Battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

This application provides a battery pack and a vehicle. The battery pack includes a cell assembly, a thermal insulation assembly, a high-voltage connection assembly, and a terminal cold plate. The thermal insulation assembly includes a first thermal insulation portion and a second thermal insulation portion. The cell assembly includes a pressure relief valve disposed on its first side. The terminal cold plate is disposed on the first side of the cell assembly and has an opening at a position corresponding to the pressure relief valve. The first thermal insulation portion is disposed on the side of the terminal cold plate away from the cell assembly and extends into the opening. The second thermal insulation portion is disposed on the first side of the cell assembly at a position opposite to the opening, extends into the opening, and is sealed to the first thermal insulation portion. The second thermal insulation portion has a hole at a position opposite to the pressure relief valve, allowing the substance ejected from the pressure relief valve to pass through the hole.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery system technology, and more specifically, to a battery pack and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In known battery pack designs, terminal cold plates are typically placed on the cells to facilitate heat transfer in the cell terminal area. However, in the event of thermal runaway, the high-temperature substances ejected from the pressure relief valve may damage the terminal cold plates and cell components, such as causing cold plate melt-through, insulation layer damage, and potentially triggering high-voltage short circuits or heat propagation.

[0003] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One aspect of this application addresses the technical problem of how to achieve thermal and electrical insulation between at least the pole plate and the cell assembly and the space above them, in order to prevent damage to these components from high-temperature substances ejected by the pressure relief valve.

[0005] In addition, other aspects of this application are also intended to solve or alleviate other technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a battery pack is provided, comprising a cell assembly, a thermal insulation assembly, a high-voltage connection assembly, and a terminal cold plate. The thermal insulation assembly includes a first thermal insulation portion and a second thermal insulation portion. The cell assembly includes a pressure relief valve disposed on its first side. The terminal cold plate is disposed on the first side of the cell assembly and has an opening at a position corresponding to the pressure relief valve. The first thermal insulation portion is disposed on the side of the terminal cold plate away from the cell assembly and extends into the opening. The second thermal insulation portion is disposed on the first side of the cell assembly at a position opposite to the opening, extends into the opening, and is sealed to the first thermal insulation portion. The second thermal insulation portion has a hole at a position opposite to the pressure relief valve, allowing the substance ejected from the pressure relief valve to pass through the hole.

[0007] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, at the sealing connection between the second thermal insulation part and the first thermal insulation part, the first thermal insulation part and the second thermal insulation part are in contact, and the second thermal insulation part is closer to the pressure relief valve than the first thermal insulation part.

[0008] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, the battery pack further includes a first thermally conductive insulating pad, a high-voltage connection assembly disposed on a first side of the cell assembly, and the first thermally conductive insulating pad disposed on the high-voltage connection assembly such that the high-voltage connection assembly is disposed between the cell assembly and the first thermally conductive insulating pad. A terminal cold plate is disposed on the side of the first thermally conductive insulating pad facing away from the high-voltage connection assembly. The high-voltage connection assembly is covered by the first thermally conductive insulating pad on its first side facing the first thermally conductive insulating pad, and the portion of the first thermally conductive insulating pad extending beyond the first side of the high-voltage connection assembly is bent to the side of the high-voltage connection assembly adjacent to its first side.

[0009] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, the second thermal insulation portion and the first thermal insulation portion are attached to each other on one side of the high-voltage connection assembly.

[0010] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, the battery pack includes a first side plate and a second side plate arranged in parallel, the cell assembly includes rows of cells arranged in a row, the first side plate is arranged between adjacent cells, the second side plate is arranged on both sides of the cell assembly, a first insulating pad is arranged between the first side plate and the adjacent cells, and a second insulating pad is arranged between the second side plate and the adjacent cells.

[0011] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, the second side plate has a liquid flow channel, and the second insulating pad is thermally conductive and insulating.

[0012] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, the first side plate and the second side plate have liquid flow channels, the first insulating pad and the second insulating pad are thermally conductive and insulating, and the contact area between the first side plate and the battery cell array on one side is greater than the contact area between the second side plate and the battery cell array on one side.

[0013] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, the battery pack further includes a bottom cold plate, the cell assembly has a second side opposite to its first side, the bottom cold plate is disposed on the second side of the cell assembly, and a second thermally conductive insulating pad is disposed between the bottom cold plate and the cell assembly.

