Battery modules and battery packs

Abstract

This application relates to the field of battery thermal management technology, and more particularly to a battery module and battery pack. The battery module includes a casing, an upper support, a lower support, a current guide, and multiple cylindrical batteries. The multiple cylindrical batteries are arranged in a honeycomb structure, with gaps between three adjacent cylindrical batteries, and current guides are installed in these gaps. The cylindrical batteries and current guides are installed between the upper and lower supports, and both the upper and lower supports have current-guiding holes communicating with the current guides. The upper support is sealed to the inner wall of the casing to form a first chamber, and the lower support is sealed to the inner wall of the casing to form a second chamber. The casing has a first liquid inlet communicating with the first chamber and a second liquid inlet communicating with the second chamber. The battery module and battery pack of this application solve the technical problems existing in current battery modules based on single-phase immersion cooling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery thermal management technology, and in particular to a battery module and battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of electric vehicles and energy storage systems, thermal management of battery modules has become crucial. Cylindrical batteries are widely used in battery modules due to their high energy density. However, a large amount of heat is generated during battery charging and discharging. If heat cannot be dissipated effectively and in a timely manner, the battery temperature will become too high, which will affect the battery's performance, lifespan, and safety.

[0003] Currently, battery thermal management technologies mainly include air cooling, liquid cooling, and phase change material cooling. Among them, liquid cooling technology has attracted much attention due to its high heat dissipation efficiency. Within liquid cooling technology, single-phase immersion cooling has advantages such as direct contact between the coolant and the battery and no contact thermal resistance, enabling it to more effectively remove the heat generated by the battery.

[0004] However, existing battery modules based on single-phase immersion cooling still have some problems, such as uneven flow of coolant within the battery module, resulting in poor cooling effect for some batteries; and unreasonable battery module structure design, which affects the energy density and overall performance of the battery. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a battery module and battery pack that solves the aforementioned technical problems of existing battery modules based on single-phase immersion cooling.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this application, a battery module is provided, comprising a housing, an upper bracket, a lower bracket, a current guide, and a plurality of cylindrical batteries; the plurality of cylindrical batteries are divided into multiple rows, with adjacent rows of cylindrical batteries arranged alternately to form a regular array, and a gap structure is formed between three adjacent cylindrical batteries, the current guide being installed in the gap structure, the current guide being in contact with the outer wall of the corresponding three cylindrical batteries; the cylindrical batteries are installed between the upper bracket and the lower bracket, the current guide is installed between the upper bracket and the lower bracket, and both the upper bracket and the lower bracket have a current guide hole communicating with the current guide; the upper bracket is sealed to the inner wall of the housing to form a first chamber, the lower bracket is sealed to the inner wall of the housing to form a second chamber, the first chamber is connected to the current guide hole of the upper bracket, the second chamber is connected to the current guide hole of the lower bracket, the housing has a first liquid inlet communicating with the first chamber and a second liquid inlet communicating with the second chamber.

[0007] In any of the above technical solutions, further, if the plurality of cylindrical batteries are divided into N rows, then the gap structure is 2N rows, and in the 2N rows of the gap structure, the flow guide is installed in every other row of the gap structure.

[0008] In any of the above technical solutions, the flow guide is further formed as a triangular flow guide, which includes three contoured arc surfaces that match the outer wall of the cylindrical battery, and the three contoured arc surfaces are respectively attached to the outer wall of the corresponding cylindrical battery.

[0009] In any of the above technical solutions, the triangular guide member further comprises a triangular guide channel that runs through itself, and the cross-section of the triangular guide channel is an equilateral triangle.

[0010] In any of the above technical solutions, the battery module further includes metal foam, which fills the triangular guide channel, and the skeleton structure of the metal foam is attached to the inner wall of the triangular guide channel.

[0011] In any of the above technical solutions, further, both the upper bracket and the lower bracket are provided with cylindrical through holes for mounting the cylindrical battery, and the cylindrical battery is sealed to the cylindrical through holes; the guide member contacts the upper bracket and the lower bracket to be sealed to the corresponding guide holes, and / or, the cross-section of the guide hole is an equilateral triangle.

