Battery cell, battery device, energy storage device, energy storage system and charging network

Abstract

The utility model relates to a battery monomer, a battery device, an energy storage device, an energy storage system and a charging network, and belongs to the technical field of batteries. The battery monomer comprises a shell, an electrode assembly, a pressure relief mechanism and an insulating part, and the shell is provided with an accommodating space and comprises a first wall; the electrode assembly is arranged in the accommodating space and is arranged on one side of the first wall in the first direction; the pressure relief mechanism is arranged on the first wall; the insulating part is arranged between the first wall and the electrode assembly in the first direction, the insulating part comprises at least two sub-insulators which are arranged in a split mode, the at least two sub-insulators are at least partially arranged in a spaced mode in the second direction and form a channel, and the first direction intersects with the second direction. According to the battery monomer, the battery device, the energy storage device, the energy storage system and the charging network provided by the invention, the reliability of the battery monomer during thermal runaway is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery cell, battery device, energy storage device, energy storage system and charging network. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of new energy technologies, batteries are being used more and more widely, for example in mobile phones, laptops, electric vehicles, electric cars, electric airplanes, electric ships, electric toy cars, electric toy ships, electric toy airplanes, and power tools.

[0003] In the development of battery technology, the reliability of individual battery cells directly affects the reliability of finished products, usage costs, and user experience. Therefore, how to effectively improve the reliability of individual battery cells is a continuous technical challenge in battery technology. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above problems, this application provides a battery cell, a battery device, an energy storage device, an energy storage system, and a charging network, which can at least improve the reliability of the battery cell.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a battery cell, which includes a casing, an electrode assembly, a pressure relief mechanism, and an insulating member. The casing has a receiving space and includes a first wall. The electrode assembly is disposed within the receiving space and on one side of the first wall in a first direction. The pressure relief mechanism is disposed on the first wall. The insulating member is disposed between the first wall and the electrode assembly along the first direction. The insulating member includes at least two separately disposed sub-insulators, and the at least two sub-insulators are at least partially spaced along a second direction to form a channel. The first direction X intersects the second direction Y.

[0006] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, by setting the insulating component including at least two separately arranged sub-insulators, and the at least two sub-insulators being at least partially spaced apart along a second direction to form a channel, when the battery cell experiences thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas in the containment space can be quickly discharged using the channel and the pressure relief mechanism. At the same time, the separate sub-insulator structure can provide insulation for the electrode assembly independently. When one sub-insulator fails under high temperature, it will not affect the insulation effect of other sub-insulators on the electrode assembly, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell under thermal runaway conditions. During the production and assembly stage of the battery cell, the separate sub-insulators can also be scrapped separately, which can reduce the waste of raw materials during production and improve economic efficiency.

[0007] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the sub-insulator's surface facing the electrode assembly is provided with a boss, and along the second direction, the boss is at least located at the end of the sub-insulator near the pressure relief mechanism. By providing a boss on the surface of the sub-insulator facing the electrode assembly, the gap between the sub-insulator and the electrode assembly can be reduced, and the boss can provide support for the electrode assembly when it experiences upward movement due to thermal runaway, reducing the risk of the electrode assembly short-circuiting to the casing under the action of gas pressure during thermal runaway. At the same time, by positioning the boss at the end of the sub-insulator near the pressure relief mechanism, the flow direction of the gas in the containment space can be changed as the gas flows towards the pressure relief mechanism. While the gas generally flows towards the pressure relief mechanism in the containment space along the first direction, a large portion of the gas will first flow towards the electrode assembly along the first direction due to the obstruction of the boss, and then flow towards the pressure relief mechanism through the channel. In this way, this portion of the airflow can be used to reduce the risk of the electrode assembly moving upward, resulting in higher reliability.

[0008] In some embodiments, the boss is provided with a first air guiding surface, the distance between the first air guiding surface and the first wall decreasing along the direction closer to the channel; and / or, the boss is provided with a second air guiding surface, the distance between the second air guiding surface and the first wall increasing along the direction away from the channel. That is, both the first air guiding surface and the second air guiding surface are surfaces inclined to the first direction. When a battery cell experiences thermal runaway, at least one of the first air guiding surface and the second air guiding surface can guide the gas generated in the containment space to the electrode assembly, and use the guided airflow to alleviate the tendency of the electrode assembly to rise under the action of gas pressure, which can further improve the stability and reliability of the battery cell during thermal runaway.

[0009] In some embodiments, the boss further includes a first surface connected to one end of the first and / or second air guide surfaces near the electrode assembly; the inclination angle between the first and / or second air guide surfaces and the first wall is between 95° and 150°. This design allows the slope of the first and / or second air guide surfaces on the boss to be selected as needed to accommodate battery cells of more sizes, thus enhancing its applicability.

[0010] In some embodiments, the boss is provided with a vent hole, which connects the two ends of the sub-insulator along a first direction. The vent hole on the boss ensures that the gas in the containment space is not completely blocked by the boss; instead, a portion can be discharged through the vent hole. When the gas production in the containment space is too large, making it difficult for the vent hole to discharge the gas in a short time, the remaining gas can be guided by the boss to the electrode assembly and / or channel to achieve the corresponding function.

[0011] In some embodiments, the number of vent holes in a single boss is 2 to 10; and / or, the flow area of ​​the vent holes is 12 mm². 2 Up to 150mm2 ; and / or, the cross-sectional shape of the vent is elliptical, circular, rectangular, or oval. That is, the number of vents, the flow area, and the cross-sectional shape can be freely selected according to the specifications and size of the battery cell, so that battery cells of various sizes can obtain good venting and pressure relief capabilities in the event of thermal runaway, thereby improving the reliability and applicability of the battery cell.

[0012] In some embodiments, the boss is recessed from the sub-insulator toward the electrode assembly, and a groove is formed on the side of the boss facing away from the electrode assembly, with the vent hole communicating with the groove. That is, the boss is a non-solid structure; it can be integrally formed from the sub-insulator by stamping or die casting, forming a protruding structure on the side of the sub-insulator near the electrode assembly, and a groove at a corresponding position on the side of the sub-insulator near the first wall. This reduces the weight of the boss and even the insulating component itself, which is beneficial for improving the mass energy density of the battery cell and reducing material consumption.

[0013] In some embodiments, a raised portion is provided between the sub-insulator and the boss. The raised portion is provided between the sub-insulator and the boss, and the gap between the boss and the electrode assembly can be adjusted by adjusting the size of the raised portion. This helps to improve the support effect of the insulator on the electrode assembly while ensuring the "slope" of the boss, and reduces the risk of the electrode assembly rising during thermal runaway.

[0014] In some embodiments, the width of the channel is 1 mm to 5 mm in the arrangement direction of each sub-insulator. The width of the channel can be selected as needed to adapt to different product specifications, thus increasing its applicability.

