A method for determining vertical spacing of battery modules

Abstract

The application provides a battery module vertical spacing determination method, relates to the technical field of energy storage battery safety, and can determine the reasonable spacing between adjacent battery modules, avoids igniting other battery modules when the battery module is out of control, and thus improves the safety and space utilization of the energy storage battery module. The method comprises the following steps: for each candidate vertical spacing in a plurality of candidate vertical spacings between battery modules in an energy storage battery module test system, controlling the first battery module in the energy storage battery module test system to be out of control, and obtaining the external thermal exposure parameter of the second battery module under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing; obtaining the thermal safety critical parameter; determining the thermal spread risk parameter under each candidate vertical spacing based on the external thermal exposure parameter and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameter; determining the safe candidate vertical spacing based on the corresponding relationship between the thermal spread risk parameter and the candidate vertical spacing; and determining the target vertical spacing based on the safe candidate vertical spacing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of energy storage battery safety technology, and in particular to a method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules. Background Technology

[0002] With the large-scale development and increasing application of energy storage battery modules, these modules are prone to thermal runaway under fault conditions. To prevent thermal runaway from spreading to other battery modules, it is necessary to reasonably set the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules.

[0003] Currently, candidate vertical spacing is usually set directly based on the size of the energy storage cabinet used to install the energy storage battery module and the size of the battery module. However, the candidate vertical spacing determined by this method is not very effective in preventing the spread of thermal runaway. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules, which can determine the reasonable spacing between adjacent battery modules, avoid the ignition of other battery modules when a battery module experiences thermal runaway, and thus improve the safety and space utilization of energy storage battery modules.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, a method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules is provided. The method includes: for each candidate vertical spacing among multiple candidate vertical spacings between battery modules in an energy storage battery module testing system, controlling a first battery module in the testing system to undergo thermal runaway, and obtaining external thermal exposure parameters of a second battery module at the corresponding candidate vertical spacing; wherein the energy storage battery module testing system includes at least two battery modules arranged vertically, and the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules is equal; the at least two battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module, the first battery module being the battery module used to trigger thermal runaway; the external thermal exposure parameters include at least one of the following: peak heat flux density, cumulative external thermal exposure, maximum surface temperature, or maximum temperature rise rate; obtaining the thermal safety corresponding to the external thermal exposure parameters, pre-determined through calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments of the same type of battery module. The full critical parameter and the thermal safety critical parameter are used to characterize the critical value at which the second battery module experiences thermal runaway. Based on the external thermal exposure parameters and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters, the thermal propagation risk parameter is determined for each candidate vertical spacing. Based on the correspondence between the thermal propagation risk parameter and the candidate vertical spacing, the safe candidate vertical spacing is determined. The correspondence includes at least the relationship that the thermal propagation risk parameter first increases and then decreases as the candidate vertical spacing increases. The safe candidate vertical spacing is located after the relationship that first increases and then decreases, and N consecutive candidate vertical spacings starting from the safe candidate vertical spacing all meet the preset thermal safety conditions. The preset thermal safety conditions include that, under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing, the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway when the first battery module experiences thermal runaway, and the thermal propagation risk parameter is less than a preset threshold. N is a positive integer. Based on the safe candidate vertical spacing, the target vertical spacing between at least two battery modules is determined.

[0006] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the thermal safety critical parameter includes at least one of the following: critical peak heat flux density, critical cumulative external heat exposure, critical surface temperature, or critical temperature rise rate; based on the external heat exposure parameter and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameter, a thermal propagation risk parameter is determined for each candidate vertical spacing, including: for each candidate vertical spacing, the maximum value among the ratios of each item in the acquired external heat exposure parameter to the corresponding item in the corresponding thermal safety critical parameter is determined as the thermal propagation risk parameter for the candidate vertical spacing; wherein the ratio includes at least one of the following: the ratio of peak heat flux density to critical peak heat flux density, the ratio of cumulative external heat exposure to critical cumulative external heat exposure, the ratio of maximum surface temperature to critical surface temperature, or the ratio of maximum temperature rise rate to critical temperature rise rate.

[0007] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, at least two battery modules further include a third battery module; determining a thermal propagation risk parameter for each candidate vertical spacing includes: for each candidate vertical spacing, determining a first thermal propagation risk parameter for the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing, and a second thermal propagation risk parameter for the third battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; and determining the maximum value of the first thermal propagation risk parameter and the second thermal propagation risk parameter as the thermal propagation risk parameter under the candidate vertical spacing.

[0008] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, for each candidate vertical spacing, if the corresponding thermal propagation risk parameter is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the candidate vertical spacing is determined as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing; or, if the second battery module experiences thermal runaway, the candidate vertical spacing is determined as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing; or, if the second battery module meets at least one of the following preset conditions, the candidate vertical spacing is determined as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing; the preset conditions include: peak heat flux density is greater than or equal to a preset heat flux density dangerous threshold; or, cumulative external heat exposure is greater than or equal to a preset cumulative heat exposure dangerous threshold; or, maximum surface temperature is greater than or equal to a preset surface temperature dangerous threshold; or, maximum temperature rise rate is greater than or equal to a preset temperature rise rate dangerous threshold.

[0009] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the peak heat flux density is the maximum value in the time-varying sequence of the instantaneous heat flux density of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; the cumulative external heat exposure is the integral value of the instantaneous heat flux density of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing within the integration time; the start time of the integration time is the moment when the first battery module enters the specified combustion state; the end time of the integration time is the moment when the second battery module experiences thermal runaway, or, if the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway, the end time of the integration time is the preset test end time; the maximum surface temperature is the maximum value in the time-varying sequence of the surface temperature of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; and the maximum temperature rise rate is the maximum value of the time-derived sequence of the surface temperature of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing.

[0010] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, thermal runaway tests under multiple candidate vertical spacings are conducted under the same test conditions, which include at least one of the following: battery type, battery module structure, state of charge, thermal runaway trigger location, thermal runaway trigger method, ignition method, environmental conditions, or sensor placement location; the test data acquired during the thermal runaway test is used to determine external heat exposure parameters, determine whether the second battery module has experienced thermal runaway, and the time when the second battery module experiences thermal runaway; the test data includes at least one of the following: instantaneous heat flux density at the location of the second battery module, peak heat flux density at the location of the second battery module, outer surface temperature of the second battery module, maximum temperature rise rate of the second battery module, duration of external heat flux affecting the second battery module, whether the second battery module experiences thermal runaway, or the time when the second battery module experiences thermal runaway.

