Battery module and air-cooled pack

Abstract

A battery module, comprising a battery cell group, an end face assembly respectively located on both sides of the battery cell group, and a steel belt group for sleeving the battery cell group and the end face assembly into one body; the battery cell group comprises battery cells arranged in sequence along the length direction of the battery cell group, and a harmonica tube is arranged between adjacent battery cells; a plurality of air inlet channels are formed in the harmonica tube along the height direction of the harmonica tube; and the outer surface of the harmonica tube is covered with a layer of blue film; compared with the prior art, the battery module directly contacts with external air for heat exchange through the opening and the heat dissipation hole, and the temperature inside the air-cooled PACK package is reduced through the air outlet channel and the air inlet channel to exchange heat with the external air, so that the heat dissipation efficiency of the PACK package is improved; meanwhile, the structure is simple, and no cooling liquid circulation, pump, pipeline and other components are involved, so that the manufacturing cost of the PACK package is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of energy storage battery technology, and in particular to a battery module and air-cooled PACK. Background Technology

[0002] As the new energy market gradually expands, related energy storage batteries are also developing rapidly. The cost of energy storage batteries has become an important parameter for the future development of energy storage batteries. On the one hand, the decline in the cost of energy storage batteries will help promote the further popularization of energy storage technology. On the other hand, the decline in the cost of energy storage batteries will promote the further expansion of the energy storage market, especially for direct application in industrial and commercial energy storage, microgrids and other fields.

[0003] The battery pack is an important component of energy storage batteries. Traditionally, battery packs are divided into two types: liquid-cooled battery packs and air-cooled battery packs. Liquid-cooled battery packs cool the battery pack through circulating coolant, which has high heat dissipation efficiency. However, the internal coolant involves components such as coolant circulation, pumps, and pipelines, which increases manufacturing costs. Air-cooled battery packs cool the battery pack through airflow generated by fans. Air-cooled battery packs have lower heat dissipation efficiency, but their structure is simple and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0004] Furthermore, in order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the PACK pack that constitutes the energy storage battery, and at the same time improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the PACK pack, a battery module and an air-cooled PACK pack are designed. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the defects in the prior art and provide a battery module and air-cooled PACK that reduces the manufacturing cost of the PACK while improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the PACK.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: a battery module, including a cell assembly, end face components located on both sides of the cell assembly, and a steel strip assembly that integrates the cell assembly and the end face components; the cell assembly includes cells arranged sequentially along its length direction, a harmonica tube is provided between adjacent cells, the harmonica tube has several air intake channels arranged sequentially along its height direction inside, and the outer surface of the harmonica tube is covered with a blue film.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the height of the harmonica tube is equal to or less than the height of the battery cell, and the length of the harmonica tube is equal to the length of the battery cell.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the air intake channel extends longitudinally through the harmonica tube, the width of the air intake channel is 1 / 10-1 / 15 of the width of the battery cell, and the width of the air intake channel is 1 / 5-1 / 6 of the height of the air intake channel. The air intake channel is used to introduce external low-temperature gas into the battery module for heat exchange.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the steel strip assembly includes at least two steel strips, which are respectively sleeved on the upper and lower ends of the cell assembly and the end face assembly.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the end face assembly includes an end face PC, an end face silicone and an end plate arranged sequentially from the inside out, and an insulating base assembly for fixing copper busbars is installed on the top of the end face PC.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the battery cell assembly includes an integrated busbar located on top of the battery cells, the integrated busbar being used to electrically connect several battery cells.

[0012] An air-cooled PACK includes battery modules, a housing, and a fan. The battery modules are fixed in pairs inside the housing, and an air outlet channel is formed between the battery modules and connected to the air inlet channel. A fan is also fixed on the housing in front of the air outlet channel. When the fan is turned on, a low pressure is formed inside the air outlet channel, so that external air can enter the air outlet channel through the air inlet channel under the action of pressure difference for heat exchange.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the housing includes a bottom shell for receiving the battery module, a bottom PC is disposed between the bottom shell and the battery module, and several openings are provided on both sides of the bottom shell that communicate with the air intake channel; a top cover covering the top of the battery module is included, and a top PC is disposed between the top cover and the battery module; and a rear panel is included, which is located at the tail of the air outlet channel and is opposite to the fan to facilitate exhaust of the air outlet channel, and several heat dissipation holes are formed on the rear panel.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the housing includes a hanging ear, which is located on the same side of the fan, and two hanging ears are fixed to the front and rear ends of the bottom housing respectively.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, it includes an integrated busbar, a main negative connector, and a main positive connector. The integrated busbar is fixed to the top of the battery module and can electrically connect several battery modules. The main negative connector and the main positive connector are fixed on the housing and electrically connected to the integrated busbar through copper busbars.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, it includes a BMS component, which is fixed on the housing.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0018] 1. Compared with traditional battery modules, the harmonica tubes of this utility model are arranged at equal intervals within the battery cell assembly. The air intake channels inside the harmonica tubes facilitate the flow and exchange of cold and hot gases, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency and uniformity of the battery module during charging and discharging.