[0015] In some embodiments, the height of the boss along the first direction is 3mm to 10mm. By limiting the height of the boss, the height of the boss can meet the needs of most battery cells, reducing the gap between the boss and the electrode assembly, and improving the support stability and reliability between the boss and the electrode assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, the channel and the pressure relief mechanism at least partially overlap in the first direction. This partial overlap allows high-temperature, high-pressure gas in the containment space to be rapidly discharged through the channel to the pressure relief mechanism and then discharged from the containment space via the pressure relief mechanism when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, thereby improving the pressure relief efficiency of the pressure relief mechanism.

[0017] In some embodiments, a connector is provided between adjacent sub-insulators, with each end of the connector connecting to one of the two adjacent sub-insulators. The connector improves the structural consistency between adjacent sub-insulators, facilitates the transportation or disassembly of the insulators, and, because the connector itself is structurally weak, it will fail first in the event of thermal runaway in a single battery cell, severing the connection between the two sub-insulators. This allows each sub-insulator to independently support the electrode assembly; even if one side deforms and fails, the other side can still provide support for the electrode assembly.

[0018] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a battery device, which includes a battery cell as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0019] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide an energy storage device, which includes the battery device provided in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0020] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide an energy storage system, which includes an energy storage converter and an energy storage device as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments. The energy storage converter is used to electrically connect the power generation device and the energy storage device.

[0021] Fifthly, embodiments of this application also provide a charging network, which includes charging piles and an energy storage device as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments, the energy storage device being used to provide electrical energy to the charging piles.

[0022] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art 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.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a charging network provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This application provides schematic diagrams of the structure of an energy storage system according to some embodiments.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage device provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a battery device provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 An exploded view of the three-dimensional structure of a single battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the mating structure between the insulating component and the first wall in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged view of part A of the shown battery cell;

[0031] Figure 8 for Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown;

[0032] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Enlarged view of part B of the shown battery cell;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the insulating component in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram illustrating the fit between the insulating component and the first wall in a battery cell according to some embodiments of this application.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Charging network; 2. Energy storage system; 3. Power generation device;

[0036] 2000, Energy storage device; 210, Energy storage enclosure; 3000, Charging pile; 4000, Energy storage converter; 1000, Battery device; 200, Enclosure; 201, First part; 202, Second part;

[0037] 100. Battery cell; 10. Casing; 11. End cap; 12. Housing; 20. Electrode assembly; 30. Insulator; 31. Sub-insulator; 32. Boss; 321. First venting surface; 322. Vent; 323. Second venting surface; 324. First surface; 33. Elevated part; 34. Connector; 40. Pressure relief mechanism;

[0038] 101. Accommodation space; 102. First wall; 103. Passage; X, First direction; Y, Second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0039] 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.

[0040] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0041] Furthermore, where the term "and / or" appears, "and / or" merely describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. Where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms 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. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0042] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0044] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0045] Compared to other types of batteries such as lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries, lithium-ion batteries have advantages such as high specific capacity, high operating voltage, fast charging speed, wide operating temperature range, long cycle life, small size, and light weight. They are widely used not only in portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, digital camcorders, and laptops, but also in large and medium-sized electric equipment such as electric vehicles, electric bicycles, and power tools. However, the safety of lithium batteries is a significant factor affecting their development.

[0046] The positive electrode materials of lithium-ion batteries generally include lithium-rich manganese-based, lithium cobalt oxide, lithium manganese oxide, lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide, and lithium iron phosphate; the negative electrode is generally a graphite or silicon-carbon composite material. During charging, lithium ions are extracted from the positive electrode material, pass through the electrolyte and separator, and then embed into the negative electrode material. In a fully charged state, the positive electrode of a lithium-ion battery exhibits strong oxidizing properties, while the negative electrode exhibits strong reducing properties. The electrolyte used is typically LiPF6, which is easily decomposed by heat and is sensitive to water. The electrolyte solvent is generally a carbonate-based organic solvent with a low flash point. Under conditions of overcharging, over-discharging, or overheating, thermal runaway may occur inside the battery, leading to combustion or even explosion.

[0047] In related technologies, a battery cell includes a casing and an electrode assembly disposed within the casing. The casing typically includes an end cap and a housing, which together form a containment space for accommodating the electrode assembly and electrolyte. When the electrode assembly is in normal operating condition, the pressure relief mechanism on the end cap is in a non-pressure relief state. However, when the electrode assembly is in an overheated or thermal runaway state, a large amount of high-temperature gas is rapidly generated in the containment space. When the gas in the containment space reaches the critical pressure for the pressure relief mechanism to open, the pressure relief mechanism will open to release the gas in the containment space.

[0048] In the battery cell of the relevant technology, the insulating component, as a member disposed between the electrode assembly and the casing, mainly serves to insulate the electrode assembly from the casing. Specifically, the insulating component is a member disposed between the electrode assembly and the end cap in the casing, and it is usually provided with vent holes for gas to pass through. In the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell and the pressure relief mechanism is in the pressure relief state, the high-temperature gas in the containment space will be discharged to the outside of the containment space under pressure through the vent holes on the insulating component and the pressure relief mechanism in sequence.

[0049] However, when a battery cell experiences thermal runaway, the containment space will be filled with high-temperature and high-pressure gas in a short period of time, which can easily cause the insulating components to melt and deform, leading to insulation failure between the electrode assembly and the end cap. Although the end cap is equipped with a pressure relief mechanism, when the insulating components melt and deform and lose their limiting effect on the electrode assembly, the electrode assembly is prone to rising under the action of high gas pressure, which can then contact the end cap and cause a short circuit, resulting in poor reliability.

[0050] Based on this situation, this application provides a battery cell comprising a casing, an electrode assembly, a pressure relief mechanism, and an insulating component. The casing has a receiving space and includes a first wall. The electrode assembly is disposed within the receiving space and on one side of the first wall in a first direction. The pressure relief mechanism is disposed on the first wall. The insulating component is disposed between the first wall and the electrode assembly along the first direction. The insulating component includes at least two separately disposed sub-insulators, and the at least two sub-insulators are at least partially spaced along a second direction to form a channel. The first direction intersects the second direction.

[0051] According to the battery cell of this application, by setting the insulating component including at least two sub-insulators, and the at least two sub-insulators being at least partially spaced along a second direction to form a channel, when the battery cell experiences thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas in the containment space can be quickly discharged using the channel and the pressure relief mechanism. At the same time, the split sub-insulator structure can provide insulation for the electrode assembly independently. When one sub-insulator fails under high temperature, it will not affect the insulation effect of other sub-insulators on the electrode assembly, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell under thermal runaway conditions. During the production and assembly stage of the battery cell, the split sub-insulators can also be scrapped separately, which can reduce the waste of raw materials during production and improve economic efficiency.