[0011] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, determining the target vertical spacing between at least two battery modules based on the safety candidate vertical spacing includes: determining the target vertical spacing between at least two battery modules based on the sum of the safety candidate vertical spacing and the candidate vertical spacing increment corresponding to the preset installation tolerance.

[0012] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the energy storage battery module testing system further includes: a height-adjustable support structure, a heat flux sensor, a surface temperature sensor, a triggering device, a data acquisition device, and a triggering ignition device; the height-adjustable support structure is used to adjust the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules; the heat flux sensor is disposed on the outer side of the heated surface of the second battery module facing the first battery module, and is used to measure the heat flux density; the surface temperature sensor is disposed on the outer surface of the second battery module, and is used to measure the surface temperature; the triggering device is used to heat or overcharge the first battery module in response to the thermal runaway test control command to trigger thermal runaway; the triggering ignition device is used to ignite the combustible gas released after the first battery module experiences thermal runaway in response to the thermal runaway test control command; and the data acquisition device is connected to the heat flux sensor and the surface temperature sensor, and is used to acquire the heat flux density and surface temperature.

[0013] In a second aspect, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a memory and one or more processors; the memory and the processors are coupled; wherein the memory stores computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed by the processor, the electronic device performs the battery module vertical spacing determination method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0014] Thirdly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, including computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the battery module vertical spacing determination method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0015] Fourthly, a computer program product is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the battery module vertical spacing determination method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0016] The energy storage battery module testing system provided in this application includes at least two battery modules arranged vertically, with equal candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules, simulating the actual scenario of vertically arranged multi-layer battery modules. Based on this testing system, this application obtains external heat exposure parameters such as peak heat flux density, cumulative external heat exposure, maximum surface temperature, or maximum temperature rise rate, and determines heat spread risk parameters in conjunction with corresponding thermal safety critical parameters. This achieves a quantitative characterization of heat spread risk, reflecting the severity of thermal shock experienced by adjacent battery modules under different candidate vertical spacings in the energy storage battery module testing system. Subsequently, a safe candidate vertical spacing is determined based on the correspondence between the heat spread risk parameters and the candidate vertical spacing. This correspondence includes the relationship that the heat spread risk parameters first increase and then decrease as the candidate vertical spacing increases, fully considering the non-monotonic influence of the candidate vertical spacing on heat spread risk, and avoiding the problem of misjudging a spacing as a safe candidate vertical spacing simply because thermal runaway did not occur during testing. Meanwhile, by ensuring that N consecutive candidate vertical spacings starting from the safe candidate vertical spacing all meet the preset thermal safety conditions, a continuous and stable candidate vertical spacing is guaranteed after the determined safe candidate vertical spacing, improving the reliability of safety determination. Based on this, determining the target vertical spacing based on the safe candidate vertical spacing allows for the use of smaller candidate vertical spacings while meeting thermal safety requirements, reducing the vertical space occupied by the multi-layer battery module, thereby improving the safety and space utilization of the energy storage battery module. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the architecture of an energy storage battery module testing system. Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for determining the vertical spacing of a battery module, provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between candidate vertical spacing and thermal propagation risk parameters, provided as an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "And / or" in this application is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Furthermore, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with substantially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and that "first" and "second" are not necessarily different. Meanwhile, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being used as an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete manner for ease of understanding.

[0019] With the continuous expansion of the installed capacity of electrochemical energy storage systems, the thermal safety of these systems is receiving increasing attention. In energy storage systems, to increase the energy storage capacity per unit volume, multiple battery modules are typically installed in a multi-layered, vertically arranged configuration within a battery rack or energy storage cabinet. When a lower-level battery module experiences thermal runaway and combustion, the resulting flames and high-temperature heat flow will act vertically on the upper-level battery modules. The candidate vertical spacing between adjacent modules directly affects the intensity of the thermal shock experienced by the upper-level modules, the duration of thermal exposure, and whether cascading thermal runaway ultimately occurs.

[0020] The current common practices for determining candidate vertical spacing of battery modules include: First, determining the candidate vertical spacing directly based on the size of the energy storage cabinet where the energy storage battery modules are installed and the size of the battery modules, or setting the candidate vertical spacing based on experience and conducting combustion experiments; then, comparing whether thermal runaway occurs in the upper-layer modules under different spacings, and taking the candidate vertical spacing that does not cause thermal runaway as the safe design distance; or, simply assuming that as the candidate vertical spacing increases, the thermal shock experienced by the upper-layer modules gradually decreases, thereby suppressing heat propagation by increasing the candidate vertical spacing.

[0021] However, due to the significant jetting and buoyancy characteristics of battery thermal runaway flames, the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent modules not only alters the radiation distance but also changes the relative position between the flame and the upper module, the flame entrainment state, and the conditions for heat accumulation and dissipation between adjacent modules. Therefore, the relationship between the candidate vertical spacing and the risk of thermal runaway in the upper module is not necessarily a simple monotonic one.

[0022] For example, under the condition of a small candidate vertical spacing, the local flame pattern may be suppressed because the upper module restricts the flame development space; as the candidate vertical spacing increases, the upper module may be located in the jet flame or high heat flux region, thus subjecting it to more severe thermal shock; as the candidate vertical spacing continues to increase, the heat risk of the upper module is reduced again as the flame spreads and the heat decays.

[0023] Therefore, using only the absence of thermal runaway in the upper battery module under a specific candidate vertical spacing as the safety criterion might misjudge a locally safe candidate vertical spacing as the true safe distance. For example, suppose candidate vertical spacing H1 < candidate vertical spacing H2 < candidate vertical spacing H3 < candidate vertical spacing H4, and the test results are: H1 did not experience thermal runaway, H2 experienced thermal runaway, H3 experienced thermal runaway, and H4 did not experience thermal runaway. In this case, if testing only H1 and then stopping, H1 would be incorrectly determined as the safe distance, while in reality, there is still a serious risk of thermal propagation within its vicinity or a larger candidate vertical spacing.

[0024] Furthermore, using only "whether thermal runaway has occurred" as an evaluation indicator cannot characterize dangerous operating conditions that are at the critical stage of thermal runaway but have not yet actually occurred. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a method for determining the candidate vertical spacing of battery modules that can consider the non-monotonic effects of candidate vertical spacing, identify dangerous spacing regions, and take into account structural compactness.