[0014] Optionally, according to one embodiment of this application, the first side plate and the second side plate have liquid flow channels, the first insulating pad and the second insulating pad are thermally conductive and insulating, the length of the first side plate and / or the second side plate in the height direction of the second side of the cell assembly toward the first side is less than the length of the cell assembly in the height direction, and the first side plate and / or the second side plate are closer to the first side of the cell assembly relative to the second side of the cell assembly.

[0015] According to another aspect of this application, a vehicle is provided that includes the aforementioned battery pack.

[0016] The advantages of this application include: by setting up thermal insulation components, at least the terminal cold plate and the cell assembly and the space above them are thermally and electrically insulated to prevent high-temperature substances ejected by the pressure relief valve from damaging these components, thereby improving the safety of the battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the above and other features of this application will become apparent. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, similar numbers in the drawings are used to denote similar components, wherein... Figure 1 An exploded view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 A schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the connection between the first and second thermal insulation portions of a thermal insulation assembly according to one embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 The construction of a side panel according to one embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 4 Another construction of the side panel according to one embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 5 This illustrates yet another construction of the side panel according to one embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing a side plate disposed on a cell assembly according to one embodiment of this application; Figure 7 Another exploded view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 8 A perspective view showing a partially assembled battery pack according to one embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] It is readily understood that, based on the technical solution of this application, those skilled in the art can propose various interchangeable structural methods and implementations without altering the essential spirit of this application. Therefore, the following detailed embodiments and accompanying drawings are merely illustrative examples of the technical solution of this application and should not be considered as the entirety of this application or as limitations or restrictions on the technical solution of this application.

[0019] The directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, back, front, back, top, and bottom mentioned or possibly used in this specification are defined relative to the structures shown in the accompanying drawings. These are relative concepts and may therefore vary depending on their location and usage. Therefore, these or other directional terms should not be interpreted as restrictive. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and similar expressions are used for descriptive and distinguishing purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying the relative importance of the corresponding components or the order of components or assembly sequence.

[0020] Reference Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present application. The battery pack 10 includes a cell assembly 110, a heat insulation assembly 120, a high-voltage connection assembly 130 (also referred to as a "bus" or "basbar"), and a terminal cold plate 140 (also referred to as a "top cold plate"). The heat insulation assembly 120 includes a first heat insulation portion 121 and a second heat insulation portion 122. The cell assembly 110 includes a pressure relief valve 111 (also referred to as an "explosion-proof valve" or "explosion-proof port") disposed on its first side. The terminal cold plate 140 is arranged on the first side of the cell assembly 110, and the terminal cold plate 140 corresponds to the pressure relief valve 111. An opening 141 is provided at the location. A first heat-insulating part 121 is arranged on the side of the electrode cold plate 140 away from the cell assembly 110 and extends into the opening 141. A second heat-insulating part 122 is arranged on the first side of the cell assembly 110 at a position opposite to the opening 141. The second heat-insulating part 122 extends into the opening 141 and is sealed to the first heat-insulating part 121. The second heat-insulating part 122 has a hole 123 at a position opposite to the pressure relief valve 111, so that the substance ejected from the pressure relief valve 111 can pass through the hole 123. Alternatively, the first heat-insulating part 121 and the second heat-insulating part 122 can be different parts of an integral heat-insulating assembly 120, rather than different components in the heat-insulating assembly 120.

[0021] The battery cell assembly 110 includes a cell array 112, which includes cells 113. Each cell 113 may have two terminals 114 and a pressure relief valve 111. The terminals 114 may be located on both sides of the upper side of the cell 113, and the pressure relief valve 111 may be located at the middle of the upper side of the cell 113, between the two terminals 114. Therefore, the pressure relief valve 111 may be arranged on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 110 (i.e., the first side of the battery cell assembly 110) and extend along the arrangement direction of the cells 113 in the cell array 112, forming multiple rows of pressure relief valves 111 on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 110. The pressure relief valve 111 is used to eject gases, fumes, and / or liquid vapors (also referred to as "high-temperature substances" in this application) from the battery cell 113 when the internal pressure of the battery pack 10 is abnormally high (typically when thermal runaway occurs in the battery pack 10), in order to prevent the casing of the battery cell 113 from bursting or exploding. It should be understood that although a specific construction of the battery cell assembly 110 has been described above, other constructions of the battery cell assembly 110 may be used in other embodiments.

