Directional exhaust battery pack and energy storage equipment
By designing directional exhaust channels in the battery pack and using the shell structure to filter large particles, the problems of insufficient exhaust capacity of the exhaust channels and blockage of the explosion-proof valve are solved, thereby improving the safety and space utilization of the battery pack.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
AI Technical Summary
In the event of thermal runaway in existing battery packs, the exhaust channels are not sufficiently capable of venting, failing to promptly remove the runaway medium and causing further deterioration of the thermal runaway. Furthermore, the explosion-proof valves are easily blocked by large particles, affecting safety performance.
The directional exhaust channel is designed to increase its size without interfering with the cell connection structure. A partition and guide are installed inside the housing to filter large particles and prevent the explosion-proof valve from clogging. The thermal runaway medium is discharged through the guide and the explosion-proof valve.
It improves the flow rate and exhaust capacity of the exhaust channel, timely discharges thermal runaway media, reduces the risk of thermal runaway in the battery pack, avoids blockage of the explosion-proof valve, and enhances the safety performance and space utilization of energy storage equipment.
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Figure CN224264222U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of energy storage technology, and more particularly to a directional exhaust battery pack and energy storage device. Background Technology
[0002] In related technologies, when the battery pack has the battery cells facing upwards, the interference of the cell contact system (CCS) means that the venting channel can only be located in the area directly opposite the pressure relief valve. However, due to the limitation that the thickness of the battery pack cannot be too large, the venting capacity of the venting channel is insufficient. When the battery cells in the battery pack experience thermal runaway, the thermal runaway medium cannot be effectively and timely discharged, leading to further deterioration of the thermal runaway of the battery pack. Utility Model Content
[0003] Embodiments of this application provide a directional venting battery pack and energy storage device to reduce the risk of further deterioration when the battery pack experiences thermal runaway.
[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a directional venting battery pack. The battery pack includes a housing and at least one row of battery cells and a cell connection structure housed within the housing. Multiple cells in one of the at least one row of cells are arranged along the length of the battery pack. The terminals and pressure relief valves of the multiple cells all face the upper cover of the housing. The cell connection structure is connected to the terminals of the cells. The battery pack also includes a venting channel disposed between the upper surface of the row of cells and the upper cover. The venting channel extends along the length direction, and its bottom wall covers the pressure relief valves of the multiple cells in the row of cells. The inner cavity of the venting channel communicates with the pressure relief valves of the multiple cells, so that when thermal runaway occurs in a cell, the thermal runaway medium can be ejected from the pressure relief valve into the venting channel and discharged from the battery pack through the venting channel.
[0005] In the width direction of the battery pack, the width of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel is smaller than the width of the top wall of the exhaust channel. This means the exhaust channel is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom in the height direction. The narrower portion can be placed between the positive and negative terminals to avoid interference with the cell connection structure and ensure proper assembly. In the height direction of the battery pack, at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the top wall of the exhaust channel and the upper surface of the row of cells. This means the wider portion of the exhaust channel is misaligned with the cell connection structure in the height direction, i.e., not at the same height level, thus again avoiding interference. Furthermore, because the wider portion of the exhaust channel is misaligned with the cell connection structure in the height direction, the width of one end of the top wall of the exhaust channel can be increased, thereby increasing the overall size and flow capacity of the exhaust channel. This allows for timely discharge of thermal runaway media through the exhaust channel when the cell overheats, preventing further deterioration of thermal runaway.
[0006] In some embodiments, the sidewall of the exhaust channel includes a continuously bent first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion bends from one end of the second portion toward the top wall and connects to the top wall of the exhaust channel. The third portion bends from the other end of the second portion toward the bottom wall and connects to the bottom wall of the exhaust channel. In the height direction, at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the second portion and the upper surface of the row of cells. Because at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the second portion and the upper surface of the row of cells in the height direction, a clearance area can be formed between the second portion and the upper surfaces of multiple cells to accommodate cell connection structures such as busbars or acquisition components, thereby avoiding interference of the exhaust channel with the cell connection structure. In this embodiment, the distance between the two first portions of the two sidewalls is greater than the distance between the two third portions, so that the width of one end of the top wall of the exhaust channel cavity is greater than the size of one end of the bottom wall. This increases the flow rate of the exhaust channel by increasing the distance between the two first portions, thereby improving the exhaust capacity of the exhaust channel.
[0007] In some embodiments, in the width direction, the two third portions of the two sidewalls of the exhaust channel are located between two adjacent cell connection structures, so that the exhaust channel is connected to the upper surface of the cell through one end corresponding to the two third portions of the two sidewalls without interfering with each other, thereby realizing the connection and assembly of the exhaust channel.
[0008] In some embodiments, the two edge portions of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel in the width direction are located outside the two third portions, and at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the second portion and the edge portions of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel. In this embodiment, the cell connection structure can limit the edge portions of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel in the height direction of the battery pack, thereby improving the stability of the exhaust channel.
[0009] In some embodiments, the top wall, bottom wall and two side walls of the exhaust channel are integrally formed to improve the overall strength of the exhaust channel and prevent gaps from appearing due to damage to the bonding position of the exhaust channel when the battery cell experiences thermal runaway.
[0010] In some embodiments, the exhaust channel further includes a reinforcing plate extending along the length direction, disposed within the exhaust channel, and connected to the top and bottom walls. The reinforcing plate effectively improves the strength of the exhaust channel, preventing the top and bottom walls from bending or deforming.
[0011] In some embodiments, the top wall of the exhaust channel comprises two portions spaced apart in the width direction, each portion being bonded to the lower surface of the upper cover using sealant. In this embodiment, the inner cavity of the exhaust channel is formed by the top wall, the upper cover, the upper surfaces of multiple battery cells, and two side walls. Because the two portions of the top wall of the exhaust channel are bonded to the upper cover using sealant, the upper cover participates in forming the inner cavity of the exhaust channel, thereby saving material costs for the top wall of the exhaust channel.
[0012] In some embodiments, the bottom wall of the exhaust channel has multiple exhaust ports that communicate with the inner cavity of the exhaust channel, and the multiple exhaust ports are respectively connected to the pressure relief valves of multiple battery cells in the at least one row of battery cells. By connecting the multiple exhaust ports to the pressure relief valves of multiple battery cells respectively, the assembly of the exhaust channel can be facilitated, and the connection between the pressure relief valves of multiple battery cells and the exhaust channel can be realized.
[0013] In some embodiments, the battery pack further includes a separator located between the top wall of the venting channel and the upper surface of at least one row of cells, the separator covering the pressure relief valves of multiple cells in the at least one row of cells. In this embodiment, when one of the cells experiences thermal runaway, a thermal runaway medium is ejected from the corresponding vent. In the initial stage of thermal runaway, the thermal runaway medium injected into the venting channel contains liquid electrolyte. The vent corresponding to the pressure relief valve of a normal cell is sealed by the separator, thereby preventing liquid electrolyte from flowing out of the venting channel from other vents. This prevents the liquid electrolyte from damaging other cells or electrical components, reduces the risk of electrical arcing or sparking, and reduces the risk of further deterioration of the battery pack's thermal runaway.
[0014] In some embodiments, the partition is disposed on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel. This method is mainly applicable to designs where the exhaust channel is not integrally formed. Because the bottom wall of the exhaust channel provides support for the partition, it is less likely to separate from the bottom wall of the exhaust channel when the partition is compressed by the thermal runaway medium. Of course, the partition can also be disposed on the lower surface of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel. This method is applicable not only to designs where the exhaust channel is not integrally formed but also to designs where the exhaust channel is integrally formed. This method can reduce the assembly difficulty of the partition.
[0015] In some embodiments, a first sealant layer is provided between the partition and the bottom wall of the exhaust channel, the first sealant layer surrounding the exhaust port, and a second sealant layer is provided between the partition and the upper surface of the row of battery cells, the second sealant layer surrounding the pressure relief valve of the row of battery cells. In this embodiment, because the first sealant layer surrounds the exhaust port and the second sealant layer surrounds the pressure relief valve of the battery cell, the first and second sealant layers will not affect the normal opening of the pressure relief valve. In the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell, both the pressure relief valve and the corresponding partition can be normally ruptured.
[0016] In some embodiments, the battery pack further includes a compressible material located between the top of the venting channel and the top cover. By providing a compressible material between the top of the venting channel and the top cover, some of the stress applied by the venting channel can be released. Consequently, in the event of thermal runaway, when the thermal runaway medium impacts the venting channel, the compressible material can mitigate the impact of the venting channel on the top cover, reducing the risk of the top cover being forced open.
