , which serves as a main body component of the thermal runaway prevention and control device and is used to provide a support carrier for the gas generating assembly 200 or other components.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The housing 100 includes a frame 130, a first end plate 140, and a second end plate (not shown). In the thickness direction of the frame 130, the frame 130 has two oppositely arranged openings. The first end plate 140 and the second end plate are respectively connected to the frame 130 and cover the corresponding openings. The following embodiments all take the frame 130 as a rectangular frame as an example. The length direction of the frame 130 is Figure 1 In the DL direction, the width direction of the frame 130 is Figure 1 The DW direction in the frame 130 is the thickness direction of Figure 1 DH direction in .

[0081] The frame 130, the first end plate 140 and the second end plate are interconnected to form the accommodating chamber 110 of the shell 100, wherein the frame 130 and the first end plate 140 can be welded together, and the frame 130 and the second end plate can be welded together to improve the structural strength of the shell 100.

[0082] The housing 100 further includes a first communicating hole 120 , which is in communication with the accommodating chamber 110 . When the housing 100 includes a frame 130 , the first communicating hole 120 may be disposed on the frame 130 .

[0083] In this embodiment, the first end plate 140 and the second end plate are planar structures, and no other structures are provided on the first end plate 140 and the second end plate. Thus, when the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 is installed on the battery pack 1 (see Figure 14 and Figure 15 ), the first end plate 140 and the second end plate can be used to better contact the installation plane, thereby improving the installation stability of the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 and the shell 30 of the battery pack 1.

[0084] Please continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The thermal runaway prevention and control device provided in this embodiment also includes a gas generating component 200. The gas generating component 200 is arranged in the accommodating chamber 110 and is suitable for being triggered to form an inert gas when the battery pack 1 is under preset conditions; wherein, the inert gas enters the outer shell of the battery pack 1 through the first connecting hole 120 to dilute and / or flame retard the thermal runaway products in the outer shell. In this way, the accumulation of thermal runaway products in the outer shell can be avoided, the possibility of explosion can be reduced or even avoided, and the safety performance of the battery pack can be improved.

[0085] It should be noted that the preset condition in this embodiment can be understood as a critical judgment standard for the occurrence of explosion in the battery pack. The preset condition can be that the concentration of combustible gas in the battery pack is greater than the safety threshold, or the battery pack temperature is greater than the safety threshold, or the battery pack pressure is greater than the safety threshold.

[0086] The gas generating assembly 200 is disposed within the housing chamber 110 and can be disposed in a variety of ways. In some embodiments, the gas generating assembly 200 is disposed on the inner wall of the housing 100, and the gas outlet of the gas generating assembly 200 can be oriented toward the center of the housing 100. This allows the gas generating assembly 200 to be positioned freely according to the structure of the battery pack.

[0087] In other embodiments, the gas generating assembly 200 may be installed in the housing 100 through other components. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The thermal runaway prevention and control device further includes a support member 300 , which is connected to the housing 100 and is located in the accommodating chamber 110 .

[0088] The support member 300 can be connected to two opposite side panels of the frame 130. For example, the support member 300 can be connected to two side panels of the frame 130 in the length direction, or can be connected to two side panels of the frame 130 in the width direction. Specifically, it can be freely set according to actual needs.

[0089] In the thickness direction of the support member 300, the gas generating assembly 200 is arranged on at least one side of the support member 300. That is, the number of gas generating assemblies 200 can be one or two. When the number of gas generating assemblies 200 is one, the gas generating assembly 200 can be arranged on any side of the support member 300 in the thickness direction. When the number of gas generating assemblies 200 is two, the two gas generating assemblies 200 are respectively arranged on both sides of the support member 300 in the thickness direction and arranged along the thickness direction. In this way, the arrangement of the support member 300 can facilitate the installation of the gas generating assembly 200 and simplify the installation and disassembly of the gas generating assembly 200.

[0090] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 6 to 9 The support member 300 provided in the embodiment of the present application has a circuit groove 310 and a notch 320 . The circuit groove 310 extends along the width direction of the frame 130 , and the size of the circuit groove 310 in the width direction of the frame can be equal to half the width of the frame 130 .

