Battery module and energy storage system

Abstract

The utility model relates to a battery module and an energy storage system, and relates to the technical field of energy storage. The battery module comprises a battery pack and a first end plate, wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery monomers arranged along a first direction; when the battery module comprises a plurality of battery packs, the plurality of battery packs are arranged along a second direction, and the second direction is intersected with the first direction; the first end plate is located at one end of the battery pack in the first direction and provided with clamping areas with the same number as the battery pack. When the battery module comprises a plurality of battery packs, the plurality of clamping areas and the plurality of battery packs are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence manner; wherein the clamping area is provided with a first reinforcing rib structure, the first reinforcing rib structure is of a net-shaped structure, and the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure is gradually decreased in the direction from the center area of the clamping area to the edge area of the clamping area. According to the battery module provided by the invention, the structural strength of the end plates is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of energy storage technology, and in particular to a battery module and an energy storage system. Background Art

[0002] Secondary batteries, also known as rechargeable batteries or storage batteries, refer to batteries that can be recharged to activate the active materials after discharge and continue to be used. The recyclable nature of secondary batteries has made them gradually become the main power source for electrical equipment. Since the voltage and capacity of a single secondary battery are limited, in order to meet the high voltage and large capacity requirements of the system, multiple battery cells need to be grouped, that is, several battery cells are combined in series and parallel to form a battery module with a certain voltage and capacity.

[0003] At present, battery cells are generally stacked by two end plates arranged at both ends of the battery pack stacking direction, and then the end plates and the battery pack are bundled with steel tie bands to achieve battery cell stacking and limit the expansion of the battery module during power-on operation; therefore, the structural strength requirements for the end plates are relatively high.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background technology section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to ordinary technicians in the field. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a battery module and an energy storage system, which improve the structural strength of the end plate.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery module is provided, the battery module comprising:

[0007] at least one battery pack, the battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction; when the battery module comprises a plurality of the battery packs, the plurality of the battery packs are arranged along a second direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction;

[0008] a first end plate, the first end plate being located at one end of the battery pack along the first direction, and the first end plate being provided with clamping areas having the same number as the battery packs; when the battery module includes a plurality of the battery packs, the plurality of the clamping areas are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of the battery packs;

[0009] Wherein, a first reinforcing rib structure is provided on the clamping area, the first reinforcing rib structure is a mesh structure, and the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure decreases from the central area of ​​the clamping area toward the edge area.

[0010] The battery module provided by the present invention has a first reinforcing rib structure in a mesh structure on the clamping area of ​​the first end plate, and the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure decreases from the central area of ​​the clamping area toward the edge area. Therefore, the first reinforcing rib structure can absorb the expansion force of the end plate whose displacement size changes radially outward during the expansion of the battery pack. The first reinforcing rib structure is more in line with the expansion change law of the battery pack, avoiding the risk of failure of the battery cell; at the same time, the material strength of the end plate is effectively utilized, the strength requirement of the end plate material itself is reduced, and the material cost of the end plate is reduced.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first reinforcement rib structure includes a plurality of annular reinforcement ribs with different diameters, and the plurality of annular reinforcement ribs are concentrically distributed.

[0012] According to the simulation cloud map, the battery module provided by the present invention shows that during the expansion of the battery pack composed of battery cells, the displacement size on the first end plate changes outward in an elliptical radial shape; by arranging a plurality of annular reinforcing ribs on the first end plate, the structural strength of the first end plate can be specifically improved according to the rule that the displacement size on the first end plate changes outward in an elliptical radial shape.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in a direction from a central area of ​​the clamping zone toward an edge area, a distance between at least two adjacent annular reinforcing ribs increases gradually.

[0014] In the battery module provided by the present invention, the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure decreases gradually from the central area of ​​the clamping zone toward the edge area, so as to absorb the expansion force of the end plate whose displacement size changes radially outward during the expansion process of the battery pack; at the same time, the material strength of the end plate is effectively utilized, reducing the strength requirement of the end plate material itself.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first reinforcing rib structure further includes a plurality of first strip-shaped reinforcing ribs, and the plurality of first strip-shaped reinforcing ribs are radially distributed with the center of the annular reinforcing rib as the center point.

[0016] The battery module provided by the present disclosure forms a cross-shaped distributed reinforcement rib by cooperating with multiple first strip reinforcement ribs and multiple first annular reinforcement ribs, thereby ensuring that the first end plate has sufficient strength in all directions to support the battery pack and disperse the expansion force of the entire battery pack.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in the circumferential direction of the annular reinforcement rib, the angles between two adjacent first strip reinforcement ribs are the same.

[0018] The battery module provided by the present disclosure has multiple first strip-shaped reinforcing ribs evenly distributed, which can further effectively disperse the expansion force of the entire battery pack.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one columnar reinforcement rib is further provided on the clamping area, and at least part of the intersection of the first strip reinforcement rib and the annular reinforcement rib is connected through the columnar reinforcement rib.