[0017] In some embodiments, the housing includes a bottom plate and a top cover opposite each other along the height direction, two side plates opposite each other along the width direction, and two end plates opposite each other along the length direction. The rear end plate of the two end plates has a receiving cavity for receiving the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel. The battery pack also includes an explosion-proof valve disposed on the end plate and communicating with the receiving cavity. In this embodiment, when one or more of the multiple battery cells experience thermal runaway, the thermal runaway medium in the battery cell can be promptly ejected into the inner cavity of the exhaust channel through a pressure relief valve. Then, guided by the exhaust channel, the thermal runaway medium is discharged into the receiving cavity in the end plate, and then discharged through the explosion-proof valve communicating with the receiving cavity. First, from the occurrence of thermal runaway in the battery cell to the discharge of the thermal runaway medium from the battery pack, the thermal runaway medium flows within the exhaust channel cavity and the receiving cavity, which are isolated from the inner cavity of the housing. Thus, the normal battery cells and other electrical components in the inner cavity of the housing can avoid contact with the thermal runaway medium, preventing the thermal runaway medium from affecting the normal battery cells and other electrical components in the inner cavity of the housing. Secondly, when the containment cavity receives the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust channel, the inner wall of the containment cavity can change the flow direction of the thermal runaway medium. When the thermal runaway medium impacts the inner wall of the containment cavity, the particulate matter in the thermal runaway medium can be deposited and filtered through the inner wall of the containment cavity. The thermal runaway medium after deposition and filtration is discharged through the explosion-proof valve. Since the large particulate matter has been filtered by the containment cavity, the risk of the explosion-proof valve being blocked by large particulate matter can be effectively reduced, and the risk of further deterioration of the battery pack thermal runaway can be reduced.
[0018] In some embodiments, the rear end plate includes a bottom wall and a top wall opposite each other in the height direction, and an outer wall and an inner wall opposite each other in the length direction. A first opening communicating with the receiving cavity is formed on the top wall, and a second opening communicating with the receiving cavity is formed on the outer wall. The outlet of the exhaust channel is located at the first opening. The receiving cavity receives the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel through the first opening. The explosion-proof valve is located at the second opening. In this embodiment, because the first opening is located on the top wall of the end plate, the thermal runaway medium enters the receiving cavity from the exhaust channel in the same direction as the height of the battery pack. The second opening is located on the outer wall of the end plate, so when the thermal runaway medium is discharged from the receiving cavity through the explosion-proof valve, the flow direction of the thermal runaway medium is consistent with the length direction of the battery pack. This allows particles in the thermal runaway medium to be effectively deposited and filtered when impacting the bottom wall of the receiving cavity, thereby effectively improving the filtration capacity of the receiving cavity for particles in the thermal runaway medium and reducing the risk of clogging the explosion-proof valve at the second opening.
[0019] In some embodiments, the rear end plate further includes multiple partitions, which are spaced apart between the top and bottom walls of the rear end plate and connected between the outer and inner walls of the rear end plate. The top, bottom, inner, and outer walls of the rear end plate cooperate to form the receiving cavity. In the height direction, the partitions located above the second opening and those aligned with the height of the second opening are provided with through holes. In this embodiment, the strength of the end plate can be enhanced by multiple partitions. Furthermore, the arrangement of multiple partitions can improve the filtration effect on particulate matter in the thermal runaway medium and reduce the risk of explosion-proof valve blockage.
[0020] In some embodiments, the rear end plate further includes a flange located at the top of the outer side wall, the flange extending toward the side away from the housing cavity, the flange being used to fix it to the top cover. For example, it can be connected by adhesive, riveting, or screws. Since the end plate is bonded to the top cover via the flange, and the top wall of the end plate is not used for bonding to the top cover, the top wall of the end plate has a larger area available for creating the first opening. For example, the size of the first opening in the length direction of the battery pack can be maximized, improving the efficiency of receiving the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust channel through the first opening, and improving the pressure relief capacity of the battery pack during thermal runaway.
[0021] In some embodiments, the battery pack further includes a raised rib on the surface of the folded edge facing the top cover. The raised rib is elongated and extends in the same direction as the width of the battery pack. The raised rib is located at one end of the folded edge near the inner cavity of the housing. The raised rib serves to separate the adhesive between the folded edge and the top cover from the outlet of the venting channel. By providing the raised rib, the high-temperature thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the venting channel can be prevented from directly contacting the adhesive between the folded edge and the top cover, thereby preventing the adhesive between the folded edge and the top cover from failing due to high temperature damage and improving the connection stability between the top cover and the end plate during battery pack thermal runaway.
[0022] In some embodiments, in the height direction of the battery pack, the portion of the top cover directly opposite the top wall of the venting channel is higher than other portions of the top cover. That is, the other portions of the top cover not directly opposite the venting channel are lower than the portion directly opposite the top wall of the venting channel. Due to the arrangement of the venting channel, the thermal runaway medium can be quickly and smoothly delivered to the containment cavity and ultimately ejected through the explosion-proof valve. This effectively reduces the distance between the other portions of the top cover not directly opposite the venting channel and the upper surfaces of the multiple battery cells, thereby reducing the amount of air and oxygen within the battery pack's internal cavity, and thus reducing the probability of air condensation within the cavity. Furthermore, because the oxygen content is reduced, the risk of the battery pack burning or exploding during thermal runaway is also reduced.
[0023] In some embodiments, the battery pack further includes a guide located between the outlet of the exhaust channel and the inlet of the receiving cavity. The guide includes a flow-guiding surface extending from the outlet of the exhaust channel to the inlet of the receiving cavity. In this embodiment, since the flow-guiding surface extends from the outlet of the exhaust channel to the first opening, the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel can be smoothly guided to the first opening and then smoothly transported from the first opening into the receiving cavity of the end plate, thereby improving the efficiency of the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel entering the first opening.
[0024] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an energy storage device, including a cabinet and a plurality of battery packs as described in any of the first aspects above, wherein the battery packs are disposed within the cabinet.
[0025] In some embodiments, the cabinet includes a main flue, and the explosion-proof valve of each battery pack is connected to the main flue.
[0026] In some embodiments, the energy storage device includes an energy storage cabinet or an electrically powered vehicle. Attached Figure Description
[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.
[0028] Figure 1 An embodiment provides a schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage device;
[0029] Figure 2 An embodiment provides a schematic diagram of the battery pack structure;
[0030] Figure 3 The example is as follows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery pack in the embodiment, perpendicular to the X direction;
[0031] Figure 4 The embodiment shows Figure 2 An exploded view of part of the battery pack structure after the cover is hidden in the embodiment;
[0032] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An exploded view of the battery pack in the embodiment;
[0033] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the exhaust channel from a bottom-view perspective in the embodiment;
[0034] Figure 7 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the rear-end board in the embodiment from a slightly frontal view;
[0035] Figure 8 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the rear end plate in the embodiment from a side view.
[0036] Figure 9 A simplified diagram showing the interaction between another venting channel of the battery pack and the top cover and battery cells;
[0037] Figure 10 A simplified diagram illustrating the interaction between another type of venting channel in the battery pack and the top cover and battery cells;
[0038] Figure 11 A simplified diagram illustrating the interaction between another type of venting channel in the battery pack and the top cover and battery cells;
[0039] Figure 12 A simplified diagram illustrating the interaction between another type of venting channel in the battery pack and the top cover and battery cells;
[0040] Figure 13 A simplified diagram illustrating the interaction between another type of venting channel in the battery pack and the top cover and battery cells;
[0041] Figure 14 A simplified diagram illustrating the interaction between another type of venting channel in the battery pack and the top cover and battery cells;
[0042] Figure 15 The embodiment shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the battery pack guide after normal assembly in the embodiment.
[0043] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0044] 1. Energy storage equipment; 2. Cabinet; 2a. Main flue; 3. Battery pack; 4. Housing; 5. Top cover; 6. Base plate; 7. Side plate; 8. End plate; 9. Explosion-proof valve;
[0045] 10. Rear end plate; 101. Receiving cavity; 102. First opening; 103. Second opening; 104. Chamber; 11. Top wall of the rear end plate; 12. Bottom wall of the rear end plate; 13. Outer wall; 14. Inner wall; 15. Partition; 151. Through hole; 16. Folded edge; 17. Rib;
[0046] 20. Battery cell; 201. Upper surface of battery cell; 21. Pressure relief valve; 22. Positive terminal; 23. Negative terminal;
[0047] 30. Exhaust passage; 301. Exhaust passage inner cavity; 302. Clearance area; 31. Top wall of exhaust passage; 32. Bottom wall of exhaust passage; 321. Exhaust port; 322. Edge portion; 33. Side wall of exhaust passage; 331. First part; 332. Second part; 333. Third part; 34. Passage component; 341. Main body; 342. Baffle; 343. First plate; 344. Second plate; 345. Third plate; 346. Fourth plate; 35. Reinforcing plate;
[0048] 40. Guide component; 41. Guide surface;
[0049] 50. Partition;
[0050] 61. First sealant layer; 62. Second sealant layer;
[0051] 70. Cell connection structure; 71. Busbar; 72. Data acquisition component;
[0052] 80. Compressible materials;
[0053] 90. Foam layer. Detailed Implementation
[0054] The following section will first explain some of the terms used in the embodiments of this application.