[0019] 2. This utility model allows the battery module to directly contact the outside air for heat exchange through openings and heat dissipation holes, and also reduces the internal temperature of the air-cooled PACK pack by exchanging heat with the outside air through air outlet and air inlet channels, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the PACK pack.

[0020] 3. This utility model has a simple structure and does not involve components such as coolant circulation, pumps, and pipelines, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of the PACK. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the battery module of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shell of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell assembly connection structure of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the gas flow inside this utility model;

[0027] The attached diagram shows the following labels: 1. Battery cell assembly, 2. End face assembly, 3. Steel strip assembly, 4. Insulation base assembly, 5. Housing, 6. Integrated busbar, 7. Main negative connector, 8. Positive connector, 9. BMS components, 10. Fan, 11. Battery cell, 12. Harmonica tube, 13. Blue film, 21. End face PC, 22. End face silicone, 23. End plate, 31. Steel strip, 51. Bottom shell, 52. Bottom PC, 53. Top cover, 54. Top PC, 55. Rear panel, 56. Hanging ear, 100. Exhaust channel, 200. Intake channel, 511. Opening, 551. Heat dissipation hole. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The embodiments of this utility model will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] In traditional battery modules, the gaps between the cells are filled with silicone, which makes it difficult for the battery module to dissipate heat during charging and discharging.

[0030] Figure 1 Point A in the middle is a magnified view of a portion of cell assembly 1. Figure 1 Since the middle end face silicone 22 is sandwiched between the end face PC21 and the end plate 23 and is not easily observed, the end face silicone 22 is made independent of the outside. Figure 6 The bottom PC52 is not easy to observe, so the bottom PC52 is separated from the outside.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, a battery module includes a cell assembly 1, end face components 2 located on both sides of the cell assembly 1, and a steel strip assembly 3 that integrates the cell assembly 1 and the end face components 2. The cell assembly 1 includes cells 11 arranged sequentially along its length, and a harmonica tube 12 is provided between adjacent cells 11. The harmonica tube 12 has several air intake channels 200 arranged sequentially along its height. The outer surface of the harmonica tube 12 is covered with a blue film 13.

[0032] The material constituting the harmonica tube 12 is preferably 6061 aluminum alloy, but other 6-series aluminum alloys can also be used. The harmonica tube 12, made of aluminum alloy, has high strength and good thermal conductivity. The high strength allows it to withstand the pressure applied during the installation of the steel belt assembly 3, and the good thermal conductivity is beneficial for rapid heat dissipation during the charging and discharging of the battery module.

[0033] Compared with traditional battery modules, the harmonica tubes 12 are evenly spaced within the cell assembly 1. The air intake channel 200 inside the harmonica tubes 12 facilitates the flow and exchange of cold and hot gases, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency and uniformity during the charging and discharging process of the battery module.

[0034] Furthermore, the blue film 13 on the outer surface of the harmonica tube 12 is an insulating material that separates the harmonica tube 12 from the battery cell 11, thus preventing the burrs on the outer surface of the harmonica tube 12 from coming into contact with the battery cell 11 and causing a risk of leakage.

[0035] The height of the harmonica tube 12 is equal to or less than the height of the battery cell 11, and the length of the harmonica tube 12 is equal to the length of the battery cell 11. An air intake channel 200 located inside the harmonica tube 12 extends longitudinally through the harmonica tube 12. The width of the air intake channel 200 is 1 / 10 to 1 / 15 of the width of the battery cell 11, and the width of the air intake channel 200 is 1 / 5 to 1 / 6 of the height of the air intake channel 200.

[0036] Specifically, the height of the harmonica tube 12 is equal to or slightly smaller than that of the battery cell 11, while the length of the harmonica tube 12 is equal to that of the battery cell 11. This increases the contact area between the harmonica tube 12 and the battery cell 11, allowing most of the heat from the battery cell 11 to be transferred to the harmonica tube 12. Furthermore, the size of the air intake channels 200 inside the harmonica tube 12 is limited. A large number of large air intake channels 200 facilitates gas flow, thereby promoting heat exchange and reducing the temperature of the battery module.