[0052] The battery cells disclosed in this application can be used, but are not limited to, in electrical equipment such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft.

[0053] This application provides an electrical device that uses a battery as a power source. The electrical device can be, but is not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0054] The battery device disclosed in this application can be applied to energy storage devices such as energy storage containers or energy storage cabinets.

[0055] The battery device 1000 will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the charging network 1 provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage device 2000 provided in some embodiments of this application. Embodiments of this application provide a charging network 1, which includes a charging pile 3000 for charging electrical equipment. The charging network 1 may also include an energy storage device 2000, which is electrically connected to the charging pile 3000 and provides power to the charging pile 3000.

[0057] It should be noted that the charging pile 3000 and the battery cells in the energy storage device 2000 are electrically connected via cables. The battery cells can supply their stored electrical energy to the charging pile 3000. The charging pile 3000 has connectors that can be connected to electrical equipment, thereby replenishing the equipment's energy. The application of the energy storage device 2000 in this charging network 1 can effectively improve the safety of the charging network 1 and also help to improve the flexibility of the charging network 1 during deployment.

[0058] In a charging network 1, there can be one charging pile 3000, and the energy storage device 2000 provides power to the one charging pile 3000; there can also be multiple charging piles 3000, and the energy storage device 2000 provides power to multiple charging piles 3000.

[0059] As an example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the charging network 1 includes an energy storage device 2000 and two charging piles 3000, with the energy storage device 2000 providing power to the two charging piles 3000.

[0060] The energy storage device 2000 may include a battery device 1000, which is electrically connected to the charging pile 3000 so that the battery device 1000 can provide power to the charging pile 3000.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage system 2 provided in some embodiments of this application. Embodiments of this application provide an energy storage system 2. The energy storage system 2 includes an energy storage converter 4000, which can be electrically connected to a generator 3 to convert the electrical power provided by the generator 3. The energy storage system 2 may also include an energy storage device 2000, which is electrically connected to the energy storage converter 4000. The energy storage converter 4000 converts the electrical energy provided by the generator 3 and stores it in the energy storage device 2000.

[0062] A power conversion device is used to connect the power generation device 3 and the energy storage device 2000. The power generation device 3 generates electrical energy and stores the generated electrical energy in the energy storage device 2000 via the power conversion device. The use of the energy storage device 2000 in the energy storage system 2 effectively improves the operational safety of the energy storage system 2. In specific implementations, the power generation equipment can be solar panels, hydroelectric power generation equipment, thermal power generation equipment, etc. This application does not limit the specific type of power generation equipment.

[0063] As an example, such as Figure 2As shown, the energy storage system 2 includes an energy storage device 2000 and an energy storage converter 4000. The two power generation devices 3 respectively transmit the generated electrical energy to the energy storage converter 4000, and the energy storage converter 4000 introduces the electrical energy into the energy storage device 2000 for storage.

[0064] Please refer to Figure 3 The energy storage device 2000 includes an energy storage box 210, and a battery device 1000 is installed inside the energy storage box 210.

[0065] As an example, the energy storage device 2000 can be an energy storage container, an energy storage cabinet, etc.

[0066] As an example, the energy storage device 2000 can be used in energy storage power stations, wind power generation systems, solar power generation systems, mobile power systems, or temporary power supply systems. Energy storage power stations can store electrical energy during off-peak hours and provide power to relevant users or electrical equipment during peak hours. Wind power generation systems collect wind energy from wind turbines, convert it into electricity, and store it in the energy storage device 2000. Solar power generation systems can convert solar energy into electricity, store it in the energy storage device 2000, and supply it to users as needed. Mobile power systems can supply power to relevant electrical equipment in areas where the mains power supply cannot reach, such as remote mountainous areas and isolated wilderness areas. Temporary power supply systems can provide power to users when there is insufficient power.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a perspective structural diagram of a battery device provided in an embodiment of this application. The battery device 1000 includes a housing 200 and a battery cell 100, with the battery cell 100 housed within the housing 200. The housing 200 provides storage space for the battery cell 100, and the housing 200 can adopt various structures. In some embodiments, the housing 200 may include a first portion 201 and a second portion 202, which overlap each other, jointly defining a storage space for accommodating the battery cell 100. The second portion 202 may be a hollow structure with one open end, and the first portion 201 may be a plate-like structure, covering the open side of the second portion 202 so that the first portion 201 and the second portion 202 jointly define the storage space; alternatively, the first portion 201 and the second portion 202 may both be hollow structures with one open side, with the open side of the first portion 201 overlapping the open side of the second portion 202. Of course, the box 200 formed by the first part 201 and the second part 202 can be of various shapes, such as cylinder, cuboid, etc.

[0068] In the battery device 1000, there can be multiple battery cells 100, which can be connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner. A mixed connection means that multiple battery cells 100 are connected in both series and parallel configurations. Multiple battery cells 100 can be directly connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner, and then the entire assembly of the multiple battery cells 100 is housed within the housing 200. Alternatively, the battery device 1000 can also consist of multiple battery cells 100 first connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form battery modules, and then these battery modules are connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form a whole, which is also housed within the housing 200. The battery device 1000 may also include other structures; for example, it may include a busbar component for electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 100.

[0069] Each battery cell 100 can be a secondary battery or a primary battery; it can also be a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited to these. The battery cell 100 can be cylindrical, flat, cuboid, or other shapes.

[0070] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 An exploded perspective view of a battery cell provided in one embodiment of this application. The battery cell 100 refers to the smallest unit comprising the battery device 1000. For example... Figure 3 The battery cell 100 includes a housing 10 (including an end cap 11 and a housing 12), an electrode assembly 20, and an insulating component 30.

[0071] End cap 11 refers to a component that covers the opening of housing 12 to isolate the internal environment of battery cell 100 from the external environment. The shape of end cap 11 can be adapted to the shape of housing 12 to fit it. Optionally, end cap 11 can be made of a material with certain hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy), so that end cap 11 is not easily deformed under pressure or impact, allowing battery cell 100 to have higher structural strength and improved safety performance. Functional components such as electrode terminals can be provided on end cap 11. Electrode terminals can be used for electrical connection with electrode assembly 20 to output or input electrical energy to battery cell 100. In some embodiments, end cap 11 can also be provided with a pressure relief mechanism for releasing internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of battery cell 100 reaches a threshold. The material of end cap 11 can also be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and this application embodiment does not impose any special limitations on this.

