Enclosure, battery pack, and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a box, a battery pack and a vehicle, the box comprising a frame, a bottom plate and a bottom guard plate, the bottom plate being arranged between the frame and the bottom guard plate, the frame being used for accommodating a single battery, the bottom plate and the bottom guard plate enclosing an exhaust cavity, the bottom plate being provided with an exhaust hole, the exhaust hole being used for communicating with an explosion-proof valve at the bottom of the single battery, at least two cavities being arranged in the frame and being communicated with each other, the at least two cavities being communicated between the exhaust cavity and an exhaust port, the box improving the safety of the battery pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a housing, a battery pack, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, during the use of battery packs, when the internal heat generation of a single cell is too large, the internal gas pressure rises rapidly, and high-temperature gas and particles will be ejected from the explosion-proof valve of the single cell. In order to prevent the ejected material from contacting the high-voltage structure and causing faults such as arcing and short circuits, the battery pack adopts a valve-electric separation design. However, the material ejected by the thermal runaway of the single cell is discharged into the cavity between the bottom cold plate and the bottom protective plate, resulting in the accumulation of high-temperature gas and particulate matter, which poses a safety risk. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a housing, a battery pack, and a vehicle, wherein the housing improves the safety of the battery pack.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a housing, including a frame, a bottom plate, and a bottom protective plate. The bottom plate is disposed between the frame and the bottom protective plate. The frame is used to accommodate a single battery cell. The bottom plate and the bottom protective plate form an exhaust chamber. An exhaust hole is provided on the bottom plate. The exhaust hole is used to communicate with an explosion-proof valve at the bottom of the single battery cell. At least two interconnected cavities are provided inside the frame. The at least two cavities are connected between the exhaust chamber and the exhaust port.

[0005] Optionally, the frame includes at least one partition, which divides the frame into at least two cavities, and the partition has a connecting hole that connects the two adjacent cavities.

[0006] Optionally, the bottom wall of the frame is provided with an exhaust groove, which connects the exhaust chamber and the bottommost cavity, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust groove is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​at least one connecting hole.

[0007] Optionally, at least two partitions include a first partition and a second partition, the second partition being located above the first partition, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole on the first partition being larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole on the second partition.

[0008] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust groove is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole on the second partition.

[0009] Optionally, in the vertical direction, the projection of the exhaust groove coincides with the projection of the connecting hole on the first partition.

[0010] Optionally, the frame is provided with a connecting hole for connecting the frame and the top cover of the battery pack, wherein the projection of the connecting hole in the vertical direction coincides with the projection of the connecting hole on the second partition.

[0011] Optionally, the cavity is arranged circumferentially around the base plate, and there are multiple exhaust slots, which are spaced apart circumferentially around the base plate.

[0012] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided, including the housing as described above.

[0013] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including the battery pack described above.

[0014] With the above technical solution, when the battery pack is equipped with the housing disclosed herein, when the thermal runaway gas from a single cell is ejected from the bottom explosion-proof valve, it can enter the exhaust chamber through the exhaust hole on the bottom plate. Since the exhaust chamber is connected to the cavity inside the frame, the thermal runaway gas can enter the cavity and be discharged through the exhaust port. Thus, by setting up the connected cavity and exhaust chamber, the flow path of the thermal runaway gas can be increased, avoiding the concentration of thermal runaway gas pressure. In addition, by setting at least two connected cavities inside the frame, the capacity for containing the thermal runaway gas is increased, allowing some of the thermal runaway gas to be discharged quickly, while the rest can be temporarily stored in at least two cavities, providing a buffer space for the thermal runaway gas, buffering the pressure of the thermal runaway gas, dispersing the impact force of the thermal runaway gas, and preventing the channel in a single cavity from overloading when the flow rate of the thermal runaway gas surges. Furthermore, the contact area between the thermal runaway gas and the side wall of the frame is increased, allowing the heat of the thermal runaway gas to be absorbed by the side wall of the frame or dissipated to the outside through the frame, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the thermal runaway gas. This improves the depressurization and cooling effect on thermal runaway gases, reduces the severity of thermal runaway, and ensures the safety of other individual cells by preventing the thermal runaway gases from passing through the exhaust chamber and cavity when they are discharged, thereby improving the safety of the battery pack.