[0037] The steel strip group 3 includes at least two steel strips 31, which are respectively sleeved on the upper and lower ends of the cell group 1 and the end face assembly 2.

[0038] The end face assembly 2 includes an end face PC21, an end face silicone 22 and an end plate 23 arranged sequentially from the inside out. An insulating base assembly 4 for fixing copper busbars is installed on the top of the end plate 23.

[0039] Specifically, when the steel strips 31 located at the upper and lower ends of the cell assembly 1 and the end face assembly 2 are fitted together, both ends of the cell assembly 1 and the end face assembly 2 are subjected to the compressive force of the steel strips 31. As a result, the spacing between the internal components of the cell assembly 1 and the end face assembly 2 will become smaller. In order to avoid the spacing between components being too small and thus affecting the performance of the components, the end face assembly 2 uses the deformation and compression of the end face silicone 22 to expand the spacing between the other components, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the battery module. At the same time, when the steel strips 31 fit the cell assembly 1 and the end face assembly 2 together, the spacing between the cell assembly 1 and the end face assembly 2 becomes smaller due to the compressive effect of the steel strips 31, making the two more firmly bonded.

[0040] like Figures 1-6 As shown, an air-cooled PACK includes battery modules, a housing 5, and a fan 10. The battery modules are fixed in pairs inside the housing 5, and an air outlet channel 100 is formed between the battery modules and connected to the air inlet channel 200. The housing 5 is also fixed with a fan 10 located in front of the air outlet channel 100. When the fan 10 is turned on, a low pressure is formed inside the air outlet channel 100, so that external air can enter the air outlet channel 100 through the air inlet channel 200 under the action of pressure difference for heat exchange.

[0041] Among them, fan 10 is a DC fan that is powered by an external power source.

[0042] Specifically, under the action of the fan 10, the gas flow rate inside the exhaust channel 100 increases, resulting in a decrease in the pressure inside the exhaust channel 100. Since gas generally flows from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area, correspondingly, the external high-pressure gas located in the intake channel 200 continuously flows to the exhaust channel 100 for heat exchange. At the same time, the gas inside the exhaust channel 100 can also exchange heat with the side opposite to the fan 10, thus improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0043] The housing 5 includes a bottom shell 51 for receiving the battery module, with a bottom PC 52 disposed between the bottom shell 51 and the battery module. The bottom shell 51 has several openings 511 on both sides communicating with the air intake channel 200. It also includes a top cover 53 covering the top of the battery module, with a top PC 54 disposed between the top cover 53 and the battery module. Furthermore, it includes a rear panel 55 located at the tail of the air outlet channel 100 and opposite to the fan 10 to facilitate exhaust from the air outlet channel 100. Several heat dissipation holes 551 are formed on the rear panel 55.

[0044] The housing 5 includes a hanging ear 56, which is located on the same side of the fan 10. Two hanging ears 56 are fixed to the front and rear ends of the bottom housing 51 respectively. The hanging ears 56 facilitate the hanging of the air-cooled PACK in a designated position.

[0045] Specifically, the bottom PC52, top PC54 and end face PC21 are all covered with a blue film. The bottom PC52, top PC54 and end face PC21 cover the battery cell assembly 1 to prevent the battery cell assembly 1 from directly contacting the bottom shell 51, top cover 53 and rear panel 55 after damage, thus avoiding the risk of leakage.

[0046] The large openings 511 on both sides of the bottom shell 51 reduce the interference of the bottom shell 51 with the gas in the inlet and outlet pipes 12, and allow multiple cells 11 in the battery module to directly contact the outside air and exchange heat, thus improving the heat dissipation efficiency; the several heat dissipation holes 551 formed on the rear panel 55 also increase the speed of internal and external gas exchange and improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0047] This invention allows the battery module to directly contact the outside air for heat exchange through the opening 511 and heat dissipation hole 551, and also reduces the internal temperature of the air-cooled PACK pack by exchanging heat with the outside air through the air outlet channel 100 and air inlet channel 200, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the PACK pack.

[0048] An integrated busbar 6 is fixed on the top of the battery module. The integrated busbar 6 is used to electrically connect several battery modules. The integrated busbar 6 realizes functions such as series and parallel connection of battery modules, temperature acquisition, voltage acquisition, and overcurrent fuse, which helps to improve the space utilization and assembly efficiency of battery modules.

[0049] The housing 5 is fixed with a main negative connector 7 and a main positive connector 8, which are electrically connected to the connecting integrated busbar 6 through copper busbars, enabling the normal operation of the battery module inside the air-cooled PACK.