[0091] The notch 320 is in communication with the circuit slot 310. The circuit slot 310 is adapted to allow a wiring harness (not shown) to pass through. One end of the wiring harness is electrically connected to the heating unit 230 through the notch 320, thereby providing the heating unit 230 with power or other control signals.

[0092] This embodiment avoids the disorderly entanglement and distribution of the connecting wires by installing them in the circuit slot 310, greatly improving the rationality and standardization of the circuit layout. At the same time, the notch 320 is connected to the circuit slot 310, allowing one end of the connecting wire to be easily electrically connected to the heating unit 230 through the notch 320.

[0093] It should be noted that the circuit groove 310 can also pass through the support member 300. In this way, an arc-shaped plate is provided on the support member 300, and the arc-shaped plate can cover the opening of the circuit groove 310 in the thickness direction of the frame 130. This can increase the area of ​​the circuit groove 310 and make it easier to lay out the connecting harness.

[0094] Please continue to refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The support member 300 is further provided with a plurality of fifth communication holes 330, which are used to connect the accommodating chambers 110 located on both sides of the support member 300. The plurality of fifth communication holes 330 are used to balance the pressure of the accommodating chambers 110 located on both sides of the support member 300 to prevent excessive detonation during the gas production process triggered by one side, and to ensure effective connection between the connecting harness in the circuit slot 310 and the gas generation assembly 200.

[0095] Please refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 The gas generating assembly 200 provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a main body 210 and a heating unit 230. The main body 210 has a reaction chamber and a second connecting hole 211. The second connecting hole 211 is provided on the main body 210 and is interconnected with the reaction chamber. It should be noted that the number of the second connecting holes 211 can include multiple, and the multiple second connecting holes 211 can be arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body 210.

[0096] A gas generating agent 220 is disposed within the reaction chamber, and a heating unit 230 is disposed within the reaction chamber and in contact with the gas generating agent 220. When the battery pack is under predetermined conditions, the heating unit 230 is triggered to generate heat, causing the gas generating agent 220 to generate inert gas at a predetermined temperature. The heating unit 230 may be a heating wire.

[0097] The gas generating agent 220 includes nitroguanidine or guanidine nitrate, or the gas generating agent 220 includes cyclotrimethylene trinitramine. The following description will be made using the gas generating agent 220 mainly including nitroguanidine as an example.

[0098] Nitroguanidine is an organic compound with the chemical formula C2H6N4O2. It is a white, hygroscopic crystal with no odor or a slight, distinctive odor. Under conditions of heating or mechanical impact, nitroguanidine-based gas-generating agents and oxidants (nitrates or metal oxides) decompose at high temperatures, releasing inert gases such as nitrogen and a relatively small amount of carbon dioxide.

[0099] Afterwards, the inert gas is discharged into the outer shell of the battery pack through the second connecting hole 211 of the main body 210, so that the inert gas can dilute and / or flame retard the thermal runaway products in the outer shell, thereby avoiding the accumulation of thermal runaway products in the outer shell, reducing or even avoiding the possibility of explosion, and improving the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0100] In addition, at one atmosphere of pressure, each gram of nitroguanidine produces 0.431L / g of nitrogen and 0.215L / g of carbon dioxide. For a battery pack, the volume of the voids inside the battery pack is approximately 40L, so for an entire battery pack, the amount of nitroguanidine used is approximately 100g. The inert gas filling amount can be reasonably set to prevent the battery structure from being damaged due to excessive internal pressure of the battery pack caused by excessive gas, nor will it be unable to achieve effective dilution and protection effects due to too little inert gas, thereby ensuring the structural integrity and performance stability of the battery pack under normal and abnormal conditions.

[0101] It should be noted that the main body 210 may include a cylindrical body and a cover plate disposed within the cylindrical body, wherein the top surface of the cover plate is lower than the top surface of the cylindrical body, and the gas generating agent 220 is disposed in the space enclosed by the cover plate and the cylindrical body. In this case, the second connecting hole 211 may be disposed in the cylindrical body and / or the cover plate.