[0055] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.
[0056] In this specification, the terms "vertical" and "parallel" are explained.
[0057] Perpendicularity: The perpendicularity defined in this application is not limited to an absolute perpendicular intersection (with an included angle of 90 degrees). It is permissible for non-absolute perpendicular intersections caused by factors such as assembly tolerances, design tolerances, and structural flatness. It is permissible for errors within a small angular range, such as an assembly error range of 80 to 100 degrees, which can all be understood as a perpendicular relationship.
[0058] Parallelism: The parallelism defined in this application is not limited to absolute parallelism. This definition of parallelism can be understood as basic parallelism, allowing for situations where the parallelism is not absolute due to factors such as assembly tolerances, design tolerances, and structural flatness. These situations may lead to the sliding mating part and the first door panel not being absolutely parallel, but this application also defines such situations as parallelism.
[0059] Modern society is filled with a vast array of devices that rely on electricity, from small household appliances to large data centers and factory production lines. Electricity supply is a crucial factor in maintaining the normal operation of modern society. Therefore, energy storage devices have developed rapidly and are widely used. These devices can be battery packs, energy storage cabinets using battery packs, power cabinets in data centers, and even vehicles using battery packs. Energy storage devices can be used to store electrical energy and supply power to equipment that requires electricity. Applications include site energy, photovoltaics, residential energy storage, industrial and commercial energy storage, and large-scale ground-mounted power plant energy storage.
[0060] With the development of energy storage devices, the energy of these devices is becoming increasingly higher. As the core component of energy storage devices, battery packs generate a large amount of thermal runaway media after thermal runaway. These thermal runaway media may contain a large amount of flammable smoke, as well as a large amount of liquid or gaseous electrolyte and substances produced by cell combustion. When a cell in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, the thermal runaway media inside the cell will spray into the battery pack casing and eventually be ejected from the battery pack's explosion-proof valve. However, during this process, the thermal runaway media can cause even normal cells to experience thermal runaway, leading to further deterioration of the thermal runaway. Based on this, some battery packs are equipped with venting channels. However, when the battery cell terminals are set upwards, due to the interference of the cell contact system (CCS), the venting channel can usually only be located in the area directly opposite the pressure relief valve. However, due to the limitation that the thickness of the battery pack cannot be too large, the size of the venting channel in the height direction cannot be too large, resulting in insufficient venting capacity. When the battery cell in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, it cannot effectively and timely discharge the thermal runaway medium, which leads to the risk of casing rupture of the thermal runaway cell, making other normal cells also at risk of thermal runaway, thus further aggravating the thermal runaway of the battery pack.
[0061] Furthermore, the thermal runaway medium during battery pack thermal runaway contains a large number of particles with complex compositions, potentially originating from cathode material particles and impact-broken copper or aluminum current collectors. The fumes may also contain electrolyte and combustion byproducts. After thermal runaway, the resulting high-temperature gases can damage the explosion-proof valve, ejecting the thermal runaway medium from the valve and outside the battery pack. Because the thermal runaway medium contains a large amount of highly hazardous substances, such as large particles, a filter is typically added to the outside of the explosion-proof valve to prevent these large particles from directly damaging the environment or other components. However, since the large particles in the thermal runaway medium pass through the explosion-proof valve before the filter, they can clog the valve, hindering the discharge of the thermal runaway medium and impairing its normal venting function. This further exacerbates the thermal runaway and compromises the safety performance of the energy storage device. Furthermore, installing a filter device on the outside of the explosion-proof valve of the battery pack will cause the space inside the energy storage device to be occupied by the filter device, resulting in an increase in the size of the energy storage device.
[0062] To improve the safety performance of energy storage devices and reduce the risk of thermal runaway deterioration of battery packs, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 An embodiment provides a structural schematic diagram of an energy storage device 1. Figure 1 This is a front view of the energy storage device. The energy storage device 1 includes a cabinet 2 and multiple battery packs 3 housed within the cabinet 2. A main flue 2a is provided within the cabinet 2. The multiple battery packs 3 are stacked within the cabinet 2, and each battery pack 3 has an explosion-proof valve 9, which is connected to the main flue 2a. In this embodiment, the battery packs 3, through a rationally designed exhaust channel, effectively increase the size and flow rate of the exhaust channel without interfering with the cell connection structure, thereby improving the exhaust capacity. When thermal runaway occurs in the cells of the battery pack 3, the thermal runaway medium can be promptly discharged from the battery pack 3, for example, to the main flue 2a, thus preventing further deterioration of the thermal runaway of the battery pack 3.
[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the energy storage device 1 does not install a filter device outside the explosion-proof valve 9 of the battery pack 3, thus avoiding excessive occupation of the space inside the energy storage device 1 by the filter device and reducing the volume of the energy storage device 1. Moreover, in order to prevent the discharge of large particles or the blockage of the explosion-proof valve 9, this embodiment makes reasonable use of the structure of the end plate 8 of the housing 4 of the battery pack 3. By installing the explosion-proof valve 9 on the end plate 8, the end plate 8 itself achieves the purpose of filtering large particles in the thermal runaway medium. After the thermal runaway medium is filtered through the end plate 8, the filtered thermal runaway medium is discharged from the battery pack 3 through the explosion-proof valve 9, thereby effectively avoiding the blockage of the explosion-proof valve 9 by large particles and preventing large particles from polluting the environment.
[0064] The following section will focus on how battery pack 3 effectively increases the size of the exhaust channel without interfering with the cell connection structure, and how battery pack 3 filters large particles in the thermal runaway medium.
[0065] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 2 An embodiment provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery pack 3, which includes a housing 4 and a plurality of battery cells 20 located within the housing 4 (e.g., ...). Figure 4 Multiple battery cells 20 are housed inside the casing 4.
[0066] The housing 4 includes a top cover 5, a bottom plate 6, two side plates 7, and two end plates 8. The top cover 5 and the bottom plate 6 face each other in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, the two side plates 7 face each other in the width direction Y of the battery pack 3, and the two end plates 8 face each other in the length direction X of the battery pack 3. One of the end plates 8 is used to install the explosion-proof valve 9 of the battery pack 3. For ease of description, the end plate 8 used to install the explosion-proof valve 9 is designated as the rear end plate 10. For ease of description, the Z direction is used to represent the height direction of the battery pack 3, the X direction is used to represent the length direction of the battery pack 3, and the Y direction is used to represent the width direction of the battery pack 3.
[0067] Figure 3 The example is as follows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery pack 3 in the embodiment, perpendicular to the X direction. Figure 4 The embodiment shows Figure 2 An exploded view of the partial structure of the battery pack 3 after the cover 5 is hidden in the embodiment.
[0068] Reference Figure 4 The battery pack 3 includes at least one row of battery cells 20, and a plurality of battery cells 20 in the at least one row of battery cells 20 are arranged along the length direction X of the battery pack 3. Figure 4 As shown, the battery pack 3 includes a row of cells 20. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the battery pack 3 may also include multiple rows of cells 20. Figure 4 In one embodiment, multiple cells 20 in a row of cells 20 each include a pressure relief valve 21, and the pressure relief valves 21 of multiple cells 20 are all located on the side of the cell 20 facing the upper cover 5. Since multiple cells 20 are arranged along the length direction X of the battery pack 3, the pressure relief valves 21 of multiple cells 20 can also be arranged in a regular row, and the arrangement direction is consistent with the length direction X of the battery pack 3.
[0069] Reference Figure 3 The battery cell 20 has terminals and a battery cell connection structure 70 on its upper surface 201 facing the upper cover 5. The terminals include a positive terminal 22 and a negative terminal 23. The battery cell connection structure 70 may include an information acquisition component 72 (see reference). Figure 10 (Wire harness / Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) / Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) / Flexible Printed Circuit Assembly (FPCA) etc.), Bus 71 (see reference) Figure 10 The cell connection structure 70 can realize functions such as high-voltage series and parallel connection of cells 20, temperature sampling of cells 20, voltage sampling of cells 20, and overcurrent fuse. Among them, the bus 71 is usually located in the height direction of the battery pack 3, corresponding to the positive terminal 22 and the negative terminal 23. For example, the bus 71 covers the positive terminal 22 and the negative terminal 23. The sampling component 72 is usually located in the area between adjacent bus 71, which is also the area between the positive terminal 22 and the negative terminal 23.
[0070] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The battery pack 3 also includes an exhaust channel 30, which is connected to the pressure relief valves 21 of the multiple battery cells 20 respectively, so that the thermal runaway medium can be quickly discharged through the exhaust channel 30 when any battery cell 20 experiences thermal runaway. To facilitate the connection between the exhaust channel 30 and the pressure relief valves 21 of the multiple battery cells 20, the exhaust channel 30 is located in the area between the multiple battery cells 20 and the top cover 5 in the Z direction. The extension direction of the exhaust channel 30 is consistent with the length direction X of the battery pack 3, and in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, the exhaust channel 30 is located above the pressure relief valves 21 of the multiple battery cells 20, so that the pressure relief valves 21 of the multiple battery cells 20 can be connected to the exhaust channel 30 respectively. For example, the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 can cover the pressure relief valves 21 of the multiple battery cells 20 in a row of battery cells 20, so that the inner cavity of the exhaust channel 30 can be connected to the pressure relief valves 21 of the multiple battery cells 20.