[0025] Therefore, this application provides a method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules, used to determine candidate vertical spacings between adjacent battery modules. This method obtains external heat flow, surface temperature, and thermal runaway state parameters of the upper battery module under different candidate vertical spacings by changing the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules, identifies dangerous spacing ranges for heat propagation, and determines candidate vertical spacings that simultaneously meet thermal safety and space utilization requirements.

[0026] It is understood that this method is particularly suitable for the interlayer spacing design of energy storage battery modules such as sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries under multi-layer vertical arrangement conditions, and can also be extended to other electrochemical energy storage devices with similar multi-layer vertical arrangement structures and thermal spread risks. This application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0027] The method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules specifically includes: for each of the multiple candidate vertical spacings among the battery modules in the energy storage battery module testing system, controlling the first battery module in the energy storage battery module testing system to induce thermal runaway, and obtaining the external thermal exposure parameters of the second battery module under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing; wherein, the energy storage battery module testing system includes at least two battery modules arranged in a vertical direction, and the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules is equal; the at least two battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module, the first battery module being the battery module used to trigger thermal runaway; the external thermal exposure parameters include at least one of the following: peak heat flux density, cumulative external thermal exposure, maximum surface temperature, or maximum temperature rise rate; obtaining the thermal safety critical parameters corresponding to the external thermal exposure parameters, which are pre-determined through calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments of the same type of battery module. Thermal safety critical parameters are used to characterize the critical value at which the second battery module experiences thermal runaway. Based on external thermal exposure parameters and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters, thermal propagation risk parameters are determined for each candidate vertical spacing. Based on the correspondence between the thermal propagation risk parameters and the candidate vertical spacings, safe candidate vertical spacings are determined. The correspondence includes at least the relationship that the thermal propagation risk parameter first increases and then decreases as the candidate vertical spacing increases. The safe candidate vertical spacing follows this relationship, and N consecutive candidate vertical spacings from the safe candidate vertical spacing satisfy preset thermal safety conditions. The preset thermal safety conditions include that, under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing, if the first battery module experiences thermal runaway, the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway, and the thermal propagation risk parameter is less than a preset threshold. N is a positive integer. Based on the safe candidate vertical spacings, target vertical spacings between at least two battery modules are determined.

[0028] The energy storage battery module testing system provided in this application includes at least two battery modules arranged vertically, with equal candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules, simulating the actual scenario of vertically arranged multi-layer battery modules. Based on this testing system, this application obtains external heat exposure parameters such as peak heat flux density, cumulative external heat exposure, maximum surface temperature, or maximum temperature rise rate, and determines heat spread risk parameters in conjunction with corresponding thermal safety critical parameters, thus achieving a quantitative characterization of heat spread risk. This reflects the severity of thermal shock experienced by adjacent battery modules under different candidate vertical spacings in the energy storage battery module testing system. Subsequently, a safe candidate vertical spacing is determined based on the correspondence between the heat spread risk parameters and the candidate vertical spacing. This correspondence includes a segment where the heat spread risk parameters first increase and then decrease as the candidate vertical spacing increases, fully considering the non-monotonic influence of the candidate vertical spacing on the heat spread risk, and avoiding the problem of misjudging a spacing as a safe candidate vertical spacing simply because only a single spacing was tested and no thermal runaway occurred. Meanwhile, by ensuring that N consecutive candidate vertical spacings starting from the safe candidate vertical spacing all meet the preset thermal safety conditions, a continuous and stable candidate vertical spacing is guaranteed after the determined safe candidate vertical spacing, improving the reliability of safety determination. Based on this, determining the target vertical spacing based on the safe candidate vertical spacing allows for the use of smaller candidate vertical spacings while meeting thermal safety requirements, reducing the vertical space occupied by the multi-layer battery module, thereby improving the safety and space utilization of the energy storage battery module.

[0029] This application provides a method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules, which can be used in a control device. Specifically, the control device can be a single server, a server cluster consisting of multiple servers, a computer, or a processor or processing chip in a server or computer, etc. This application does not limit the specific device form of the control device.

[0030] The control device can communicate with the energy storage battery module testing system and send thermal runaway test control commands to the system. This allows the system to trigger thermal runaway in the first battery module for each of multiple candidate vertical spacings and collect information such as heat flux density and surface temperature of the second battery module at the corresponding candidate vertical spacing. Based on the collected heat flux density and surface temperature information, the control device can determine the external thermal exposure parameters of the second battery module at the corresponding candidate vertical spacing. These parameters include at least one of the following: peak heat flux density, cumulative external thermal exposure, maximum surface temperature, or maximum temperature rise rate. The control device also acquires thermal safety critical parameters corresponding to the external thermal exposure parameters, pre-determined through calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments with the same model of battery module. These thermal safety critical parameters characterize the critical value at which the second battery module experiences thermal runaway. Next, based on the external thermal exposure parameters and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters, the control device can determine the thermal propagation risk parameters for each candidate vertical spacing. Finally, based on the correspondence between the thermal propagation risk parameters and the candidate vertical spacings, the control device can determine the safe candidate vertical spacing. The corresponding relationship includes at least a segment where the thermal propagation risk parameter first increases and then decreases as the candidate vertical spacing increases; the safe candidate vertical spacing follows this first-increase-then-decrease relationship, and N consecutive candidate vertical spacings starting from the safe candidate vertical spacing all meet the preset thermal safety conditions; the preset thermal safety conditions include that, under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing, if the first battery module experiences thermal runaway, the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway, and the thermal propagation risk parameter is less than the preset safety threshold; N is a positive integer. Finally, the control device determines the target vertical spacing based on the safe candidate vertical spacing.

[0031] It is understood that the control device can be independent of the energy storage battery module testing system or it can be configured in the energy storage battery module testing system; this application does not specifically limit this.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the energy storage battery module testing system may include: a height-adjustable support structure, a heat flux sensor, a surface temperature sensor, a triggering device, a data acquisition device, and a triggering ignition device; the height-adjustable support structure is used to adjust the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules; the heat flux sensor is disposed on the outer side of the heated surface of the second battery module facing the first battery module, and is used to measure the heat flux density; the surface temperature sensor is disposed on the outer surface of the second battery module, and is used to measure the surface temperature; the triggering device is used to heat or overcharge the first battery module in response to a thermal runaway test control command to trigger thermal runaway; the triggering ignition device is used to ignite the combustible gas released after thermal runaway of the first battery module in response to a thermal runaway test control command; and the data acquisition device is connected to the heat flux sensor and the surface temperature sensor, and is used to acquire the heat flux density and surface temperature.