[0072] The housing 12 is a component used to cooperate with the end cap 11 to form the internal environment of the battery cell 100, wherein the formed internal environment can accommodate the electrode assembly 20, electrolyte, and other components. The housing 12 and the end cap 11 can be independent components. An opening can be provided on the housing 12, and the end cap 11 closes the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell 100. Alternatively, the end cap 11 and the housing 12 can be integrated. Specifically, the end cap 11 and the housing 12 can form a common connecting surface before other components are inserted into the housing. When it is necessary to encapsulate the interior of the housing 12, the end cap 11 closes the housing 12. The housing 12 can be of various shapes and sizes, such as cuboid, cylindrical, hexagonal prism, etc. Specifically, the shape of the housing 12 can be determined according to the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 20. The material of the housing 12 can be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and this embodiment does not impose any special limitations on this.

[0073] Electrode assembly 20 is the component in the battery cell 100 where electrochemical reactions occur. The casing 12 may contain one or more electrode assemblies 20. The electrode assembly 20 is mainly formed by winding or stacking positive and negative electrode sheets, and typically a separator is provided between the positive and negative electrode sheets. The portions of the positive and negative electrode sheets containing active material constitute the main body of the cell assembly, while the portions of the positive and negative electrode sheets without active material each constitute a tab. The positive and negative tabs may be located together at one end of the main body or separately at both ends of the main body. During the charging and discharging process of the battery, the positive and negative active materials react with the electrolyte, and the tabs connect to the electrode terminals to form a current loop.

[0074] The insulating component 30 mainly serves the functions of electrical insulation and sealing in the battery cell. The insulating component 30 may be made of polypropylene, polyphenylene ether, nylon and other plastics that have excellent chemical corrosion resistance and insulation properties.

[0075] Generally, the insulating component 30 can be divided into an upper plastic and a lower plastic. The upper plastic is usually placed between the riveting block and the housing to isolate the riveting block and the housing, prevent short circuits, and improve the electrical reliability of the battery cell. Structurally, the upper plastic usually has through holes to cooperate with the riveting block, terminals, and other structures, playing a role in positioning, fixing, and simplifying assembly, which helps to improve the compactness and stability of the battery cell. The lower plastic is usually located between the top cover and the cell, mainly used to isolate the terminals, busbars, etc., from the housing to prevent internal short circuits. At the same time, the lower plastic usually has an injection hole and is equipped with a one-way conduction valve structure to allow electrolyte to be injected into the housing while preventing liquid backflow or leakage, improving injection efficiency and reliability. In these embodiments of this application, only the lower plastic of the insulating component 30 is described as an example.

[0076] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the mating structure between the insulating component and the first wall in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged view of part A of the shown battery cell; Figure 8 for Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown; Figure 9 for Figure 8 The enlarged view of part B of the battery cell is shown.

[0077] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 9 This application provides a battery cell 100, which includes a housing 10, an electrode assembly 20, a pressure relief mechanism 40, and an insulating member 30. The housing 10 has a receiving space 101 and includes a first wall 102. The electrode assembly 20 is disposed in the receiving space 101 and on one side of the first wall 102 in a first direction X. The pressure relief mechanism 40 is disposed on the first wall 102. The insulating member 30 is disposed between the first wall 102 and the electrode assembly 20 along the first direction X. The insulating member 30 includes at least two separately disposed sub-insulators 31, and the at least two sub-insulators 31 are at least partially spaced along a second direction Y to form a channel 103. The first direction X and the second direction Y intersect.

[0078] The outer casing 10 is an external structural component of the battery cell 100, used to define the external shape of the battery cell 100 and provide a relatively stable and sealed working environment for the normal operation of the battery cell 100.

[0079] The outer casing 10 has a receiving space 101, which means that the outer casing 10 is an enclosing structure and the receiving space 101 is the internal space of the outer casing 10. After the battery cell 100 is packaged, the electrode assembly 20 is contained in the receiving space 101 and immersed in the electrolyte.

[0080] The outer casing 10 includes a first wall 102, and the first wall 102 is opposite to the electrode assembly 20. This means that the first wall 102 is a wall structure in the outer casing 10 that is opposite to the electrode assembly 20. In an embodiment where the outer casing 10 includes an end cap 11 and a housing 12, the first wall 102 can be the end cap 11; while in an embodiment where the outer casing 10 does not have an end cap 11, the first wall 102 is a wall structure in the outer casing 10 that is opposite to the electrode assembly 20.

[0081] The electrode assembly 20 is a component in the battery cell 100 used for actual electrochemical reactions. It is immersed in the electrolyte, which allows electrons to "swim" back and forth between the positive and negative electrodes, thereby realizing the charging and discharging of the battery cell 100.

[0082] The electrode assembly 20 is disposed on one side of the first wall 102 in the first direction X and housed in the housing space 101. This means that the electrode assembly 20 is sealed and housed in the housing space 101 and there is a certain gap between it and the first wall 102, so as to reduce the risk of electrical contact short circuit between the electrode assembly 20 and the first wall 102.

[0083] The pressure relief mechanism 40 is disposed on the first wall 102 and is configured to connect the containment space 101 to the outside when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 100, thereby quickly venting the gas in the containment space 101, alleviating the thermal runaway situation, and reducing the risk of thermal runaway escalation.

[0084] In these embodiments of this application, the pressure relief mechanism 40 can be configured to adjust its working state according to the temperature or air pressure changes in the containment space 101. That is, under the normal working state of the battery cell 100, the pressure relief mechanism 40 can maintain the containment space 101 in a sealed and isolated state from the outside. When the pressure relief mechanism 40 senses that the air pressure or temperature in the containment space 101 has increased and reached a preset threshold, it can be opened actively or passively to connect the containment space 101 with the outside, thereby allowing the gas generated in the containment space 101 due to thermal runaway to be discharged from the containment space 101 through the pressure relief mechanism 40.

[0085] An insulating member 30 is disposed along the first direction X between the first wall 102 and the electrode assembly 20 to insulate the electrode assembly 20 from the housing 10, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit between the electrode assembly 20 and the housing 10. Exemplarily, in these embodiments of the present application, the insulating member 30 may be connected between the first wall 102 and the electrode assembly 20 to improve the structural consistency between the insulating member 30 and the first wall 102, enhance the structural stability of the insulating member 30, and insulate the first wall 102 from the electrode assembly 20.

[0086] The connection between the insulating component 30 and the first wall 102 can be a detachable connection such as a snap-fit ​​connection or a sliding groove connection. In some embodiments, the insulating component 30 and the first wall 102 can also be fixedly connected by bonding or even integral molding.

[0087] The insulating component 30 includes at least two separately configured sub-insulators 31, meaning that the insulating component 30 has a separate structure during the molding stage, and during the subsequent assembly of the battery cell 100, multiple sub-insulators 31 are assembled with the first wall 102. At this time, multiple sub-insulators 31 together serve as the insulating component 30 in the battery cell 100.