[0022] The high-voltage connection assembly 130 is made of a conductive material (e.g., copper, aluminum, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, etc.) to enable series and / or parallel connection between different battery cells 113, and typically has thermal conductivity. It should be understood that although in the illustrated embodiment the high-voltage connection assembly 130 consists of multiple conductor sheets 131, each conductor sheet 131 connecting two adjacent terminals 114 of two adjacent battery cells 113, it can also be described as extending along the arrangement direction of the battery cells 113 in the cell array 112. The terminal cold plate 140 may be a liquid-cooled terminal cold plate 140 with liquid flow channels to facilitate adequate cooling of the terminals 114 and the battery cells 113. Alternatively, the terminal cold plate 140 may also be other forms of cold plates (e.g., air-cooled cold plates).

[0023] The electrode cold plate 140 is made of a thermally conductive material (e.g., aluminum alloy) and may have liquid channels (or not in other embodiments), within which coolant flows during operation to carry away heat transferred to the electrode cold plate 140. The electrode cold plate 140 is arranged above the cell assembly 110 and has an opening 141 directly above the row of pressure relief valves 111 of the cell assembly 110 to provide a passage for the high-temperature material ejected from the pressure relief valves 111 to the space above the electrode cold plate 140. Alternatively, the opening 141 may be located diagonally above the pressure relief valves 111 (particularly when the ejection direction of the pressure relief valves 111 is not perpendicular to the upper side of the cell assembly 110), or at any other location that facilitates the flow of the high-temperature material ejected from the pressure relief valves 111.

[0024] Furthermore, the opening 141 of the electrode cold plate 140 allows the electrode cold plate 140 to have multiple solid portions 142 extending along the arrangement direction of the electrode 114 in the cell array 112. A first thermal insulation portion 121 is arranged on the upper side of the electrode cold plate 140 (i.e., the solid portions 142 of the electrode cold plate 140) to achieve thermal and electrical insulation between the electrode cold plate 140 and the high-temperature material in the space above the electrode cold plate 140. The high-temperature material typically has a high temperature and strong corrosiveness and is itself charged, which may affect the electrode cold plate 140 and the cell assembly 110. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve thermal and electrical insulation between the electrode cold plate 140 and the high-temperature material in the space above the electrode cold plate 140. In the illustrated embodiment, adjacent cell arrays 112 have two adjacent rows of terminals 114. Two solid portions 142 of a terminal cold plate 140 are respectively arranged on each of the two rows of terminals 114. These two solid portions 142 of the terminal cold plate 140 are covered by the same first thermal insulation portion 121. This is because there is no pressure relief valve 111 between the two rows of terminals 114, therefore, a second thermal insulation portion 122 with a hole 123 at the pressure relief valve 111 is not required. Alternatively, a solid portion 142 of the terminal cold plate 140 can also be arranged on the two adjacent rows of terminals 114. This is also because there is no pressure relief valve 111 between the two rows of terminals 114, therefore, an opening 141 of the terminal cold plate 140 is not required at this location. It should be understood that the above description of the number of solid portions 142, etc., of the pole cold plate 140 is not intended to limit the possible implementations. Depending on the arrangement of the pressure relief valve 111, there may be other arrangements of the pole cold plate 140 and the first thermal insulation portion 121, such that the pole cold plate 140 and the thermal insulation assembly 120 do not obstruct the pressure relief valve 111. The first thermal insulation portion 121 bends downward from the upper side of the pole cold plate 140 at the edge of the opening 141 of the pole cold plate 140 and extends into the opening 141.