[0071] In order to effectively increase the size of the exhaust channel 30 without interfering with the cell connection structure 70, refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, in the width direction of the battery pack 3, the width of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel cavity 301 is smaller than the width of the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel cavity 301; in the height direction of the battery pack 3, at least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 is located between the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of the row of cells 20. In this embodiment, since the width of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel cavity 301 is smaller than the width of the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel cavity 301, that is, the width of the exhaust channel near the upper surface 201 of the cell 20 in the Z direction is smaller than the width of the exhaust channel near the top cover 5 in the Z direction, the end of the exhaust channel near the upper surface 201 of the cell 20 in the Z direction can be placed between the positive terminal 22 and the negative terminal 23 without interfering with the cell connection structure 70, while the end of the exhaust channel near the top cover 5 in the Z direction has a larger width, and the width is so large that at least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 is located between the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of the cell 20 in the Z direction. The top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of the row of cells 20 are positioned such that one end of the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 in the Z direction is offset from the cell connection structure 70 in the Z direction. This allows the width of one end of the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 in the Z direction in the Y direction to be effectively expanded without interfering with the cell connection structure 70. This effectively increases the size of the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel and the flow rate of the exhaust channel 30. Consequently, in the event of thermal runaway of the cell 20, the thermal runaway medium can be discharged from the battery pack 3 in a timely manner, reducing the risk of further deterioration of thermal runaway in the battery pack 3 and improving the safety performance of the battery pack 3.
[0072] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 In this embodiment, the exhaust channel 30 includes a top wall 31, a bottom wall 32, and two side walls 33. The top wall 31 and the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 are arranged opposite each other in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3. The two side walls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 are connected between the top wall 31 and the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. The top wall 31, the bottom wall 32, and the two side walls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 together form the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel.
[0073] Reference Figure 3 In the Z direction, the distance between the two sidewalls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 near the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 is greater than the distance near the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. This allows a clearance area 302 to be formed between the sidewalls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple battery cells 20. Furthermore, in the height Z direction of the battery pack 3, at least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 of the battery pack 3 is located within the clearance area 302 formed between the sidewalls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 and the multiple battery cells 20. This ensures that the installation of the exhaust channel 30 does not affect the normal layout of the cell connection structure 70.
[0074] Reference Figure 3 The two sidewalls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 each include a first portion 331, a second portion 332, and a third portion 333 that are continuously bent. The first portion 331 bends from one end of the second portion 332 toward the top wall 31 and connects to the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30. The third portion 333 bends from the other end of the second portion 332 toward the bottom wall 32 and connects to the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. The distance between the two first portions 331 of the two sidewalls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 is greater than the distance between the two third portions 333, so that at least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 can be located in the area between the second portion 332 and the upper surface 201 of the row of cells 20 in the Z direction. In other words, at least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 can be located in the avoidance area 302 formed by the second portion 332, the third portion 333, and the upper surface 201 of the multiple cells 20, so as to effectively avoid the cell connection structure 70 and avoid affecting the normal layout of the cell connection structure 70.
[0075] Reference Figure 3 The two third portions 333 of the two sidewalls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 are located in the region between two adjacent cell connection structures 70. Therefore, in the Z direction, the end corresponding to the third portion 333 of the exhaust channel 30 will not interfere with the cell connection structure 70. The second portion 332 and the first portion 331 of the exhaust channel 30 are located above the cell connection structure 70 in the Z direction, and thus will not interfere with the cell connection structure 70. Therefore, the exhaust channel 30 in this embodiment will not interfere with the cell connection structure 70. Moreover, the distance between the two first portions 331 of the two sidewalls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 can be effectively increased, thereby increasing the overall size of the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel and thus improving the flow rate of the exhaust channel 30.
[0076] Reference Figure 3 In some embodiments, the first portion 331 and the third portion 333 are both perpendicular to the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30, and the second portion 332 is parallel to the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. The second portion 332, the third portion 333 and the upper surface 201 of the plurality of battery cells 20 together form an avoidance area 302.
[0077] It is understandable that the shape of the sidewall 33 can also be changed in some other embodiments. For example... Figure 9 In one embodiment, the second part 332 of the sidewall 33 of the exhaust channel 30 is not parallel to the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30, but has a certain inclination to adapt to different installation environments and reduce production costs.
[0078] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An exploded view of the battery pack 3 in the embodiment; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the exhaust channel 30 in the embodiment from a bottom-view perspective.
[0079] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, one end of the exhaust passage 30 extending in the direction of extension is the outlet of the exhaust passage 30, and the other end of the exhaust passage 30 extending in the direction of extension is blocked.
[0080] In some embodiments, the top wall 31 and bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 are both flat plate structures, and the top wall 31 and bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 are arranged in parallel. The bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 is used to bond to the upper surface 201 of the plurality of battery cells 20, and the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 is used to bond to the upper cover 5 (see reference). Figure 3 (1) Adhesion. Due to the arrangement of the exhaust channel 30, and the fact that the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 is bonded to the upper surface 201 of multiple battery cells 20, in the event of thermal runaway of a battery cell 20, the thermal runaway medium ejected from the battery cell 20 first impacts the exhaust channel 30. This effectively reduces the impact of the thermal runaway medium ejected from the battery cell 20 on the upper cover 5 of the housing 4, effectively preventing significant deformation or even detachment of the upper cover 5. It is understood that gaps, such as 1mm-3mm, can also be left between the top walls 31 of the exhaust channel 30. The top walls 31 of the exhaust channel 30 can also be bonded together with adhesive.
[0081] To facilitate the connection between the exhaust passage 30 and the pressure relief valve 21 of the multiple battery cells 20, refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6In some embodiments, a plurality of exhaust ports 321 are provided on the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. The plurality of exhaust ports 321 are arranged at intervals along the length direction X of the battery pack 3, and the distance between two adjacent exhaust ports 321 is the same as the distance between two adjacent pressure relief valves 21 on the battery cells 20. In the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, the plurality of exhaust ports 321 cover the pressure relief valves 21 of the plurality of battery cells 20 respectively. That is, the plurality of exhaust ports 321 are directly opposite to the pressure relief valves 21 of the plurality of battery cells 20 in a row of battery cells 20. The fact that the plurality of exhaust ports 321 are directly opposite to the pressure relief valves 21 of the plurality of battery cells 20 in a row of battery cells 20 means that the projections of the plurality of exhaust ports 321 and the pressure relief valves 21 of the plurality of battery cells 20 in a row of battery cells 20 in the Z direction at least partially overlap. It can be understood that the plurality of openings and the plurality of pressure relief valves 21 of the plurality of battery cells 20 are in a one-to-one correspondence. In this embodiment, since the exhaust channel 30 is connected to the pressure relief valves 21 of the multiple battery cells 20 one-to-one through multiple exhaust ports 321, when one or more of the battery cells 20 experience thermal runaway, the pressure relief valves 21 can be broken in time to deliver the thermal runaway medium into the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel, and then discharged from the battery pack 3. Since the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel is formed by the exhaust channel 30, the stability during thermal runaway of the battery cells 20 can be improved, and the rupture or damage of the exhaust channel 30 can be avoided. Specifically, when the thermal runaway medium fills the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel, since the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel is formed by the exhaust channel 30, the upward and downward pressures on the exhaust channel 30 in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3 are basically equal or have little difference. The exhaust channel 30 is in force balance in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, which can avoid the exhaust channel 30 being subjected to the combined upward thrust, avoid the failure of the adhesion between the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 and the multiple cells 20, avoid the exhaust channel 30 detaching from the adhesion of the multiple cells 20, avoid the exhaust channel 30 applying the upward thrust of the top cover 5, and avoid the top cover 5 detaching from the housing 4.
[0082] It should be noted that the exhaust channel 30 is made of insulating and high-temperature resistant material. Because the exhaust channel 30 is insulating, it will not cause short circuits between different cells 20. Because the exhaust channel 30 is high-temperature resistant, it can prevent thermal runaway from being damaged by the ejected high-temperature thermal runaway medium.
[0083] To ensure the strength of the exhaust channel 30, in some embodiments, the top wall 31, bottom wall 32 and two side walls 33 of the exhaust channel 30 are integrally formed, for example, the exhaust channel 30 is extruded to improve the overall strength of the exhaust channel 30 and prevent the bonding position of the exhaust channel 30 from being damaged and gaps appearing when the cell 20 is thermally runaway.
