Lithium ion battery pack with thermal management and thermal runaway suppression cooperative control performance

Abstract

The invention discloses a lithium ion battery pack with thermal management and thermal runaway suppression cooperative control performance. The lithium ion battery pack comprises a shell, and a plurality of single batteries are arranged in the shell; a thermal management module and a thermal runaway suppression module are arranged in the shell, and the thermal management module adopts combination of a heat pipe and a liquid cooling system to maintain the temperature stability of the battery pack; the thermal runaway suppression module is integrated in the thermal management module, the structure of a liquid cooling plate is improved, a fire-fighting branch pipe is connected to a water inlet pipeline of the liquid cooling plate, and a gap between two adjacent single batteries is utilized to quickly cool the batteries; meanwhile, a heat pipe adopted in the heat management module can passively obstruct the spreading of thermal runaway; a sensor is installed in the shell, and the thermal management module, the thermal runaway suppression module and the sensor are all electrically connected with the control unit. The fire protection design is integrated in the battery thermal management system, so that the safety of the battery system can be improved, the spatial layout and resource allocation are optimized, and the overall cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of lithium-ion batteries, and in particular to a lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression. Background Art

[0002] As the leader of today's energy storage technology, lithium-ion batteries have been widely used in electric vehicles, drones, portable electronic devices, and large-scale energy storage systems due to their high energy density, high efficiency, low self-discharge rate, and long life. However, with the popularity of lithium-ion batteries, their thermal management issues and potential thermal runaway risks are becoming key challenges in technological development.

[0003] Lithium-ion batteries are very sensitive to temperature, with an optimal operating temperature of 15°C to 35°C. Temperatures that are too high or too low will cause a loss in battery performance and capacity. In extreme cases, thermal runaway may occur, causing the entire battery pack to catch fire or explode. Currently, battery thermal management and thermal runaway suppression are usually discussed separately, resulting in low space utilization, high costs, and complex maintenance for battery systems.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression, which can effectively protect the battery, ensure its performance and safety in a wide temperature range, and suppress large-scale damage caused by thermal runaway. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression, so as to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression, comprising a shell, wherein a plurality of battery cells are arranged inside the shell; a thermal management module and a thermal runaway suppression module are arranged inside the shell, the thermal management module is bonded to the plurality of battery cells, and the thermal management module is used to maintain the temperature stability of the battery cells; the thermal runaway suppression module is arranged in the gap between two adjacent battery cells, and the thermal runaway suppression module is used to quickly cool down the battery cells and block the spread of thermal runaway in case of thermal runaway; a control unit and a water tank are arranged outside the shell, and the thermal management module and the thermal runaway suppression module are both connected to the water tank; a sensor is installed inside the shell, and the thermal management module, the thermal runaway suppression module and the sensor are all electrically connected to the control unit.

[0007] Preferably, the thermal management module includes a liquid cooling plate, which is arranged at the inner bottom of the outer shell, and the bottom end of the battery cell is in contact with the top of the liquid cooling plate; a water pipe is arranged between the water tank and the outer shell, and a water pump is installed on the water pipe, and the water pump is electrically connected to the control unit, and the liquid cooling plate and the water tank are connected through the water pipe.

[0008] Preferably, the thermal management module further comprises a plurality of L-shaped heat pipes, the condensing sections of the L-shaped heat pipes are bonded to the liquid cooling plate, and the evaporating sections of the L-shaped heat pipes are bonded to the side walls of the battery cells.

[0009] Preferably, a thermally conductive silicone sheet is provided between the L-shaped heat pipe and the battery cell, and the size of the thermally conductive silicone sheet is adapted to the size of the battery cell.

[0010] Preferably, the thickness of the thermally conductive silicone sheet is 0.5 mm.

[0011] Preferably, the thermal runaway suppression module includes a fire-fighting pipe connected to the water pipe, wherein the inlet end of the fire-fighting pipe is located between the outlet end of the water pump and the casing; a linkage switch is installed on the fire-fighting pipe, and the linkage switch is electrically connected to the control unit; an opening is provided on the liquid cooling plate, the fire-fighting pipe is placed at the opening of the liquid cooling plate, and a plurality of nozzles are provided on the fire-fighting pipe.

[0012] Preferably, the fire-fighting pipe includes a main pipe and a plurality of branch pipes connected to the main pipe, the linkage switch is installed on the main pipe, and the main pipe is connected to the water pipe, the nozzle is opened on the branch pipe, the branch pipe is located between two adjacent battery cells, and the side of the battery cell close to the branch pipe does not contact the L-shaped heat pipe.