[0012] In any of the above technical solutions, the first liquid inlet is an outlet, and the second liquid inlet is an inlet, allowing external coolant to enter through the second liquid inlet and flow out through the first liquid inlet; in the battery module's operating state, the upper bracket is located above the battery module, and the lower bracket is located below the battery module.

[0013] In any of the above technical solutions, the battery module further includes a current equalization plate, which is disposed below the lower support. The current equalization plate is sealed to the inner wall of the outer shell to form a third chamber with the outer shell and the lower support. The middle part of the current equalization plate is a solid structure, and multiple dispersing channels penetrating the current equalization plate are opened around the solid structure. The outer contour of the solid structure is circular or polygonal, and the multiple dispersing channels are distributed at intervals around the outer contour of the solid structure. The first liquid inlet and the second liquid inlet are both disposed in the middle part of the outer shell.

[0014] In any of the above technical solutions, the number of dispersion channels is eight, and the included angle between any two adjacent dispersion channels is 45°.

[0015] According to a second aspect of this application, a battery pack is provided, including the battery module as described above.

[0016] In any of the above technical solutions, the battery pack further includes a controller, a variable frequency pump, a cooler, an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and multiple temperature sensors; the controller, the variable frequency pump, and the multiple temperature sensors are communicatively connected; the cooler is connected to the variable frequency pump, the cooler is connected to the second liquid inlet through the inlet pipe, and the cooler is connected to the first liquid inlet through the outlet pipe; the multiple temperature sensors are used to detect the temperature of multiple areas in the battery module, and the controller adjusts the power of the variable frequency pump based on the data detected by the multiple temperature sensors.

[0017] The battery module of this application includes a housing, an upper bracket, a lower bracket, a current guide, and multiple cylindrical batteries. The multiple cylindrical batteries are arranged in multiple rows, with adjacent rows of cylindrical batteries staggered to form a regular array. A gap structure is formed between three adjacent cylindrical batteries, and a current guide is installed in the gap structure, with the current guide fitting against the outer wall of the corresponding three cylindrical batteries. The cylindrical batteries are installed between the upper bracket and the lower bracket, and the current guide is installed between the upper bracket and the lower bracket. Both the upper and lower brackets have current guide holes communicating with the current guides. The upper bracket is sealed to the inner wall of the housing to form a first chamber, and the lower bracket is sealed to the inner wall of the housing to form a second chamber. The first chamber communicates with the current guide holes of the upper bracket, and the second chamber communicates with the current guide holes of the lower bracket. The housing has a first liquid inlet communicating with the first chamber and a second liquid inlet communicating with the second chamber.

[0018] Based on the above technical features, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows: This application uses a single-phase immersion cooling method to dissipate heat from the battery module. For example, taking the second liquid inlet as the liquid inlet, the cooling circuit is: coolant - second liquid inlet - second chamber - guide hole of the lower bracket - guide component - guide hole of the upper bracket - second chamber - first liquid inlet.

[0019] The cylindrical batteries in this application are arranged in a honeycomb structure. Compared to the traditional neat arrangement, this honeycomb arrangement allows for a greater number of cylindrical batteries to be placed in a limited space, effectively improving the energy density of the battery module. In the honeycomb arrangement, a specific triangular gap structure is formed between three adjacent cylindrical batteries, providing a spatial basis for the flow guide. The flow guide of this application can guide the coolant to flow more effectively to various parts of the cylindrical battery surface, providing a more uniform coolant distribution under the same spatial conditions compared to circular or rectangular flow channels (circular or rectangular gap structures).