[0015] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 4 This is a partial exploded view of a battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 5 This is a top view of the box structure provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of point A; Figure 7 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of point B; Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the thermal runaway gas flow path within the chamber according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1-Frame, 11-Separator, 111-First Separator, 112-Second Separator, 12-Connecting Hole, 13-Exhaust Slot, 14-Connecting Hole, 2-Bottom Plate, 21-Exhaust Hole, 3-Bottom Protective Plate, 4-Exhaust Chamber, 5-Cavity, 6-Exhaust Port, 7-Top Cover, 10-Single Battery, 20-Main Explosion-proof Valve. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0019] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to "inner" and "outer" relative to the contour of the corresponding component itself. The directional terms "upper" and "lower" generally refer to "upper" and "lower" relative to each other in the direction of gravity when the corresponding component is in use. "Top" and "bottom" generally refer to "top" and "bottom" relative to the corresponding component in the direction of height when in use. Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" is intended to distinguish different components and does not imply sequentiality or importance. In addition, in the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same elements. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above definitions are for explanation and illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0020] According to a specific embodiment of this disclosure, refer to Figures 1 to 8As shown, a housing is provided, including a frame 1, a bottom plate 2, and a bottom protective plate 3. The bottom plate 2 is disposed between the frame 1 and the bottom protective plate 3. The frame 1 is used to accommodate a single battery cell 10. The bottom plate 2 and the bottom protective plate 3 form an exhaust chamber 4. An exhaust hole 21 is provided on the bottom plate 2. The exhaust hole 21 is used to communicate with the explosion-proof valve at the bottom of the single battery cell 10. At least two interconnected cavities 5 are provided inside the frame 1. The at least two cavities 5 are connected between the exhaust chamber 4 and the exhaust port 6.

[0021] With the above technical solution, when the battery pack is equipped with the housing disclosed herein, when the thermal runaway gas of the individual battery 10 is ejected from the bottom explosion-proof valve, it can enter the exhaust chamber 4 through the exhaust hole 21 on the bottom plate 2. Since the exhaust chamber 4 is connected to the cavity 5 inside the frame 1, the thermal runaway gas can enter the cavity 5 and be discharged through the exhaust port 6. Thus, by setting the connected cavity 5 and exhaust chamber 4, the flow path of the thermal runaway gas can be increased, and the pressure concentration of the thermal runaway gas can be avoided. Furthermore, by providing at least two interconnected cavities 5 within the frame 1, the capacity for containing thermal runaway gas is increased. This allows some of the thermal runaway gas to be quickly discharged, while the remainder can be temporarily stored within at least two cavities 5, providing a buffer space to cushion the pressure of the thermal runaway gas and disperse its impact force. This prevents overload of the channels within a single cavity 5 when the flow rate of the thermal runaway gas surges. Additionally, the increased contact area between the thermal runaway gas and the sidewalls of the frame 1 allows the heat from the thermal runaway gas to be absorbed by the sidewalls of the frame 1 or dissipated to the outside through the frame 1, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect. This enhances the depressurization and cooling effect of the thermal runaway gas, mitigating the severity of thermal runaway. Moreover, since the thermal runaway gas does not pass through the battery compartment containing the individual cells 10 when being discharged through the exhaust chamber 4 and cavities 5, the safety of other individual cells 10 is ensured, thus improving the overall safety of the battery pack.

[0022] A main explosion-proof valve 20 can be installed at the exhaust port 6 so that the thermal runaway gas passing through the exhaust port 6 can be quickly discharged through the main explosion-proof valve 20.

