Battery cell, battery module, battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model relates to a battery cell, a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle, and the battery cell comprises a shell, a top cover, a pole and an anti-explosion valve; the top cover covers the top of the shell; the shell comprises a large face and a side wall, the area of the large face is larger than that of the side wall, and the large face, the side wall and the top cover are perpendicular to one another. The pole is arranged on the top cover, and the anti-explosion valve is arranged on the side wall. The pole and the explosion-proof valve are respectively arranged on the top cover and the side wall which are perpendicular to each other, so that the probability of electrical connection short circuit or arc discharge of the battery cells can be reduced when the battery cells are subjected to thermal runaway, and the situation of thermal runaway of adjacent battery cells is avoided, thereby improving the safety of the battery pack after thermal runaway and reducing the loss caused by thermal runaway of the battery cells.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicles, in particular to an electric core, a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] The electric core is provided with an explosion-proof valve. When the temperature of the electric core exceeds a preset threshold, the internal pressure of the electric core will rapidly increase, and the internal pressure of the electric core can be released to the outside through the explosion-proof valve, so as to reduce the possibility of explosion of the electric core.

[0003] In the prior art, the pole and the explosion-proof valve of the electric core are arranged at the top of the electric core, and the top of the electric core is further provided with high and low voltage copper bars, wire harnesses and other connecting components. When the electric core is in thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas sprayed outwards by the explosion-proof valve may cause the insulation skin of the wire harnesses to melt, break and other phenomena, thereby causing electrical connection short circuit or arc scene, and causing secondary damage.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the safety of the battery pack when the electric core is in thermal runaway is a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility model content

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide an electric core, a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle, which can effectively improve the safety of the electric core when it is in thermal runaway.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present application provides an electric core, comprising a shell, a top cover, a pole and an explosion-proof valve; the top cover covers the top of the shell; the shell comprises a large face and a side wall, the area of the large face is greater than the area of the side wall, the large face, the side wall and the top cover are perpendicular to each other; the pole is arranged on the top cover, and the explosion-proof valve is arranged on the side wall.

[0007] The present application also provides a battery module, comprising a plurality of electric cores as described above, each of the electric cores is arranged in sequence and side by side, and the large faces of two adjacent electric cores are attached.

[0008] The present application also provides a battery pack, comprising an outer shell and a plurality of battery modules as described above, the outer shell is provided with a mounting cavity, each of the battery modules is installed in each of the mounting cavities one by one, and the side wall of the electric core is arranged towards the cavity wall of the mounting cavity.

[0009] Optionally, a plurality of partitions are arranged in the outer shell, each of the partitions is arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the inner cavity of the outer shell is divided into a plurality of mounting cavities.

[0010] Optionally, the outer shell comprises an upper cover and a box body, the upper cover can cover the top of the box body, the side wall of the box body is further provided with an explosion-proof exhaust valve, and a gap is left between the top of each partition and the upper cover.

[0011] Optionally, a cooling mechanism is arranged in the shell, and the cooling mechanism circulates cooling liquid and contacts the battery cell.

[0012] Optionally, the cooling mechanism comprises two first concertinas and a plurality of second concertinas arranged side by side, each second concertina is located between the two first concertinas; the pole of the adjacent two battery cells is electrically connected by a busbar, the battery module comprises two rows of busbars, the first concertina contacts one row of busbars, and the second concertina is located between the adjacent two battery modules and contacts the adjacent two rows of busbars.

[0013] Optionally, the first concertina comprises a first section and a second section arranged in sequence along the width direction, the first section is a metal part and is attached to the upper surface of the busbar, and the second section is a plastic part and is located on the side of the first section away from the second concertina; the second concertina comprises a third section, a fourth section and a fifth section arranged in sequence along the width direction, the third section and the fifth section are metal parts and are attached to the adjacent two rows of busbars respectively, and the fourth section is a plastic part and is located between the adjacent two battery modules.

[0014] Optionally, the concertina is a plastic tube.

[0015] The application also provides a vehicle comprising the battery pack as described above.

[0016] The battery cell, the battery module, the battery pack and the vehicle provided by the application have the following technical effects compared with the prior art:

[0017] When the battery cell is in thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas generated by the battery cell can rapidly increase the pressure inside the shell and release the pressure to the outside through the explosion-proof valve, and the high-temperature gas and the conductive substance are sprayed out of the side wall through the explosion-proof valve. Since the explosion-proof valve and the pole are arranged on the mutually perpendicular side wall and the top cover, the situation that the high-temperature gas and the conductive substance directly ignite and melt the connecting component arranged on the top can be reduced, the heat diffusion is prevented, and the probability of short circuit or arc of the battery cell is reduced, thereby avoiding the situation that the thermal runaway of the adjacent battery cell is caused, so that the safety of the battery pack after the thermal runaway is improved and the loss caused by the thermal runaway of the battery cell is reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 is an exploded view of a battery pack provided by an embodiment of the application;

[0019] Figure 2 is a structural schematic view of a battery cell provided by an embodiment of the application;

[0020] Figure 3 is a top view of the battery pack after removing the top cover.