[0020] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the battery pack according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 A front view of a battery module according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3 Show Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the AA cross-sectional structure; Figure 4 Show Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure after the outer shell is hidden; Figure 5 Show Figure 4 Another structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 6 Show Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure behind the hidden cylindrical battery; Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the distribution of the cylindrical battery and the triangular current guide of an embodiment of this application is provided. Figure 8 Show Figure 4 A structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the flow equalization plate according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of the triangular guide component according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0023] Icons: 100-Outer shell; 110-First liquid inlet; 120-Second liquid inlet; 200-Upper bracket; 210-Guide hole; 220-Cylindrical through hole; 221-Support seat; 300-Lower bracket; 400-Flow equalization plate; 410-Solid structure; 420-Dispersion channel; 430-Supplement channel; 500-Cylindrical battery; 600-Triangular guide component; 610-Triangular guide channel; 620-Contoured arc surface; 10-Battery module; 20-Variable frequency pump; 30-Coolant circulation system; 40-Inlet pipe; 50-Outlet pipe; 60-First chamber; 70-Second chamber; 80-Third chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The following detailed embodiments are provided to help the reader gain a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein will be apparent after understanding the disclosure of this application. For example, the order of operations described herein is merely illustrative and is not limited to the order set forth herein; changes that will be apparent after understanding the disclosure of this application are possible, except for operations that must occur in a specific order. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of features known in the art may be omitted.

[0025] The features described herein may be implemented in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the examples described herein. Rather, the examples described herein have been provided merely to illustrate some of the many feasible ways of implementing the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein that will be apparent upon understanding the disclosure of this application.

[0026] Throughout the specification, when an element (such as a layer, region, or substrate) is described as being "on" another element, "connected to" another element, "bonded to" another element, "on" another element, or "covering" another element, it may be directly "on" another element, "connected to" another element, "bonded to" another element, "on" another element, or "covering" another element, or there may be one or more other elements in between. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly on" another element, "directly connected to" another element, "directly bonded to" another element, "directly on" another element, or "directly covering" another element, there may be no other elements in between.

[0027] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any one of the relevant items listed and any combination of any two or more items.

[0028] Although terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe individual components, assemblies, regions, layers, or parts, these components, assemblies, regions, layers, or parts are not limited by these terms. Rather, these terms are used only to distinguish one component, assembly, region, layer, or part from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the examples described herein, the first component, assembly, region, layer, or part referred to as the second component, assembly, region, layer, or part may also be referred to as the second component, assembly, region, layer, or part.

[0029] For ease of description, spatial relation terms such as “above,” “upper,” “below,” and “lower” are used herein to describe the relationship between one element and another, as shown in the accompanying drawings. Such spatial relation terms are intended to include not only the orientation depicted in the drawings but also different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, an element described as being “above” or “upper” relative to another element will subsequently be “below” or “lower” relative to that other element. Therefore, the term “above” includes both “above” and “below” orientations depending on the spatial orientation of the device. The device may also be positioned in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relation terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0030] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing various examples only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” enumerate the stated features, quantities, operations, components, elements, and / or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, quantities, operations, components, elements, and / or combinations thereof.

[0031] Variations in the shapes shown in the accompanying drawings may occur due to manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, the examples described herein are not limited to the specific shapes shown in the accompanying drawings, but include changes in shape that may occur during manufacturing.

[0032] The features of the examples described herein can be combined in various ways that will be apparent upon understanding the disclosure of this application. Furthermore, although the examples described herein have a wide variety of constructions, other constructions are possible, as will be apparent upon understanding the disclosure of this application.

[0033] The first aspect of this application provides a battery module 10, thereby solving the aforementioned technical problems existing in existing battery modules based on single-phase immersion cooling. (See below for reference.) Figures 2 to 10 The battery module 10 is described according to some embodiments of this application.