[0084] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6In some embodiments, the size of the vent 321 is slightly larger than the pressure relief valve 21 of the battery cell 20, so that the pressure relief valve 21 of the battery cell 20 is completely covered by the vent 321. It is understood that in other embodiments, the size of the vent 321 may be the same as or slightly smaller than the pressure relief valve 21 of the battery cell 20.
[0085] Understandably, in the initial stage of thermal runaway of cell 20, the thermal runaway medium ejected from the pressure relief valve 21 of cell 20 contains a large amount of liquid electrolyte. As the temperature continues to rise, the liquid electrolyte will gradually vaporize and be discharged through the exhaust channel 30. The liquid electrolyte will have a certain impact on the adhesive, which may cause the adhesive between the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of multiple cells 20 to fail. This leads to the failure of the seal between the upper surface 201 of multiple cells 20 and the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. Because there is a gap between two adjacent battery cells 20, multiple exhaust ports 321 are provided on the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. These multiple exhaust ports 321 are interconnected. Therefore, when a thermally runaway battery cell 20 ejects the thermal runaway medium, the liquid electrolyte in the thermal runaway medium flows from the exhaust port 321 at the pressure relief valve 21 corresponding to the normal battery cell 20 to the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 and between the multiple battery cells 20, and interacts with the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of the multiple battery cells 20. The adhesive contact between the cells can lead to seal failure between the bottom wall 32 of the venting channel 30 and the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple cells 20 due to adhesive failure. Liquid electrolyte can then flow from between the bottom wall 32 of the venting channel 30 and the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple cells 20 into the gaps between adjacent cells 20, and onto the bottom plate 6 of the battery pack 3. This can cause contact with other cells 20 or electrical components within the battery pack 3, resulting in electrical sparking or arcing, increasing the risk of combustion or explosion of the battery pack 3. Furthermore, because the liquid electrolyte can come into contact with the pressure relief valves 21 of other normal cells 20 through other vents 321, the pressure relief valves 21 of other normal cells 20 may fail to activate properly or even break, further exacerbating the risk of thermal runaway in the battery pack 3.
[0086] To prevent the liquid electrolyte ejected from thermally runaway cell 20 from further worsening the thermal runaway of battery pack 3, refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the battery pack 3 further includes a separator 50, which covers the pressure relief valves 21 of multiple cells 20 in at least one row of cells 20. By covering the pressure relief valves 21 with the separator 50, the pressure relief valves 21 of cells 20 that have experienced thermal runaway can be ruptured by the separator 50, while cells 20 that have not experienced thermal runaway can be effectively protected from the overflow of thermal runaway medium from the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel due to the protection of the separator 50, thereby reducing the risk of further deterioration of thermal runaway in the battery pack 3.
[0087] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 In this embodiment, in the Z direction, the partition 50 is located between the lower surface of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of at least one row of cells 20, and closes a plurality of exhaust ports 321 (see reference). Figure 6 The separator 50 is mainly made of a material with moderate strength and high temperature resistance. For example, the separator 50 can be a PET (polyethylene glycol terephthalate) film or a PP (polypropylene) film. The condition that the separator 50 needs to meet is that when the cell 20 heats up, the high pressure thermal runaway medium sprayed from the pressure relief valve 21 can successfully break through the separator 50. However, after the thermal runaway medium is sprayed into the exhaust channel cavity 301, the pressure in the exhaust channel cavity 301 is not enough to break through the separator 50. At the same time, the electrolyte in the thermal runaway medium is not enough to damage the separator 50 for at least a short time (before the liquid electrolyte is vaporized). In this embodiment, when thermal runaway occurs in cell 20, the pressure relief valve 21 of the thermal runaway cell 20, which is directly opposite the partition 50, breaks or opens the partition 50, and the electrolyte is smoothly sprayed from the thermal runaway cell 20 into the inner cavity of the exhaust pipe. Since the partition 50 seals the other exhaust ports 321, the electrolyte in the exhaust channel 30 will not flow from other exhaust ports 321 to the pressure relief valve 21 of the normal cell 20, nor will it flow from other exhaust ports 321 to the space between the upper surface 201 of multiple cells 20 and the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30, thus damaging the adhesive. Instead, the thermal runaway medium is confined to the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel and discharged towards the rear end plate 10 (e.g., Figure 4 ), and finally from the explosion-proof valve 9 (such as Figure 4 The electrolyte is discharged. This prevents the electrolyte from damaging the normal cells 20 or other electrical components within the battery pack 3, reducing the risk of further deterioration of thermal runaway in the battery pack 3 and improving the safety performance of the battery pack 3. It is understood that in some other embodiments, in the Z direction, the partition 50 may also be located on the upper surface of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30, that is, within the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel.
[0088] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the separator 50 is sealed to the bottom wall 32 of the venting channel 30 by adhesive, and the separator 50 is also sealed to the upper surface 201 of the plurality of battery cells 20 by adhesive. Specifically, the adhesive between the separator 50 and the bottom wall 32 of the venting channel 30 is a first sealant layer 61, and the adhesive between the separator 50 and the upper surface 201 of at least one row of battery cells 20 is a second sealant layer 62. To prevent the first sealant layer 61 and the second sealant layer 62 from failing to be properly ruptured during thermal runaway of the battery cell 20, the position of the first sealant layer corresponding to the vent 321 is hollowed out, that is, the first sealant layer 61 surrounds the vent 321 (see reference). Figure 6 The first sealant layer 61 is configured such that its hollowed-out area surrounds the exhaust port 321. Similarly, the second sealant layer is hollowed out at the position corresponding to the pressure relief valve 21, meaning that the second sealant layer 62 surrounds the pressure relief valve 21. In this embodiment, only the partition layer 50 is located between the pressure relief valve 21 and the exhaust port 321. The partition layer 50 can be easily broken or opened during thermal runaway of the battery cell 20, thus not affecting the normal pressure relief during thermal runaway of the battery cell 20.
[0089] It is understandable that in some other embodiments, provided that the first sealant layer 61 and the second sealant layer 62 can be ruptured by the ejected thermal runaway medium during thermal runaway of the battery cell 20, the first sealant layer 61 can also be provided at the position corresponding to the exhaust port 321, or the second sealant layer 62 can be provided at the position corresponding to the pressure relief valve 21 of the battery cell 20, or both can be provided simultaneously. In some other embodiments, the partition 50 can also have a sealing and bonding function, in which case the upper surface 201 of multiple battery cells 20 and the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 can be directly bonded together through the partition 50, without the need for other adhesives. At the same time, the partition 50 can also seal the exhaust port 321 (see reference). Figure 6 The function of this is to prevent the thermal runaway medium in the exhaust channel 30 from flowing out through other exhaust ports 321 and damaging other cells 20.
[0090] To prevent the top cover 5 from being directly impacted by the high-temperature thermal runaway medium, refer to Figure 3 In some implementations, a compressible material 80 is also included, which is located between the top of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper cover 5. The compressible material 80 can absorb a certain amount of impact, effectively protecting the upper cover 5 from direct impact by the thermal runaway medium and preventing the upper cover 5 from detaching from other parts of the housing 4.
[0091] Reference Figure 3 The exhaust channel 30 further includes a reinforcing plate 35, which extends along the X direction and is disposed within the exhaust channel 30, connecting the top wall 31 and the bottom wall 32. The reinforcing plate 35 effectively improves the strength of the exhaust channel 30, preventing the top wall 31 and bottom wall 32 from being bent or deformed. It is understood that the number of reinforcing plates 35 can be one or more, and this embodiment does not limit the shape of the reinforcing plates 35.
[0092] To demonstrate how battery pack 3 can filter large particles in the thermal runaway medium, refer to... Figure 4The rear end plate 10 has a receiving cavity 101. The rear end plate 10 can filter large particles in the thermal runaway medium through the receiving cavity 101 to prevent the explosion-proof valve 9 from being blocked by large particles. Specifically, the receiving cavity 101 is used to communicate with the exhaust channel 30 and to receive the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30. When the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust channel 30 is discharged into the receiving cavity 101, the inner wall of the receiving cavity 101 can block the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30, change the movement direction of the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30, and thus allow large particles in the thermal runaway medium to precipitate, so as to achieve the purpose of filtering large particles in the thermal runaway medium by the receiving cavity 101.
[0093] Reference Figure 4 An explosion-proof valve 9 is installed on the rear end plate 10 and communicates with the receiving cavity 101, allowing the thermal runaway medium, after being filtered by the receiving cavity 101, to be ejected through the explosion-proof valve 9. This prevents large particles in the thermal runaway medium from being released and impacting the environment. Furthermore, because the thermal runaway medium undergoes deposition filtration in the receiving cavity 101 before passing through the explosion-proof valve 9, large particles in the thermal runaway medium can prevent blockage of the explosion-proof valve 9, thus preventing further deterioration of the thermal runaway of the battery pack 3 and improving the safety of the battery pack 3.