[0050] The housing 5 is equipped with BMS components 9, which are responsible for managing and monitoring the status of the battery module, including data such as voltage, current and temperature.

[0051] This invention has a simple structure and does not involve components such as coolant circulation, pumps, or pipelines, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the PACK. At the same time, it provides more uniform heat dissipation and higher heat dissipation efficiency.

[0052] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention; therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0053] Although this document frequently uses the following reference numerals from the figures: 1. Battery cell assembly, 2. End face assembly, 3. Steel strip assembly, 4. Insulating base assembly, 5. Housing, 6. Integrated busbar, 7. Main negative connector, 8. Positive connector, 9. BMS component, 10. Fan, 11. Battery cell, 12. Harmonica tube, 13. Blue film, 21. End face PC, 22. End face silicone, 23. End plate, 31. Steel strip, 51. Bottom shell, 52. Bottom PC, 53. Top cover, 54. Top PC, 55. Rear panel, 56. Hanging ear, 100. Exhaust channel, 200. Intake channel, 511. Opening, 551. Heat dissipation hole, etc., the possibility of using other terms is not excluded. These terms are used merely for the convenience of describing and explaining the essence of this utility model; interpreting them as any additional limitation would contradict the spirit of this utility model.

Claims

1. A battery module, characterized in that: It includes a battery cell assembly (1), end face components (2) located on both sides of the battery cell assembly (1), and a steel strip assembly (3) that integrates the battery cell assembly (1) and the end face components (2). The battery cell assembly (1) includes battery cells (11) arranged sequentially along its length direction. A harmonica tube (12) is provided between adjacent battery cells (11). Several air intake channels (200) are formed inside the harmonica tube (12) arranged sequentially along its height direction. The outer surface of the harmonica tube (12) is covered with a layer of blue film (13).

2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height of the harmonica tube (12) is equal to or less than the height of the battery cell (11), and the length of the harmonica tube (12) is equal to the length of the battery cell (11).

3. A battery module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air intake channel (200) extends longitudinally through the harmonica tube (12). The width of the air intake channel (200) is 1 / 10 to 1 / 15 of the width of the battery cell (11). The width of the air intake channel (200) is 1 / 5 to 1 / 6 of the height of the air intake channel (200).

4. A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steel strip assembly (3) includes at least two steel strips (31), which are respectively sleeved on the upper and lower ends of the cell assembly (1) and the end face assembly (2).

5. A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end face assembly (2) includes an end face PC (21), an end face silicone (22) and an end plate (23) arranged sequentially from the inside out. An insulating base assembly (4) for fixing copper busbars is installed on the top of the end face PC (21).

6. An air-cooled PACK, characterized in that: The device includes the battery module, housing (5) and fan (10) as described in any one of claims 1-5. The battery modules are fixed in the housing (5) in pairs. An air outlet channel (100) is formed between the battery modules and is connected to the air inlet channel (200). A fan (10) located in front of the air outlet channel (100) is also fixed on the housing (5). When the fan (10) is turned on, a low pressure is formed inside the air outlet channel (100), so that the external air can enter the air outlet channel (100) through the air inlet channel (200) under the action of the pressure difference for heat exchange.

7. A wind-cooled PACK according to claim 6, characterized in that: The housing (5) includes a bottom shell (51) for receiving the battery module. A bottom PC (52) is provided between the bottom shell (51) and the battery module. Several openings (511) are provided on both sides of the bottom shell (51) that are connected to the air intake channel (200). Includes a top cover (53) covering the top of the battery module, and a top PC (54) is provided between the top cover (53) and the battery module. Includes a rear panel (55), which is located at the end of the air outlet channel (100) and opposite to the fan (10) to facilitate the exhaust of the air outlet channel (100). A plurality of heat dissipation holes (551) are formed on the rear panel (55).

8. The air-cooled PACK according to claim 7, characterized in that: The housing (5) includes a hanging ear (56), which is located on the same side of the fan (10). Two hanging ears (56) are fixed to the front and rear ends of the bottom shell (51) respectively.

9. A wind-cooled PACK according to claim 6, characterized in that: It includes an integrated busbar (6), a main negative connector (7), and a main positive connector (8). The integrated busbar (6) is fixed to the top of the battery module and can electrically connect several of the battery modules. The main negative connector (7) and the main positive connector (8) are fixed on the housing (5) and electrically connected to the integrated busbar (6) through copper busbars.

10. A wind-cooled PACK according to claim 9, characterized in that: Includes BMS components (9), which are fixed on the housing (5).

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