[0020] The battery module provided by the present invention is connected by a columnar reinforcement rib at the intersection of the first strip reinforcement rib and the annular reinforcement rib, thereby dispersing the stress at the intersection of the first strip reinforcement rib and the annular reinforcement rib, avoiding rupture at the intersection of the first strip reinforcement rib and the annular reinforcement rib due to the expansion force of the battery pack, and improving the tensile strength of the structure at the intersection of the first strip reinforcement rib and the annular reinforcement rib.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first reinforcing rib structure is a symmetrical structure along the second direction.

[0022] The battery module provided by the present disclosure can evenly disperse the expansion force of the entire battery pack in the second direction by making the first reinforcing rib structure symmetrical along the second direction.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the first reinforcing rib structure is a symmetrical structure; the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and the third direction.

[0024] The battery module provided by the present disclosure can evenly disperse the expansion force of the entire battery pack in the third direction by making the first reinforcing rib structure symmetrical along the third direction.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first reinforcing rib structure is located on a side of the first end plate facing away from the battery pack.

[0026] In the battery module provided by the present invention, one side of the first end plate for clamping and fixing the battery pack is a smooth surface, which can provide a better clamping effect on the battery pack; at the same time, the first reinforcing rib structure faces outward, which can improve the heat dissipation capacity of the first end plate and prevent the structural strength of the first end plate from being excessively affected by high temperature.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first end plate includes a main body portion and the first reinforcing rib structure, the main body portion is provided with clamping areas whose number is the same as the number of the battery packs, and the first reinforcing rib structure is located on the surface of the clamping areas.

[0028] In the battery module provided by the present invention, the first reinforcing rib structure is a structure separately arranged on the surface of the first end plate, and the body of the first end plate itself has no structural changes, so that the body of the first end plate maintains the original structural strength, and the structural strength of the first end plate is increased by adding the first reinforcing rib structure.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a second reinforcing rib structure is further provided on the clamping area, and in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the second reinforcing rib structure is distributed on both sides of the first reinforcing rib structure.

[0030] The battery module provided in the present disclosure can improve the structural strength of the upper and lower sides of the first end plate by arranging the second reinforcing rib structure on both sides of the first reinforcing rib structure in the third direction Z, thereby reducing stress concentration.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the second reinforcing rib structure includes a plurality of second strip-shaped reinforcing ribs, and the plurality of second strip-shaped reinforcing ribs extend along the second direction and are distributed along the third direction.

[0032] The battery module provided by the present disclosure can improve the structural strength of the upper and lower sides of the first end plate by arranging the second reinforcing rib structure on both sides of the first reinforcing rib structure in the third direction, thereby reducing stress concentration.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first end plate is provided with fixing areas on both sides along the second direction, and the clamping area is located between the fixing areas; the fixing area is provided with a mounting hole extending in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and a third reinforcing structure is provided at a position on the fixing area corresponding to the position of the mounting hole.

[0034] The battery module provided by the present disclosure can enhance the strength of the fixing area by providing a third reinforcing structure at a position on the fixing area corresponding to the position of the mounting hole, thereby improving the reliability of the first end plate during assembly and fixation.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery module further includes a first tie and a second tie, wherein the first tie and the second tie are configured to bundle the at least one battery pack and the first end plate; and the third reinforcement structure is located between the first tie and the second tie along the third direction.

[0036] The battery module provided by the present disclosure improves the structural strength of the fixing area on the first end plate between the first tie and the second tie by positioning the third reinforcement structure between the first tie and the second tie along the third direction, thereby preventing the fixing area on the first end plate between the first tie and the second tie from bending and deforming when the spacing between the first tie and the second tie is large.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery module further includes:

[0038] A second end plate, the second end plate and the first end plate are located at two ends of the battery pack along the first direction, and the second end plate has the same structure as the first end plate.

[0039] The battery module provided by the present disclosure improves the structural strength of the second end plate by making the second end plate completely identical to the first end plate. At the same time, the same mold can be used during production, thereby reducing production costs and improving production efficiency.

[0040] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an energy storage system, which includes the battery module provided by any of the above embodiments.

[0041] In the energy storage system provided by the present disclosure, a first reinforcing rib structure with a mesh structure is provided on the clamping area of ​​the first end plate in the battery module, and the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure decreases from the central area of ​​the clamping area toward the edge area. Therefore, the first reinforcing rib structure can absorb the expansion force of the end plate whose displacement size changes radially outward during the expansion of the battery pack. The first reinforcing rib structure is more in line with the expansion change law of the battery pack, avoiding the risk of failure of the battery cell; at the same time, the material strength of the end plate is effectively utilized, the strength requirement of the end plate material itself is reduced, and the material cost of the end plate is reduced.

[0042] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and together with the specification are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without creative work.