[0094] Reference Figure 4 In this embodiment, the battery pack 3, through the cooperation of the exhaust channel 30 and the rear end plate 10, can quickly release the thermal runaway medium through the exhaust channel 30 into the receiving cavity 101 of the rear end plate 10 when the battery cell 20 in the battery pack 3 experiences thermal runaway. After being filtered and deposited by the receiving cavity 101, the medium is quickly discharged from the battery pack 3 by the explosion-proof valve 9. At the same time, it can also prevent the explosion-proof valve 9 from being blocked by large particles and prevent large particles from damaging the environment.
[0095] To improve the deposition effect of particulate matter in the thermal runaway medium on the rear plate 10, refer to Figure 4In some embodiments, the rear end plate 10 has a first opening 102 and a second opening 103. The first opening 102 serves as the inlet of the receiving cavity 101 and is used to receive the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust channel 30. The second opening 103 is used to install the explosion-proof valve 9. The first opening 102 is located on the top wall 11 of the rear end plate 10 near the top cover 5, and the second opening 103 is located on the outer wall 13 away from the inner cavity of the housing 4. Thus, when the thermal runaway medium enters the receiving cavity 101 from the first opening 102, the flow direction is consistent with the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, and it is sprayed directly towards the bottom wall of the receiving cavity 101. Under the obstruction of the bottom wall of the receiving cavity 101, the flow direction of the thermal runaway medium will change, and in this process, the particulate matter in the thermal runaway medium will be deposited on the bottom wall of the receiving cavity 101. Because the second opening 103 is located on the outer wall 13 perpendicular to the top wall 11 of the rear end plate 10, the thermal runaway medium entering the receiving cavity 101 from the first opening 102 will not be directly ejected from the explosion-proof valve 9 at the second opening 103 before being filtered and deposited by the inner wall of the receiving cavity 101. Instead, after the thermal runaway medium passes through the receiving cavity 101 to filter and deposit particulate matter, it is ejected from the receiving cavity 101 from the explosion-proof valve 9 at the second opening 103. Therefore, by reasonably setting the positions of the first opening 102 and the second opening 103 in this embodiment, the deposition effect of particulate matter in the thermal runaway medium in the receiving cavity 101 can be effectively improved, and the risk of the explosion-proof valve 9 being blocked can be reduced.
[0096] In order to ensure that the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust channel 30 can smoothly enter the receiving cavity 101 through the first opening 102, refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first opening 102 is located at the outlet of the exhaust channel 30, so that the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust channel 30 can smoothly enter the receiving cavity 101 through the first opening 102.
[0097] Figure 7 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the rear end plate 10 in the embodiment from a slightly frontal view; Figure 8 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the rear end plate 10 in the embodiment from a side view.
[0098] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8In some embodiments, the rear end plate 10 includes a top wall 11, a bottom wall 12, an outer side wall 13, and an inner side wall 14. The top wall 11 and bottom wall 12 of the rear end plate 10 are opposite each other in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, and the outer side wall 13 and inner side wall 14 of the rear end plate 10 are opposite each other in the length direction X of the battery pack 3. The top wall 11, bottom wall 12, outer side wall 13, and inner side wall 14 of the rear end plate 10 form a receiving cavity 101. It is understood that the rear end plate 10 may also include two opposite side walls in the width direction Y of the battery pack 3 to close the two openings of the receiving cavity 101 in the width direction Y of the battery pack 3. In this case, the top wall 11, bottom wall 12, outer side wall 13, inner side wall 14 of the rear end plate 10, and the two opposite side walls in the width direction Y of the battery pack 3 together form the receiving cavity 101.
[0099] To improve the strength of end plate 8, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the rear end plate 10 further includes a plurality of partitions 15 connected between the inner sidewall 14 and the outer sidewall 13 of the rear end plate 10 to improve the overall strength of the end plate 8.
[0100] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, multiple partitions 15 are arranged along the height direction Z of the battery pack 3 between the top wall 11 and the bottom wall 12 of the rear end plate 10, that is, the multiple partitions 15 are parallel to the bottom wall 12 and the top wall 11 of the rear end plate 10. In this embodiment, the multiple partitions 15 divide the receiving cavity 101 into multiple independent chambers 104. Due to the arrangement of the multiple partitions 15, the first opening 102 can only communicate with the uppermost chamber 104. If the second opening 103 is not communicated with the uppermost chamber 104, the thermal runaway medium entering the receiving cavity 101 from the first opening 102 cannot be discharged from the second opening 103. Similarly, if at least a portion of the second opening 103 corresponds to the position of other chambers 104 besides the uppermost chamber 104, since the other chambers 104 besides the uppermost chamber 104 are not communicated with the first opening 102, at least a portion of the second opening 103 cannot be used to discharge the thermal runaway medium in the receiving cavity 101. To address the issue that the second opening 103 cannot effectively discharge the thermal runaway medium from the receiving cavity 101, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8In some embodiments, through holes 151 are provided on the partitions 15 located above the second opening 103 in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3. It should be noted that "located above the second opening 103" here refers to being above the lowest point of the second opening 103; that is, through holes 151 are provided on both the partitions 15 located above the second opening 103 and the partitions 15 whose height is aligned with the second opening 103. The partitions 15 whose height is aligned with the second opening 103 refer to the partitions 15 that overlap with the second opening 103 in the length direction X of the battery pack 3. In this embodiment, since the partition 15 located above the second opening 103 and the partition 15 aligned with the height of the second opening 103 are both provided with through holes 151, the through holes 151 can connect the multiple chambers 104, so that the chambers 104 connected to the second opening 103 can be directly or indirectly connected to the first opening 102, so that the thermal runaway medium entering the receiving cavity 101 through the first opening 102 can be smoothly discharged through the explosion-proof valve 9 at the second opening 103.
[0101] It is understandable that, in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, the partition 15 located below the second opening 103 may or may not have a through hole 151.
[0102] To improve the sedimentation and filtration effect of the thermal runaway medium on the rear end plate 10, in some embodiments, the second opening 103 and the first opening 102 are staggered in the width direction Y of the battery pack 3. Thus, the thermal runaway medium entering the receiving cavity 101 from the first opening 102 will flow downward through the through holes 151 of multiple partitions 15, then bend back multiple times through multiple partitions 15, and finally be discharged through the second opening 103. By setting multiple partitions 15, the thermal runaway medium needs to change its flow direction multiple times from entering from the first opening 102 to being discharged from the second opening 103. This allows for multiple sedimentation and filtration on the inner wall of the receiving cavity 101 and on the multiple partitions 15, thereby improving the sedimentation and filtration effect of the thermal runaway medium on the rear end plate 10.
[0103] It is understandable that the number of first openings 102 is related to the number of rows of cells 20 in the battery pack 3. For example, when there is one row of cells 20 in the battery pack 3, only one venting channel 30 is needed, and only one first opening 102 is required. Conversely, when there are two rows of cells 20 in the battery pack 3, two venting channels 30 and two first openings 102 are needed, with one venting channel 30 and one first opening 102 corresponding to one row of cells 20.
[0104] It is understandable that the second opening 103 can be one or more.
[0105] It should be noted that in some other embodiments, the first opening 102 can also be located at other positions on the rear end plate 10. For example, the first opening 102 can be located on the inner side wall 14 of the rear end plate 10 near the inner cavity of the housing 4, but it should be offset from the second opening 103 in the length direction X of the battery pack 3. That is, the first opening 102 and the second opening 103 should not be directly opposite each other to prevent the thermal runaway medium entering through the first opening 102 from being sprayed out directly into the explosion-proof valve 9 at the second opening 103 without being filtered. For another example, in some embodiments, the first opening 102 can also be located on the bottom wall 12 or the outer side wall 13 of the rear end plate 10, or other positions.
[0106] To increase the size of the first opening 102, especially the size of the first opening 102 in the length direction X of the battery pack 3, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the rear end plate 10 also includes a flange 16 located at the top of the outer side wall 13. The flange 16 extends toward the side away from the inner cavity of the housing 4, and the surface of the flange 16 facing the upper cover 5 is bonded to the upper cover 5 by adhesive. That is, the rear end plate 10 is not bonded to the upper cover 5 through the top wall 11 of the rear end plate 10, but is bonded to the upper cover 5 through the adjacent flange 16. This allows for a larger space to be reserved in the top wall 11 of the rear end plate 10 to open the first opening 102. In particular, it allows for a reasonable increase in the size of the first opening 102 in the length direction X of the battery pack 3, thereby improving the efficiency of the first opening 102 in receiving the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30. It is understood that the flange 16 and the upper cover 5 can also be connected by means of adhesive, riveting, or screws.