[0023] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and 2As shown, the frame 1 includes at least one partition 11, which divides the frame 1 into at least two cavities 5. The partition 11 has a connecting hole 12 that connects the two adjacent cavities 5. Thus, the partition 11 and the connecting hole 12 form an exhaust channel, allowing some of the thermal runaway gas entering the frame 1 to be rapidly discharged from the exhaust port 6, achieving initial pressure relief. The remaining portion enters the other cavity 5 through the connecting hole 12 for storage, further dispersing pressure within the other cavity 5 and preventing the thermal runaway gas from flowing irregularly within the frame 1, which could lead to a sudden increase in local pressure. Furthermore, the diameter of the connecting hole 12 can limit the flow rate of gas entering the other cavity 5, preventing sudden pressure changes in the other cavity 5 due to the instantaneous influx of thermal runaway gas.

[0024] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the bottom wall of the frame 1 has an exhaust groove 13, which connects the exhaust chamber 4 and the bottommost cavity 5. The cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust groove 13 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​at least one connecting hole 12. This allows the thermal runaway gas to first enter the bottommost cavity 5 and then quickly exit through the exhaust port 6, thereby increasing the flow rate of the thermal runaway gas. By setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust groove 13 to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole 12, the thermal runaway gas can quickly and in large quantities enter the cavity 5 through the exhaust groove 13, so that the thermal runaway gas entering the cavity 5 via the exhaust chamber 4 can be quickly discharged through the exhaust port 6, avoiding the exhaust groove 13 being too small, which could cause blockage by particles, affecting the pressure relief efficiency and gas discharge rate. In addition, the partition 11 can withstand part of the impact force of the thermal runaway gas, reducing the risk of deformation of the frame 1. When a single cell 10 experiences thermal runaway, the bottom explosion-proof valve can spray out the thermal runaway gas and particles.

[0025] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and 2As shown, at least two partitions 11 include a first partition 111 and a second partition 112. The second partition 112 is located above the first partition 111. The cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole 12 on the first partition 111 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112. Thus, the two partitions 11 can divide the frame 1 into at least three interconnected cavities 5, allowing the thermal runaway gas entering the frame 1 to first achieve rapid depressurization through the bottommost cavity 5, thereby quickly weakening the impact force of thermal runaway. By setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole 12 on the first partition 111 to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112, after some of the thermal runaway gas is quickly discharged through the bottommost cavity 5, the remaining thermal runaway gas can quickly enter the middle cavity 5 to achieve a buffering effect, which is beneficial for the rapid diffusion of the thermal runaway gas in the lower part of the frame 1. In addition, the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112 can also limit the flow, so that the thermal runaway gas can flow fully in the bottom cavity 5 and the middle cavity 5 and make full contact with the side wall of the frame 1 to dissipate heat.

[0026] The first partition 111 can be configured as two, and the second partition 112 can be configured as two, to divide the frame 1 into five interconnected cavities 5, so as to further achieve layered buffering of thermal runaway gas, step-by-step depressurization, and improve the safety of the battery pack. Of course, the specific number of cavities 5 can be adapted to meet specific needs.

[0027] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust groove 13 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112. Since the gas will preferentially choose the channel with less resistance and larger flow rate when it flows, when the thermal runaway gas enters the bottom cavity 5 through the exhaust groove 13, it can be directly discharged through the exhaust port 6 first, instead of first flowing upward through the connecting hole 12 and then flowing back out in the opposite direction. Thus, the thermal runaway gas can migrate upward step by step, forming a unidirectional flow path, and avoiding thermal runaway gas pressure turbulence that could damage the structure of the frame 1.

[0028] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and 2 As shown, in the vertical direction, the projection of the exhaust groove 13 coincides with the projection of the connecting hole 12 on the first partition 111. Thus, when machining the exhaust groove 13, it is possible to directly pass through the first partition 111 along the axial direction of the exhaust groove 13 to machine the connecting hole 12 on the first partition 111. Therefore, both the exhaust groove 13 and the connecting hole 12 on the first partition 111 can be machined simultaneously, simplifying the machining process and improving the production efficiency of the frame 1.

[0029] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 and2 As shown, the frame 1 has a connecting hole 14 for connecting the frame 1 and the top cover 7 of the battery pack. The projection of the connecting hole 14 in the vertical direction coincides with the projection of the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112. This allows the connecting hole 14 to be directly axially inserted through the second partition 112 during machining, thus enabling the machining of the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112. Consequently, the connecting hole 14 and the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112 can be machined simultaneously, simplifying the machining process and improving the production efficiency of the frame 1.

