Energy storage box

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of energy storage, in particular to an energy storage box. The energy storage box comprises a box body, a battery module and a fireproof blanket, a containing cavity is formed in the box body, and the battery module is installed in the containing cavity. The battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells, battery cell explosion-proof valves are arranged on the battery cells, the plurality of battery cells are arranged in an array manner along the length direction and the height direction of the box body, and the battery cell explosion-proof valves on the plurality of battery cells all face the same side part of the box body along the width direction. The fireproof blanket covers one side, provided with the battery cell explosion-proof valve, of the battery module and is used for blocking high-temperature gas ejected from the battery cell explosion-proof valve after thermal runaway. According to the energy storage box provided by the invention, the problem that the safety is relatively poor when thermal runaway occurs in an existing energy storage box is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of energy storage technology, and in particular to an energy storage box. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of energy storage technology, more and more home energy storage devices are appearing in people's daily lives, providing more reliable protection for people's emergency needs.

[0003] Currently, traditional residential energy storage boxes often use epoxy boards and mica boards as protective structural materials, but this cannot achieve the ideal safety protection effect. When the battery cells inside the energy storage box experience thermal runaway, the high-temperature and high-pressure gases generated by the thermal runaway can easily be directly ejected into the outside environment, resulting in a high risk to the surrounding environment. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an energy storage box to solve the problem of poor safety of existing energy storage boxes in the event of thermal runaway.

[0005] This application provides an energy storage box, which includes a box body, a battery module, and a fireproof blanket. The box body has a receiving cavity, and the battery module is installed in the receiving cavity. The battery module includes multiple battery cells, each of which is equipped with a cell explosion-proof valve. The multiple battery cells are arranged in an array along the length and height directions of the box body, and the cell explosion-proof valves on the multiple battery cells all face the same side of the box body along the width direction. The fireproof blanket is placed on the side of the battery module where the cell explosion-proof valves are located to block high-temperature gas ejected from the cell explosion-proof valves after thermal runaway.

[0006] In one embodiment, the fire blanket extends at both ends and covers both sides of the battery module along the length of the housing.

[0007] In one embodiment, the battery module further includes a heat insulation pad disposed between two adjacent battery cells and in contact with the two adjacent battery cells.

[0008] In one embodiment, the heat insulation pad is an aerogel component; and / or, the fireproof blanket is an aerogel component.

[0009] In one embodiment, the battery module is provided with multiple NTC monitoring points, which are spaced apart on the battery module.

[0010] In one embodiment, the energy storage box further includes a fire extinguisher and a thermal switch. The fire extinguisher is installed inside the receiving cavity and connected to the box body, and the thermal switch is installed in the battery module and signal-connected to the fire extinguisher.

[0011] In one embodiment, the energy storage box further includes a main explosion-proof valve connected to the side wall of the box body to balance the air pressure inside and outside the box body.

[0012] In one embodiment, the energy storage box further includes a CCS assembly disposed between the battery module and the fire blanket; wherein the CCS assembly is electrically connected to the battery cell, and a mounting groove is provided at one end of the CCS assembly away from the battery module, and at least a portion of the fire blanket is accommodated in the mounting groove.

[0013] In one embodiment, the housing includes a main body, a side cover, and sealing foam. The receiving cavity is formed inside the main body, and the main body also has a receiving opening. The receiving opening is located on one side of the main body along the width direction of the housing and communicates with the receiving cavity. The sealing foam surrounds the receiving opening and is connected to the main body and the side cover respectively, so that the side cover seals the receiving opening.

[0014] In one embodiment, a plurality of battery cells arranged along the height direction of the housing in the battery module are defined as a battery cell group, and there are multiple battery cell groups arranged along the length direction of the housing. The battery module further includes multiple first end plates, multiple second end plates, first side plates, and second side plates. The first end plates and second end plates are respectively disposed on both sides of each battery cell group along the height direction of the housing and connected to the corresponding battery cells. The first side plate is disposed on the side of the first end plate away from the battery cell group and is connected to multiple first end plates. The second side plate is disposed on the side of the second end plate away from the battery cell group and is connected to multiple second end plates.