[0107] Because the temperature of the thermal runaway medium discharged after the thermal runaway of cell 20 is high, in order to prevent the adhesive between the top cover 5 and the folded edge 16 from being damaged by the sprayed thermal runaway medium, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the battery pack 3 further includes a raised rib 17 on the surface of the folded edge 16 facing the upper cover 5. The raised rib 17 is elongated and can be made of a high-temperature resistant material that will not be damaged when in contact with the thermal runaway medium. The extending direction of the raised rib 17 is consistent with the width direction Y of the battery pack 3. The raised rib 17 is located at one end of the folded edge 16 near the inner cavity of the housing 4. Thus, the raised rib 17 can separate the adhesive between the folded edge 16 and the upper cover 5 from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30. Therefore, the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30 will not cause the adhesive between the folded edge 16 and the upper cover 5 to be damaged, and the bonding strength between the upper cover 5 and the folded edge 16 can still be guaranteed when the cell 20 experiences thermal runaway.
[0108] To prevent the adhesive between the top cover 5 and the folded edge 16 from overflowing during application, refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the end of the folded edge 16 away from the inner cavity of the housing 4 is also provided with a rib 17. That is, two ribs 17 spaced apart along the length X of the battery pack 3 are provided on the surface where the folded edge 16 is bonded to the top cover 5. Adhesive is provided between the two ribs 17 for bonding the top cover 5 and the folded edge 16. The provision of two ribs 17 can effectively prevent adhesive overflow. Of course, in some other embodiments, the end of the folded edge 16 away from the inner cavity of the housing 4 may also be provided with an adhesive overflow groove, which can also effectively prevent adhesive overflow between the top cover 5 and the folded edge 16.
[0109] Figure 9 This is a simplified diagram showing the fit between another venting channel 30 of the battery pack 3 and the upper cover 5 and the battery cell 20. To improve the stability of the venting channel 30 assembly, refer to... Figure 9 In some embodiments, in the width direction Y of the battery pack 3, the two edge portions 322 of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 are located outside the two third portions 333. That is, the third portions 333 are not connected to the edge of the exhaust channel 30, but are connected to the middle portion of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. In other words, the edge portions 322 of the exhaust channel 30 do not participate in enclosing and forming the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel. At least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 is located between the second portion 332 and the edge portions 322 of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. In this embodiment, the second portion 332, the third portion 333, and the edge portions 322 of the exhaust channel 30 together form a clearance area 302, which is used to place at least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 within the clearance area 302, thereby avoiding interference between the exhaust channel 30 and the cell connection structure 70. Furthermore, since at least a portion of the cell connection structure 70 is disposed above the edge portion 322 of the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30, it can press or limit the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30. This allows the exhaust channel 30 to be fixed not only by the adhesive between the multiple cells 20 and the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30 during thermal runaway, but also by the cell connection structure 70 restricting the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30, thereby improving the assembly stability of the exhaust channel 30.
[0110] For a battery pack 3 without an exhaust channel 30, a certain distance is typically required between the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple cells 20 and the top cover 5 to allow for rapid airflow in the event of thermal runaway of the cells 20. However, this distance cannot be too small; for example, safety regulations require a minimum distance of L between the upper surfaces 201 and the top cover 5. Conversely, a larger distance between the upper surfaces 201 and the top cover 5 results in more air inside the battery pack 3, which not only easily leads to condensation but also increases the likelihood of explosion or combustion during thermal runaway due to higher oxygen levels. To address these issues, refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, in the height direction Z of the battery pack 3, the portion of the top cover 5 directly opposite the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 is higher than other portions of the top cover 5. The distance between the portion of the top cover 5 directly opposite the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of the multiple battery cells 20 is a first distance, while the distance between the other portions of the top cover 5 not directly opposite the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of the multiple battery cells 20 is less than the first distance. In other words, compared to a battery pack 3 without an exhaust channel 30, the battery pack 3 in this embodiment can reduce the distance between the other portions of the top cover 5 not directly opposite the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 and the upper surface 201 of the multiple battery cells 20, thereby reducing the air and oxygen content inside the battery pack 3. This reduces the probability of explosion or combustion in the event of thermal runaway of the battery pack 3, and also reduces the risk of short circuits due to condensation inside the battery pack 3.
[0111] Figure 10 This is a simplified diagram showing the interaction between another type of venting channel 30 of the battery pack 3 and the top cover 5 and the battery cell 20. Figure 10 Compared to the example Figure 3 The main difference in the embodiment is that the exhaust channel 30 is not integrally formed, see reference. Figure 10In some embodiments, the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 includes two portions spaced apart in the Y direction, which are respectively bonded to the lower surface of the upper cover 5 with sealant. In this embodiment, since the two portions of the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30 are respectively bonded to the upper cover 5 with sealant, the upper cover 5 participates in enclosing and forming the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel, thereby saving material of the top wall 31 of the exhaust channel 30. In this embodiment, the inner cavity 301 of the exhaust channel is formed by the top wall 31, the upper cover 5, the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple battery cells 20, and the two side walls 33. The acquisition component 72 is located in the Z direction between the second portion 332 of the side wall 33 and the multiple battery cells 20. Specifically, a foam layer 90 is provided between the acquisition component 72 and the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple battery cells 20, and an adhesive is provided between the acquisition component 72 and the second portion 332.
[0112] It is understood that the exhaust channel cavity 301 in the preceding embodiments is a structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom in the Z direction. The structure of the exhaust channel 30 in the following embodiments is also the exhaust channel 30 that can be used in the battery pack of this application, for example... Figure 11 , Figure 12 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 The structure in the exhaust channel 30 can also be used to discharge thermal runaway media, but it is only suitable for battery packs 3 with reduced energy of single cell 20.
[0113] Reference Figure 11 In an embodiment, the sidewall 33 of the exhaust channel 30 can also be flat and perpendicular to the bottom wall 32 of the exhaust channel 30, so that the exhaust channel 30 is approximately rectangular tubular, that is, the cross section of the exhaust channel 30 perpendicular to its extension direction is rectangular. Figure 11 The exhaust channel 30 in the embodiment is mainly used in the battery pack 3 composed of larger battery cells 20. Since the distance between the positive terminal 22 and the negative terminal 23 of the larger battery cell 20 is large enough to set the exhaust channel 30, there is no need to worry about interference with the battery cell connection structure 70.
[0114] Reference Figure 12 , Figure 13 and Figure 14In some embodiments, the exhaust channel 30 includes two independent channel components 34. Along the width direction Y of the battery pack 3, the two channel components 34 are located on both sides of the pressure relief valves 21 of multiple cells 20 in at least one row of cells 20. The surfaces of the two channel components 34 near the surfaces of the multiple cells 20 are bonded to the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple cells 20, and the surfaces of the two channel components 34 near the upper cover 5 are bonded to the upper cover 5. The two channel components 34, the upper cover 5, and the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple cells 20 cooperate to form the exhaust channel cavity 301. Since the exhaust channel cavity 301 is formed by the cooperation of the two channel components 34 of the exhaust channel 30, the upper cover 5, and the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple cells 20, the size of the exhaust channel cavity 301 can be increased without changing the size of the housing 4, effectively increasing the flow rate of the exhaust channel cavity 301. Therefore, even when multiple cells 20 experience simultaneous thermal runaway, the thermal runaway medium can still be quickly discharged through the exhaust channel 30.
[0115] In some implementations, the two channel components 34 are arranged symmetrically to reduce the design and layout difficulty of the exhaust channel 30.
[0116] Reference Figure 12 In some embodiments, both channel components 34 are rectangular rod-shaped structures. The upper surfaces of both channel components 34 are bonded to the top cover 5, and the lower surfaces of both channel components 34 are bonded to the upper surface of the FPC with adhesive. A foam layer 90 is provided between the lower surface of the FPC and the upper surfaces 201 of the multiple battery cells 20. In this embodiment, the two channel components 34 of the exhaust channel 30 can be assembled after the FPC and busbar 71 are installed. Placing the two channel components 34 of the exhaust channel 30 above the FPC can avoid the exhaust channel 30 affecting the FPC layout, reduce the assembly difficulty of the exhaust channel 30, and simplify the structure of the exhaust channel 30.
[0117] Reference Figure 13 , Figure 13 Implementation method compared to Figure 12 The difference in the implementation method lies in that both channel components 34 have a rectangular rod-shaped main body 341 and a baffle 342 protruding from the lower surface of the main body 341. The baffle 342 is located at one end of the main body 341 near the exhaust channel cavity 301 and extends to the upper surface 201 of the multiple battery cells 20. The exhaust channel cavity 301 is formed by the cooperation of the upper cover 5, the upper surface 201 of the multiple battery cells 20, the inner surfaces of the two main bodies 341 near the exhaust channel cavity 301, and the inner surfaces of the two baffles 342 near the exhaust channel cavity 301. In this implementation method, due to the setting of the baffle 342, direct contact between the FPC and the thermal runaway medium can be avoided, reducing the risk of FPC arcing or sparking.