[0021] Figure Figures 1-3 In the drawings, reference numerals are used to indicate the same parts throughout the views.

[0022] 10 module;

[0023] 1 cell, 11 shell, 111 large surface, 112 side wall, 12 top cover, 13 explosion-proof valve, 14 pole;

[0024] 21 upper cover, 22 box body, 23 mounting cavity, 24 partition, 25 explosion-proof exhaust valve;

[0025] 3 cooling mechanism, 31 first organ pipe, 32 second organ pipe, 33 first manifold, 34 second manifold, 35 cooling liquid inlet, 36 cooling liquid outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order for those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present application, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0027] The present application provides a kind of cell 1 and battery pack, wherein, as Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the battery pack includes a shell and a plurality of battery modules 10 provided in the shell, a plurality of mounting cavities 23 are provided in the shell, and each mounting cavity 23 is respectively provided with a battery module 10 corresponding to each mounting cavity 23, and the battery module 10 includes a plurality of parallel arranged cells 1.

[0028] As shown in the figure, Figure 2 The cell 1 includes a shell 11, a top cover 12, a pole 14 and an explosion-proof valve 13, wherein the shell 11 is substantially in the structure of a rectangular parallelepiped, specifically including two oppositely arranged large surfaces 111, two oppositely arranged side walls 112 and a bottom wall, the top of the shell 11 is in an open structure, the top cover 12 is covered on the top of the shell 11, the top cover 12, the large surface 111 and the side wall 112 are perpendicular to each other, and the pole 14 is provided on the top cover 12.

[0029] The large surfaces 111 of the adjacent two cells 1 in each battery module 10 are adhered to each other, and the poles 14 of the adjacent two cells 1 are electrically connected by a busbar, which can be an aluminum bar, a copper bar, etc., which is not specifically limited here.

[0030] The explosion-proof valve 13 of the cell 1 is arranged on the side wall 112, which can be arranged on one side wall 112 of the shell 11 or on both side walls 112.

[0031] The pole 14 is arranged on the top cover 12 and is located at the top of the battery cell 1. In the mounted state, the top of the battery cell 1 is also provided with a busbar, a wire harness or other connecting components for realizing electrical connection. When the battery cell 1 has thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas generated will rapidly increase the pressure inside the shell 11 and release the pressure to the outside through the explosion-proof valve 13. Specifically, the high-temperature gas and conductive substances are sprayed out of the side wall 112 through the explosion-proof valve 13. Since the explosion-proof valve 13 and the pole 14 are arranged on the mutually perpendicular side wall 112 and top cover 12, respectively, the situation that the high-temperature gas and conductive substances directly ignite or melt the connecting components arranged on the top can be reduced, the heat diffusion is prevented, and thus the probability of electrical connection short circuit or arc discharge of the battery cell 1 is reduced, the situation that the adjacent battery cell 1 has thermal runaway is avoided, and thus the safety of the battery pack after thermal runaway is improved and the loss caused by the thermal runaway of the battery cell 1 is reduced.

[0032] In the battery module 10, the large faces 111 of two adjacent battery cells 1 are attached, and the side wall 112 of the battery cell 1 is arranged towards the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 23, that is, the explosion-proof valve 13 is arranged towards the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 23. When the battery cell 1 has thermal runaway, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 23 can block the high-temperature gas and conductive substances sprayed out of the explosion-proof valve 13, and prevent the situation that the battery cell 1 of the adjacent battery module 10 has thermal runaway.

[0033] A plurality of partitions 24 are arranged in the shell, and the partitions 24 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and divide the inner cavity of the shell to form a plurality of mounting cavities 23. The cavity wall of the mounting cavity 23 can be the partition 24 or the inner wall of the shell.

[0034] The shell specifically includes an upper cover 21 and a box body 22. The box body 22 is provided with a partition 24, and the upper cover 21 can be covered on the top of the box body 22 to form a sealed cavity. The side wall 112 of the box body 22 is also provided with an explosion-proof exhaust valve 25. When the battery cell 1 in the box body 22 has thermal runaway and the explosion-proof valve 13 sprays high-temperature gas into the shell to cause the gas pressure in the shell to increase, the pressure in the shell can be released through the explosion-proof exhaust valve 25 to avoid the situation that the pressure in the box body 22 is too large to cause damage to the shell and the internal components.