[0015] Compared to existing technologies, the energy storage box provided in this application features multiple battery cells with their explosion-proof valves facing the same direction—towards the side of the box. This means the battery cells are placed flat inside the energy storage box, ensuring that gases generated during thermal runaway impact the box in the same direction. This facilitates the installation of fire blankets, and by covering the explosion-proof valves with fire blankets, the high-temperature gases emitted from these valves are effectively isolated, improving safety. Furthermore, when the energy storage box is in use, the side of the box corresponding to the explosion-proof valves typically faces the building wall. When thermal runaway occurs, the high-temperature gases generated inside the battery cell are blocked by the wall after being ejected from the explosion-proof valves. Compared to traditional technologies where the cells are placed vertically and the gases directly impact the top of the box without obstruction, this application significantly reduces safety risks. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage box according to an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 A front view of a partial structure of an energy storage box provided in this application;

[0019] Figure 3 An exploded view of an energy storage box according to an embodiment provided in this application;

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a battery module according to an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 5 An exploded view of a battery module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0022] The symbols in the diagram represent the following meanings:

[0023] 100. Energy storage box; 10. Box body; 101. Receiving cavity; 102. Receiving opening; 11. Main body; 12. Side cover; 13. Sealing foam; 14. Module mounting plate; 20. Battery module; 21. Battery pack; 211. Battery cell; 2111. Battery cell explosion-proof valve; 22. Heat insulation pad; 23. NTC monitoring point; 24. First end plate; 25. Second end plate; 26. First side plate; 27. Second side plate; 30. Fire blanket; 40. Fire extinguisher; 50. Main explosion-proof valve; 60. CCS component; 601. Mounting groove; 70. Heating film. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0025] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application's specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0026] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0027] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0029] With the continuous development of energy storage technology, more and more home energy storage devices are appearing in people's daily lives, providing more reliable protection for people's emergency needs.

[0030] Currently, traditional residential energy storage boxes often use epoxy boards and mica boards as protective structural materials, but this cannot achieve ideal safety protection. When a battery cell inside the energy storage box experiences thermal runaway, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas generated can easily be directly ejected into the outside environment, posing a high risk to the surrounding environment. Specifically, in traditional technology, battery cells are usually placed vertically, with the cell explosion-proof valve located above the cell. During thermal runaway, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas will directly impact the top of the energy storage box. Since there are no other structural barriers above the energy storage box, heat can easily be directly transferred to the surrounding environment, thus creating a significant safety risk.

[0031] Please see Figures 1-5 To address the poor safety of existing energy storage boxes in the event of thermal runaway, this application provides an energy storage box 100. The energy storage box 100 includes a box body 10, a battery module 20, and a fireproof blanket 30. The box body 10 has a receiving cavity 101, within which the battery module 20 is installed. The battery module 20 includes multiple battery cells 211, each equipped with a cell explosion-proof valve 2111. The multiple battery cells 211 are arranged in an array along the length and height directions of the box body 10, and the cell explosion-proof valves 2111 on each cell face the same side of the box body 10 along its width. The fireproof blanket 30 covers the side of the battery module 20 where the cell explosion-proof valves 2111 are located, to prevent high-temperature gases from being ejected from the cell explosion-proof valves 2111 in the event of thermal runaway.

[0032] It is understood that the cell explosion-proof valves 2111 on multiple cells 211 in this application all face the same direction, which is towards the side of the housing 10. In other words, this application places the cells 211 flat inside the housing 10 of the energy storage box 100. This ensures that the gas generated by thermal runaway impacts the housing 10 in the same direction. This facilitates the laying of the fireproof blanket 30. Furthermore, by covering the cell explosion-proof valves 2111 with the fireproof blanket 30, the high-temperature gas ejected from the cell explosion-proof valves 2111 can be effectively isolated, thus improving safety. Furthermore, when the energy storage box 100 is in use, the side of the box 10 corresponding to the cell explosion-proof valve 2111 is usually facing the building wall. When the cell 211 experiences thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas generated inside the cell 211 is ejected from the cell explosion-proof valve 2111 and can be blocked by the wall. Compared with the traditional technology where the gas directly impacts the top of the box 10 without obstruction when the cell 211 is placed vertically, this application can greatly reduce the safety risk.