[0030] In some embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to Figures 5 to 8 As shown, the cavity 5 is arranged around the base plate 2, and there are multiple exhaust grooves 13, which are spaced apart around the base plate 2. In this way, the pressure of the thermal runaway gas entering the frame 1 can be evenly distributed around the frame 1, avoiding local stress concentration and deformation of the frame 1. In addition, it can also avoid opening too many exhaust grooves 13 in a certain area of ​​the frame 1, which would weaken the local strength of the frame 1 and make it prone to deformation.

[0031] Below, for reference Figures 1 to 8 As shown, this disclosure will provide a detailed description of the specific usage process of the housing in conjunction with the above-described specific embodiments. When a single cell 10 in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, thermal runaway gas and particulate matter will be ejected through the explosion-proof valve at the bottom of the single cell 10. Since the bottom plate 2 has an exhaust port 21, the thermal runaway gas ejected from the bottom explosion-proof valve can directly enter the exhaust chamber 4 through the exhaust port 21 and enter at least two chambers 5 in the frame 1 through the exhaust groove 13. Among them, some thermal runaway gas can be directly discharged from the exhaust port 6 through the bottom chamber 5 and quickly discharged through the main explosion-proof valve 20. The remaining thermal runaway gas, which cannot be discharged in time, can enter the middle chamber 5 through the connecting hole 12 on the first partition 111 for temporary storage. Since the cross-section of the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112 is smaller than the cross-section of the connecting hole 12 on the first partition 111, the thermal runaway gas can circulate fully in the middle and lower layers of the frame 1, and the remaining thermal runaway gas can also enter the upper chamber 5 for temporary storage through the connecting hole 12 on the second partition 112. Therefore, the multiple cavities 5 within the frame 1 increase the capacity for thermal runaway gas, allowing all thermal runaway gas to escape after rapid depressurization during the initial eruption phase. This reduces the impact and pressure on the frame 1, bottom plate 2, and bottom protective plate 3 caused by single-layer channel overload during the initial thermal runaway eruption phase, thus preventing deformation of the enclosure. Figure 8 The arrows in the image indicate the path of the thermal runaway gas.

[0032] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided, including the housing described above. The battery pack possesses all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned housing, which will not be elaborated upon herein.

[0033] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including the battery pack described above. The vehicle possesses all the beneficial effects of the battery pack described above, which will not be elaborated upon herein.

[0034] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0035] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0036] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A case characterized by comprising: The device includes a frame, a base plate, and a bottom protective plate. The base plate is disposed between the frame and the bottom protective plate. The frame is used to accommodate a single battery cell. The base plate and the bottom protective plate form a venting chamber. The base plate has a vent hole for communicating with an explosion-proof valve at the bottom of the single battery cell. The frame contains at least two interconnected cavities, and the at least two cavities are connected between the venting chamber and the vent hole.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein, The frame includes at least one partition, which divides the frame into at least two cavities. The partition has a connecting hole that connects the two adjacent cavities.

3. The case of claim 2, wherein, The bottom wall of the frame is provided with an exhaust groove, which connects the exhaust chamber and the bottommost cavity. The cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust groove is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​at least one connecting hole.

4. A box according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that, At least two partitions include a first partition and a second partition, the second partition being located above the first partition, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole on the first partition being greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole on the second partition.

5. The case of claim 4, wherein, The cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust groove is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting hole on the second partition.

6. The case of claim 4, wherein, In the vertical direction, the projection of the exhaust groove coincides with the projection of the connecting hole on the first partition.

7. The case of claim 4, wherein, The frame has a connecting hole for connecting the frame and the top cover of the battery pack. In the vertical direction, the projection of the connecting hole coincides with the projection of the connecting hole on the second partition.

8. The case of claim 3, wherein, The cavity is arranged circumferentially around the base plate, and there are multiple exhaust slots, which are spaced apart circumferentially around the base plate.

9. A battery pack, characterized by, Includes the enclosure as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A vehicle characterized by comprising: Includes the battery pack as described in claim 9.

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