[0033] For example, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an energy storage battery module testing system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a height-supportable structure 1, a third battery module M3 (corresponding to number 2 in the figure), a second battery module M2 (corresponding to number 3 in the figure), a first battery module M1 (corresponding to number 4 in the figure), a heat flow sensor 5, a surface temperature sensor 6, a data acquisition device 7, and a trigger ignition device 8; a second candidate vertical spacing H23 (corresponding to number 9 in the figure); and a first candidate vertical spacing H12 (corresponding to number 10 in the figure). The trigger device is not shown in the figure. The trigger device and the trigger ignition device can be integrated into the same trigger component or set up independently.

[0034] The method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules provided in this application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 2 As shown, the method for determining the vertical spacing of the battery module may include steps S1 to S5.

[0035] S1. For each of the multiple candidate vertical spacings among the battery modules in the energy storage battery module testing system, control the first battery module in the energy storage battery module testing system to cause thermal runaway, and obtain the external thermal exposure parameters of the second battery module under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing.

[0036] The energy storage battery module testing system includes at least two battery modules arranged vertically, with equal vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules. The at least two battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module, where the first battery module is used to trigger thermal runaway, and the second battery module is not used to trigger thermal runaway. In some examples, the first battery module may be located below the second battery module.

[0037] External heat exposure parameters include at least one of the following: peak heat flux density, cumulative external heat exposure, maximum surface temperature, or maximum rate of temperature rise.

[0038] In one implementation, a candidate vertical spacing can be set for the energy storage battery module testing system, and then the first battery module in the energy storage battery module testing system can be controlled to undergo thermal runaway, and the external thermal exposure parameters of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing can be obtained.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the energy storage battery module testing system includes: arranging at least two battery modules with identical or corresponding structures and parameters vertically on a test bracket with adjustable height. For example, three battery modules can be arranged vertically in sequence, including a first battery module M1 (located at the bottom layer, which can be considered the first battery module), a second battery module M2 (located in the middle layer, which can be considered the second battery module), and a third battery module M3 (located at the top layer, which can be considered the third battery module). The candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules can be adjusted using the test bracket. In some examples, the first candidate vertical spacing H12 between the first battery module M1 and the second battery module M2, and the second candidate vertical spacing H23 between the second battery module M2 and the third battery module M3, are the same. In other examples, the first candidate vertical spacing H12 and the second candidate vertical spacing H23 can be adjusted independently to examine the influence of different inter-layer candidate vertical spacings separately.

[0040] It should be noted that in the thermal runaway test, the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules is equal.

[0041] In thermal runaway testing, at least one cell from the first battery module M1 (which can be considered the first battery module) can be selected as the thermal runaway trigger. Thermal runaway is induced through heating, overcharging, or other thermal runaway triggering methods, and the released flammable material is ignited in a controlled manner to simulate the effect of the jet flame and high-temperature heat flow from the lower battery module on the upper battery module after thermal runaway. Heat flow sensors are installed on the heated side of each non-directly triggered battery module (such as the second battery module M2 and the third battery module M3), and temperature sensors are installed on the outer surface of the modules. The heat-sensing surface of the heat flow sensor is located at or near the actual heated plane of the corresponding battery module, used to measure the external incident heat flux density at the location of the module. The temperature sensor is used to measure the surface temperature change of the battery module to assist in determining the thermal runaway state. Simultaneously, a data acquisition device can be set up to synchronously record heat flow, temperature, and characteristic parameters during the thermal runaway process.

[0042] In another possible implementation, based on the established energy storage battery module test system, thermal runaway tests are carried out at each candidate vertical spacing while maintaining consistent test conditions.

[0043] For each candidate vertical spacing, during the thermal runaway test, at least one or more of the following parameters are collected: instantaneous heat flux density at the location of the non-triggered battery module (such as the second or third battery module), maximum heat flux density at the location of the non-triggered battery module, outer surface temperature of the non-triggered battery module, maximum temperature rise rate of the non-triggered battery module, duration of external heat flow to the non-triggered battery module, whether the non-triggered battery module experiences thermal runaway or the time of thermal runaway of the non-triggered battery module.

[0044] Among them, non-triggered battery modules refer to battery modules other than those whose thermal runaway is actively triggered, especially adjacent or non-adjacent battery modules located above the thermal runaway triggered module. For example, Figure 1 In the test system shown, the first battery module M1 can be a trigger battery module, while the second battery module M2 and the third battery module M3 are non-trigger battery modules.

[0045] The aforementioned test conditions must include at least one of the following: battery type, battery module structure, state of charge, thermal runaway trigger location, thermal runaway trigger method, ignition method, environmental conditions, or sensor placement. By maintaining consistency in these test conditions, interference from experimental variables can be reduced, making test results under different candidate vertical spacings comparable, thereby more accurately reflecting the impact of candidate vertical spacing on the thermal runaway risk of the upper battery module.

[0046] In another possible implementation, for each candidate vertical spacing, external heat exposure parameters can be determined based on the parameters collected above. Specifically, the peak heat flux density is the maximum value in the time-varying sequence of the instantaneous heat flux density of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; the cumulative external heat exposure is the integral value of the instantaneous heat flux density of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing over the integration time; the start time of the integration time is the moment when the first battery module enters the specified combustion state; the end time of the integration time is the moment when the second battery module experiences thermal runaway, or, if the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway, the end time of the integration time is the preset test end time; the maximum surface temperature is the maximum value in the time-varying sequence of the surface temperature of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; and the maximum temperature rise rate is the maximum value of the time-derived sequence of the surface temperature of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing.

[0047] For example, the specific method for obtaining external heat exposure parameters is described below.

[0048] (1) The peak heat flux density satisfies the following relationship: (1); in, Indicates the vertical spacing of the candidates is HiAt that time, the peak heat flux density at the heated surface of the non-triggered battery module during the test period; Indicates the vertical spacing of the candidates is Hi hour, t The instantaneous heat flux density measured at any given moment. Indicates to Regarding time t Maximum value operation.