[0088] At least two sub-insulators 31 are at least partially spaced along the second direction Y and form a channel 103. The function of the channel 103 is to allow gas to circulate in the containment space 101. In the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 100, the gas in the containment space 101 can flow through the channel 103 to the pressure relief mechanism on the first wall 102 and eventually be discharged from the containment space 101.

[0089] In the plurality of sub-insulators 31 of the insulating member 30, at least two adjacent sub-insulators 31 are spaced apart to form a channel 103. In possible embodiments, in an embodiment where there are two sub-insulators 31, there is only one set of two adjacent sub-insulators 31 in the insulating member 30. In this case, a channel 103 can be spaced apart between the two sub-insulators 31. In some embodiments, when there are three sub-insulators 31, there are two sets of two adjacent sub-insulators 31 in the insulating member 30. In this case, a channel 103 can and must be provided between one set of adjacent sub-insulators 31, while a channel 103 can be provided between the other set of adjacent sub-insulators 31, or they can be directly contacted.

[0090] Two sub-insulators 31 are at least partially spaced apart along the second direction Y. In a possible implementation, during the process of sequentially attaching each sub-insulator 31 to the first wall 102, at least one set of adjacent sub-insulators 31 can be controlled to be spaced apart to form a channel 103. In this case, the adjacent sub-insulators 31 are completely spaced apart. In some embodiments, each sub-insulator 31 can also be installed uniformly with the first wall 102 after simple fixing. In this case, when fixing each sub-insulator 31, at least one set of adjacent sub-insulators 31 is controlled to be spaced apart to form a channel 103. In this case, the adjacent sub-insulators 31 are partially spaced apart.

[0091] In some embodiments, at least one channel 103 may be provided to overlap with the pressure relief mechanism 40 on the first wall 102 in the direction of the electrode assembly 20 pointing to the first wall 102, so that the gas generated by the electrode assembly 20 during thermal runaway can be directly discharged by the pressure relief mechanism 40 after passing through the channel 103, thereby further improving the reliability of the pressure relief of the battery cell 100.

[0092] In these embodiments of this application, the insulating member 30 is composed of at least two sub-insulators 31 to divide the insulating member 30, which is a single structure in the related art, into multiple sub-insulators 31. In this way, the different sub-insulators 31 work together to insulate the electrode assembly 20 from the first wall 102 during the normal operation of the battery cell 100. When the battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway, causing a sharp increase in temperature and pressure in the containment space 101, the mutual influence of structural changes of the different sub-insulators 31 can be reduced. That is, when one sub-insulator 31 melts and deforms, the remaining sub-insulators 31 can still continue to play an insulating role, which can at least alleviate the development of thermal runaway and improve the reliability of the battery cell 100 during thermal runaway.

[0093] Meanwhile, during the production and molding stage of the insulating component 30, since different sub-insulators 31 are molded separately, when a sub-insulator 31 is defective, a single sub-insulator 31 can be scrapped, reducing the amount of raw materials scrapped when production is defective, which helps to save production costs and improve the economic efficiency of battery cell 100 production.

[0094] Exemplary examples, in these embodiments of the present application, the number of sub-insulators 31 in the insulating member 30 may be two, three, or four.

[0095] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, by setting the insulating component 30 to include at least two sub-insulators 31, and forming a channel 103 between the at least two sub-insulators 31, when the battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway, the high-temperature gas in the containment space 101 can be quickly discharged using the channel 103. At the same time, the split sub-insulator 31 structure can provide insulation for the electrode assembly 20 independently. When one sub-insulator 31 fails under high temperature, it will not affect the insulation effect of the other sub-insulators 31 on the electrode assembly 20, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell 100 under thermal runaway conditions. During the production and assembly stage of the battery cell 100, the split sub-insulators 31 can also be scrapped separately, which can reduce the waste of raw materials during production and improve economic efficiency.

[0096] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the sub-insulator 31 is provided with a boss 32 on the surface facing the electrode assembly 20, and the boss 32 is located at least at one end of the sub-insulator 31 near the pressure relief mechanism 40 along the second direction Y.

[0097] The boss 32 is disposed on the sub-insulator 31. In a possible implementation, the boss 32 and the sub-insulator 31 are formed separately, and the two can be fixedly connected by means of welding, bonding, injection molding, etc. In some embodiments, the boss 32 and the sub-insulator 31 can also be detachably connected by means of snap-fit, sliding connection, connector (screw, bolt).

[0098] It should be noted that in these embodiments of this application, the boss 32 can be a solid or hollow block structure. In this case, the surface of the boss 32 near the sub-insulator 31 is connected to the sub-insulator 31, and can therefore be regarded as an internal connection surface. In some embodiments, the boss 32 can also be a semi-enclosed structure. In this case, the surface of the boss 32 near the sub-insulator 31 is also bent, and the open end of the boss 32 is connected to the sub-insulator 31.

[0099] In the sub-insulator 31, the protrusion 32 can fill the gap between the electrode assembly 20 and the first wall 102, reducing the distance between the electrode assembly 20 and the sub-insulator 31. When the electrode assembly 20 moves toward the first wall 102 under the action of external force, it can be limited and blocked by the protrusion 32 first, which is conducive to maintaining the relative position stability between the electrode assembly 20 and the first wall 102.

[0100] The number of protrusions 32 can be selected as needed, as long as they are sufficient to prevent the electrode assembly 20 from rising in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 100.

[0101] The location of the boss 32 can also be selected according to actual needs. In these embodiments of this application, at least one boss 32 needs to be set at one end of the sub-insulator 31 along the second direction Y near the pressure relief mechanism 40. This means that in the orthogonal projection of the insulating member 30 onto the first wall 102, the boss 32 is located at one end of the sub-insulator 31 along the second direction Y near the pressure relief mechanism 40.

[0102] For example, the boss 32 can be positioned on the insulating member 30 at the middle position of the electrode assembly 20 in the width direction (corresponding to the position of the pressure relief mechanism 40 on the first wall 102) to better support and limit the electrode assembly 20 when it moves upward, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit between the electrode assembly 20 and the housing 10.

[0103] In this way, while the boss 32 serves to support the electrode assembly 20 in the event of thermal runaway, it can also change the direction of gas flow in the accommodating space 101 as the gas flows toward the pressure relief mechanism 40. While the gas in the accommodating space 101 generally flows toward the pressure relief mechanism 40 along the first direction X, most of the gas will first flow toward the electrode assembly 20 along the first direction X under the obstruction of the boss 32, and then flow toward the pressure relief mechanism 40 through the channel 103. In this way, this part of the airflow can be used to reduce the risk of the electrode assembly 20 rising upwards, resulting in higher reliability.