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an energy storage system provided for one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a battery module provided for one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 3 An exploded view of a battery module provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 4A front schematic diagram of a first end plate provided for an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 5 A front view of a first end plate provided for one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 6 A schematic back view of a first end plate provided for an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure 7 A front schematic diagram of a first end plate provided for another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 8 A front view of a first end plate provided in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Fig. 9 A schematic back view of a first end plate provided for another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Fig.10 A strain contour diagram of a first end plate provided in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Fig.11 A displacement cloud diagram of a first end plate provided in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Fig.12 A stress cloud diagram of a first end plate provided in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Description of reference numerals:

[0057] 10. Energy storage device; 20. Power grid; 30. First power conversion device; 40. Second power conversion device;

[0058] 100. Battery module;

[0059] 110, battery pack; 111, battery cell; 112, electrical connector; 113, output terminal;

[0060] 210, first end plate; 201, clamping area; 202, fixing area; 211, first reinforcing rib structure; 2111, annular reinforcing rib; 2112, first strip reinforcing rib; 212, second reinforcing rib structure; 2121, second strip reinforcing rib; 213, third reinforcing rib structure; 214, columnar reinforcing rib; 215, mounting hole; 216, slot; 220, second end plate;

[0061] 310, first cable tie; 320, second cable tie. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be comprehensive and complete and will fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar structures, and thus their detailed description will be omitted.

[0063] Since the energy people need is highly temporal and spatial, in order to rationally use energy and improve energy utilization, it is necessary to use a medium or device to store one form of energy in the same form or convert it into another form of energy, and then release it in a specific form of energy based on future application needs. As we all know, to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, green energy is currently mainly used to replace fossil energy to achieve the purpose of generating green electricity.

[0064] The current green energy mainly includes solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, etc. However, solar energy and wind energy generally have problems of strong intermittency and large volatility, which will cause unstable voltage of the green power grid (not enough electricity during peak hours and too much electricity during low hours). Unstable voltage will cause damage to electricity. Therefore, it may cause the problem of "wind and solar power abandonment" due to insufficient electricity demand or insufficient grid acceptance capacity.

[0065] To solve the problem of insufficient electricity demand or insufficient grid acceptance capacity, we must rely on energy storage devices. That is, the energy storage device converts electrical energy into other forms of energy through physical or chemical means and stores it, and then converts the energy stored in the energy storage device into electrical energy when needed. In simple terms, the energy storage device is similar to a large "power bank", which stores electrical energy when there is sufficient light energy and wind energy, and releases the stored electrical energy when needed.

[0066] At present, energy storage (i.e. energy storage) has a wide range of application scenarios, including power generation side energy storage, grid side energy storage, renewable energy grid-connected energy storage and user side energy storage. The corresponding types of energy storage devices include:

[0067] (1) Large-scale energy storage power stations used in energy storage scenarios on the power generation side, such as wind power and photovoltaic power stations, can assist renewable energy generation in meeting grid connection requirements while improving the utilization rate of renewable energy. As a high-quality active / reactive regulating power source on the power supply side, energy storage power stations can achieve load matching of electric energy in time and space, enhance the ability to absorb renewable energy, reduce instantaneous power changes, reduce the impact on the power grid, improve the problem of new energy generation and absorption, and are of great significance in power grid system backup, relieving peak load power supply pressure, and peak and frequency regulation.

[0068] (2) Large energy storage containers used in grid-side energy storage scenarios mainly perform peak load regulation, frequency regulation, and grid congestion relief. Peak load regulation can achieve peak load shaving and valley filling of power loads, that is, charging the energy storage battery when the power load is low and releasing the stored power during the peak load period, thereby achieving a balance between power production and consumption, such as energy storage power station systems;

[0069] (3) Small and medium-sized energy storage cabinets used in industrial and commercial energy storage scenarios (banks, shopping malls, etc.) on the user side and small household energy storage boxes used in household energy storage scenarios on the user side. Their main functions are self-generation and self-use of electricity, peak shaving and valley filling, capacity cost management, and improved power supply reliability. According to different application scenarios, energy storage on the power consumption side can be divided into industrial and commercial energy storage cabinets, household energy storage devices, energy storage charging piles, etc., which are generally used in conjunction with distributed photovoltaics. Since there is a large price difference in electricity charges at peak and valley locations according to electricity demand, after users have energy storage devices, in order to reduce costs, they usually charge the energy storage cabinets / boxes during the low electricity price period; during the peak electricity price period, the electricity in the energy storage equipment is discharged for use to achieve the purpose of saving electricity costs. In addition, communication base stations, data centers and other fields need to be equipped with energy storage for backup power supply. In addition, in remote areas, as well as areas prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes, the existence of household energy storage devices is equivalent to users providing backup power for themselves and the power grid, eliminating the inconvenience caused by frequent power outages due to disasters or other reasons.

[0070] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an energy storage system provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure Figure 1 The embodiment is described by taking the shared energy storage scenario on the power generation / distribution side as an example. The energy storage system disclosed in the present invention is not limited to the energy storage scenario on the power generation / distribution side, but can also be applied to scenarios on the industrial and commercial side or the user side.