[0049] (2) The cumulative external heat exposure satisfies the following relationship: (2); in, E ( Hi The integral time represents the cumulative external heat exposure. The integral time starts from the moment when the bottom thermal runaway trigger module enters the specified combustion state, i.e., the moment when a stable jet flame appears or the preset combustion intensity is reached. When the upper non-trigger battery module experiences thermal runaway during the test, the integral cutoff time is the moment when the module experiences thermal runaway. When the upper non-trigger battery module does not experience thermal runaway during the test, the integral cutoff time is the preset test end time.

[0050] The preset test end time can be set to a fixed duration according to the test procedure, or it can be determined according to the flame extinguishing time or the time when the heat flow decays to below the preset threshold, so as to ensure that the calculation of the cumulative external heat exposure under different candidate vertical spacings has a consistent comparison benchmark.

[0051] (3) The maximum surface temperature satisfies the following relationship: (3); in, Indicates the vertical spacing of the candidates is Hi The maximum surface temperature of the non-triggered battery module's outer surface during the test period; Indicates the vertical spacing of the candidates is Hi hour, t The temperature of the non-triggered battery module's outer surface measured at any time. Indicates to Regarding time t Maximum value operation.

[0052] (4) The maximum temperature rise rate satisfies the following relationship: (4); in, Indicates the vertical spacing of the candidates is Hi The maximum temperature rise rate of the outer surface of the non-triggered battery module at that time; express t The rate of change of the outer surface temperature with respect to time. Indicates to Regarding time t Maximum value operation.

[0053] It should be noted that the cumulative external heat exposure E ( Hi This parameter represents the cumulative external heat exposure experienced by the non-triggered battery module at a specified heated location, and is not equivalent to the actual heat absorbed inside the cell. This parameter is primarily used to quantify the total external thermal shock experienced by the upper-layer module under different candidate vertical spacing conditions, providing a basis for subsequently identifying dangerous spacing intervals for heat propagation.

[0054] S2. Obtain the thermal safety critical parameters corresponding to the external thermal exposure parameters, which are determined in advance through calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments of the same type of battery module. The thermal safety critical parameters are used to characterize the critical value at which the second battery module will experience thermal runaway.

[0055] The critical thermal safety parameter includes at least one of the following: critical peak heat flux density. q''c Critical cumulative external heat exposure Ec Critical surface temperature Tc or critical temperature rise rate βc .

[0056] In some implementations, after obtaining the external thermal exposure parameters of the second battery module, the thermal safety critical parameters corresponding to the external thermal exposure parameters can be obtained in advance through calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments of the same model battery module (the same model as the second battery module). It is understood that in the energy storage battery module testing system, the models of all battery modules can be the same.

[0057] For example, thermal safety critical parameters are derived from independently conducted calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments of the same type of battery module. Their purpose is to determine the critical tolerance threshold for thermal runaway of that type of battery module under external thermal influence. Unlike thermal runaway tests at different candidate vertical spacings, calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments are used to establish the thermal safety boundary of the battery module itself, independent of the specific installation spacing. Both are independent but jointly serve the quantitative assessment of thermal propagation risk. The aforementioned thermal safety critical parameters and external thermal exposure parameters are consistent in type of physical quantity, but their meanings differ: external thermal exposure parameters are actual measured values ​​at a specific candidate vertical spacing, while thermal safety critical parameters are the threshold values ​​at the thermal safety boundary for that type of battery module.

[0058] S3. Based on external thermal exposure parameters and corresponding thermal safety critical parameters, determine the thermal spread risk parameters for each candidate vertical spacing.

[0059] In some implementations, after obtaining the external heat exposure parameters and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters, for each candidate vertical spacing, the maximum value among the ratios of each item in the obtained external heat exposure parameters to the corresponding item in the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters can be determined as the heat spread risk parameter under the candidate vertical spacing; wherein, the ratio includes at least one of the following: the ratio of peak heat flux density to critical peak heat flux density, the ratio of cumulative external heat exposure to critical cumulative external heat exposure, the ratio of maximum surface temperature to critical surface temperature, or the ratio of maximum temperature rise rate to critical temperature rise rate.

[0060] In one possible implementation, to quantitatively compare the thermal safety levels under different candidate vertical spacings, this step establishes a thermal propagation risk parameter. This parameter is calculated based on external thermal exposure parameters and in conjunction with pre-determined thermal safety critical parameters.

[0061] For a given candidate vertical spacing Hi Based on the obtained external thermal exposure parameters and thermal safety critical parameters, the corresponding normalized thermal propagation risk parameters can be calculated respectively. Preferably, the maximum value among the following normalized parameters is used as the thermal propagation risk parameter of this battery module, and the thermal propagation risk parameter satisfies the following relationship: R ( Hi )=max[ q''peak ( Hi ) / q''c , E ( Hi ) / Ec , T max( Hi ) / Tc , β max( Hi ) / βc (5); in, R ( Hi ) indicates the vertical spacing of the candidates. Hi Thermal propagation risk parameters for the non-triggered battery module. Each normalized thermal propagation risk parameter characterizes the degree to which the module approaches the critical state of thermal runaway in terms of heat flux intensity, cumulative heat exposure, surface temperature, and temperature rise rate. When a normalized parameter is greater than or equal to 1, it indicates that the corresponding external heat exposure parameter has reached or exceeded the critical threshold, and the module has a significant risk of thermal runaway.

[0062] It should be noted that the critical thermal safety parameters are not limited to the four mentioned above, and can be added or removed depending on the specific battery type, module structure, and safety evaluation requirements. For example, parameters such as the duration of critical thermal flux can be further introduced to enrich the dimensions of risk characterization.

[0063] In another possible implementation, at least two battery modules further include a third battery module; determining the thermal spread risk parameter for each candidate vertical spacing includes: for each candidate vertical spacing, determining a first thermal spread risk parameter for the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing, and a second thermal spread risk parameter for the third battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; and determining the maximum value between the first and second thermal spread risk parameters as the thermal spread risk parameter under the candidate vertical spacing.