[0102] In some embodiments, both ends of the heating portion 230 are connected to the inner wall of the main body 210 and penetrate the gas generating agent 220, or in other words, the heating portion 230 is embedded in the gas generating agent 220. This increases the contact area between the heating portion 230 and the gas generating agent 220. When the heating portion 230 is operating, it can transfer heat to the gas generating agent 220 more quickly and evenly, allowing the gas generating agent 220 to reach the desired reaction temperature in a shorter time, thereby accelerating the gas generation reaction rate and improving gas generation efficiency.

[0103] In some embodiments, the gas generating assembly 200 further includes a protective cover 240, which is disposed outside the main body 210 and is connected to the main body 210. Alternatively, the protective cover 240 may be fixedly connected to the support member 300. It should be noted that the protective cover 240 may have a cylindrical structure with both ends open. The protective cover 240 may be circular in shape or have other structures.

[0104] The protective cover 240 is provided with a third connecting hole 241, which is used to connect the area between the protective cover 240 and the main body 210 with the accommodating chamber 110. The provision of the protective cover 240 in this embodiment can protect the gas generating assembly 200 and improve the safety of the gas generating assembly 200.

[0105] It should be noted that the protective cover 240 and the main body 210 can be directly or indirectly connected. Exemplarily, the gas generating assembly 200 further includes a restraining member 250, which is disposed between the protective cover 240 and the main body 210 and is connected to the protective cover 240 and the main body 210 respectively.

[0106] The restraint 250 cushions the impact of the detonation of inert gas generated by the gas generating assembly 200. This, on the one hand, prevents the connection between the protective cover 240 and the main body 210 from loosening or even breaking, allowing the protective cover 240 to better protect the gas generating assembly 200. On the other hand, it prevents damage to the internal structure of the main body 210, such as component displacement and deformation, caused by the strong impact of the detonation, thereby improving the gas production efficiency and stability of the gas generating assembly 200.

[0107] As a possible implementation of the restraining member 250, the restraining member 250 includes an arcuate portion 251, a first folded portion, and a second folded portion. In the direction from the protective cover to the main body, the first folded portion 252 and the second folded portion 253 are respectively connected to the ends of the arcuate portion 251 and extend in a direction away from the center of the arcuate portion 251. The first folded portion 252 is connected to the main body 210, and the second folded portion 253 is connected to the protective cover 240.

[0108] Thus, the restraining member 250 is a semicircular structure with an opening. The semicircular structure of the restraining member 250 takes into account its failure mode. Specifically, if subjected to a significant impact, the semicircular restraining member 250 disperses and absorbs the enormous energy generated by the detonation by stretching, bending, or breaking, thereby preventing the detonation energy from directly impacting other key components of the gas generating assembly 200. This significantly reduces the risk of damage to other components due to direct impact and provides a reliable safety buffer for the entire assembly.

[0109] It should be noted that the number of the restraining member 250 can be one or more. When there are multiple restraining members 250, the plurality of restraining members 250 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body 210. This maximizes the restraining ability of the restraining member 250, thereby improving the stable operation of the gas generating assembly 200.

[0110] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The gas generating assembly 200 provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes a fairing 260, which is sleeved on the protective cover 240 and is provided with a plurality of spaced fourth communication holes 261. The fairing 260 includes a cover body and a lid body, the cover body being fixedly connected to the support member 300, and the lid body being connected to the end of the cover body facing away from the support member 300, so that the lid body and the cover body enclose the inner cavity of the protective cover 240.

[0111] The arrangement of the plurality of fourth communication holes 261 of the fairing 260 can also cooperate with the restraining member 250 to more effectively buffer the detonation generated during the gas production process of the gas generating assembly 200.