[0071] like Figure 1 As shown, the energy storage system includes: an energy storage device 10, a power grid 20, a first power conversion device 30, and a second power conversion device 40. In the case of power generation, the first power conversion device 30 and the second power conversion device 40 are used to convert other forms of energy into electric energy, connect to the power grid 20, and supply it to the power distribution network. When the power load is low and the first power conversion device 30 and the second power conversion device 40 generate excess power, the excess power is stored in the energy storage device 10 to reduce the wind and solar power abandonment rates and improve the problem of new energy power generation and consumption. When the power load is high, the power grid issues an instruction to use the power stored in the energy storage device 10 in conjunction with the power grid 20 to transmit power to the power consumption side in a grid-connected mode, providing peak-shaving, frequency regulation, standby and other services for the operation of the power grid, giving full play to the peak-shaving role of the power grid 20, promoting the peak-shaving and valley-filling of the power grid 20, and alleviating the power supply pressure of the power grid 20.

[0072] Among them, the first power conversion device 30 can be a solar energy conversion device, and the second power conversion device 40 can be a wind energy conversion device; of course, the power conversion device can also be a device that converts at least one of thermal energy, tidal energy, biomass energy and mechanical energy into electrical energy.

[0073] In combination with the above-mentioned situation of storing energy by physical or electrochemical means, taking electrochemical energy storage as an example, the energy storage device 10 includes at least one group of chemical batteries, using the chemical elements in the chemical batteries as energy storage media, so as to realize the charging and discharging process through the chemical reaction or change of the energy storage medium. In simple terms, the electric energy generated by light energy and wind energy is stored in at least one group of chemical batteries through the chemical reaction or change of the energy storage medium, and when the use of external electric energy reaches a peak, the electric energy stored in at least one group of chemical batteries is released for use through the chemical reaction or change of the energy storage medium, or transferred to a place where electric energy is scarce for use.

[0074] The energy storage device may include a battery module. The battery module includes a plurality of battery cells. When the plurality of battery cells are fixed, end plates may be assembled at both ends, and the plurality of battery cells may be bundled together by the end plates and tie bands; the battery cells may be lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, magnesium-ion batteries, etc., and the battery cells may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0075] In the related art, common end plates are not designed to effectively utilize the material properties to the maximum extent possible through structural use, and are unable to fully absorb the force of the battery cell expansion, resulting in end plate failure. At this time, the material limit is not reached and the cost is relatively high.

[0076] In view of the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a battery module, such as Figure 2 to Figure 5 As shown, the battery module 100 includes at least one battery pack 110 and a first end plate 210, and the battery pack 110 includes a plurality of battery cells 111 arranged along a first direction X; when the battery module 100 includes a plurality of battery packs 110, the plurality of battery packs 110 are arranged along a second direction Y, and the second direction Y intersects with the first direction X; the first end plate 210 is located at one end of the battery pack 110 along the first direction X, and the first end plate 210 is provided with clamping areas 201 having the same number as the battery packs 110; when the battery module 100 includes a plurality of battery packs 110, the plurality of clamping areas 201 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of battery packs 110.

[0077] The clamping area 201 is provided with a first reinforcing rib structure 211 , which is a mesh structure, and the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure 211 on the clamping area 201 decreases from the central area of ​​the clamping area 201 toward the edge area.

[0078] It should be noted that the first reinforcement rib structure 211 of the mesh structure may include multiple cross-connected reinforcement ribs, and the distribution density of the first reinforcement rib structure 211 of the mesh structure reflects the density of distribution of the multiple reinforcement ribs on the first end plate 210, and the distribution density can be reflected by the distribution number per unit area on the first end plate 210. For example, the distribution density of the first reinforcement rib structure 211 can be that, in an area where multiple reinforcement ribs are distributed on the clamping area 201 of the first end plate 210, the number of reinforcement ribs distributed per unit area can be expressed as the ratio of the number of multiple reinforcement ribs to the area of ​​the area where multiple reinforcement ribs are distributed; when the number of reinforcement ribs in the first reinforcement rib structure 211 in a unit area is greater than the number of reinforcement ribs in the first reinforcement rib structure 211 in another unit area, it is determined that the distribution density of the first reinforcement rib structure 211 in the unit area is greater than the distribution density of the first reinforcement rib structure 211 in the other area; at the same time, the distribution density of the first reinforcement rib structure 211 can also be reflected by the average distance between multiple reinforcement ribs. For example, among multiple reinforcement ribs, the average value of the distance between two is the average distance. The larger the average distance, the more sparsely the multiple reinforcement ribs are distributed, and the smaller the average distance, the denser the multiple reinforcement ribs are distributed. When the average distance between two adjacent reinforcing ribs in the first reinforcing rib structure 211 in a unit area is smaller than the average distance between two adjacent reinforcing ribs in the first reinforcing rib structure 211 in another unit area, it is determined that the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure 211 in the unit area is greater than the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure 211 in another area. When the distribution density is determined by the number of reinforcing ribs in a unit area and the distance between two adjacent reinforcing ribs, the widths of the multiple reinforcing ribs may be the same or substantially the same.