[0035] In this embodiment, the number of explosion-proof exhaust valves 25 is not required, and one, two or more can be used. The explosion-proof exhaust valve 25 is arranged on the side wall 112 of the box body 22, which can avoid the situation that the explosion-proof exhaust valve 25 is blocked compared with the scheme of being arranged on the top cover 12 or the bottom wall, and ensure that the pressure in the shell can be smoothly released when the battery cell 1 has thermal runaway and the pressure in the shell is too large.

[0036] The partition plate 24 is fixedly arranged in the box 22. Specifically, the partition plate 24 and the box 22 can be integrally formed, or the partition plate 24 and the box 22 can be fixedly connected through adhesion, welding or the like, which is not limited here.

[0037] A gap is further provided between the top of the partition plate 24 and the upper cover 21, and each installation cavity 23 is in communication through the gap. In this way, the number of explosion-proof exhaust valves 25 can be reduced, and the high-temperature gas and high-temperature substances sprayed out of the explosion-proof valve 13 due to thermal runaway of the battery cell 1 can be discharged through the explosion-proof exhaust valve 25.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3 , the battery pack further comprises a cooling mechanism 3, which is also arranged in the shell. The cooling mechanism 3 circulates cooling liquid and is used to cool each battery cell 1 to reduce the probability of thermal runaway and ensure the stable performance of the battery pack. The cooling mechanism 3 is arranged above the battery cell 1, and when the cooling mechanism 3 is installed, there is no need to consider the interference between the cooling mechanism 3 and the partition plate 24, thereby simplifying the overall structure and installation operation of the battery pack.

[0039] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3 , the cooling mechanism 3 comprises a first collecting pipe 33, a second collecting pipe 34 and a plurality of parallel arranged harmonica pipes. The two ends of each harmonica pipe are in communication with the first collecting pipe 33 and the second collecting pipe 34, respectively. The first collecting pipe 33 is provided with a cooling liquid inlet 35, and the second collecting pipe 34 is provided with a cooling liquid outlet 36. The cooling liquid can enter the first collecting pipe 33 through the cooling liquid inlet 35, then flow through each harmonica pipe to the second collecting pipe 34, and finally be discharged through the cooling liquid outlet 36. That is, each harmonica pipe is arranged in parallel, which simplifies the inflow and outflow of the cooling liquid and has a relatively simple overall structure.

[0040] When the battery cell 1 occurs thermal runaway, high-temperature gas and high-temperature substances are sprayed outwards through the explosion-proof valve 13. The high-temperature gas and high-temperature substances can flow upwards and melt the position corresponding to the harmonica pipe, and the cooling liquid can be sprayed out of the melted position to cool the battery cell 1 that occurs thermal runaway, thereby avoiding safety accidents.

[0041] As shown in Figure 3 , each battery cell 1 in each battery module 10 is arranged in parallel along a first direction, each battery module 10 in the battery pack is arranged in parallel along a second direction, the length direction of each harmonica pipe is arranged along the first direction, and the width direction of each harmonica pipe is arranged along the second direction.

[0042] The two adjacent battery cells 1 are electrically connected through the bus bars. Specifically, the top wall of the battery cell 1 is provided with two poles 14, which are the positive pole and the negative pole, respectively. The bus bar is electrically connected with the positive pole of one battery cell 1, and at the same time, the bus bar is also electrically connected with the negative pole of the adjacent another battery cell 1, so as to realize the electrical connection between the two battery cells 1. Therefore, each group of battery modules 10 has two rows of bus bars arranged in the first direction,

[0043] The harmonica tube can be attached to the upper surface of the bus bar, and the cooling liquid flowing in the harmonica tube can cool the bus bar, thereby cooling the connecting part between the battery cells 1, reducing the heat transfer between the battery cells 1, and improving the performance and safety of the battery pack.

[0044] Specifically, the two end harmonica tubes are first harmonica tubes, and the harmonica tubes between the two first harmonica tubes are second harmonica tubes. Among them, the first harmonica tube 31 only contacts with one row of bus bars, and the second harmonica tube 32 is arranged between the two groups of battery modules 10 and contacts with two rows of bus bars in the second direction. The two rows of bus bars are the bus bars of the two groups of battery modules 10, respectively, as shown in the battery pack. Figure 1 The battery pack shown in the battery pack includes six groups of battery modules 10, each group of battery modules 10 has two rows of bus bars, a total of twelve rows of bus bars, and the two rows of bus bars at the end are respectively contacted with two first harmonica tubes 31. The second harmonica tube 32 is located between the two groups of battery modules 10 and respectively contacts with the adjacent two rows of bus bars.

[0045] Of course, in the present embodiment, each harmonica tube can also be arranged as the same structure, so that each harmonica tube corresponds to one row of bus bars, that is, the number of harmonica tubes is twice the number of battery modules 10. When the harmonica tube is arranged to include the first harmonica tube 31 and the second harmonica tube 32, the overall structure of the cooling mechanism 3 can be simplified, the manufacturing process can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced.