[0034] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the battery module 10 of this application includes a housing 100, an upper bracket 200, a lower bracket 300, a triangular flow guide 600, and multiple cylindrical batteries 500. The multiple cylindrical batteries 500 are arranged in a honeycomb structure to form a regular array, with gaps between adjacent three cylindrical batteries 500, and the triangular flow guide 600 is installed in these gaps. The cylindrical batteries 500 are installed between the upper bracket 200 and the lower bracket 300, and the triangular flow guide 600 is also installed between the upper bracket 200 and the lower bracket 300. Both the upper bracket 200 and the lower bracket 300 have flow-guiding holes 210 communicating with the triangular flow guide 600. Figure 3 As shown, the upper support 200 is sealed to the inner wall of the outer casing 100 to form a first chamber 60, and the lower support 300 is sealed to the inner wall of the outer casing 100 to form a second chamber 70. Figure 2 As shown, the outer casing 100 has a first liquid inlet 110 communicating with the first chamber 60 and a second liquid inlet 120 communicating with the second chamber 70.

[0035] This application uses a single-phase immersion cooling method to dissipate heat from the battery module 10. For example, taking the second liquid inlet 120 as the liquid inlet, the cooling circuit is as follows: coolant - second liquid inlet 120 - second chamber 70 - guide hole 210 of lower bracket 300 - triangular guide 600 - guide hole 210 of upper bracket 200 - second chamber 70 - first liquid inlet 110.

[0036] The cylindrical batteries 500 of this application are arranged in a honeycomb structure. Compared with the traditional neat arrangement, this honeycomb arrangement can accommodate more cylindrical batteries 500 in a limited space, which can effectively improve the energy density of the battery module 10. In the honeycomb arrangement, a specific gap structure is formed between three adjacent cylindrical batteries 500, providing a spatial basis for the triangular flow guide 600.

[0037] The triangular guide member 600 of this application can guide the coolant to flow more effectively to various parts of the cylindrical battery 500 surface, providing a more uniform coolant distribution under the same spatial conditions compared to circular or rectangular flow channels. At the same time, the triangular guide member 600 has high structural strength, and can better maintain its shape when the battery module 10 is subjected to vibration or external impact, ensuring the normal flow of coolant.

[0038] In the embodiments of this application, the coolant can be a single-phase insulating coolant, which is suitable for high energy density and high rate charge / discharge scenarios.

[0039] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 10As shown, the triangular guide member 600 includes three contoured arc surfaces 620 that match the outer wall of the cylindrical battery 500. Each of the three contoured arc surfaces 620 is respectively attached to the outer wall of its corresponding cylindrical battery 500. This configuration, with the contoured arc surfaces 620 attached to the outer wall of the cylindrical battery 500, serves two purposes: firstly, it better guides the coolant flow across the surface of the cylindrical battery 500, reducing dead zones and eddies, allowing the coolant to cover the cylindrical battery 500 more evenly and improving heat dissipation efficiency. Secondly, it provides multi-directional support and constraint for the cylindrical battery 500, effectively reducing displacement of the battery module 10 due to vibration and shaking during vehicle operation, lowering the risk of damage to the battery module 10 due to collisions, and improving the overall stability and reliability of the battery module 10. Furthermore, it better adapts to the shape of the cylindrical battery 500, allowing for close arrangement between batteries, fully utilizing the space within the battery module 10, resulting in a more compact layout of the cylindrical batteries 500, which is beneficial for arranging more cylindrical batteries 500 within a limited space.

[0040] Preferably, such as Figure 10 As shown, the triangular guide member 600 of this application has a through-hole triangular guide channel 610 inside, and the cross-section of the triangular guide channel 610 is an equilateral triangle. This configuration has unique advantages, as the three sharp interior angles can guide the coolant to flow more effectively to various parts of the cylindrical battery 500 surface, providing a more uniform coolant distribution under the same spatial conditions and reducing cooling dead zones.