[0104] In some embodiments, the boss 32 is provided with a first air guiding surface 321, and the distance between the first air guiding surface 321 and the first wall 102 decreases in the direction closer to the channel 103; and / or, the boss 32 is provided with a second air guiding surface 323, and the distance between the second air guiding surface 323 and the first wall 102 increases in the direction away from the channel 103.

[0105] It should be noted that when the battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway, the electrode assembly 20 will generate a large amount of high-temperature gas in the containment space 101. As the amount of gas in the containment space 101 increases, the pressure difference between the gas in the containment space 101 and the external gas pressure gradually increases. When the high pressure in the containment space 101 reaches the threshold of the pressure relief mechanism, the pressure relief mechanism will work to discharge the gas in the containment space 101, thereby relieving the pressure in the containment space 101 and reducing the risk of the thermal runaway situation continuing to develop.

[0106] At this time, in the containment space 101, the overall flow direction of the gas is along the electrode assembly 20 toward the first wall 102 (therefore, the electrode assembly 20 may rise with the airflow and come into contact with the first wall 102 after the insulation 30 fails, which may lead to a short circuit and exacerbate the thermal runaway situation).

[0107] The function of the first gas guiding surface 321 and the second gas guiding surface 323 is to change the flow direction of the gas in the containment space 101 when the battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway. At this time, since the first gas guiding surface 321 and the second gas guiding surface 323 are inclined along the direction from the sub-insulator 31 to the electrode assembly 20, the gas in the containment space 101 will change its flow direction for the first time when it encounters the insulating member 30 (each sub-insulator 31) as it flows toward the first wall 102 (insulator 30). At this time, the gas will flow along the surface of the sub-insulator 31 near the electrode assembly 20 and flow through the channel 103 to the side of the insulating member 30 near the first wall 102, and finally be discharged through the pressure relief mechanism 40.

[0108] In these embodiments of this application, when the gas in the containment space 101 flows along the surface of the sub-insulator 31 near the electrode assembly 20, upon encountering the first gas guide surface 321 or the second gas guide surface 323, it will flow back towards the electrode assembly 20 under the guidance of the first gas guide surface 321 or the second gas guide surface 323. At this time, the "backflow" gas formed by the first gas guide surface 321 or the second gas guide surface 323 can be used to alleviate the upward tendency of the electrode assembly 20, so that the position of the electrode assembly 20 in the containment space 101 can still remain relatively stable in the event of thermal runaway. In this way, the risk of short circuit between the electrode assembly 20 and the first wall 102 can be reduced, and the space between the electrode assembly 20 and the insulator 30 can be guaranteed, reducing the risk of the electrode assembly 20 blocking the channel 103 after upward movement, thus preserving a passage for gas to exit the containment space 101 and improving reliability.

[0109] In other words, both the first air guiding surface 321 and the second air guiding surface 323 are inclined to the first direction X, which can improve the air guiding effect of the boss 32, better guide the gas generated by the electrode assembly 20 back to the electrode assembly 20, or better guide the gas generated by the electrode assembly 20 into the channel 103.

[0110] Exemplary examples in these embodiments of the present application may provide a boss 32 with both a first air guiding surface 321 and a second air guiding surface 323. The first air guiding surface 321 is located on the side of the boss 32 closer to the channel 103, while the second air guiding surface 323 is located on the side of the boss 32 away from the channel 103. In this case, the first air guiding surface 321 can be considered as part of the channel 103. The main function of the first air guiding surface 321 is to reintroduce the gas that has already flowed back into the guide electrode assembly 20 into the channel 103, thereby improving the gas discharge efficiency in the accommodating space 101. The second air guiding surface 323 is located on the side of the boss 32 away from the channel 103, guiding the gas flowing toward the boss 32 toward the guide electrode assembly 20.

[0111] In some embodiments of this application, the distance between the first air guiding surface 321 and the first wall 102 can be set to gradually decrease along the direction close to the channel 103; the distance between the second air guiding surface 323 and the first wall 102 can be gradually increased along the direction close to the channel 103, so that the boss 32 is an integral inclined surface on both sides close to or away from the channel 103, which can improve the gas guiding effect of the first air guiding surface 321 or the second air guiding surface 323.

[0112] In some embodiments, the boss 32 further includes a first surface 324, which is connected to one end of the first air guide surface 321 and / or the second air guide surface 323 near the electrode assembly 20; the inclination angle θ between the first air guide surface 321 and / or the second air guide surface 323 and the first surface 324 is between 95° and 150°.

[0113] The first surface 324 is connected to the end of the first gas guiding surface 321 and / or the second gas guiding surface 323 near the electrode assembly 20. This means that the first surface 324 is the surface of the back ion insulator 31 in the boss 32, that is, the end face of the boss 32. At this time, the tilt angle θ between the first surface 324 and the first gas guiding surface 321 and / or the second gas guiding surface 323 is set to be between 95° and 150°. The tilt angle θ can be used to characterize the slope of the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323 in the boss 32. Then, the slope of the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323 can be selected according to actual needs to better guide the gas to the electrode assembly 20.

[0114] It is understandable that the slope of the first air guiding surface 321 and the second air guiding surface 323 needs to take into account the size of the battery cell 100, the ratio of the boss 32 to the battery cell 100, etc., so that the first air guiding surface 321 and the second air guiding surface 323 can not only achieve good air guiding effect, but also play a role in supporting the electrode assembly 20 when the electrode assembly 20 moves upward.

[0115] Generally speaking, the larger the inclination angle between the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323 and the horizontal direction, the smaller the angle between the middle end face of the boss 32 and the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323, and the steeper the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323, resulting in a weaker gas guiding capacity. Conversely, the smaller the inclination angle between the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323 and the horizontal direction, the larger the angle between the middle end face of the boss 32 and the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323, and the gentler the first gas guiding surface 321 or the second gas guiding surface 323, which is more conducive to redirecting the gas to the electrode assembly 20.

[0116] For example, in some embodiments, the inclination angle between the first air guide surface 321 and / or the second air guide surface 323 and the first surface 324 may be set to 110°, 120°, 130° or 140°.

[0117] In some embodiments, the boss 32 is provided with an exhaust hole 322, which connects the two ends of the sub-insulator 31 along the first direction X.

[0118] The vent 322 is a structure on the boss 32 that allows gas to flow from the side of the insulating member 30 near the electrode assembly 20 to the side near the first wall 102. In these embodiments of this application, the vent 322 can be a straight through hole extending in a straight line, or a curved hole extending along a curve or zigzag line (when the boss 32 is a solid structure), as long as it allows gas to flow.

[0119] In these embodiments of this application, the vent holes 322 on the boss 32 further enhance the venting capacity and efficiency of the battery cell 100. When the battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway, the electrode assembly 20 releases a large amount of gas into the receiving space 101. At this time, in the receiving space 101, the gas located on the side of the insulating member 30 near the electrode assembly 20 can flow through the channel 103 to the side near the first wall 102, and can also flow through the multiple vent holes 322 provided on the boss 32. This undoubtedly increases the number of gas flow paths and the overall flow area, thereby improving the venting capacity and efficiency of the battery cell 100.