[0112] The gas generating agent 220 in the gas generating assembly 200 is prone to detonation during rapid gas generation. A semicircular restraining member 250 is designed around the periphery of the main body 210 to connect and secure it to the protective cover 240. This structure secures the main body 210 when the gas generating assembly 200 is not in operation. Once the gas generating assembly 200 is in operation, the restraining member 250, the protective cover 240, and the fairing 260 work together to mitigate the effects of detonation.

[0113] Please refer to Figures 7 and 8 In some embodiments, the frame body 130 is a rectangular frame body, and the frame body 130 includes a first side panel 131 and a second side panel 132 . The first side panel 131 and the second side panel 132 are arranged opposite to each other along the length direction of the frame body 130 .

[0114] The number of the first communicating holes 120 includes a plurality of first communicating holes 120 , some of which are provided on the first side plate 131 and pass through the first side plate 131 , and the remaining first communicating holes 120 are provided on the second side plate 132 and pass through the second side plate 132 .

[0115] In this way, both sides of the accommodating chamber 110 in the longitudinal direction of the frame body 130 can be communicated with the outer shell, thereby improving the smoothness of the flow of the inert gas generated by the gas generating assembly 200.

[0116] Please continue to refer to Figure 7 、 Figure 8 、 Figure 12 and Figure 13 A reinforcement chamber 133 is provided in at least one of the first side plate 131 and the second side plate 132 , and a reinforcement plate 150 is provided in the reinforcement chamber 133 .

[0117] The reinforcing plate 150 includes a reinforcing frame 151 and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 152. The reinforcing frame 151 is a rectangular frame. The plurality of reinforcing ribs 152 are disposed in the reinforcing frame 151 and are sequentially arranged along the thickness direction of the frame body 130.

[0118] Each reinforcing rib 152 includes a plurality of arc segments 1521 connected to each other, and between two adjacent reinforcing ribs 152, the arc segment 1521 of one reinforcing rib 152 is located between the two arc segments 1521 of the other reinforcing rib 152. Figure 13 The component in the dotted box is the reinforcing rib 152.

[0119] In this way, the reinforcing plate 150 can be used to resist extrusion in the width direction DW of the frame 130, thereby preventing failure due to cell expansion and extrusion. Furthermore, each reinforcing rib 152 is composed of multiple interconnected arc segments 1521, which can better disperse stress when subjected to extrusion. The arc segments 1521 have good flexibility and deformation resistance. When squeezed, the arc segments 1521 can undergo a certain degree of elastic deformation, distributing concentrated stress across the entire arc structure, thereby preventing localized excessive stress from causing fracture or damage to the reinforcing rib 152.

[0120] It should be noted that the frame 130 provided in the embodiment of the present application is further provided with triangular reinforcement ribs 180 at the corners within the accommodating chamber 110 , so as to prevent the frame 130 from being severely deformed in the length direction DL and the height direction DH.

[0121] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 9 The shell 100 also includes at least one protective plate 160, which is arranged on at least one side of the frame 130 in the width direction, and the at least one protective plate 160 and the frame 130 are enclosed to form a protective cavity; a buffer foam 170 is arranged in the protective cavity.

[0122] In this way, the buffer foam 170 fills the protective cavity between the protective plate 160 and the frame 130, which can not only protect the circuit, but also buffer the impact from the bottom, prevent structural failure after the impact, and improve the stability of the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10.

[0123] It should be noted that the frame 130 also includes a third side panel and a fourth side panel spaced apart along its width. The third side panel and the fourth side panel are used to connect the first side panel and the second side panel to form the frame. At least one protective plate 160 can cover at least one of the third side panel and / or the fourth side panel. The cross-sectional shape of the protective plate 160 can be a U-shaped structure, so that the protective plate 160 can form a cavity between the corresponding side panel.

[0124] Please refer to Figure 14 and Figure 15 The present application also provides a battery pack 1 including a battery cell group 20 and the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 described in any of the above embodiments. The battery cell group 20 includes a plurality of battery cells 21 arranged along a first direction.

[0125] The thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 is located on at least one side of the battery cell group 20 in the first direction and is arranged in close contact with the battery cell group 20; or, a thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 is arranged between at least two adjacent battery cells 21.