[0079] In the battery module 100 provided by the present disclosure, a first reinforcing rib structure 211 with a mesh structure is provided on the clamping area 201 of the first end plate 210, and the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure 211 on the clamping area 201 decreases from the central area of ​​the clamping area 201 toward the edge area. Therefore, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 can absorb the expansion force of the first end plate 210 whose displacement size changes radially outward during the expansion process of the battery pack 110. The first reinforcing rib structure 211 is more in line with the expansion change law of the battery pack 110, avoiding the risk of failure of the battery cell 111; at the same time, the material strength of the first end plate 210 is effectively utilized, the strength requirement of the first end plate 210 material itself is reduced, and the material cost of the first end plate 210 is reduced.

[0080] In one embodiment, the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells 111 in the battery pack 110 along the first direction X is perpendicular to the large surface of the battery cell 111. By making the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells 111 perpendicular to the large surface of the battery cell 111, the space occupied by the plurality of battery cells 111 after being stacked can be made smaller. The large surface of the battery cell 111 can be considered as the surface with the largest area of ​​the battery cell 111. Further, the large surface of the battery cell 111 can be considered as the surface with the largest heat generation of the battery cell 111. For example, when the battery cell 111 is a square battery, the battery cell 111 includes two opposite large surfaces.

[0081] Among them, the battery cell 111 includes a battery cell and an electrolyte, which is the smallest unit capable of performing electrochemical reactions such as charging / discharging. The battery cell of the battery cell 111 refers to a unit formed by winding or laminating a stacking portion, which includes a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode. When the first electrode is a positive electrode, the second electrode is a negative electrode. Among them, the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode can be interchanged. The battery cell is arranged in the battery housing of the battery cell 111.

[0082] Among them, the battery cell 111 can be a wound battery, that is, a first pole piece, a second pole piece with electrical properties opposite to the first pole piece, and a diaphragm sheet arranged between the first pole piece and the second pole piece are wound to obtain a wound battery cell. Of course, the battery cell 111 can also be a laminated battery, which is not only convenient for grouping, but also can be processed to obtain a longer battery. Specifically, the battery cell is a laminated battery cell, which has a first pole piece stacked on each other, a second pole piece with electrical properties opposite to the first pole piece, and a diaphragm sheet arranged between the first pole piece and the second pole piece, so that multiple pairs of first pole pieces and second pole pieces are stacked to form a laminated battery cell.

[0083] Among them, the battery cell 111 can be a square battery, that is, the battery cell 111 can be a quadrangular prism battery. The quadrangular prism battery mainly refers to a battery with a prism shape, but it is not strictly limited whether each side of the prism must be a straight line in the strict sense, and the corners between the sides are not necessarily right angles, but can be arc transitions. Of course, the battery cell 111 can be a cylindrical battery, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0084] In one embodiment, Figure 2 to Figure 5 As shown, the battery module 100 includes a battery pack 110, and a clamping area 201 is matched on the first end plate 210; below, this application takes the battery module 100 including a battery pack 110, and a clamping area 201 is matched on the first end plate 210 as an example to introduce the structure of the first end plate 210 in detail.

[0085] In one embodiment, Figure 3 to Figure 6As shown, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 is arranged on the surface of the first end plate 210 facing away from the battery pack 110, and the surface of the first end plate 210 facing the battery pack 110 is a flat and smooth surface, that is, the side of the first end plate 210 that clamps and fixes the battery pack 110 is a smooth surface, which can provide a better clamping effect for the battery pack 110; at the same time, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 faces outward, and the heat dissipation capacity of the first end plate 210 can be improved through the first reinforcing rib structure 211, thereby preventing the structural strength of the first end plate 210 from being excessively affected by high temperature.

[0086] Of course, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 can also be provided on the surface of the first end plate 210 facing the battery pack 110; in this case, another pad can be separately provided between the first end plate 210 and the battery pack 110, and the expansion force generated by the battery pack 110 is transmitted to the first end plate 210 through the pad. In addition, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 can be provided on both opposite surfaces of the first end plate 210, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0087] In one embodiment, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 includes a plurality of annular reinforcing ribs 2111 of different diameters, and the plurality of annular reinforcing ribs 2111 are concentrically arranged. During the expansion process of the battery pack 110 composed of the battery cells 111, the displacement size on the first end plate 210 changes outward in an elliptical radial shape; by arranging a plurality of annular reinforcing ribs 2111 on the first end plate 210, the structural strength of the first end plate 210 can be specifically improved according to the rule that the displacement size on the first end plate 210 changes outward in an elliptical radial shape.

[0088] Among them, Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in the direction from the center area of ​​the clamping area 201 to the edge area, the spacing between at least part of two adjacent annular reinforcing ribs 2111 increases. By increasing the spacing between two adjacent annular reinforcing ribs 2111, that is, the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure 211 decreases from the center area of ​​the clamping area 201 to the edge area, the expansion force of the end plate of the battery pack 110 that changes radially outward during the expansion process is absorbed; at the same time, the material strength of the end plate is effectively utilized, and the strength requirement of the end plate material itself is reduced.

[0089] For example, the displacement limits of the simulation cloud map are 50.0 mm, 70.9 mm, 89.1 mm, and 105.0 mm from the center of the force, respectively. The arc diameter of the first end plate 210 can be designed based on these parameters. According to different battery packs 110, this rule can be used to optimize the end plate.