[0025] The second thermal insulation portion 122 is disposed on the upper side of the cell assembly 110 where it is not covered by the solid portion 142 of the terminal cold plate 140, that is, at a position corresponding to the opening 141 (typically, also corresponding to the pressure relief valve 111), to achieve thermal and electrical insulation between the cell assembly 110 and the high-temperature material in the space above the pressure relief valve 111. Achieving thermal and electrical insulation between the cell assembly 110 and the high-temperature material can withstand high-voltage arcing breakdown and / or electrical short circuits, thereby preventing secondary electrical accidents and improving the safety of the battery pack. The second thermal insulation portion 122 bends upward at a position on the upper side of the cell assembly 110 corresponding to the edge of the opening 141, extends into the opening 141, and is sealed to the first thermal insulation portion 121 (the manner of the sealing connection is described below). The second heat-insulating part 122 and the first heat-insulating part 121 are sealed together in the opening 141, enabling heat and electrical insulation between high-temperature substances in the space above the heat-insulating assembly 120 and components such as the battery cell assembly 110 and the terminal cold plate 140 below the heat-insulating assembly 120, thus preventing damage to these components by high-temperature substances. The first heat-insulating part 121 and the second heat-insulating part 122 together constitute the heat-insulating assembly 120, which is arranged above the terminal cold plate 140 and the battery cell assembly 110 as a whole. In this embodiment, the first heat-insulating part 121 may be made of fire-resistant fiberglass material, and the second heat-insulating part 122 may be made of mica material or mica composite material.

[0026] The second thermal insulation part 122 has a hole 123 at the pressure relief valve 111, so that the material ejected by the pressure relief valve 111 can pass through the hole 123 and be discharged into the space above the thermal insulation assembly 120. The second thermal insulation part 122 is sealed to the cell assembly 110 around the hole 123. The hole 123 on the second thermal insulation part 122 is located above the pressure relief valve 111, so that the nozzle of the pressure relief valve 111 is exposed to the space above the thermal insulation assembly 120, allowing the high-temperature material ejected by the pressure relief valve 111 to enter the space without damaging the cell assembly 110 itself. To achieve this sealed connection, the area around the hole 123 can be tightly attached to the area around the pressure relief valve 111 by adhesive and / or fastening, to prevent high-temperature material from entering the gap between the second thermal insulation part 122 and the cell assembly 110 and thus damaging the cell assembly 110.

[0027] Reference Figure 2 This illustration shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the connection between the first thermal insulation portion 121 and the second thermal insulation portion 122 of a thermal insulation assembly 120 according to one embodiment of this application. For clarity, the following diagram is used... Figure 2The relative positional relationships between components are described using terms such as up, down, left, and right, but this description is not limited to the relative positional relationships of components in the actual embodiment. At the sealing connection between the second heat insulation part 122 and the first heat insulation part 121, the first heat insulation part 121 and the second heat insulation part 122 are in contact, and the second heat insulation part 122 is closer to the pressure relief valve 111 than the first heat insulation part 121. Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the portion of the first thermal insulation part 121 bent down from the upper side of the electrode cold plate 140 extends downward along the sidewall of the opening 141, and the portion of the second thermal insulation part 122 bent up from the upper side of the cell assembly 110 extends upward along the sidewall of the opening 141. The two are sealed together on the right side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130. It should be understood that although a portion (or other component) of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 is arranged on the right side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 in the illustrated embodiment, the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 (or other component) and the high-voltage connection assembly 130 can be regarded as a whole, and the right side of that portion (or other component) of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 can also be regarded as the right side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130. Alternatively, the two can also be sealed together on the right side of the solid portion 142 of the electrode cold plate 140. Alternatively, the two can also be sealed together at the contact point between the solid portion 142 of the pole cold plate 140 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130, i.e., part of the sealed connection is at the high-voltage connection assembly 130, and part is at the side wall of the opening 141 of the pole cold plate 140. At this sealed connection, the first thermal insulation portion 121 abuts against the right side of the second thermal insulation portion 122, such that the second thermal insulation portion 122 is closer to the pressure relief valve 111 than the first thermal insulation portion 122. This arrangement of the first thermal insulation portion 121 and the second thermal insulation portion 122 allows the high-temperature material ejected from the pressure relief valve 111 at this sealed connection to first impact the second thermal insulation portion 122, causing the second thermal insulation portion 122 to be subjected to an impact force toward the first thermal insulation portion 121, resulting in a squeezing action between the first thermal insulation portion 121 and the second thermal insulation portion 122, thereby preventing the abutment connection from being separated due to tension as in other arrangements. The second thermal insulation portion 122 and the first thermal insulation portion 121 are abutted against each other on the right side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130. The side of the first thermal insulation portion 121 facing away from the second thermal insulation portion 122 (the left side) can abut against the high-voltage connection assembly 130 (or alternatively, the side wall of the opening 141 of the pole cold plate 140). This allows the high-voltage connection assembly 130 to provide support for the first thermal insulation portion 121 when the second thermal insulation portion 122 is impacted, thereby providing support for the second thermal insulation portion 122 and keeping the sealed connection stable. Alternatively, the first thermal insulation portion 121 may not abut against the high-voltage connection assembly 130. For example, there may be a gap between the first thermal insulation portion 121 and the component located to its left (e.g., the pole cold plate 140, the high-voltage connection assembly 130), or the sealed connection may be located at the gap 105 between the lower side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 and the upper side of the cell 113. It should be understood that although in the illustrated embodiment the right side of the pole cold plate 140 is flush with the right side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130, in other embodiments the two may not be flush.