[0126] In this way, the inert gas formed by the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 can be used to dilute or flame retard the thermal runaway products in the battery pack, thereby preventing the thermal runaway products from accumulating in the outer shell, reducing or even avoiding the possibility of explosion, and improving the safety performance of the battery pack.

[0127] In some embodiments, the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 includes a frame 130 and a first connecting hole 120 provided in the frame 130, and the first connecting hole 120 is used to allow the inert gas generated by the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 to pass through. The first connecting hole 120 is provided on the side panel of the frame 130. Exemplarily, the frame 130 includes a first side panel 131 and a second side panel 132 that are oppositely arranged, wherein the first connecting hole 120 can be provided on at least one of the first side panel 131 and the second side panel 132. That is to say, in some embodiments, the first connecting hole 120 can be provided solely on the first side panel 131 or solely on the second side panel 132. In other embodiments, part of the first connecting hole 120 is provided on the first side panel 131, and part of the first connecting hole 120 is provided on the second side panel 132.

[0128] The side plate where the first connecting hole 120 is located intersects with the first direction. For example, the side plate where the first connecting hole 120 is located is perpendicular to the first direction. In this way, the large surface of the frame 130 contacts the large surface of the battery cell 21, which can increase the contact area between the frame 130 and the battery cell 21, thereby increasing the connection strength between the frame 130 and the battery cell 21. At the same time, the inert gas generated by the thermal runaway prevention and control device 10 can be discharged more smoothly into the battery pack casing through the first connecting hole 120, so as to better dilute and / or flame retard the thermal runaway products in the casing.

[0129] In some embodiments, the battery pack 1 also includes a shell 30, which includes a bottom plate 31 and at least two side beams 32. The at least two side beams 32 are arranged at intervals along the first direction and connected to the bottom plate 31 to form a cavity, which is suitable for accommodating the battery cell group 20.

[0130] The battery pack 1 also includes a pressure relief channel (not shown in the figure), which is arranged in the shell 30 and connects the cavity of the shell 30 and the external space. In this way, convection is formed between the cavity of the shell 30 and the external space, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the battery pack and thus reducing the ignition point.

[0131] It should be noted that the pressure relief channel in the embodiment of the present application can be a scraped bottom rupture provided on the channel on the outer shell, the explosion-proof valve or the bottom plate 31, wherein the scraped bottom groove can be a rupture formed by a sharp object scratching the battery pack during use. When the foreign matter scraped from the bottom of the pack (stone or other sharp objects) is pulled out, the high-pressure inert gas generated in the battery pack forms a low-oxygen and low-temperature atmosphere at the rupture to prevent fire and explosion in the battery pack.

[0132] Please refer to Figure 16 In some embodiments, the battery pack 1 further includes a controller 40 and a detection component connected to the controller 40 , the detection component being suitable for detecting parameters inside the housing, and the detection component including at least one of a temperature sensor 50 , a gas sensor 60 and a pressure sensor 70 .

[0133] The controller 40 is also connected to the gas generating assembly 200 and is used to control the working state of the gas generating assembly 200 according to parameters.

[0134] The detection component can be mounted on the housing 30, and the detection end of the detection component can be located within the housing 30, thereby enabling better detection of parameters within the housing. The parameters detected by any one of the temperature sensor 50, gas sensor 60, and pressure sensor 70 are transmitted to the controller 40, which controls the operating state of the gas generating assembly 200 based on the aforementioned parameters.

[0135] It should be understood that when any of the parameters detected by the temperature sensor 50, the gas sensor 60 and the pressure sensor 70 is abnormal, the controller 40 controls the gas generating assembly 200 to start working so that the gas generating assembly 200 forms an inert gas.

[0136] Taking the temperature sensor 50 as an example, the temperature sensor 50 is used to detect the real-time temperature inside the shell and transmit the real-time temperature to the controller 40. The controller 40 can compare the real-time temperature with the preset threshold. If the real-time temperature is greater than the preset threshold, the controller 40 can control the gas generating component 200 to start working.