[0041] Furthermore, the battery module 10 of this application also includes metal foam, which fills the triangular guide channel 610, and the skeleton structure of the metal foam is attached to the inner wall of the triangular guide channel 610. This configuration allows the metal foam to have high porosity and a large specific surface area, significantly increasing the heat exchange area between the coolant and the battery module 10 when filled within the triangular guide channel 610. When the coolant flows through the metal foam, its flow state is disrupted, forming strong turbulence, further enhancing the convective heat transfer effect and significantly improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery module 10.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, both the upper bracket 200 and the lower bracket 300 have cylindrical through holes 220 for mounting the cylindrical battery 500, and the cylindrical battery 500 is sealed to the cylindrical through holes 220. Additionally, to facilitate the positioning of the cylindrical battery 500 and the arrangement of electrical components at the ends of the cylindrical battery 500, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the inner wall of the cylindrical through hole 220 of this application is also provided with an annular support 221, which supports the end of the cylindrical battery 500. Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, the triangular guide member 600 contacts the upper bracket 200 and the lower bracket 300 to form a sealed connection with the corresponding guide hole 210. Preferably, the cross-section of the guide hole 210 is an equilateral triangle, which facilitates the docking of the guide hole 210 with the triangular guide channel 610.

[0043] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, not all gap structures need to be equipped with triangular guide members 600. Preferably, as Figure 7 As shown, if multiple cylindrical batteries 500 arranged in a honeycomb structure are defined as N rows, then the gap structure is 2N rows. In the 2N rows of gap structures, a triangular flow guide 600 is installed every other row. With this configuration, the heat dissipation requirements are met by installing a triangular flow guide 600 every other row of gap structures, while saving costs. It should be noted here that... Figure 7 The cylindrical battery 500 in this application can be infinitely expanded. Figure 7 Only a portion is shown; it only needs to meet the requirement that a triangular guide component 600 is installed in each row of gap structures.

[0044] In addition, it is worth mentioning that, Figure 2 As shown, the first liquid inlet 110 of this application is a liquid outlet, and the second liquid inlet 120 is a liquid inlet. External coolant can enter through the second liquid inlet 120 and flow out through the first liquid inlet 110. Figures 2 to 6 As shown, in the operating state of the battery module 10, the upper bracket 200 is located above the battery module 10, and the lower bracket 300 is located below the battery module 10. The cooling circuit is as follows: coolant - second liquid inlet 120 - second chamber 70 - guide hole 210 of the lower bracket 300 - triangular guide 600 - guide hole 210 of the upper bracket 200 - second chamber 70 - first liquid inlet 110. With this configuration, the coolant enters from the bottom and, under the action of gravity and an external circulation pump, flows evenly from bottom to top through all parts of the battery module 10, ensuring that each cylindrical battery 500 is adequately cooled. The coolant flows out from the top, conforming to the natural law of rising heat, which helps to promptly discharge the coolant that has absorbed heat, ensuring the stability of the cooling effect.

[0045] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the battery module 10 also includes a current sharing plate 400, which is disposed below the lower support 300. The current sharing plate 400 is sealed to the inner wall of the housing 100 to form a third chamber 80 with the housing 100 and the lower support 300 (see...). Figure 3The flow equalization plate 400 has a solid structure 410 in the middle, and multiple dispersion channels 420 are opened around the solid structure 410, penetrating the flow equalization plate 400. The outer contour of the solid structure 410 is circular or polygonal, and the multiple dispersion channels 420 are distributed at intervals around the outer contour of the solid structure 410. The first liquid inlet 110 and the second liquid inlet 120 are both located in the middle of the outer shell 100. The cooling circuit is as follows: coolant - second liquid inlet 120 - second chamber 70 - dispersion channel 420 - third chamber 80 - guide hole 210 of lower support 300 - triangular guide 600 - guide hole 210 of upper support 200 - second chamber 70 - first liquid inlet 110.

[0046] With this configuration, when the flow rate / velocity of the second liquid inlet 120 is too high, the coolant will concentrate in the center. If the flow equalization plate 400 is not provided, the flow rate of the triangular guide member 600 located in the center of the battery module 10 will be greater than that of the triangular guide members 600 located around the battery module 10. To address this, the flow equalization plate 400 of this application can solve the above-mentioned problem of uneven flow. The center of the flow equalization plate 400 of this application is a solid structure 410. When the coolant concentrates in the center, it will directly impact the solid structure 410 of the flow equalization plate 400. The impacted coolant will be guided through the outer contour of the solid structure 410 to multiple dispersion channels 420, and then enter the third chamber 80 from the dispersion channels 420, thereby making the coolant flow evenly into each triangular guide member 600.