[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, a high-temperature resistant adhesive may be disposed between the first thermal insulation portion 121 and the second thermal insulation portion 122 in the sealed connection, and the adhesive further facilitates a strong and secure sealed connection between them. Alternatively, the sealed connection may not use a high-temperature resistant adhesive, but instead rely on the material rigidity (e.g., the rigidity gained by giving it a certain thickness) or elastic deformation of the first thermal insulation portion 121 and the second thermal insulation portion 122 to bring them tightly together. Alternatively, the first thermal insulation portion 121 and the second thermal insulation portion 122 may also be bonded together with their edges directly facing each other, or heat-sealed together according to their material properties to achieve the sealed connection.

[0029] Continue to refer to Figure 2 The battery pack 10 also includes a first thermally conductive insulating pad 150. A high-voltage connection assembly 130 is disposed on a first side of the cell assembly 110. The first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 is disposed on the high-voltage connection assembly 130, such that the high-voltage connection assembly 130 is disposed between the cell assembly 110 and the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150. A terminal cold plate 140 is disposed on the side of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 away from the high-voltage connection assembly 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 is disposed on the high-voltage connection assembly 130, and the terminal cold plate 140 is disposed on the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150. The upper and lower sides of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 are in contact with the terminal cold plate 140 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130, respectively. Arranging a first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 between the terminal cold plate 140 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130 can achieve electrical insulation and heat transfer between the terminal cold plate 140 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130, prevent the potential of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 from causing the terminal cold plate 140 and / or the coolant therein to become charged, and at the same time achieve cooling of the terminal 114 (and the cell assembly 110) by the terminal cold plate 140.

[0030] Furthermore, the high-voltage connection assembly 130 is covered by the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 on its first side facing the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150, and the portion of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 extending beyond the first side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 is bent onto the side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 adjacent to its first side. It should be understood that... Figure 2 The arrangement of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 of the leftmost pole post 114 and Figure 2The arrangement of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 on the rightmost pole 114 also conforms to the above description of the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the solid portion 142 of the pole cold plate 140 can completely cover the high-voltage connection assembly 130 from above, which can make full use of the upper area of ​​the high-voltage connection assembly 130 to facilitate heat transfer between the pole cold plate 140 and the pole 114. In other embodiments, the solid portion 142 of the pole cold plate 140 may partially cover the high-voltage connection assembly 130. The first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 is arranged on the upper side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130, covering the upper side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 and having a portion extending beyond the high-voltage connection assembly 130. These portions are bent downward and abut against the left and / or right sides of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 (and may also include the front and / or rear sides when the high-voltage connection assembly 130 is in the form of a conductor sheet 131). The first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 covering the high-voltage connection assembly 130 facilitates electrical insulation between the terminal cold plate 140 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130. This is because if there were a portion of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 and the terminal cold plate 140 directly facing each other at close range, creepage, flashover, and / or arcing could occur between them. The fact that the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 extends beyond the high-voltage connection assembly 130 means that the area of ​​the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 is larger than the area on the upper side of the high-voltage connection assembly 130, in order to avoid the existence of a portion of the high-voltage connection assembly 130 directly facing the terminal cold plate 140 at close range, thereby achieving electrical insulation between the terminal cold plate 140 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130 (especially in actual manufacturing and assembly where errors exist).