[0090] In one embodiment, Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 further includes a plurality of first strip reinforcing ribs 2112, and the plurality of first strip reinforcing ribs 2112 are radially distributed with the center of the annular reinforcing rib 2111 as the center point. Through the cooperation of the plurality of first strip reinforcing ribs 2112 and the plurality of first annular reinforcing ribs 2111, a cross-shaped distributed reinforcing rib is formed, ensuring that the first end plate 210 has sufficient strength in all directions to support the battery pack 110, so as to disperse the expansion force of the entire battery pack 110.

[0091] Among them, Figure 5 As shown, in the circumferential direction of the annular reinforcing rib 2111 , the angles between two adjacent first strip reinforcing ribs 2112 are the same, that is, the multiple first strip reinforcing ribs 2112 are evenly distributed, which can further effectively disperse the expansion force of the entire battery pack 110 .

[0092] Among them, for example, four first annular reinforcing ribs 2111 may be provided, and four first annular reinforcing ribs 2111 with different diameters are concentrically arranged, and the spacing between two adjacent first annular reinforcing ribs 2111 increases from the central area of ​​the first end plate 210 toward the edge area. Twelve first strip reinforcing ribs 2112 may be provided, and the twelve first strip reinforcing ribs 2112 are evenly distributed radially with the dot of the first annular reinforcing rib 2111 as the center, so as to ensure that the first end plate 210 has sufficient strength in all directions to support and disperse the expansion force of the entire battery pack 110.

[0093] Of course, the number of the first annular reinforcement ribs 2111 can also be two, three, five or more, and the spacing between two partially adjacent first annular reinforcement ribs 2111 in the direction from the central area of ​​the first end plate 210 toward the edge area increases, and the spacing between two partially adjacent first annular reinforcement ribs 2111 in the direction from the central area of ​​the first end plate 210 toward the edge area can also be the same; the number of the first strip reinforcement ribs 2112 can be two, three, four or more, and the angle between two partially adjacent first strip reinforcement ribs 2112 can be the same, and the angle between two partially adjacent first strip reinforcement ribs 2112 can also be different, and the present disclosure does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0094] In one embodiment, Figure 5As shown, at least one columnar reinforcing rib 214 is further provided on the clamping area 201, and at least part of the first strip reinforcing rib 2112 and the annular reinforcing rib 2111 are connected at the intersection thereof by the columnar reinforcing rib 214. On the one hand, by connecting at the intersection thereof by the columnar reinforcing rib 214, the stress at the intersection thereof by the first strip reinforcing rib 2112 and the annular reinforcing rib 2111 is dispersed, and the position where the first strip reinforcing rib 2112 and the annular reinforcing rib 2111 are intersected is prevented from being ruptured after being subjected to the expansion force of the battery pack 110, and the structural strength at the position where the first strip reinforcing rib 2112 and the annular reinforcing rib 2111 are intersected by the tensile force is improved. On the other hand, by providing the columnar reinforcement rib 214, it can also be used as the position where the first end plate 210 abuts against the tooling when being assembled; the tooling abuts against the position of the columnar reinforcement rib 214, and then the stacked first end plate 210 and the battery pack 110 are tied together with cable ties, and then the tooling is withdrawn, thereby improving the assembly efficiency and assembly accuracy of the first end plate 210.

[0095] Among them, two cylindrical reinforcing ribs 214 may be provided along the second direction Y, and the two cylindrical reinforcing ribs 214 are symmetrically arranged. Of course, three, four or more cylindrical reinforcing ribs 214 may also be provided, and multiple cylindrical reinforcing ribs 214 are symmetrically arranged along the second direction Y or the third direction Z. The third direction Z intersects with the first direction X and the second direction Y. Preferably, the third direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y, and the first direction X is perpendicular to the second direction Y, that is, the first direction X is the thickness direction of the first end plate 210, the second direction Y is the width direction of the first end plate 210, and the third direction Z is the height direction of the first end plate 210.

[0096] In one embodiment, Figure 5 As shown, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 is a symmetrical structure along the second direction Y. By making the first reinforcing rib structure 211 a symmetrical structure along the second direction Y, the expansion force of the entire battery pack 110 can be evenly dispersed in the second direction Y.

[0097] Among them, Figure 5 As shown, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 is a symmetrical structure in the third direction Z. By making the first reinforcing rib structure 211 a symmetrical structure along the third direction Z, the expansion force of the entire battery pack 110 can be evenly dispersed in the third direction Z.

[0098] In one embodiment, the first end plate 210 includes a main body and a first reinforcing rib structure 211. The main body is provided with clamping areas 201 whose number is the same as the battery pack 110. The first reinforcing rib structure 211 is located on the surface of the clamping area 201, that is, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 is a structure separately arranged on the surface of the first end plate 210. The main body of the first end plate 210 itself has no structural changes, so that the main body of the first end plate 210 maintains the original structural strength, and the structural strength of the first end plate 210 is increased by adding the first reinforcing rib structure 211.