[0064] For example, when there are multiple non-triggering upper-layer battery modules in the test system, the thermal propagation risk parameters of each module should be calculated separately. Rj ( Hi ),in j Indicates the module layer number, for example R2 ( Hi The parameter ) represents the thermal propagation risk parameter of the intermediate layer module M2. R3 ( Hi The parameter represents the thermal spread risk parameter of the top-level module M3. Then, the maximum value among the thermal spread risk parameters of each layer is taken as the candidate vertical spacing. Hi Thermal propagation risk parameters under certain conditions Rsys ( Hi ),Right now: Rsys ( Hi )=max[ R2 ( Hi ), R3 ( Hi (6) If a non-triggered battery module experiences thermal runaway during testing, the aforementioned risk parameters will no longer be used for quantitative judgment. Instead, the candidate vertical spacing will be directly classified as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing. Therefore, each candidate vertical spacing no longer yields only a binary result of "thermal runaway occurred / did not occur," but rather a corresponding quantitative thermal propagation risk parameter. This provides a continuous and comparable evaluation basis for subsequent identification of local safe zones, dangerous spacing zones, stable safe zones, and determination of target vertical spacing.

[0065] It should be noted that thermal propagation risk parameters can be selected or expanded based on the actual battery type, module structure, and safety evaluation requirements. For example, only peak heat flux density and cumulative external heat exposure can be used for evaluation, or parameters such as surface temperature, temperature rise rate, and heat release rate can be added. Correspondingly, the thermal safety critical parameters also need to be calibrated according to the selected thermal risk parameters.

[0066] Furthermore, the comprehensive evaluation method for different normalized thermal runaway risk parameters is not limited to the method of taking the maximum value mentioned above. Other combined evaluation relationships can also be established based on experimental calibration results, such as weighted summation, weighted product, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, or fusion models based on machine learning. As long as the established combined evaluation relationship can effectively reflect the contribution of each thermal risk parameter to the thermal runaway risk of the battery module and demonstrate good discriminative ability in the calibration experiment, it can be used to calculate the thermal runaway risk parameters.

[0067] S4. Based on the correspondence between the thermal spread risk parameters and the candidate vertical spacing, determine the safe candidate vertical spacing.

[0068] The corresponding relationship includes at least the relationship that the thermal propagation risk parameter first increases and then decreases as the candidate vertical spacing increases; the safe candidate vertical spacing is located after the relationship that first increases and then decreases, and N consecutive candidate vertical spacings starting from the safe candidate vertical spacing all meet the preset thermal safety conditions; the preset thermal safety conditions include that, under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing, if the first battery module experiences thermal runaway, the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway, and the thermal propagation risk parameter is less than the preset threshold; N is a positive integer.

[0069] In some implementations, after obtaining the thermal spread risk parameters corresponding to the candidate vertical spacing, a correspondence between the thermal spread risk parameters and the candidate vertical spacing can be established, and a safe candidate vertical spacing can be determined based on this correspondence.

[0070] In one possible implementation, for each candidate vertical spacing, if the corresponding thermal propagation risk parameter is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the candidate vertical spacing is determined as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing; or, if the second battery module experiences thermal runaway, the candidate vertical spacing is determined as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing; or, if the second battery module meets at least one of the following preset conditions, the candidate vertical spacing is determined as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing; the preset conditions include: peak heat flux density greater than or equal to a preset heat flux density dangerous threshold; or, cumulative external heat exposure greater than or equal to a preset cumulative heat exposure dangerous threshold; or, maximum surface temperature greater than or equal to a preset surface temperature dangerous threshold; or, maximum temperature rise rate greater than or equal to a preset temperature rise rate dangerous threshold.

[0071] After obtaining the vertical spacing of the hazardous candidates, the interval containing these vertical spacings can be defined as the hazardous spacing interval. The hazardous spacing interval indicates that the candidate vertical spacings located within the hazardous spacing interval have a significant risk of thermal runaway propagation in the event of thermal runaway.

[0072] In some examples, based on different candidate vertical spacing Hi The following thermal propagation risk parameters Rsys ( Hi ), establishing a corresponding relationship between the candidate vertical spacing and the thermal spread risk parameter, for example, the corresponding relationship may be represented by a data list, an interpolation curve or a fitting function, which satisfies the following relationship: Rsys ( Hi )= f ( Hi ), i =1, 2, ..., n (7); wherein, Rsys ( Hi ) represents the thermal spread risk parameter when the candidate vertical spacing is Hi ; f () represents the corresponding relationship between the thermal spread risk parameter and the candidate vertical spacing; Hi represents the i th candidate vertical spacing; n represents the total number of candidate vertical spacings.

[0073] Based on this corresponding relationship, the non-monotonic variation characteristic of the thermal spread risk parameter as the candidate vertical spacing increases can be identified, and one or more intervals can be divided accordingly.

[0074] For example, candidate vertical spacings that satisfy at least one of the following conditions are classified into the dangerous spacing interval: any non-triggered battery module suffers thermal runaway during the test; the thermal spread risk parameter is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, for example Rsys ( Hi )≥1; the external heat flux density, surface temperature or temperature rise rate reaches a specified dangerous state.

[0075] It can be understood that in the present application, the first appearing locally safe candidate vertical spacing should not be regarded as a safe candidate vertical spacing, instead, the candidate vertical spacing should be continuously increased for testing until it is confirmed that the last dangerous spacing interval has been passed, and the target vertical spacing is selected in the subsequent stable safe interval. For example, if the test results show that the candidate vertical spacing H1 is safe, the candidate vertical spacing H2 is dangerous, the candidate vertical spacing H3 is dangerous, and the candidate vertical spacing H4 is safe (H1<H2<H3<H4), the test must not be stopped at H1, but the test should be continued to H4 and larger spacings to confirm that the dangerous interval has been completely crossed, so as to avoid misjudging the locally safe spacing as a globally safe spacing.

[0076] For example,[[-END]] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the corresponding relationship between the candidate vertical spacing and the thermal spread risk parameter provided by the embodiments of the present application. As shown in Figure 3 , the abscissa represents the candidate vertical spacing, and the ordinate represents the thermal spread risk parameter. On the ordinate, Rsafe represents a preset threshold, that is, a preset thermal safety threshold, and Rsafe<1, used to reserve a thermal safety margin for the critical state of thermal runaway.