[0047] Preferably, such as Figure 9 As shown, there are eight dispersion channels 420, and the included angle between any two adjacent dispersion channels 420 is 45°.

[0048] Optionally, such as Figure 9 As shown, the flow equalization plate 400 can also have four supplementary flow channels 430 that penetrate through it, and the four supplementary flow channels 430 are vertically connected to four dispersed flow channels 420 that are spaced apart. With this configuration, the four supplementary flow channels 430 can supplement the large solid area on the flow equalization plate 400, so as to further make the coolant flow evenly into each triangular guide member 600.

[0049] According to a second aspect of this application, a battery pack is provided, including the battery module 10 as described above.

[0050] like Figure 1As shown, the battery pack of this application also includes a controller, a variable frequency pump 20, a coolant circulation system 30 (the coolant circulation system 30 includes a cooler and a circulation pump), an inlet pipe 40, an outlet pipe 50, and multiple temperature sensors. The coolant circulation system 30 is connected to the variable frequency pump 20, and is connected to the second liquid inlet 120 via the inlet pipe 40. The coolant circulation system 30 is connected to the first liquid inlet 110 via the outlet pipe 50. The multiple temperature sensors are used to detect the temperature of multiple areas in the battery module 10. When the highest temperature in multiple areas exceeds the highest set value, the controller controls the variable frequency pump 20 (or circulation pump) to increase its power to the maximum design power, adjusts the speed of the variable frequency pump 20 (or circulation pump), and increases the coolant flow rate. By increasing the coolant flow rate, the heat generated by the high-temperature cylindrical battery 500 can be removed more quickly, causing its temperature to drop rapidly. Conversely, when the minimum temperature in multiple zones is lower than the minimum set value, the controller controls the variable frequency pump 20 (or circulation pump) to reduce its power to the minimum design power, thereby reducing the coolant flow and avoiding excessive cooling that would lead to energy waste.

[0051] Preferably, one temperature sensor corresponds to one cylindrical battery 500. The temperature sensors can be distributed at different locations on the cylindrical battery 500, including the top, bottom and middle parts of the cylindrical battery 500, so as to comprehensively and accurately obtain the temperature information of the cylindrical battery 500 and transmit the temperature information to the controller in real time.

[0052] In summary: (1) The cylindrical batteries 500 of this application are arranged in a honeycomb structure. Compared with the traditional neat arrangement, this honeycomb arrangement can arrange more cylindrical batteries 500 in a limited space, which can effectively improve the energy density of the battery module 10. Compared with the traditional battery arrangement, the energy density can be increased by 15%-20%. In the honeycomb arrangement, a specific gap structure is formed between three adjacent cylindrical batteries 500, which provides a spatial basis for the triangular guide 600.

[0053] (2) The triangular guide 600 of this application can guide the coolant to flow more effectively to various parts of the cylindrical battery 500 surface, and can provide a more uniform coolant distribution under the same spatial conditions compared with circular or rectangular flow channels. At the same time, the triangular guide 600 has high structural strength, and can better maintain its shape when the battery module 10 is subjected to vibration or external impact, ensuring the normal flow of coolant.

[0054] (3) Metal foam is filled in the triangular guide channel 610, and the skeleton structure of the metal foam is attached to the inner wall of the triangular guide channel 610. This significantly enhances the heat exchange effect between the coolant and the cylindrical battery 500, and can quickly and effectively remove the heat generated by the cylindrical battery 500, reduce the maximum temperature of the cylindrical battery 500, reduce the temperature difference between the cylindrical batteries 500, and improve the overall heat dissipation performance of the battery module 10. Under high-rate charge and discharge conditions, compared with traditional cooling methods, the maximum temperature of the battery module 10 can be reduced by more than 10°C, and the maximum temperature difference of the cylindrical batteries 500 in the battery module 10 is controlled within 5°C. Under 1C charge and discharge conditions, the maximum temperature difference of the cylindrical batteries 500 in the battery module 10 is ≤3°C.