[0099] The first reinforcing rib structure 211 and the main body may be an integrated structure, for example, formed integrally by injection molding or casting. Of course, the first reinforcing rib structure 211 and the main body may also be fixedly connected by welding, bonding, or the like.

[0100] The first end plate 210 may be made of metal, plastic or composite material. By providing the first reinforcing rib structure 211 , the properties of the material itself can be fully utilized and the strength requirement for the material itself can be reduced.

[0101] In one embodiment, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the clamping area 201 is further provided with a second reinforcing rib structure 212, and in the third direction Z intersecting the first direction X and the second direction Y, the second reinforcing rib structure 212 is distributed on both sides of the first reinforcing rib structure 211. Since the height dimension of the first end plate 210 in the third direction Z is greater than the width dimension in the second direction Y, the force cloud diagram of the first end plate 210 is an ellipse, that is, the expansion force on the upper and lower sides of the first end plate 210 is relatively large; Figure 10 to Figure 12 As shown, the first end plate 210 is made of PA5T plastic material (80%). When the battery module 100 is subjected to 35000N expansion force simulation analysis, the maximum strain of the first end plate 210 is 0.067%, the maximum displacement of the first end plate 210 is 7.422mm, and the maximum stress of the first end plate 210 is 153.596MPa. The elongation at break of the PA5T plastic material of the first end plate 210 is 3.2%. It can be seen that the stress concentration on the first end plate 210 is reduced, making the force on the first end plate 210 more uniform. The strength of the first end plate 210 meets the expansion force requirements of the battery pack 110, that is, by setting the second reinforcing rib structure 212 on both sides of the first reinforcing rib structure 211 in the third direction Z, the structural strength of the upper and lower sides of the first end plate 210 can be improved, thereby reducing stress concentration.

[0102] Among them, Figure 3As shown, the battery module 100 is provided with a first tie 310 and a second tie 320, and the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 are spaced apart on the first end plate 210 along the third direction Z. By arranging the second rib structure 212 on both sides of the first rib structure 211 in the third direction Z on the first end plate 210, the second rib structure 212 is arranged at the corresponding positions of the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 and the first end plate 210, so as to improve the structural strength of the first end plate 210 and the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 at the matching position.

[0103] Among them, in the third direction Z, the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 are symmetrically arranged relative to the center of the first reinforcing rib structure 211, that is, the second reinforcing rib structure 212 arranged on both sides of the third direction Z of the first reinforcing rib structure 211 is symmetrically arranged, so that the restraining force of the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 on the first end plate 210 is uniform, which can reduce the uneven force causing local premature failure of the first end plate 210.

[0104] Among them, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the second reinforcing rib structure 212 includes a plurality of second strip reinforcing ribs 2121, which extend along the second direction Y and are distributed along the third direction Z. The extension direction of the plurality of second strip reinforcing ribs 2121 is parallel to the extension direction of the corresponding first and second straps 310, 320 on the first end plate 210, and can provide better structural strength for the positions on the first end plate 210 corresponding to the first and second straps 310, 320.

[0105] Among them, the second strip reinforcement rib 2121 can be intersected and connected with the first annular reinforcement rib 2111 and the first strip reinforcement rib 2112, so that the first reinforcement rib structure 211 and the second reinforcement rib structure 212 are connected to form a whole, further improving the structural strength of the first end plate 210.

[0106] In one embodiment, Figure 7 to Figure 9 As shown, the first end plate 210 is provided with fixing areas 202 on both sides along the second direction Y, and the clamping area 201 is located between the fixing areas 202; the fixing area 202 is provided with a mounting hole 215 extending in the third direction Z, and the fixing area 202 is provided with a third reinforcing rib structure 213, and the position of the third reinforcing rib structure 213 on the fixing area 202 is arranged corresponding to the mounting hole 215, that is, the third reinforcing rib structure 213 is located at the position where the mounting hole 215 is formed on the first end plate 210. By arranging the third reinforcing rib structure 213 at the position corresponding to the mounting hole 215 on the fixing area 202, the strength of the fixing area 202 can be strengthened, thereby improving the reliability of the first end plate 210 when being assembled and fixed.

[0107] The third reinforcing rib structure 213 is located between the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 along the third direction Z. On the one hand, by making the third reinforcing rib structure 213 located between the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 along the third direction Z, the structural strength of the fixed area 202 on the first end plate 210 between the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 is improved, and the fixed area 202 on the first end plate 210 between the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 is prevented from bending and deforming when the distance between the first tie 310 and the second tie 320 is large. On the other hand, since the bolt needs to be pushed downward when locking the bolt in the mounting hole 215, the fixed area 202 will be subjected to a downward pressure when locking the bolt. By providing the third reinforcing rib structure 213, the structural strength of the fixed area 202 can be improved.

[0108] Among them, Figure 7 to Figure 9 As shown, the third reinforcing rib structure 213 may be a triangular rib connecting two side surfaces. The third reinforcing rib structure 213 may be formed by hollowing out the fixing area 202 of the first end plate 210 , thereby reducing the weight of the first end plate 210 .