[0013] Preferably, the nozzle is arranged in the gap between two adjacent batteries.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and technical effects:

[0015] The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression provided by the present invention integrates fire protection design into the battery thermal management system, and adopts a combination of heat pipes and liquid cooling to thermally manage the heat of the battery. Water is used as both a heat dissipation liquid for battery thermal management and a coolant for battery thermal runaway. By extending a branch pipe from the fire protection pipe, the battery is cooled through the nozzle during the battery thermal runaway process. This design can not only improve the safety of the battery system, but also optimize the spatial layout and resource allocation, reduce the overall cost, and improve the reliability and flexibility of the system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a lithium-ion battery pack having synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the integration of the liquid cooling plate and the fire protection pipeline of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 A diagram showing the positional relationship between the L-shaped heat pipe and the liquid cooling plate of the present invention;

[0020] In the figure: 1. Shell; 2. Battery cell; 3. L-shaped heat pipe; 4. Thermal conductive silicone sheet; 5. Liquid cooling plate; 6. Linkage switch; 7. Water pipe; 8. Fire fighting pipe; 9. Water pump; 10. Water tank; 11. Sensor; 12. Control unit; 13. Nozzle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. The described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0022] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the present invention provides a lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression, including a shell 1, wherein a plurality of battery cells 2 are arranged inside the shell 1; a thermal management module and a thermal runaway suppression module are arranged inside the shell 1, the thermal management module is bonded to the plurality of battery cells 2, and the thermal management module is used to maintain the temperature stability of the battery cells 2; the thermal runaway suppression module is arranged in the gap between two adjacent battery cells 2, and the thermal runaway suppression module is used to quickly cool down the battery cells 2 and block the spread of thermal runaway when thermal runaway occurs; a control unit 12 and a water tank 10 are arranged outside the shell 1, and the thermal management module and the thermal runaway suppression module are both connected to the water tank 10; a sensor 11 is installed inside the shell 1, and the thermal management module, the thermal runaway suppression module and the sensor 11 are all electrically connected to the control unit 12.

[0023] The present invention integrates fire protection design into the battery thermal management system, which can not only effectively manage the heat generation of the battery in a wide temperature range, suppress the thermal runaway of the battery in the module and block the further spread of the thermal runaway, thereby improving the safety of the battery system, but also improve the reliability and flexibility of the system.

[0024] A further optimized solution is that the thermal management module includes a liquid cooling plate 5, which is arranged at the inner bottom of the outer shell 1, and the bottom end of the battery cell 2 is in contact with the top of the liquid cooling plate 5; a water pipe 7 is arranged between the water tank 10 and the outer shell 1, and a water pump 9 is installed on the water pipe 7, and the water pump 9 is electrically connected to the control unit 12, and the liquid cooling plate 5 and the water tank 10 are connected through the water pipe 7.

[0025] To further optimize the solution, the thermal management module also includes a plurality of L-shaped heat pipes 3 , the condensing section of the L-shaped heat pipe 3 is bonded to the liquid cooling plate 5 , and the evaporating section of the L-shaped heat pipe 3 is bonded to the side wall of the battery cell 2 .

[0026] According to a further optimization scheme, a thermally conductive silicone sheet 4 is provided between the L-shaped heat pipe 3 and the battery cell 2 , and the size of the thermally conductive silicone sheet 4 is adapted to the size of the battery cell 2 .

[0027] According to a further optimization scheme, the thickness of the thermally conductive silicone sheet 4 is 0.5 mm.

[0028] A further optimized solution is provided, in which the thermal runaway suppression module comprises a fire-fighting pipe 8 connected to a water pipe 7, wherein the inlet end of the fire-fighting pipe 8 is located between the outlet end of a water pump 9 and the housing 1; a linkage switch 6 is installed on the fire-fighting pipe 8, and the linkage switch 6 is electrically connected to a control unit 12; an opening is provided on the liquid cooling plate 5, the fire-fighting pipe 8 is placed at the opening of the liquid cooling plate 5, and a plurality of nozzles 13 are provided on the fire-fighting pipe 8.

[0029] According to a further optimization scheme, the fire-fighting pipe 8 includes a main pipe and a plurality of branch pipes connected to the main pipe, the linkage switch 6 is installed on the main pipe, and the main pipe is connected to the water pipe 7, the nozzle 13 is provided on the branch pipe, the branch pipe is located between two adjacent battery cells 2, and the side of the battery cell 2 close to the branch pipe does not contact the L-shaped heat pipe 3.

[0030] According to a further optimized solution, the nozzle 13 is disposed in the gap between two adjacent batteries.

[0031] The lithium-ion battery pack with the coordinated control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression provided by the present invention comprises a thermal management module and a thermal runaway suppression module.

[0032] Thermal management module: The thermal management module is operated by the L-type heat pipe 3 and the liquid cooling plate 5. The L-type heat pipe 3 is customized according to the size of the battery cell 2, with a thickness of 3mm. Its evaporation section is close to the large side surface of the battery cell 2, and the condensation section is close to the bottom of the battery cell 2. A thermal conductive silicone sheet 4 is placed on the contact surface of the battery cell 2 and the L-type heat pipe 3 to enhance heat conduction. The thickness of the thermal conductive silicone sheet 4 is 0.5mm. The improved liquid cooling plate 5 is placed on the bottom of the battery cell 2 close to the condensation section of the L-type heat pipe 3. The battery cell 2 will generate heat when it is in normal working state. The working fluid inside the L-type heat pipe 3 absorbs heat in the evaporation section and changes from liquid to gas. Then the high-temperature gas flows to the condensation section under the action of the capillary force inside the L-type heat pipe 3. Finally, the heat of the condensation section is taken away by the flow of the liquid in the liquid cooling plate 5, so as to achieve efficient heat dissipation of the battery pack. Moreover, by the condensation section being close to the liquid cooling plate 5, the gas inside the heat pipe can be accelerated to condense and flow back to the evaporation section under the action of the liquid cooling plate 5. This combination design can effectively enhance the thermal response capability of the system.