[0031] The first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 is bonded to the terminal cold plate 140 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130. This bonding can be achieved using thermally conductive adhesive. The thermally conductive adhesive is liquid or paste-like during the bonding process and can fill the gaps between the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 and the terminal cold plate 140 and / or between the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130 caused by the matching shapes of their mating surfaces, thus reducing the loss of heat transfer area. Alternatively, a high-temperature resistant adhesive can also be used for the above bonding; even with a small thickness, the high-temperature resistant adhesive can still function as a heat transfer agent. Additionally or alternatively, the connection between the high-voltage connection assembly 130, the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150, and the terminal cold plate 140 can be achieved by compression bonding. This compression bonding can be achieved by pressing the upper cover 160 of the battery pack 10 (shown in…) Figure 1The connection is achieved by an elastic element (not shown) arranged between the battery pack 10 and the terminal cold plate 140. After the battery pack 10 is assembled, this elastic element is compressed, generating a force that presses the terminal cold plate 140 toward the high-voltage connection assembly 130, thereby achieving the crimping. It should be understood that when a thermal insulation assembly 120 is provided on the terminal cold plate 140, the elastic element may structurally pass through the thermal insulation assembly 120 to exert a force on the terminal cold plate 140, or the elastic element may first exert a force on the thermal insulation assembly 120, and this force may then be transmitted to the terminal cold plate 140.

[0032] The battery pack 10 includes a first side plate 170 and a second side plate 180 arranged in parallel. The cell assembly 110 includes rows of cells 112 arranged in a row. The first side plate 170 is arranged between adjacent cells 112, and the second side plate 180 is arranged on both sides of the cell assembly 110. A first insulating pad (not shown) is arranged between the first side plate 170 and the adjacent cell 112, and a second insulating pad (not shown) is arranged between the second side plate 180 and the adjacent cell 112. Figure 1 The battery pack 10 includes two cell rows 112, a first side plate 170 disposed between the two cell rows 112, and two second side plates 180 disposed on the outer sides of the two cell rows 112 relative to the cell assembly 110. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the cell assembly 110 and side plates may be arranged in other numbers or configurations according to this application. The first and second insulating pads provide electrical insulation between the cell rows 112 and prevent the side plates themselves from becoming charged due to the influence of the cell rows 112. The side plates can serve to cool, support, and / or isolate the cell rows 112, contributing to improved structural strength of the battery pack 10, improved vibration modes of the battery pack 10, facilitated cooling of the cell assembly 110, achieved isolation between the cell rows 112, and / or facilitated assembly of the battery pack 10, etc.

[0033] Reference Figure 3This illustration shows the construction of a side panel according to one embodiment of the present application. The second side panel 180 has a liquid flow channel, and the second insulating pad is thermally conductive and insulating. The second side panel 180 facilitates heat transfer with the cell array 112 via the liquid flow channel, and the second insulating pad's thermal conductivity further facilitates this heat transfer. When the battery pack 10 is cold-started in a low-temperature environment, this side panel configuration heats both sides of the cell assembly 110, reducing the impact of the surrounding environment on the cell assembly 110 and facilitating rapid temperature rise of the cell assembly 110. Furthermore, in this case, since the heat generated by the cell assembly 110 itself is concentrated in the middle of the cell assembly 110 (i.e., the position corresponding to the first side panel 170), the first side panel 170 may not have a liquid flow channel (i.e., it does not need to have cooling and / or heating functions). When the battery pack 10 operates in a high-temperature environment, the side plates of this structure cool both sides of the cell assembly 110, which helps to reduce the impact of the surrounding environment on the cell assembly 110, thereby facilitating the maintenance of the temperature of the cell assembly 110 within a suitable range. The liquid in the liquid channels of the side plates can be coolant.

[0034] Reference Figure 4 This illustrates another configuration of a side panel according to one embodiment of the present application. The first side panel 170 and the second side panel 180 have liquid channels, and the first and second insulating pads are thermally conductive and insulating to facilitate temperature regulation of the entire cell assembly 110. In other embodiments, the first side panel 170 may have liquid channels, while the second side panel 180 may not, to facilitate heat transfer over the central portion of the cell assembly 110 (typically a location of heat concentration in the cell assembly 110).