[0120] In some embodiments, the number of vent holes 322 in a single boss 32 is 2 to 10. This allows the number of vent holes 322 to be freely selected according to the size of the boss 32, so that the boss 32 can be provided with as many vent holes 322 as possible while maintaining its guiding and supporting capabilities, thereby further improving the pressure relief capability of the battery cell 100 in the event of thermal runaway.

[0121] For example, in these embodiments of the present application, the number of vent holes 322 may be, but is not limited to, 3, 5 or 8.

[0122] The flow area of ​​the exhaust port 322 is 12mm. 2 Up to 150mm 2 Accordingly, the flow area of ​​a single vent 322 can also be selected according to the size of the boss 32. For example, the flow area of ​​the vent 322 can be set to 30mm², but is not limited to that of the boss 322. 2 60mm 2 90mm 2 or 120mm 2 .

[0123] In these embodiments of the present application, the cross-sectional shape of the exhaust port 322 is not limited. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the exhaust port 322 may be, but is not limited to, elliptical, circular, rectangular or flattened circular.

[0124] In some embodiments, the boss 32 is recessed from the insulator 31 toward the electrode assembly 20, and a groove (not shown) is formed on the side of the boss 32 facing away from the electrode assembly 20, and the vent 322 communicates with the groove.

[0125] In these embodiments of the present application, the boss 32 is a "non-solid structure". The boss 32 can be regarded as being formed by the indentation of the sub-insulator 31 in the direction of approaching the electrode assembly 20, so that the boss 32 forms a protruding structure on the side near the electrode assembly 20 and a groove structure on the side near the first wall 102.

[0126] It is understood that in these embodiments of the present application, the boss 32 can be integrally formed from the sub-insulator 31 by stamping, die casting, or injection molding to improve the structural consistency between the boss 32 and the sub-insulator 31.

[0127] In these embodiments of the present application, due to the non-solid structure of the boss 32, the requirements for setting the vent 322 can be reduced. When forming the vent 322 on the boss 32, it is only necessary to set a through hole along the thickness direction of the wall structure of the boss 32. At the same time, such a boss 32 design can also reduce the material cost of forming the boss 32, reduce the weight of the boss 32 and even the entire insulating component 30, which is beneficial to improving the mass energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0128] Furthermore, the design of the boss 32 also helps to increase the space between the insulating component 30 and the first wall 102, which helps to increase the amount of gas generated by the electrode assembly 20 in the receiving space 101, slows down the rate of pressure increase in the receiving space 101, and improves reliability.

[0129] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the insulating component in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram illustrating the fit between the insulating component and the first wall in a battery cell according to some embodiments of this application.

[0130] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 11 In some embodiments, a raised portion 33 is provided between the sub-insulator 31 and the boss 32.

[0131] In these embodiments of the present application, the raised part 33 can be integrally formed with the boss 32 and the sub-insulator 31, so as to reduce the gap between the boss 32 and the electrode assembly 20 and reduce the space for the electrode assembly 20 to rise under pressure, provided that the boss 32 can maintain a suitable "slope" of the first air guiding surface 321.

[0132] Meanwhile, the raised part 33 can also provide more space for the exhaust port 322, so that the number of exhaust ports 322 can be set more and the flow guiding area can be set larger, which is more conducive to the exhaust of high temperature gas generated by electrode assembly 20 and the reliability is better.

[0133] In some embodiments, the width of the channel 103 is 1 mm to 5 mm in the arrangement direction of each sub-insulator 31.

[0134] The larger the width of channel 103, the stronger its current carrying capacity. In these embodiments of this application, the width of channel 103 can be freely selected according to the size of the battery cell 100.

[0135] For example, in some embodiments, the width of channel 103 may be set to 2mm, 3mm or 4mm.

[0136] In some embodiments, the height of the boss 32 along the first direction X is 3 mm to 10 mm.

[0137] The larger the height of the boss 32, the farther away the electrode assembly 20 can be from the first wall 102 when the boss 32 moves upward; at the same time, the more space there is on the boss 32 to set the vent hole 322, the better to improve the pressure relief and venting capacity of the battery cell 100 when thermal runaway occurs.

[0138] For example, in these embodiments of the present application, the height of the boss 32 may be set to 5mm, 6mm or 8mm.

[0139] In some embodiments, along the first direction X, the channel 103 at least partially overlaps with the pressure relief mechanism 40.

[0140] In other words, the projection of the channel 103 and the pressure relief mechanism 40 in the first direction X at least partially overlaps, so that when the gas flows from one side of the insulating member 30 to the other side through the channel 103, at least a portion of the gas can be directly discharged from the containment space 101 through the pressure relief mechanism 40.

[0141] In some embodiments, the position of the channel 103 can be set to correspond exactly to the pressure relief mechanism 40 provided on the first wall 102, so that the gas in the containment space 101 can be directly discharged to the outside through the pressure relief mechanism 40 after passing through the channel 103, which helps to shorten the gas discharge path in the containment space 101 and further improve the pressure relief and exhaust efficiency of the battery cell 100.

[0142] In some embodiments of this application, when the heat concentration in the containment space 101 causes some of the multiple sub-insulators 31 to melt and fail, the concentrated heat has a smaller impact on another part of the sub-insulators 31 (at least one), so that the part of the sub-insulators 31 less affected by heat can still maintain the integrity of its own structure. At this time, the part of the sub-insulators 31 can still maintain its own insulation, support or air conduction function.

[0143] In some embodiments, a connector 34 is provided between adjacent sub-insulators 31, and the two ends of the connector 34 are respectively connected to two adjacent sub-insulators 31.

[0144] The purpose of the connector 34 is to pre-fix the relative positional relationship between each sub-insulator 31 after each sub-insulator 31 is formed, which is conducive to the subsequent installation and connection of the insulating component 30 and the first wall 102, and improves the production efficiency of the battery cell 100.

[0145] In these embodiments of the present application, the connector 34 can be a thin rod-shaped structure, with its two ends respectively connected to two adjacent sub-insulators 31. At the same time, the number of connectors 34 can also be multiple, so as to improve the structural consistency of the insulator 30.

[0146] When the battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway, the connector 34 has a relatively weak structure and can melt before each sub-insulator 31, thereby keeping each sub-insulator 31 independent and reducing the mutual influence between the sub-insulators 31.

[0147] This application also provides a battery device, which includes a battery cell 100 as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0148] This application also provides an energy storage device, which includes a battery device as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0149] This application also provides an energy storage system, which includes an energy storage converter and an energy storage device as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments. The energy storage converter is used to electrically connect the power generation device and the energy storage device.