[0033] To further enhance the safety of the battery module 20 during thermal runaway, in one embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, the two ends of the fireproof blanket 30 of the battery cell 211 extend and cover both sides of the battery module 20 along the length of the casing 10. In this way, both sides of the battery module 20 along the length of the casing 10 can be protected by the fireproof blanket 30, thereby preventing the heat generated by thermal runaway from spreading from here.

[0034] Specifically, in one embodiment, the fire blanket 30 is an aerogel component. The aerogel fire blanket 30 has excellent fire resistance, can withstand flame impact temperatures above 1000°C, and will not break under impact. At the same time, its pressure resistance is not greatly affected, thus greatly reducing the possibility of thermal runaway of the product.

[0035] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the energy storage box 100 also includes a CCS module 60, which is disposed between the battery module 20 and the fire blanket 30. The CCS module 60 is electrically connected to the battery cell 211, and a mounting groove 601 is formed at the end of the CCS module 60 facing away from the battery module 20. At least a portion of the fire blanket 30 is accommodated within the mounting groove 601. Thus, the two side walls of the mounting groove 601 can provide a certain degree of restraint for the fire blanket 30, facilitating its installation.

[0036] It should be noted that the CCS component 60, namely Cells Contact System, integrates a busbar and can realize functions such as series and parallel connection between cells 211, temperature sampling, and circuit protection, ensuring the safe operation of the battery module 20.

[0037] Specifically, the fire blanket 30 can be fixed to the CCS assembly 60 by adhesive bonding.

[0038] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the housing 10 includes a main body 11 and a side cover 12. A receiving cavity 101 is formed within the main body 11. A receiving opening 102 is also formed on the main body 11, located on one side of the main body 11 along the width direction of the housing 10 and communicating with the receiving cavity 101. The side cover 12 seals the receiving opening 102 and is sealed to the main body 11. The battery module 20 is installed within the receiving cavity 101 through the receiving opening 102. Since one side of the main body 11 along the width direction of the housing 10 is the large surface of the housing 10, providing a receiving opening 102 for installing the battery module 20 facilitates operation and effectively reduces the installation difficulty of the battery module 20 and other components.

[0039] Furthermore, in one embodiment, as Figure 3As shown, the housing 10 also includes sealing foam 13, which surrounds the receiving opening 102 and is connected to the main body 11 and the side cover 12 respectively, so that the side cover 12 seals the receiving opening 102. In this way, the sealing performance of the receiving cavity 101 can be guaranteed, thereby improving the safety of the internal components.

[0040] Specifically, the sealing foam 13 can be adhered to the housing 10, and the side cover 12 can be locked by bolts or other fasteners.

[0041] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a battery module 20 is defined as a battery pack 21 consisting of multiple battery cells 211 arranged along the height direction of the housing 10. Multiple battery packs 21 are arranged along the length direction of the housing 10. The battery module 20 also includes multiple first end plates 24, multiple second end plates 25, first side plates 26, and second side plates 27. The first end plates 24 and second end plates 25 are respectively located on both sides of each battery pack 21 along the height direction of the housing 10 and are connected to the corresponding battery cells 211. The first side plate 26 is located on the side of the first end plate 24 away from the battery pack 21 and is connected to the multiple first end plates 24. The second side plate 27 is located on the side of the second end plate 25 away from the battery pack 21 and is connected to the multiple second end plates 25. In this way, multiple battery cells 211 arranged in an array can be connected through the first end plate 24, the second end plate 25, the first side plate 26, and the second side plate 27 to form an integral battery module 20, thereby facilitating the fixed connection between the battery module 20 and the housing 10. The battery module 20 is locked to the housing 10 by fasteners such as bolts passing through the first end plate 24 and the second end plate 25. Simultaneously, the first end plate 24, the second end plate 25, the first side plate 26, and the second side plate 27 provide a certain degree of protection for both sides of the battery module 20 along the height direction of the housing 10, preventing the spread of heat generated by thermal runaway from these points.