[0035] Reference Figure 5 This illustrates another configuration of a side plate according to one embodiment of the present application. A first side plate 170 and a second side plate 180 have liquid flow channels. A first insulating pad and a second insulating pad are thermally conductive and insulated. The contact area between one side of the first side plate 170 and the cell array 112 is larger than the contact area between one side of the second side plate 180 and the cell array 112. This is because the heat generated by the cell assembly 110 typically tends to form a high-temperature region in the middle of the cell assembly 110. Therefore, having a larger contact area on one side of the first side plate 170 near the middle of the cell assembly 110 facilitates heat transfer near the middle of the cell assembly 110, thereby maintaining a more uniform temperature throughout the cell assembly.

[0036] The battery pack 10 also includes a bottom cold plate 190, and the cell assembly 110 has a second side opposite to its first side. The bottom cold plate 190 is disposed on the second side of the cell assembly 110, and a second thermally conductive insulating pad (not shown) is disposed between the bottom cold plate 190 and the cell assembly 110. Returning to... Figure 1A bottom cold plate 190 is positioned below the cell assembly 110 to facilitate heat transfer from the bottom of the cell assembly 110. A second thermally conductive insulating pad is disposed between the bottom cold plate 190 and the cell assembly 110 to provide electrical insulation and heat transfer between the cell assembly 110 and the bottom cold plate 190. The bottom cold plate 190, the side plate with liquid flow channels, and the terminal cold plate 140 form a multi-faceted cooling system for the cell 113 of the cell assembly 110, facilitating heat exchange and enabling better temperature regulation of the cell assembly 110.

[0037] Reference Figure 6 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of a side plate disposed on a battery cell assembly according to one embodiment of the present application. A first side plate 170 and a second side plate 180 have liquid flow channels. A first insulating pad and a second insulating pad are thermally conductive and insulating. The length of the first side plate 170 and / or the second side plate 180 in the height direction from the second side of the battery cell assembly 110 toward the first side is less than the length of the battery cell assembly 110 in the height direction, and the first side plate 170 and / or the second side plate 180 are closer to the first side of the battery cell assembly 110 relative to the second side of the battery cell assembly 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the dimension of the second side plate 180 in the height direction of the battery cell assembly 110 is less than the height of the battery cell assembly 110. This can reduce the weight of the side plate, increase the energy density and power density of the battery pack 10, and reduce production costs, provided that sufficient heat transfer to the battery cell assembly 110 is achieved. The second side plate 180 is located at an upper position on this side of the cell assembly 110, so that the second side plate 180 is closer to the upper side of the cell assembly 110 relative to the lower side of the cell assembly 110. When the battery pack 10 has a bottom cold plate 190 and a terminal cold plate 140, the bottom cold plate 190 generally has more sufficient contact with the cell assembly 110 than the terminal cold plate 140, resulting in a higher heat transfer rate. This (for example) causes the temperature of the portion of the cell assembly 110 near the terminal cold plate 140 to tend to be higher than the temperature of the portion of the cell assembly 110 near the bottom cold plate 190. Therefore, by placing cooling side plates (e.g., the first side plate 170 and the second side plate 180) closer to the upper side of the cell assembly 110, heat transfer is achieved over the aforementioned region tending to have a higher temperature, allowing for uniform and sufficient heat transfer to the cell assembly 110. Similar to the second side plate 180, the first side plate 170 may have a similar structure and arrangement. It should be understood that this application may also include embodiments in which one or more of the first side plate 170 and the second side plate 180 adopt this configuration and are arranged close to the upper side of the cell assembly 110, while the other side plates of the first side plate 170 and the second side plate 180 adopt other configurations and arrangements.