[0055] (4) The thermal management method of real-time monitoring of the temperature of the battery module 10 and automatic adjustment of the coolant flow rate according to the temperature can achieve precise control of the temperature of the battery module 10, ensuring that the cylindrical battery 500 always works within a suitable temperature range, thereby improving the performance and lifespan of the cylindrical battery 500. At the same time, by optimizing the coolant flow path, the efficiency and stability of the thermal management system are further improved.

[0056] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are merely specific implementations of this application, used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. The protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Such modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be covered within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A battery module, characterized in that, Includes a casing, upper bracket, lower bracket, current guide, and multiple cylindrical batteries; The cylindrical batteries are divided into multiple rows, with adjacent rows of cylindrical batteries arranged alternately to form a regular array. A gap structure is formed between three adjacent cylindrical batteries, and the current guide is installed in the gap structure. The current guide is attached to the outer wall of the corresponding three cylindrical batteries. The cylindrical battery is installed between the upper bracket and the lower bracket, the flow guide is installed between the upper bracket and the lower bracket, and both the upper bracket and the lower bracket are provided with flow guide holes communicating with the flow guide. The upper support is sealed to the inner wall of the outer shell to form a first chamber. The lower support is sealed to the inner wall of the outer shell to form a second chamber. The first chamber is connected to the guide hole of the upper support, and the second chamber is connected to the guide hole of the lower support. The outer shell has a first liquid inlet connected to the first chamber and a second liquid inlet connected to the second chamber.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the multiple cylindrical batteries are divided into N rows, then the gap structure is 2N rows. In the 2N rows of the gap structure, the flow guide is installed in every other row of the gap structure.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow guide is formed as a triangular flow guide, which includes three contoured arc surfaces that match the outer wall of the cylindrical battery. The three contoured arc surfaces are respectively attached to the outer wall of the corresponding cylindrical battery.

4. The battery module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The triangular guide member has a through-hole triangular guide channel inside, and the cross-section of the triangular guide channel is an equilateral triangle.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The battery module also includes metal foam, which fills the triangular guide channel, and the skeleton structure of the metal foam is attached to the inner wall of the triangular guide channel.

6. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both the upper bracket and the lower bracket are provided with cylindrical through holes for mounting the cylindrical battery, and the cylindrical battery is sealed to the cylindrical through holes. The flow guide contacts the upper support and the lower support to form a sealed connection with the corresponding flow guide hole, and / or the cross-section of the flow guide hole is an equilateral triangle.

7. The battery module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The first liquid inlet is a liquid outlet, and the second liquid inlet is a liquid inlet. External coolant can enter through the second liquid inlet and flow out through the first liquid inlet. When the battery module is in use, the upper bracket is located above the battery module, and the lower bracket is located below the battery module.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The battery module also includes a current equalization plate, which is disposed below the lower support and is sealed to the inner wall of the outer casing to form a third chamber with the outer casing and the lower support. The flow equalization plate has a solid structure in the middle, and multiple dispersion channels are opened around the solid structure to penetrate the flow equalization plate. The outer contour of the solid structure is circular or polygonal, and the multiple dispersion channels are distributed at intervals around the outer contour of the solid structure. Both the first liquid inlet and the second liquid inlet are located in the middle of the outer casing.

9. The battery module according to claim 8, characterized in that, There are eight dispersion channels, and the included angle between any two adjacent dispersion channels is 45°.

10. A battery pack, characterized in that, The battery module includes any one of claims 1-9.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a controller, a variable frequency pump, a cooler, an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and multiple temperature sensors; the controller, the variable frequency pump, and the multiple temperature sensors are communicatively connected. The cooler is connected to the variable frequency pump, the cooler is connected to the second liquid inlet through the liquid inlet pipe, and the cooler is connected to the first liquid inlet through the liquid outlet pipe; Multiple temperature sensors are used to detect the temperature of multiple areas in the battery module, and the controller adjusts the power of the variable frequency pump based on the data detected by the multiple temperature sensors.

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