[0118] Reference Figure 14 In some embodiments, both channel components 34 include a first plate 343, a second plate 344, a third plate 345, and a fourth plate 346. The first plate 343 and the third plate 345 are parallel to the base plate 6. The first plate 343 is bonded to the top cover 5. The second plate 344 and the fourth plate 346 are perpendicular to the base plate 6. The second plate 344 is connected between the first plate 343 and the third plate 345. The fourth plate 346 is connected between the first plate 343 and the third plate 345, and the end of the fourth plate 346 away from the first plate 343 extends beyond the third plate 345 and extends to the upper surface 201 of the plurality of battery cells 20. The second plate 344 and the fourth plate 346 are located at the two ends of the third plate in the width direction Y of the battery pack 3. The end of the fourth plate 346 near the plurality of battery cells 20 is bonded to the upper surface 201 of the plurality of battery cells 20. In this embodiment, the exhaust channel cavity 301 is formed by the upper cover 5, the upper surfaces 201 of multiple battery cells 20, and two fourth plates 346. The exhaust channel 30 in this embodiment is different from... Figure 13 In the embodiment, the exhaust channel 30 is equivalent to a groove being dug in the middle of the main body 341 of the exhaust channel 30, which can effectively save the material cost of the two channel components 34.
[0119] Figure 15 The embodiment shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the battery pack guide 40 after normal assembly in the embodiment. To further improve the controllability of the smooth flow of the thermal runaway medium self-venting channel 30 from its outlet to the first opening 102, such as... Figure 15 In some embodiments, the battery pack 3 further includes a guide 40 located between the outlet of the exhaust passage 30 and the first opening 102, the guide 40 being used to guide the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust passage 30 to the first opening 102.
[0120] like Figure 15 In some embodiments, the guide 40 includes a flow guiding surface 41 that extends from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30 to the first opening 102, thereby smoothly guiding the thermal runaway medium discharged from the exhaust channel 30 to the first opening 102 and then to the receiving cavity 101 through the first opening 102.
[0121] like Figure 15In some embodiments, the guide 40 has an arc-shaped sheet structure. One end of the guide 40 is located at the top of the outlet of the exhaust channel 30, and the other end of the guide 40 is located on the side of the first opening 102 away from the inner cavity of the housing 4. That is, the guide 40 extends from the top of the outlet of the exhaust channel 30 to the top wall 11 of the rear end plate 10 at the position on the side of the first opening 102 away from the inner cavity of the housing 4, and the drainage surface is the inner surface of the guide 40 facing the first opening 102.
[0122] It is understood that in some other embodiments, the first opening 102 and the outlet of the exhaust channel 30 can be connected by a pipeline so as to guide the thermal runaway medium discharged in the exhaust channel 30 to the first opening 102 and then to the receiving cavity 101 through the first opening 102.
[0123] It is understandable that, in some embodiments, with the guide 40 provided, the guide 40 can be made of a high-temperature resistant material, which can also prevent the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel 30 from spraying onto the adhesive between the folded edge 16 and the top cover 5, thus preventing the adhesive between the folded edge 16 and the top cover 5 from being damaged, and ensuring the bonding strength between the top cover 5 and the folded edge 16.
[0124] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A battery pack with directional venting, characterized in that, The battery pack includes a housing and at least one row of battery cells and a battery cell connection structure housed within the housing. Multiple battery cells in one of the at least one row of battery cells are arranged along the length of the battery pack. The terminals and pressure relief valves of the multiple battery cells are all facing the top cover of the housing. The battery cell connection structure is connected to the terminals of the battery cells. The battery pack also includes a venting channel disposed between the upper surface of the row of battery cells and the top cover. The venting channel extends along the length direction, and the bottom wall of the venting channel covers the pressure relief valves of multiple battery cells in the row of battery cells, with the inner cavity of the venting channel communicating with the pressure relief valves of the multiple battery cells. In the width direction of the battery pack, the width of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel cavity is smaller than the width of the top wall of the exhaust channel cavity; in the height direction of the battery pack, at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the top wall of the exhaust channel and the upper surface of the row of cells.
2. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewall of the exhaust channel includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion that are continuously bent. The first portion bends from one end of the second portion toward the top wall and is connected to the top wall of the exhaust channel. The third portion bends from the other end of the second portion toward the bottom wall and is connected to the bottom wall of the exhaust channel. In the height direction, at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the second portion and the upper surface of the row of cells.
3. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the width direction, the two third portions of the two sidewalls of the exhaust channel are located between two adjacent cell connection structures.
4. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom wall of the exhaust channel has two edge portions located outside the two third portions in the width direction, and at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the second portion and the edge portions of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel.
5. The battery pack according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom wall of the exhaust channel has two edge portions located outside the two third portions in the width direction, and at least a portion of the cell connection structure is located between the second portion and the edge portions of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel.
6. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The top wall, bottom wall and two side walls of the exhaust channel are integrally formed.
7. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The exhaust channel also includes a reinforcing plate that extends along the length direction, is disposed within the exhaust channel, and is connected to the top wall and the bottom wall.
8. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The top wall of the exhaust channel comprises two parts spaced apart in the width direction, and the two parts are respectively bonded to the lower surface of the upper cover by sealant.
9. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The bottom wall of the exhaust channel is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports that communicate with the inner cavity of the exhaust channel, and the plurality of exhaust ports are respectively connected to the pressure relief valves of a plurality of cells in the at least one row of cells.
10. The battery pack according to claim 9, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a separator located between the top wall of the venting channel and the upper surface of the at least one row of cells, the separator covering the pressure relief valves of a plurality of cells in the at least one row of cells.
11. The battery pack according to claim 10, characterized in that, The partition is located on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel, or on the lower surface of the bottom wall of the exhaust channel.
12. The battery pack according to claim 11, characterized in that, A first sealant layer is provided between the partition and the bottom wall of the exhaust channel, the first sealant layer surrounding the exhaust port; a second sealant layer is provided between the partition and the upper surface of the row of battery cells, the second sealant layer surrounding the pressure relief valve of the row of battery cells.
13. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a compressible material located between the top of the venting channel and the top cover.
14. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The housing includes a bottom plate and a top cover opposite each other along the height direction, two side plates opposite each other along the width direction, and two end plates opposite each other along the length direction. The rear end plate of the two end plates has a receiving cavity for receiving thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel. The battery pack also includes an explosion-proof valve, which is disposed on the end plate and communicates with the receiving cavity.
15. The battery pack according to claim 9, characterized in that, The housing includes a bottom plate and a top cover opposite each other along the height direction, two side plates opposite each other along the width direction, and two end plates opposite each other along the length direction. The rear end plate of the two end plates has a receiving cavity for receiving thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel. The battery pack also includes an explosion-proof valve, which is disposed on the end plate and communicates with the receiving cavity.
16. The battery pack according to claim 14, characterized in that, The rear end plate includes a bottom wall and a top wall opposite each other in the height direction, and an outer wall and an inner wall opposite each other in the length direction. A first opening communicating with the receiving cavity is provided on the top wall, and a second opening communicating with the receiving cavity is provided on the outer wall. The outlet of the exhaust channel is located at the first opening. The receiving cavity receives the thermal runaway medium discharged from the outlet of the exhaust channel through the first opening. The explosion-proof valve is located at the second opening.
17. The battery pack according to claim 16, characterized in that, The rear end plate also includes multiple partitions, which are spaced apart between the top and bottom walls of the rear end plate. The multiple partitions are connected between the outer and inner walls of the rear end plate. The top, bottom, inner, and outer walls of the rear end plate cooperate to form the receiving cavity. In the height direction, the partition above the second opening and the partition aligned with the height of the second opening are provided with through holes.
18. The battery pack according to claim 16, characterized in that, The rear end plate also includes a flange located at the top of the outer side wall, the flange extending toward a side away from the housing cavity, the flange being used to secure it to the top cover.
19. The battery pack according to claim 17, characterized in that, The rear end plate also includes a flange located at the top of the outer side wall, the flange extending toward a side away from the housing cavity, the flange being used to secure it to the top cover.
20. The battery pack according to claim 18, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a raised rib on the surface of the folded edge facing the top cover. The raised rib is elongated and extends in the same direction as the width of the battery pack. The raised rib is located at one end of the folded edge near the inner cavity of the housing. The raised rib is used to separate the adhesive between the folded edge and the top cover from the outlet of the exhaust channel.
21. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, In the height direction of the battery pack, the portion of the top cover that faces the top wall of the exhaust channel is higher than the other portions of the top cover.
22. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a guide located between the outlet of the exhaust channel and the inlet of the receiving cavity of the rear end plate of the two end plates. The guide includes a flow guiding surface that extends from the outlet of the exhaust channel to the inlet of the receiving cavity.
23. The battery pack according to claim 14, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a guide located between the outlet of the exhaust channel and the inlet of the receiving cavity, the guide including a flow guiding surface extending from the outlet of the exhaust channel to the inlet of the receiving cavity.
24. An energy storage device, characterized in that, It includes a cabinet and a plurality of battery packs as described in any one of claims 1-23, wherein the battery packs are disposed within the cabinet.
25. The energy storage device according to claim 24, characterized in that, The cabinet includes a main flue, and the explosion-proof valve of each battery pack is connected to the main flue.