[0033] Thermal runaway suppression module: multiple L-shaped heat pipes 3 are dispersedly placed between the battery cells 2, and there are intervals between the battery cells 2 where the L-shaped heat pipes 3 are not placed. The bottom liquid cooling plate 5 is improved and designed according to the size of the lithium-ion battery cells 2 used, and a branch pipe for installing the fire-fighting pipe 8 is set in a reserved opening. The branch pipe extends from the water pipe 7 connected to the liquid cooling plate 5 and shares the water tank 10 with the liquid cooling plate 5; a linkage switch 6 is installed on the main pipe at the front end of the branch pipe, and the branch pipe extends to the opening placed on the improved liquid cooling plate 5 in three ways. The nozzle 13 on the branch pipe is set at the interval between two adjacent battery cells 2; when the battery thermal runaway occurs, the L-shaped heat pipe 3 between the battery cells 2 can not only dissipate heat for the battery cells 2, but also play a certain passive barrier role in the spread of thermal runaway. At the same time, after the control unit 12 detects an abnormal increase in temperature through the sensor 11, it will control the linkage switch 6 on the fire-fighting pipe 8 to open, and the water in the water tank 10 will be sprayed out from the nozzle 13 through the branch pipe, which can cool down the thermal runaway battery and block the spread of thermal runaway.

[0034] The above are only preferred specific implementations of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by any technician familiar with the technical field within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression, characterized in that: The invention comprises a shell (1), wherein a plurality of battery cells (2) are arranged inside the shell (1); a thermal management module and a thermal runaway suppression module are arranged inside the shell (1), wherein the thermal management module is bonded to the plurality of battery cells (2), and the thermal management module is used to maintain the temperature stability of the battery cells (2); the thermal runaway suppression module is arranged in a gap between two adjacent battery cells (2), and the thermal runaway suppression module is used to quickly cool the battery cells (2) and to block the spread of thermal runaway when thermal runaway occurs; a control unit (12) and a water tank (10) are arranged outside the shell (1), and the thermal management module and the thermal runaway suppression module are both connected to the water tank (10); a sensor (11) is installed inside the shell (1), and the thermal management module, the thermal runaway suppression module and the sensor (11) are all electrically connected to the control unit (12).

2. The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal management module comprises a liquid cooling plate (5), the liquid cooling plate (5) being arranged at the inner bottom of the housing (1), the bottom end of the battery cell (2) being in contact with the top end of the liquid cooling plate (5); a water pipe (7) being arranged between the water tank (10) and the housing (1), a water pump (9) being installed on the water pipe (7), the water pump (9) being electrically connected to the control unit (12), and the liquid cooling plate (5) and the water tank (10) being connected via the water pipe (7).

3. The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thermal management module further comprises a plurality of L-shaped heat pipes (3), the condensing sections of the L-shaped heat pipes (3) being bonded to the liquid cooling plate (5), and the evaporating sections of the L-shaped heat pipes (3) being bonded to the side walls of the battery cells (2).

4. The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to claim 3, characterized in that: A heat-conducting silicone sheet (4) is provided between the L-shaped heat pipe (3) and the battery cell (2), and the size of the heat-conducting silicone sheet (4) is compatible with the size of the battery cell (2).

5. The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to claim 4, characterized in that: The thickness of the thermally conductive silicone sheet (4) is 0.5 mm.

6. The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thermal runaway suppression module comprises a fire-fighting pipe (8) connected to the water pipe (7), the inlet end of the fire-fighting pipe (8) being located between the outlet end of the water pump (9) and the housing (1); a linkage switch (6) is installed on the fire-fighting pipe (8), and the linkage switch (6) is electrically connected to the control unit (12); an opening is provided on the liquid cooling plate (5), the fire-fighting pipe (8) is placed at the opening of the liquid cooling plate (5), and a plurality of nozzles (13) are provided on the fire-fighting pipe (8).

7. The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to claim 6, characterized in that: The fire fighting pipe (8) comprises a main pipe and a plurality of branch pipes connected to the main pipe, the linkage switch (6) is installed on the main pipe, and the main pipe is connected to the water pipe (7), the nozzle (13) is provided on the branch pipe, the branch pipe is located between two adjacent battery cells (2), and the side surface of the battery cell (2) close to the branch pipe does not contact the L-shaped heat pipe (3).

8. The lithium-ion battery pack with synergistic control performance of thermal management and thermal runaway suppression according to claim 7, characterized in that: The nozzle (13) is arranged in the gap between two adjacent batteries.

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