[0046] In the present embodiment, the material of the harmonica tube is not limited, which can be metal material, plastic material or formed by splicing metal material and plastic material. When the harmonica tube is plastic material, its melting point is lower than that of metal, so it is easier to melt, which can ensure that the cooling liquid can be sprayed to the battery cell 1 in thermal runaway in time. When the harmonica tube is metal material, the heat conduction performance is better, which is beneficial to cooling the battery cell 1.

[0047] When the harmonica tube is formed by splicing metal material and plastic material, the harmonica tube includes a metal part and a plastic part. The metal part is used to attach to the bus bar to ensure the cooling performance of the battery cell 1, and the plastic part is easier to melt when thermal runaway occurs, which can ensure that the cooling liquid can be sprayed to the battery cell 1 in thermal runaway in time.

[0048] Specifically, the first mouth pipe 31 includes a first section and a second section along the width direction of the first mouth pipe 31, the first section is a metal part and is attached to the upper surface of the bus bar, and the second section is a plastic part, the second section is located on the side of the first section away from the second mouth pipe 32, when the battery cell 1 occurs thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas and high-temperature substance discharged by the explosion-proof valve 13 can rise along the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 23 to the second section and melt the second section, and the melted part can spray the coolant to cool the corresponding battery cell 1, thereby ensuring safety. The second mouth pipe 32 includes a third section, a fourth section and a fifth section arranged in sequence along the width direction, the third section and the fifth section are metal parts and are in contact with the two adjacent rows of bus bars respectively, and the fourth section is a plastic part and is located between the two rows of battery modules 10, when the battery cell 1 occurs thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas and high-temperature substance discharged by the explosion-proof valve 13 can rise along the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 23 to the fourth section and melt the fourth section, and the melted part can spray the coolant to cool the corresponding battery cell 1, thereby ensuring safety.

[0049] Of course, in the embodiment, the battery cell 1 can also be cooled by a cooling plate, which can be arranged on the top or bottom of the battery cell 1, and when the cooling mechanism 3 is arranged in the structure including the mouth pipe, the battery cell 1 can be cooled, and when the battery cell 1 occurs thermal runaway, the coolant can be sprayed by melting to precisely cool the battery cell 1, thereby avoiding affecting other battery cells 1, and the mouth pipes are arranged at intervals, thereby reducing the overall weight and cost.

[0050] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "circumferential" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0051] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise specifically limited.

[0052] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, and it should be pointed out that for ordinary skilled in the art, without departing from the principles of the present application, a number of improvements and refinements can be made, which should be considered as the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery cell, characterized in that, Includes housing, top cover, pole, and explosion-proof valve; The top cover fits over the top of the housing; The housing includes a large surface and side walls, the area of ​​the large surface is larger than the area of ​​the side walls, and the large surface, the side walls and the top cover are perpendicular to each other; The pole is located on the top cover, and the explosion-proof valve is located on the side wall.

2. A battery module, characterized in that, It includes multiple battery cells as described in claim 1, wherein each battery cell is arranged side by side in sequence, and the large surfaces of two adjacent battery cells are bonded together.

3. A battery pack, characterized in that, The device includes a housing and multiple battery modules as described in claim 2. The housing has a mounting cavity, and each battery module is installed in the mounting cavity in a corresponding manner. The sidewall of the battery cell faces the cavity wall of the mounting cavity.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a plurality of partitions disposed within the housing, wherein the partitions are arranged in parallel at intervals and divide the inner cavity of the housing to form a plurality of mounting cavities.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer casing includes a top cover and a housing. The top cover can be closed to the top of the housing. The side wall of the housing is also provided with an explosion-proof exhaust valve. There is a gap between the top of each partition and the top cover.

6. The battery pack according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, It also includes a cooling mechanism located inside the housing, through which coolant flows and in contact with the battery cell.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cooling mechanism includes two first harmonica tubes arranged side by side and multiple second harmonica tubes, with each second harmonica tube located between the two first harmonica tubes; The terminals of two adjacent battery cells are electrically connected through a busbar. The battery module includes two rows of busbars. The first harmonica tube is in contact with one row of busbars. The second harmonica tube is located between two adjacent battery modules and is in contact with the two adjacent rows of busbars respectively.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first harmonica tube includes a first section and a second section arranged sequentially along its width. The first section is a metal part and is attached to the upper surface of the busbar. The second section is a plastic part and is located on the side of the first section away from the second harmonica tube. The second harmonica tube includes a third, fourth and fifth section arranged sequentially along its width. The third and fifth sections are metal parts and are respectively attached to two adjacent rows of busbars. The fourth section is a plastic part and is located between two adjacent sets of battery modules.

9. The battery pack according to claim 7, characterized in that, The harmonica tube is made of plastic.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the battery pack as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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