[0042] Specifically, in this embodiment, the battery module 20 includes three battery packs 21, wherein each battery pack 21 includes three battery cells 211. It should be noted that the number of battery packs 21 and the number of battery cells 211 contained within each battery pack 21 are not limited to the numbers mentioned above, and can be reasonably set according to actual needs. For example, the number of battery packs 21 can be set to two, four, or five, etc., and the number of battery cells 211 contained within each battery pack 21 can also be set to two, four, or five, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0043] To facilitate the installation of the battery module 20, a module mounting plate 14 can be provided on the side wall of the housing 10 away from the receiving opening 102. The first end plate 24, the second end plate 25 and the housing 10 can be locked together through the cooperation between the module mounting plate 14 and the bolts. Here, the module mounting plate 14 can be fixed inside the housing 10 by welding.

[0044] Furthermore, in one embodiment, a heating film 70 may be provided between the module mounting plate 14 and the battery module 20. The heating film 70 can heat the energy storage box 100 in cold environments such as winter, thereby solving the charging and discharging difficulties and range problems of the battery cell 211 in cold environments. The heating film 70 is preferably a silicone component and can be glued to the module mounting plate 14 to improve the reliability of the connection.

[0045] In summary, during thermal runaway, the side of the battery module 20 where the heat from the cell explosion-proof valve 2111 directly erupts, as well as the four adjacent sides, are protected by the fire blanket 30, end plates, or side plates, minimizing the chance of heat spread. The remaining side of the battery module 20 is far from the thermal runaway location, and the side wall of the housing 10 provides good insulation, eliminating the need for additional protective components and reducing costs. Of course, in other embodiments, aerogel or other protective components can be used to enhance thermal runaway safety; this is not a limiting factor.

[0046] To prevent the heat generated by cell 211 in thermal runaway from being transferred to other cells 211, in one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the battery module 20 also includes a heat insulation pad 22, which is disposed between two adjacent battery cells 211 and is in contact with the two adjacent battery cells 211. In this way, heat propagation between battery cells 211 is effectively prevented.

[0047] Specifically, the heat insulation pad 22 can be configured as an aerogel component and fixed by adhesive bonding. The aerogel heat insulation pad 22 can withstand temperatures greater than 400℃ and can achieve a good heat insulation effect.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the energy storage box 100 also includes a fire extinguisher 40 and a thermal switch (not shown). The fire extinguisher 40 is installed inside the receiving cavity 101 and connected to the box body 10. The thermal switch is installed on the battery module 20 and is signal-connected to the fire extinguisher 40. The thermal switch is controlled by a thermistor, requiring no power connection, consuming little energy. The thermistor can be installed in areas of the battery module 20 prone to thermal runaway, so that when the battery module 20 reaches a certain temperature, it triggers the thermal switch, controlling the fire extinguisher 40 to activate, thereby quickly extinguishing the fire source inside the energy storage box 100 and rapidly absorbing and cooling heat, preventing heat transfer to the outside of the energy storage box 100, ensuring personal and environmental safety. The fire extinguisher 40 is preferably an aerosol fire extinguisher.

[0049] Furthermore, in one embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, the battery module 20 is equipped with multiple NTC monitoring points 23, which are spaced apart. The battery status is monitored in real time by the thermistors installed at the NTC monitoring points 23, and the temperature of the battery module 20 and the cell 211 is monitored in all directions, thereby ensuring that thermal runaway events of the cell 211 can be predicted and prevented in advance.