[0137] After the gas generating assembly 200 is initially triggered to generate inert gas, the amount of flammable gas generated by the runaway cell increases, raising the internal temperature of the battery pack 1. Without sufficient oxygen or other combustion aids, the pack begins to "smolder." Simply adding the combustion aid will cause a deflagration. To prevent this, embodiments of the present application utilize a controller to trigger the generation of inert gas in batches (for example, triggering and generating inert gas once every preset time period). This maintains an atmosphere of flame-retardant gas, such as nitrogen, within the battery pack, preventing the accumulation and temperature rise of flammable gas and the "backflow" of the combustion aid, thereby achieving "active safety" for the battery pack.

[0138] An embodiment of the present application provides an electrical device, including an electrical device and the battery pack 1 described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the battery pack 1 is electrically connected to the electrical device to provide electrical energy to the electrical device.

[0139] The electrical equipment in the embodiments of the present application may be a vehicle. For example, the vehicle may be a new energy vehicle, which may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or an extended-range vehicle. Accordingly, the electrical device may be the vehicle's drive mechanism or control system. Furthermore, the electrical equipment may also be other energy storage devices, such as an energy storage power station.

[0140] Since the electric device in this embodiment includes the battery pack described in any of the above embodiments, the structure and beneficial effects of the electric device including the battery pack will not be further described in this embodiment.

[0141] The various embodiments or implementation methods in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0142] It should be noted that references in this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," "some embodiments," and the like indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not necessarily every embodiment includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not.

[0143] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A thermal runaway prevention and control device (10), characterized in that: The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) is suitable for being installed in a housing (30) of a battery pack (1), and comprises: A housing (100), the housing (100) having a receiving chamber (110) and a first communicating hole (120) communicating with the receiving chamber (110); A gas generating assembly (200) is provided in the accommodating chamber (110) and is adapted to be triggered to generate an inert gas when the battery pack (1) is under a preset condition; wherein the inert gas enters the housing (30) of the battery pack (1) through the first connecting hole (120) to dilute and / or retard thermal runaway products in the housing (30).

2. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas generating assembly (200) is arranged on the inner wall of the housing (100).

3. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) further includes a support member (300), wherein the support member (300) is connected to the housing (100) and is located in the accommodating chamber (110); In the thickness direction of the support member (300), the gas generation component (200) is arranged on at least one side of the support member (300).

4. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support member (300) has a circuit groove (310) and a notch (320) communicating with the circuit groove (310); the circuit groove (310) is suitable for allowing a connecting wire harness to pass through, and one end of the connecting wire harness is electrically connected to the gas generating assembly (200) through the notch (320).

5. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support member (300) is further provided with a plurality of fifth communication holes (330), and the plurality of fifth communication holes (330) are used to communicate with the accommodating chambers located on both sides of the support member (300).

6. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The gas generating assembly (200) comprises a main body (210) and a heating part (230); the main body (210) comprises a reaction chamber and a second communication hole (211) interconnected with the reaction chamber, and a gas generating agent (220) is contained in the reaction chamber; the heating part (230) is disposed in the reaction chamber and in contact with the gas generating agent (220); When the battery pack (1) is under a preset condition, the heating portion (230) is triggered to generate heat, so that the gas generating agent (220) generates an inert gas at a preset temperature.

7. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that: Both ends of the heating portion (230) are respectively connected to the inner wall of the main body (210), and the gas generating agent (220) is passed through.

8. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The gas generating agent includes nitroguanidine or guanidine nitrate, or the gas generating agent includes cyclotrimethylene trinitramine.

9. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that: The gas generating assembly (200) further comprises a protective cover (240), wherein the protective cover (240) is disposed outside the main body (210) and is connected to the main body (210); The protective cover (240) is provided with a third communication hole (241), and the third communication hole (241) is used to connect the area between the protective cover (240) and the main body (210) with the accommodating chamber (110).

10. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that: The gas generation assembly (200) further includes a restraining member (250), which is disposed between the protective cover (240) and the main body (210) and is connected to the protective cover (240) and the main body (210), respectively.

11. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that: The restraining member (250) comprises an arc-shaped portion (251), a first folding portion (252), and a second folding portion (253); in a direction where the protective cover (240) points toward the main body (210), the first folding portion (252) and the second folding portion (253) are respectively connected to two ends of the arc-shaped portion (251); The first folding portion (252) is connected to the main body (210), and the second folding portion (253) is connected to the protective cover (240).

12. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that: The gas generation assembly (200) further comprises a fairing (260), wherein the fairing (260) is sleeved on the protective cover (240), and a plurality of fourth communication holes (261) arranged at intervals are provided on the fairing (260).

13. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that: The housing (100) comprises a frame (130), a first end plate (140) and a second end plate; in the thickness direction of the frame (130), the frame (130) has two oppositely arranged openings; the first end plate (140) and the second end plate are respectively connected to the frame (130) and cover the corresponding openings; The first communicating hole (120) is provided on the frame (130).

14. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that: The frame (130) is a rectangular frame, and the number of the first communication holes (120) includes a plurality; The frame (130) comprises a first side plate (131) and a second side plate (132) arranged opposite to each other along its length direction; a portion of the first communicating holes (120) are arranged on the first side plate (131), and the remaining portion of the first communicating holes (120) are arranged on the second side plate (132).

15. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 14, characterized in that: At least one of the first side plate (131) and the second side plate (132) is provided with a reinforcement chamber (133), and a reinforcement plate (150) is provided in the reinforcement chamber (133).

16. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 15, characterized in that: The reinforcing plate (150) comprises a reinforcing frame (151) and a plurality of reinforcing ribs (152) arranged in the reinforcing frame (151), wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs (152) are arranged in sequence along the thickness direction of the frame; Each of the reinforcing ribs (152) comprises a plurality of arc segments (1521) connected to each other, and among two adjacent reinforcing ribs (152), the arc segment (1521) of one of the reinforcing ribs (152) is located between the two arc segments (1521) of the other reinforcing rib (152).

17. The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to claim 16, characterized in that: The housing (100) further comprises at least one protective plate (160), the at least one protective plate (160) being arranged on at least one side of the frame (130) in a width direction, and the at least one protective plate (160) and the frame (130) enclose forming a protective cavity, wherein a cushioning foam (170) is arranged in the protective cavity.

18. A battery pack (1), characterized in that: Comprising a battery cell group (20) and a thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the battery cell group (20) comprises a plurality of battery cells (21) arranged sequentially in a first direction; The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) is located on at least one side of the battery cell group (20) in the first direction and is arranged in close contact with the battery cell group (20); or, one thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) is arranged between at least two adjacent battery cells (21).

19. The battery pack (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that The thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) comprises a frame (130) and a first communication hole (120) provided in the frame (130), wherein the first communication hole (120) is used for allowing inert gas generated by the thermal runaway prevention and control device (10) to pass through; The side plate where the first communicating hole (120) is located intersects with the first direction.

20. The battery pack (1) according to claim 19, characterized in that: The battery pack (1) further comprises a housing (30) and a pressure relief channel, the housing (30) comprising a bottom plate (31) and at least two side beams (32), the at least two side beams (32) being arranged at intervals along the first direction and connected to the bottom plate (31) to enclose a cavity, the cavity being suitable for accommodating the battery cell group (20); The pressure relief channel is provided in the housing (30) and communicates with the cavity and the external space.

21. The battery pack (1) according to any one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that: The battery pack (1) further includes a controller (40) and a detection component connected to the controller (40), wherein the detection component is suitable for detecting parameters in the housing, and the detection component includes at least one of a temperature sensor (50), a gas sensor (60), and a pressure sensor (70); The controller (40) is also connected to the gas generating component (200) and is used to control the working state of the gas generating component (200) according to the parameters.

22. An electrical device, characterized in that: It comprises an electric device and a battery pack (1) according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the battery pack (1) is electrically connected to the electric device and is used to provide electric energy to the electric device.

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