[0150] This application also provides a charging network, which includes charging piles and an energy storage device as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments, the energy storage device being used to provide electrical energy to the charging piles.

[0151] Based on some embodiments of this application, please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 11 This application provides a battery cell 100, which includes a housing 10, an electrode assembly 20, a pressure relief mechanism 40, and an insulating member 30. The housing 10 has a receiving space 101 and includes a first wall 102. The electrode assembly 20 is disposed in the receiving space 101 and on one side of the first wall 102 in a first direction X. The pressure relief mechanism 40 is disposed on the first wall 102. The insulating member 30 is disposed between the first wall 102 and the electrode assembly 20 along the first direction X. The insulating member 30 includes at least two separately disposed sub-insulators 31, and the at least two sub-insulators 31 are at least partially spaced along a second direction Y to form a channel 103. The first direction X and the second direction Y intersect.

[0152] In these embodiments of the present application, there are two sub-insulators 31, and a channel 103 is formed between the two sub-insulators 31 along the first direction X. The channel 103 at least partially overlaps with the pressure relief mechanism 40.

[0153] At this point, the two sub-insulators 31 can be designed with identical structures to save on mold development costs during sub-insulator 31 molding and improve the molding efficiency of sub-insulators 31. Simultaneously, the position of the channel 103 corresponds precisely to the pressure relief mechanism 40 located on the first wall 102, allowing gas in the containing space 101 to be directly discharged to the outside via the pressure relief mechanism 40 after passing through the channel 103. This shortens the gas discharge path in the containing space 101 and further improves the pressure relief and exhaust efficiency of the battery cell 100.

[0154] In these embodiments of the present application, the surfaces of the two sub-insulators 31 facing the electrode assembly 20 are provided with protrusions 32 to fill the gap between the electrode assembly 20 and the first wall 102, thereby reducing the distance between the electrode assembly 20 and the sub-insulators 31. When the electrode assembly 20 moves toward the direction closer to the first wall 102 under the action of external force, it can be limited and blocked by the protrusions 32 first, which is beneficial to maintaining the relative position stability between the electrode assembly 20 and the first wall 102.

[0155] Meanwhile, the boss 32 is located on the side of the sub-insulator 31 near the channel 103. The boss 32 has a first air guiding surface 321 and a second air guiding surface 323. The first air guiding surface 321 is located on the side of the boss 32 near the channel 103, and the distance between the first air guiding surface 321 and the first wall 102 gradually decreases along the direction closer to the channel 103. The second air guiding surface 323 is located on the side of the boss 32 away from the channel 103, and the distance between the second air guiding surface 323 and the first wall 102 gradually increases along the direction away from the channel 103. In this way, when the battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway, the second air guiding surface 323 can, on the one hand, redirect the gas generated by the electrode assembly 20 to the electrode assembly 20 to reduce the risk of upward leakage from the electrode assembly 20; on the other hand, it can also guide the airflow closer to the channel 103, which is beneficial for the rapid discharge of gas from the containment space 101. The first air guiding surface 321, in turn, facilitates the introduction of the gas guided by the second air guiding surface 323 into the channel 103.

[0156] The boss 32 is provided with a vent 322, which connects the two ends of the sub-insulator 31 along the first direction X. The vent 322 on the boss 32 further improves the venting capacity and efficiency of the battery cell 100.

[0157] In these embodiments of the present application, the boss 32 is recessed from the insulator 31 toward the electrode assembly 20, and a groove is formed on the side of the boss 32 facing away from the electrode assembly 20. At this time, the vent 322 is a straight cylindrical hole that penetrates along the thickness direction of any wall of the groove.

[0158] 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.

[0159] 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 protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery cell, characterized in that, include: The outer casing has a receiving space and includes a first wall; An electrode assembly is disposed within the receiving space and on one side of the first wall in a first direction; A pressure relief mechanism is installed on the first wall; An insulating element is disposed between the first wall and the electrode assembly along the first direction. The insulating element includes at least two separately disposed sub-insulators, and the at least two sub-insulators are at least partially spaced apart along a second direction to form a channel, the second direction intersecting the first direction.

2. The battery cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least a portion of the sub-insulator has a boss on its surface facing the electrode assembly, and along the second direction, the boss is located at least at one end of the sub-insulator near the pressure relief mechanism.

3. The battery cell according to claim 2, characterized in that, The protrusion is provided with a first air guiding surface, and the distance between the first air guiding surface and the first wall decreases along the direction closer to the channel; And / or, the boss is provided with a second air guiding surface, and the distance between the second air guiding surface and the first wall increases in the direction away from the channel.

4. The battery cell according to claim 3, characterized in that, The boss further includes a first surface, which is connected to one end of the first gas guide surface near the electrode assembly; The inclination angle between the first air guide surface and the first wall is between 95° and 150°.

5. The battery cell according to claim 3, characterized in that, The boss further includes a first surface, which is connected to one end of the second gas guide surface near the electrode assembly; The inclination angle between the second air guide surface and the first wall is between 95° and 150°.

6. The battery cell according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The boss is provided with an exhaust hole, which connects the two ends of the sub-insulator along the first direction.

7. The battery cell according to claim 6, characterized in that, In a single boss, the number of vent holes is 2 to 10.

8. The battery cell according to claim 6, characterized in that, The flow area of ​​the exhaust port is 12mm. 2 Up to 150mm 2 .

9. The battery cell according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape of the exhaust port is elliptical, circular, rectangular, or flattened-circular.

10. The battery cell according to claim 6, characterized in that, The protrusion is recessed from the sub-insulator toward the electrode assembly, and a groove is formed on the side of the protrusion facing away from the electrode assembly, and the vent hole communicates with the groove.

11. The battery cell according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, A raised portion is provided between the sub-insulator and the boss.

12. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, In the arrangement direction of each of the sub-insulators, the width of the channel is 1 mm to 5 mm.

13. The battery cell according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, Along the direction from the electrode assembly to the first wall, the height of the boss is 3mm to 10mm.

14. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Along the first direction, the channel at least partially overlaps with the pressure relief mechanism.

15. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A connector is provided between adjacent sub-insulators, and the two ends of the connector are respectively connected to the two adjacent sub-insulators.

16. A battery device, characterized in that, Includes the battery cell as described in any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. An energy storage device, characterized in that, Includes the battery device as described in claim 16.

18. An energy storage system, characterized in that, It includes an energy storage converter and an energy storage device as described in claim 17, wherein the energy storage converter is used to electrically connect the power generation device and the energy storage device.

19. A charging network, characterized in that, It includes a charging pile and an energy storage device as described in claim 17, the energy storage device being used to provide electrical energy to the charging pile.

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