[0038] Reference Figure 7This shows another exploded view of a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present application, wherein the second thermal insulation portion 122 and the high-voltage connection assembly 130 are arranged in place. (See also...) Figure 8 It shows a perspective view of a battery pack 10 partially assembled according to one embodiment of this application. The second thermal insulation portion 122, the high-voltage connection assembly 130, and the first thermally conductive insulation pad 150 are also shown. Figure 8 The assembly of the terminal cold plate 140 and the first thermal insulation part 121 (not shown in the diagram) includes the following steps: after the bottom cold plate 190, side plate, cell assembly 110, etc. are assembled in the housing 165 of the battery pack 10, the second thermal insulation part 122 is arranged on the cell assembly 110; a high-voltage connection assembly 130 is arranged on the terminal 114; the terminal cold plate 140 is arranged above the high-voltage connection assembly 130, and a first thermally conductive insulating pad 150 is arranged between the two, wherein the high-voltage connection assembly 130, the first thermally conductive insulating pad 150, and the terminal cold plate 140 are bonded together; the first thermal insulation part 121 is arranged on the terminal cold plate 140 (i.e., the solid part 142 of the terminal cold plate 140); the first thermal insulation part 121 and the second thermal insulation part 122 form a sealed connection in the opening 141 of the terminal cold plate 140.

[0039] In summary, the battery pack and vehicle according to this application employ a method of setting up thermal insulation components to achieve thermal and electrical insulation between at least the terminal cold plate and the cell assembly and the space above them, so as to prevent high-temperature substances ejected by the pressure relief valve from damaging these components and improve the safety of the battery pack.

[0040] It should be understood that all the above embodiments are exemplary and not restrictive, and various modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art to the specific embodiments described above under the concept of this application should be within the scope of legal protection of this application.

Claims

1. A battery pack, characterized in that, It includes a battery cell assembly, a thermal insulation assembly, a high-voltage connection assembly, and a terminal cold plate. The thermal insulation assembly includes a first thermal insulation part and a second thermal insulation part. The battery cell assembly includes a pressure relief valve disposed on its first side. The terminal cold plate is disposed on the first side of the battery cell assembly and has an opening at a position corresponding to the pressure relief valve. The first thermal insulation part is disposed on the side of the terminal cold plate away from the battery cell assembly and extends into the opening. The second thermal insulation part is disposed on the first side of the battery cell assembly at a position opposite to the opening, extends into the opening, and is sealed to the first thermal insulation part. The second thermal insulation part has a hole at a position opposite to the pressure relief valve so that the substance ejected by the pressure relief valve can pass through the hole.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, At the sealing connection between the second heat insulation part and the first heat insulation part, the first heat insulation part is close to the second heat insulation part, and the second heat insulation part is closer to the pressure relief valve than the first heat insulation part.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery pack further includes a first thermally conductive insulating pad. The high-voltage connection assembly is disposed on a first side of the cell assembly. The first thermally conductive insulating pad is disposed on the high-voltage connection assembly, such that the high-voltage connection assembly is disposed between the cell assembly and the first thermally conductive insulating pad. The terminal cold plate is disposed on the side of the first thermally conductive insulating pad opposite to the high-voltage connection assembly. The high-voltage connection assembly is covered by the first thermally conductive insulating pad on its first side facing the first thermally conductive insulating pad, and the portion of the first thermally conductive insulating pad extending beyond the first side of the high-voltage connection assembly is bent to the side of the high-voltage connection assembly adjacent to its first side.

4. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The second heat insulation part is attached to the first heat insulation part on one side of the high voltage connection assembly.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery pack includes a first side plate and a second side plate arranged in parallel. The cell assembly includes rows of cells arranged in a row. The first side plate is arranged between adjacent rows of cells, and the second side plate is arranged on both sides of the cell assembly. A first insulating pad is arranged between the first side plate and the adjacent rows of cells, and a second insulating pad is arranged between the second side plate and the adjacent rows of cells.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second side plate has a liquid flow channel, and the second insulating pad is thermally conductive and insulating.

7. The battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first side plate and the second side plate have liquid flow channels, the first insulating pad and the second insulating pad are thermally conductive and insulating, and the contact area between the first side plate and the cell array on one side is greater than the contact area between the second side plate and the cell array on one side.

8. The battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a bottom cold plate, the cell assembly has a second side opposite to its first side, the bottom cold plate is disposed on the second side of the cell assembly, and a second thermally conductive insulating pad is disposed between the bottom cold plate and the cell assembly.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first side plate and the second side plate have liquid flow channels, the first insulating pad and the second insulating pad are thermally conductive and insulating, the length of the first side plate and / or the second side plate in the height direction toward the first side of the second side of the cell assembly is less than the length of the cell assembly in the height direction, and the first side plate and / or the second side plate are closer to the first side of the cell assembly relative to the second side of the cell assembly.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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