[0109] The first end plate 210 is provided with a slot 216 , and the first cable tie 310 and the second cable tie 320 are located in the slot 216 of the first end plate 210 , forming an assembly position on the first end plate 210 .

[0110] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the battery module 100 also includes: a second end plate 220, which is located at both ends of the battery pack 110 along the first direction X with the first end plate 210 to form a clamp for the battery pack 110, and the first end plate 210, the battery pack 110 and the second end plate 220 are bundled and fixed together by the first tie 310 and the second tie 320.

[0111] The electrodes of the multiple battery cells 111 in the battery pack 110 are connected together through electrical connectors 112 to achieve series or parallel connection; the battery cells 111 at both ends of the battery pack 110 are provided with output terminals 113 to enable the battery pack 110 to be charged and discharged.

[0112] The second end plate 220 can be completely identical to the first end plate 210, and its specific structure and beneficial effects refer to the detailed discussion in the above-mentioned first end plate 210 embodiment, which will not be repeated here. By making the second end plate 220 and the first end plate 210 completely identical, the same mold can be used during production and manufacturing, which reduces production costs and improves production efficiency. Of course, the second end plate 220 and the first end plate 210 can also be mirror-symmetrical structures, or the second end plate 220 and the first end plate 210 have different structures, which is not limited by the present disclosure.

[0113] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance; the term "plurality" refers to two or more, unless otherwise expressly defined. Terms such as "installed", "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; "connected" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the application embodiments can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0114] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by the terms "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "back", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or unit referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore, should not be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the application.

[0115] In the description of this specification, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "specific embodiments", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the application embodiment. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0116] The above are only preferred embodiments of the embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the application embodiments. After considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein, those skilled in the art will easily think of other embodiments of the present disclosure. The present application is intended to cover any modification, use or adaptation of the present disclosure, which follows the general principles of the present disclosure and includes common knowledge or customary technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure. The specification and embodiments are only regarded as exemplary, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the attached claims.

Claims

1. A battery module, characterized in that: include: at least one battery pack, the battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction; When the battery module includes a plurality of the battery packs, the plurality of the battery packs are arranged along a second direction, and the second direction intersects with the first direction; a first end plate, the first end plate being located at one end of the battery pack along the first direction, and the first end plate being provided with clamping areas having the same number as the battery packs; when the battery module includes a plurality of the battery packs, the plurality of the clamping areas are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of the battery packs; Wherein, a first reinforcing rib structure is provided on the clamping area, the first reinforcing rib structure is a mesh structure, and the distribution density of the first reinforcing rib structure decreases from the central area of ​​the clamping area toward the edge area.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first reinforcing rib structure includes a plurality of annular reinforcing ribs with different diameters, and the plurality of annular reinforcing ribs are concentrically distributed.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, characterized in that: In a direction from the central area of ​​the clamping zone toward the edge area, the distance between at least two adjacent annular reinforcing ribs increases gradually.

4. The battery module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first reinforcing rib structure further includes a plurality of first strip-shaped reinforcing ribs, and the plurality of first strip-shaped reinforcing ribs are radially distributed with the center of the circle of the annular reinforcing rib as the center point.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the circumferential direction of the annular reinforcement rib, the angles between two adjacent first strip reinforcement ribs are the same.

6. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that: At least one columnar reinforcement rib is also provided on the clamping area, and at least part of the intersection of the first strip reinforcement rib and the annular reinforcement rib is connected through the columnar reinforcement rib.

7. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The first reinforcing rib structure is a symmetrical structure along the second direction.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, characterized in that: In a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the first reinforcing rib structure is a symmetrical structure; the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and the third direction.

9. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The first reinforcing rib structure is located on a side of the first end plate away from the battery pack.

10. The battery module according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first end plate includes a main body and the first reinforcing rib structure. The main body is provided with clamping areas having the same number as the battery packs. The first reinforcing rib structure is located on the surface of the clamping areas.

11. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: A second reinforcing rib structure is also provided on the clamping area. In a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the second reinforcing rib structure is distributed on both sides of the first reinforcing rib structure.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, characterized in that: The second reinforcing rib structure includes a plurality of second strip-shaped reinforcing ribs, and the plurality of second strip-shaped reinforcing ribs extend along the second direction and are distributed along the third direction.

13. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The first end plate is provided with fixing areas on both sides along the second direction, and the clamping area is located between the fixing areas; the fixing area is provided with a mounting hole extending in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and a third reinforcing structure is provided at a position on the fixing area corresponding to the position of the mounting hole.

14. The battery module according to claim 13, characterized in that: The battery module further includes a first strap and a second strap, wherein the first strap and the second strap are configured to bundle the at least one battery pack and the first end plate; and the third reinforcement structure is located between the first strap and the second strap along the third direction.

15. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The battery module also includes: A second end plate, the second end plate and the first end plate are located at two ends of the battery pack along the first direction, and the second end plate has the same structure as the first end plate.

16. An energy storage system, characterized in that: A battery module comprising any one of claims 1 to 15.

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