[0077] from Figure 3 It can be seen that as the candidate vertical spacing gradually increases, the thermal propagation risk parameter exhibits a non-monotonic change characteristic, successively showing a local safe interval, a dangerous distance interval, and a stable safe interval. The local safe interval corresponds to a smaller candidate vertical spacing interval; although thermal runaway has not occurred at this point, the risk may still increase after this local safe interval, therefore it cannot be directly used as the final safe distance. The dangerous distance interval occurs when the thermal propagation risk parameter reaches or exceeds... Rsafe The safe zone is located after the last hazardous distance zone and continuously meets the thermal safety requirements (i.e., the thermal spread risk parameter is less than or equal to the specified range). Rsafe ).

[0078] S5. Based on the safety candidate vertical spacing, determine the target vertical spacing between at least two battery modules.

[0079] In some implementations, after obtaining and determining the safety candidate vertical spacing, the target vertical spacing between at least two battery modules can be determined based on the safety candidate vertical spacing.

[0080] In one possible implementation, the target vertical spacing between at least two battery modules is determined based on the sum of the candidate vertical spacing increments corresponding to the safety candidate vertical spacing and the preset installation tolerance.

[0081] In some examples, after completing thermal runaway tests under different candidate vertical spacings and determining the correspondence between thermal propagation risk parameters and candidate vertical spacings, the range of candidate vertical spacings that follows the last thermal propagation risk spacing interval and continuously meets thermal safety requirements can be defined as the stable safety interval based on this correspondence. The lower boundary of the stable safety interval is then denoted as the safe candidate vertical spacing. Hs Understandably, the vertical spacing of the safety candidates... Hs It can also be set to the sum of the lower boundary of the stable safe range and a preset increment to further prevent the risk of thermal runaway propagation.

[0082] The stable safety interval should meet the following conditions: within this interval, there are at least N consecutive candidate vertical spacings, all of which satisfy the condition that the non-triggered battery module has not experienced thermal runaway, and the thermal propagation risk parameter is less than or equal to a preset threshold. Here, N is a preset positive integer used to avoid misjudging stability and safety due to single-point or sporadic safety results. The value of N can be determined based on experimental precision, safety level requirements, and engineering experience.

[0083] In some examples, if the test results are: H1 safe, H2 dangerous, H3 dangerous, H4 safe, H5 safe, H6 safe, then H1 should not be considered a safe candidate vertical spacing. Instead, H4 and the subsequent consecutive safe areas should be determined as stable safe intervals, with H4 as the lower boundary Hs of these stable safe intervals. In this case, the area near H4 can be used as a key area for further refined testing to accurately determine the starting boundary of the stable safe interval and avoid misjudging spacings still at the edge of dangerous intervals as safe candidate vertical spacings.

[0084] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, after determining the stable and safe interval, the vertical spacing of the target can be selected within this interval. Hopt Preferably, while meeting the requirements of structural compactness, the lower boundary of the stable and safe interval is selected. Hs or slightly larger Hs The candidate vertical spacing is used as a safety candidate vertical spacing to reduce space occupation while ensuring thermal safety and increasing the volumetric energy density of the energy storage system. If the stable safety range is wide, the most reasonable safety candidate vertical spacing can be selected within this range by comprehensively considering actual structural design constraints, installation and maintenance space requirements, and engineering economics. In actual engineering design, considering installation tolerances and structural errors, the target vertical spacing... Hopt Should be within the safe candidate vertical spacing Hs Reserve a certain spacing increment on the basis ΔH ,Right now: Hopt = Hs + ΔH .in, ΔH The candidate vertical spacing increment corresponding to the installation tolerance should be selected to ensure that it is within the maximum allowable installation error range, and that the actual candidate vertical spacing is still not lower than the safe candidate vertical spacing. Hs This ensures that the requirements are met under actual operating conditions. Rsys ≤ Rsafe .

[0085] It is understood that the target vertical spacing in this application is not the maximum distance corresponding to the absolute minimum thermal shock, but rather the minimum vertical spacing of modules allowed under the premise of meeting preset thermal safety conditions and having specified safety margins for manufacturing, installation, and testing errors. This minimizes the vertical dimensions of the energy storage system while ensuring thermal safety, thereby improving the volume utilization and volumetric energy density of the energy storage system.

[0086] The battery module vertical spacing determination method provided in this application addresses the problem that existing energy storage battery module candidate vertical spacing design methods, which determine safe distances based solely on whether thermal runaway occurs under single or limited spacing conditions, are easily affected by changes in flame spatial morphology and non-monotonic thermal shock, leading to misjudgments of safe distances. Furthermore, the method provided in this application avoids misjudgments caused by localized safe distances. Specifically, this method does not directly use the first observed spacing where thermal runaway does not occur as the safe distance. Instead, it determines safe candidate vertical spacings after fully identifying the correspondence between thermal propagation risk parameters and candidate vertical spacings. This reduces misjudgments of safe distances caused by non-monotonic thermal propagation phenomena resulting from the spatial morphology of the jet flame and interlayer heat accumulation.

[0087] Secondly, the battery module vertical spacing determination method provided in this application can transform from qualitative evaluation to quantitative evaluation. In addition to whether thermal runaway has occurred, it also uses parameters such as external heat flow, cumulative heat exposure, surface temperature, and temperature rise rate to evaluate the degree to which the upper module approaches the critical state of thermal runaway. Furthermore, the target vertical spacing determined by this method is not simply an increase in module spacing, but rather a selection of an acceptable target vertical spacing under the condition of meeting stable thermal safety requirements. Therefore, it can reduce the space waste caused by excessively increasing the spacing.

[0088] It is understood that the various methods, embodiments, or logical steps described above can be combined or referenced to construct more complex implementation methods, provided that they do not conflict with each other. This application does not impose any restrictions on this and aims to provide flexible technical solutions to support different actual needs.

[0089] This application provides an electronic device that may include a memory and one or more processors. The memory and processors are coupled. The memory stores computer program code, including computer instructions. When the processor executes the computer instructions, the electronic device can perform various functions or steps performed by the control device in the above method embodiments.

[0090] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform various functions or steps performed by the control device in the above method embodiments.

[0091] In some embodiments, the electronic device may include the aforementioned control device.

[0092] This application also provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform various functions or steps executed by the control device in the above method embodiments.