[0050] It should be noted that NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) usually refers to a negative temperature coefficient thermistor, whose resistance value decreases rapidly as the temperature rises. In this embodiment, such as... Figure 4 As shown, 12 NTC monitoring points 23 are specifically set, and the NTC monitoring points 23 are preferably set at the gap between adjacent cells 211, or other areas prone to thermal runaway.

[0051] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the energy storage box 100 also includes a main explosion-proof valve 50, which is connected to the side wall of the box 10 and is used to balance the air pressure inside and outside the box 10. The main explosion-proof valve 50 can further improve the safety of the energy storage box 100 and reduce the occurrence of safety accidents such as explosions.

[0052] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0053] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the patent protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An energy storage box, characterized in that, It includes a housing (10), a battery module (20) and a fire blanket (30). The housing (10) has a receiving cavity (101) and the battery module (20) is installed in the receiving cavity (101). The battery module (20) includes multiple battery cells (211), each battery cell (211) is provided with a battery cell explosion-proof valve (2111), the multiple battery cells (211) are arranged in an array along the length and height of the housing (10), and the battery cell explosion-proof valves (2111) on the multiple battery cells (211) all face the same side of the housing (10) along the width direction; The fireproof blanket (30) is placed on the side of the battery module (20) where the cell explosion-proof valve (2111) is located, and is used to block the high-temperature gas ejected from the cell explosion-proof valve (2111) after thermal runaway.

2. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fireproof blanket (30) extends at both ends and covers the two sides of the battery module (20) along the length of the housing (10).

3. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery module (20) also includes a heat insulation pad (22), which is disposed between two adjacent battery cells (211) and is in contact with the two adjacent battery cells (211).

4. The energy storage box according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heat insulation pad (22) is an aerogel component; and / or, the fireproof blanket (30) is an aerogel component.

5. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery module (20) is provided with multiple NTC monitoring points (23), which are spaced apart on the battery module (20).

6. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage box also includes a fire extinguisher (40) and a thermal switch. The fire extinguisher (40) is installed in the receiving cavity (101) and connected to the box body (10). The thermal switch is installed in the battery module (20) and is signal-connected to the fire extinguisher (40).

7. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage box also includes a main explosion-proof valve (50), which is connected to the side wall of the box body (10) and is used to balance the air pressure inside and outside the box body (10).

8. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage box also includes a CCS component (60), which is disposed between the battery module (20) and the fireproof blanket (30); The CCS component (60) is electrically connected to the battery cell (211), and the end of the CCS component (60) facing away from the battery module (20) is provided with a mounting groove (601), and at least a portion of the fireproof blanket (30) is housed in the mounting groove (601).

9. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The box (10) includes a main body (11), a side cover (12) and sealing foam (13). The receiving cavity (101) is opened in the main body (11). The main body (11) is also provided with a receiving opening (102). The receiving opening (102) is located on one side of the main body (11) along the width direction of the box (10) and communicates with the receiving cavity (101). The sealing foam (13) surrounds the receiving opening (102) and is connected to the main body (11) and the side cover (12) respectively, so that the side cover (12) seals the receiving opening (102).

10. The energy storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, A battery module (20) is defined as a battery pack (21) consisting of multiple cells (211) arranged along the height direction of the housing (10). The number of battery packs (21) is multiple, and the multiple battery packs (21) are arranged along the length direction of the housing (10). The battery module (20) further includes multiple first end plates (24), multiple second end plates (25), a first side plate (26), and a second side plate (27). The first end plates (24) and the second end plates (25) are respectively disposed on both sides of each battery pack (21) along the height direction of the housing (10) and connected to the corresponding battery cells (211). The first side plate (26) is disposed on the side of the first end plate (24) away from the battery pack (21) and is connected to multiple first end plates (24). The second side plate (27) is disposed on the side of the second end plate (25) away from the battery pack (21) and is connected to multiple second end plates (25).

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