[0093] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0094] The electronic devices, computer-readable storage media, or computer program products provided in this application are all used to perform the corresponding methods provided above. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding methods provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0095] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0096] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0097] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0098] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, essentially or in other words, the parts that contribute to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solutions, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a device (which may be a microcontroller, chip, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0099] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for determining the vertical spacing of battery modules, characterized in that, The method includes: For each of the multiple candidate vertical spacings between battery modules in the energy storage battery module testing system, the first battery module in the energy storage battery module testing system is controlled to undergo thermal runaway, and the external thermal exposure parameters of the second battery module under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing are obtained. The energy storage battery module testing system includes at least two battery modules arranged vertically, with equal candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules; the at least two battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module, wherein the first battery module is used to trigger thermal runaway; the external thermal exposure parameters include at least one of the following: peak heat flux density, cumulative external thermal exposure, maximum surface temperature, or maximum temperature rise rate; Obtain the thermal safety critical parameter corresponding to the external thermal exposure parameter, which is determined in advance through calibration experiments or critical thermal exposure experiments of the same type of battery module. The thermal safety critical parameter is used to characterize the critical value at which the second battery module will experience thermal runaway. Based on the external thermal exposure parameters and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters, the thermal spread risk parameters for each candidate vertical spacing are determined. Based on the correspondence between the thermal spread risk parameters and the candidate vertical spacing, a safe candidate vertical spacing is determined; The corresponding relationship includes at least the relationship that the thermal propagation risk parameter first increases and then decreases as the candidate vertical spacing increases; the safe candidate vertical spacing is located after the relationship that first increases and then decreases, and N consecutive candidate vertical spacings starting from the safe candidate vertical spacing all meet the preset thermal safety conditions; the preset thermal safety conditions include that, under the corresponding candidate vertical spacing, if the first battery module experiences thermal runaway, the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway, and the thermal propagation risk parameter is less than a preset threshold; N is a positive integer; Based on the safety candidate vertical spacing, the target vertical spacing between the at least two battery modules is determined.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The critical thermal safety parameters include at least one of the following: critical peak heat flux density, critical cumulative external heat exposure, critical surface temperature, or critical temperature rise rate. The step of determining the heat spread risk parameter for each candidate vertical spacing based on the external heat exposure parameters and the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters includes: For each candidate vertical spacing, the maximum value among the ratios of each item in the acquired external heat exposure parameters to the corresponding item in the corresponding thermal safety critical parameters is determined as the heat spread risk parameter under the candidate vertical spacing. The ratio includes at least one of the following: the ratio of the peak heat flux density to the critical peak heat flux density, the ratio of the cumulative external heat exposure to the critical cumulative external heat exposure, the ratio of the maximum surface temperature to the critical surface temperature, or the ratio of the maximum temperature rise rate to the critical temperature rise rate.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The at least two battery modules also include a third battery module; Determining the heat spread risk parameter for each of the candidate vertical spacings includes: For each of the candidate vertical spacings, a first thermal spread risk parameter for the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing and a second thermal spread risk parameter for the third battery module under the candidate vertical spacing are determined. The maximum value between the first thermal spread risk parameter and the second thermal spread risk parameter is determined as the thermal spread risk parameter under the candidate vertical spacing.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: For each candidate vertical spacing, if the corresponding heat spread risk parameter is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, then the candidate vertical spacing is determined as a dangerous candidate vertical spacing; or, If the second battery module experiences thermal runaway, the candidate vertical spacing will be determined as the dangerous candidate vertical spacing; or... If the second battery module meets at least one of the following preset conditions, the candidate vertical spacing is determined as the dangerous candidate vertical spacing; the preset conditions include: the peak heat flux density is greater than or equal to a preset heat flux density danger threshold; or, the cumulative external heat exposure is greater than or equal to a preset cumulative heat exposure danger threshold; or, the maximum surface temperature is greater than or equal to a preset surface temperature danger threshold; or, the maximum temperature rise rate is greater than or equal to a preset temperature rise rate danger threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The peak heat flux density is the maximum value in the time sequence of the instantaneous heat flux density of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; The cumulative external heat exposure is the integral value of the instantaneous heat flux density of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing within the integral time; the start time of the integral time is the moment when the first battery module enters the specified combustion state; the end time of the integral time is the moment when the second battery module experiences thermal runaway, or, if the second battery module does not experience thermal runaway, the end time of the integral time is the preset test end time. The maximum surface temperature is the maximum value in the time sequence of the surface temperature change of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing; The maximum temperature rise rate is the maximum value of the time derivative of the surface temperature change sequence of the second battery module under the candidate vertical spacing.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal runaway tests under the multiple candidate vertical spacings are conducted under the same test conditions, which include at least one of the following: battery type, battery module structure, state of charge, thermal runaway trigger location, thermal runaway triggering method, ignition method, environmental conditions, or sensor placement location. The test data obtained during the thermal runaway test is used to determine the external thermal exposure parameters, whether the second battery module has experienced thermal runaway, and the time when the second battery module experienced thermal runaway. The test data includes at least one of the following: instantaneous heat flux density at the location of the second battery module, peak heat flux density at the location of the second battery module, outer surface temperature of the second battery module, maximum temperature rise rate of the second battery module, duration of external heat flow affecting the second battery module, whether the second battery module experiences thermal runaway or the time of thermal runaway of the second battery module.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the target vertical spacing between the at least two battery modules based on the safety candidate vertical spacing includes: The target vertical spacing between the at least two battery modules is determined based on the sum of the candidate vertical spacing increments corresponding to the preset installation tolerance and the safety candidate vertical spacing.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage battery module testing system also includes: a height-adjustable support structure, a heat flow sensor, a surface temperature sensor, a triggering device, a data acquisition device, and a triggering ignition device; The height-adjustable support structure is used to adjust the candidate vertical spacing between adjacent battery modules; The heat flow sensor is disposed on the outer side of the heated surface of the second battery module facing the first battery module, and is used to measure the heat flow density. The surface temperature sensor is disposed on the outer surface of the second battery module and is used to measure the surface temperature; The triggering device is used to heat or overcharge the first battery module in response to a thermal runaway test control command, so as to trigger thermal runaway. The trigger ignition device is used to ignite the combustible gas released after the first battery module experiences thermal runaway in response to the thermal runaway test control command. The data acquisition device is connected to the heat flux sensor and the surface temperature sensor to obtain the heat flux density and surface temperature.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A memory, one or more processors; the memory is coupled to the processors; wherein the memory stores computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to perform the battery module vertical spacing determination method as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The method includes computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the battery module vertical spacing determination method as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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